More playoff briefs
Beth-Center at Serra Catholic
Records: Beth-Center is 7-3. Serra is 6-4.
Classification: 2A
Winner plays: Either North Catholic or Brentwood.
Who to watch: Beth-Center has a dangerous offense that averages 444 yards and 36.4 points per game. Running back Dom Fundy has 1,419 yards and averages 8.6 yards per carry. He runs behind an offensive line led by guard Tim Trump, who has 18 pancake blocks. Quarterback Bailey Lincoski doesn’t throw very often but he’s completed 69.6 percent of his passes with 11 touchdowns. … B-C’s Jacob Baker has teams highs of 65 tackles and five sacks. … Serra has two game-breaking offensive players in wide receiver JaQuae Jackson and running back Khalil Smith. Jackson has 45 receptions and averages 17.9 yards per catch. Smith has rushed for 726 yards.
Noteworthy: Beth-Center has lost three of its last four games but has scored 86 points in those losses. … The Bulldogs average 8.2 yards per rushing attempt. … Serra clinched a home playoff game by defeating East Allegheny 28-27 in overtime last week.
Bishop Canevin at California
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Records: Bishop Canevin is 3-6. California is 10-0.
Classification: A
Winner plays: The winner of the Nos. 8-9 game between Fort Cherry and Union.
Who to watch: Much of Bishop Canevin’s offense centers around running back Zach Trusky, who has 897 rushing yards. The Crusaders have completed only 31 passes all season. Depth is a strength for California, which has five players who have scored at least 10 touchdowns in the Trojans’ triple-option offense: running backs Jelani Stafford (23 TDs), Cochise Ryan (12), Jonathan Wood (11), Zion Aldrich (10) and quarterback Colin Phillips (10).
Noteworthy: California is the only undefeated team in Class A and the top seed. … Bishop Canevin has lost four of its last five games including a 36-0 setback against Tri-County South Conference runner-up Carmichaels last weekend. … This is a rematch from last season’s opening round, when Bishop Canevin defeated turnover-plagued California 56-21. … The Crusaders are 0-6 against playoff teams and were shut out in three of those losses. … California outscored its opponents 392-36 in Tri-County South Conference games.
Western Beaver at Carmichaels
Records: Western Beaver is 6-4. Carmichaels is 7-2.
Classification: A
Winner plays: Either second-seeded Clairton or Summit Academy
Who to watch: Both teams prefer to stay with the running game. Western Beaver quarterback Jeddy Young has 957 rushing yards. Carmichaels tailback Nick Mundell has rushed for 938 yards. … The Mikes’ Jacob Lowry scored two touchdowns and a pair of two-point conversions last week in a 36-0 win at Bishop Canevin.
Noteworthy: This will be Carmichaels’ seventh game against teams from the Class A playoff field. The Mikes are 4-2 against playoff qualifiers. … Western Beaver was held to only 89 total yards in a 28-7 loss to Rochester last week. … Six of Carmichaels quarterback Kevin Kelly’s last 19 completions have gone for touchdowns. … This will be Carmichaels’ 18th playoff appearance in the last 21 years. The Mikes’ last postseason victory was a 32-0 win over Fort Cherry in 2002 quarterfinals.
Union at Fort Cherry
Records: Union is 7-3. Fort Cherry is 7-2.
Classification: A
Winner plays: Either top-seeded California or 16th-seeded Bishop Canevin
Who to watch: Union’s Tre Charles rushed for 160 yards and four touchdowns on only five carries in a 48-0 victory last week over Shenango. He missed several games with an injury. … Fort Cherry quarterback Ryhan Culberson is the leading scorer in the WPIAL with 150 points. He has rushed for 1,394 yards (10.0 yards per carry) and passed for 583. Since the start of last season, Culberson has had a hand in 68 Fort Cherry touchdowns either as a runner, passer, receiver or kick returner. … Rangers running back Zachary Vincenti has 564 yards and averages 7 yards per carry.
Noteworthy: The teams have one common opponent: Shenango. Union defeated Shenango 48-0 at home last week and Fort Cherry was a 42-35 winner at Shenango in September. … Fort Cherry was the only Tri-County South Conference team to win a playoff game last year. … Union is in the playoffs for only the fourth time since 2000. The Scotties’ defense allows only 15.8 points per game and has three shutouts. Union has held five opponents to no more than one touchdown.
West Greene at Rochester
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Records: West Greene is 7-3. Rochester is 7-2.
Classification: A
Winner plays: Either third-seeded Jeannette or Monessen
Who to watch: West Greene quarterback Zach Pettit is a dual threat as he’s rushed for 778 yards and and thrown for 474. … Pioneers running back Ben Jackson is the team’s leading reusher with 1,286 yards but missed the final two game sof the regular season with an ankle injury. … WG wide receiver Nathan Brudnock has had a nice season with 24 receptions. … Rochester quarterback Mahlik Strozier and running back Caleb Collins have combined for 29 touchdowns.
Noteworthy: The last playoff game for West Greene was the 1993 WPIAL Class A championship against Duquesne at Three Rivers Stadium. The Pioneers advanced to the title game that year by defeating Avonworth (55-0) and Farrell (7-6). … Rochester has played one game against a team from the Tri-County South Conference, losing to California 38-6 on Oct. 13. … Rochester has won seven WPIAL titles since 1991. … The Rams have completed only 15 passes all season. … West Greene’s girls basketball team defeated Rochester in the WPIAL quarterfinals last season.
Monessen at Jeannette
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Records: Monessen is 3-7. Jeannette is 9-1.
Classification: A
Winner plays: The winner of the West Greene-Rochester game
Who to watch: Monessen quarterback Dawayne Howell has thrown at least two touchdown passes in each of the Greyhounds’ last two wins. … Jeannette quarterback Robert Kennedy has passed for 1,069 yards. Twenty-one of his 68 completions have gone for touchdowns. He also is the Jayhawks’ leading rusher with 760 yards.
Noteworthy: Jeannette squandered a chance to garner the top seed in Class A when it lost 40-6 to Clairton last weekend. Monessen is only 3-7 but has won two of its last four games.