Aug 26, 2018 5 min read

One of the earliest decisions local high school football coaches have to answer comes well before heat acclimation week and the start of camp.

It’s whether to play a regular game or use the opening week as a second preseason scrimmage?

The idea of teams passing up a camp-ending scrimmage to play a meaningful game is becoming more and more popular since being introduced by the PIAA three years ago. Of the 120 teams in the WPIAL, 99 decided on playing a game that counts toward their record. The number is also up amongst the 22 local teams as 17 – compared to the 14 last season – participated in Week Zero.

Here is what else we learned from the opening week:

1. Air Prexies: The opening of this season was a lot different than last year’s start for Washington junior quarterback Zack Swartz.

In his first varsity start last season, Swartz was 4 of 13 with 86 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Charleroi. He started the game by going 1 of 6 with two yards in the first half.

In Wash High’s opener Friday against Laurel Highlands, he had more yards in the first quarter than the entire first game last season.

It shouldn’t be a surprise the Prexies are opening up their playbook to include more of a passing game. Swartz showed tremendous growth as last season progressed. Also, Washington only returned one starting lineman and have a wealth of skilled players on the outside. It’s the perfect combination to take the pressure off of the offensive line and get athletes in space.

However, Washington won’t abandon the run with Dylan Asbury, who had 12 carries for 113 yards and four touchdowns, but it won’t be resistant to Swartz slinging it around to beat opponents.

2. Defenses come up big: Maybe the most game-changing defensive play of the week was when Ty Jaworowski intercepted a Mapletown pass inside the redzone to seal a 14-12 win for Avella and its first season-opening win since 2013.

But that wasn’t the only defensive performance to raise eyebrows.

Beth-Center did something no team has figured out how to do to California since it switched to the Wing-T offense: stop the Trojans.

In the seven offensive possessions California had against the Bulldogs’ starting defense, it only managed 82 yards. For the game, B-C limited the Trojans’ offense to 147 yards and two touchdowns – they returned two kickoffs for scores.

No team last season held California under 300 yards, with its lowest offensive output being a Week 1 game against Fort Cherry where it amassed 324.

Peters Township provided the other stout defensive performance, holding West Toronto Prep to 83 yards in a 43-7 victory. Before pulling their starters, the Indians only surrendered 17 yards in the first half.

3. Commanding the offense: The biggest concern for South Fayette entering the season was at the quarterback position.

Despite a narrow 34-33 loss to Upper St. Clair to end the Lions 57-game regular-season winning streak, there is no concern now.

In his debut at South Fayette, quarterback Jamie Diven threw for more yards than he did all last season at West Allegheny. Diven completed 22 of 36 passes for 352 yards and four touchdowns. Three different receivers – Charley Rossi, Peyton Tinney and Joey Audia – caught touchdowns for the Lions.

Given the past two quarterbacks for South Fayette – Drew Saxton and Brett Brumbaugh – combined to throw for 19,256 yards in their careers, Diven acclimated himself very well into an offense with high expectations.

4. Far from saints: The Richard Wright Charter High School football team lost 80-6 to Imani Christian in the Western Pa. vs. Everybody Showcase Saturday at Woodland Hills High School.

And the team from Washington, D.C., shouldn’t be the most embarrassed team walking out.

With Imani leading 64-6 entering the fourth quarter, the Saints threw touchdown passes of 58 and 44 yards with their starters in the game. The final of the two touchdowns came with under one minute left.

To pour more salt in the wound for a four-hour drive back to the nation’s capital, Imani didn’t settle for six points. It made both of its two-point conversions, which included another pass.

And with only 17 players on their roster, it was done with the Saints’ starting quarterback and No. 1 receiver.

The Saints, specifically their coaching staff, should be embarrassed. They should be the ashamed team walking out after that result, not the other way around.

5. Players of the Week:

• Christian Clutter – The McGuffey running back did a little bit of everything in Friday night’s 28-0 victory over Ambridge.

The result was Clutter scoring four touchdowns four different ways. He turned the opening kickoff 91 yards for a score, then took a punt 42 yards for a touchdown before catching and running for another. He had 81 yards on nine carries.

• Dominic Fundy – Running through, around and past the California defense, the Beth-Center running back had 16 carries for 203 yards and a touchdown in a 50-28 win.

Fundy didn’t break loose until the second half when he had 161 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown.

• Zack Swartz – Swartz completed 16 of 20 passes for 375 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Prexies to a 59-25 win over Laurel Highlands.

Swartz threw touchdowns of 62, 74 and 28 yards.