Sep 12, 2024 By Jonathan Guth 4 min read

Friday the 13th is documented as a scary date — mostly thanks to the entertainment industry — and after tonight’s action for 16 local teams, a sense of fear will fall upon some squads, while others will slay the monster.

Heading into Week 3 of the high school football season – technically it’s the fourth week for the majority of teams – conference play opens in the following conferences: Western Hills in Class 3A; Century in Class 2A; Black Hills and Tri-County South in Class A.

There are several nonconference games on tap this evening involving area teams, but conference action determines who goes to the playoffs, which is the first step to winning WPIAL and state gold.

Here are five things to keep your eye on during this evening’s action:

1. Surprise, surprise

Jefferson-Morgan snapped a 12-year drought by making the playoffs last year, but not many people expected coach Shane Ziats’ team to look this good after three games.

The undefeated Rockets won their opener, 35-6, over Chartiers-Houston before edging a returning Class 2A playoff team in Waynesburg, 34-28. Jefferson-Morgan downed Burgettstown, 49-14, last week.

The Rockets host Mapletown (1-2) tonight in the Class A Tri-County South Conference opener.

Jefferson-Morgan’s offensive prowess has been on display, as senior quarterback Houston Guesman and junior wide receiver Deakyn Dehoet are a solid dynamic duo and running back Johnny Gilbert provides a balance to the offense.

The question will be if the defense for the Rockets can hold up, but when you average 39.3 points per game, you don’t need to resemble the 1985 Chicago Bears.

In other TCS games tonight, Avella (1-2) is at West Greene (0-3); Beth-Center (0-2) plays at Carmichaels (1-0) and California (1-2) travels to Bentworth (2-1).

2. Title defense begins

Fort Cherry hasn’t had too much trouble in its first three games after winning the WPIAL title last season in Class A and playing for a state championship.

The Rangers are 3-0 but have not had the services of quarterback Matt Sieg at 100 percent after the junior four-star recruit broke his right thumb in the first game of the season.

Josh Silveira filled in admirably for Seig last Friday in a 41-0 victory at West Greene. Silveira was 13 of 18 for 215 yards and four touchdowns. Sieg rushed for 77 yards on eight carries and scored two touchdowns.

Fort Cherry hosts Chartiers-Houston (2-1) this evening in the Black HIlls Conference opener. Burgettstown (1-1) hosts Cornell (3-0) in Black HIlls play.

3. Moving on up

McGuffey has a new head coach this season in Nate Parry, who has taken over for Ed Dalton, who led the Highlanders for 12 seasons.

Not only does McGuffey have a new coach, it is in a new conference and classification, as the Highlanders will compete in the Western Hills Conference in Class 3A.

McGuffey is off to an 0-2 start – last week’s game at West Allegheny was a casualty of lightning and storms – and faces another team that is normally not winless, especially after three games, in Central Valley.

In fairness to the Warriors, their losses have been to Montour, Thomas Jefferson and Belle Vernon.

In the Highlanders’ conference from a year ago, the Class 2A Century, Charleroi (0-3) hosts Seton LaSalle (2-0) and Waynesburg (2-1) is at Washington (2-1).

4. Are the Greyhounds back?

Monessen qualified for the playoffs last season, but the Greyhounds haven’t had the success they are accustomed to the past.

Monessen has moved from the Tri-County South to the Black Hills, which means games against Bishop Canevin and Fort Cherry, but the Greyhounds should be in good shape for a better playoff seed if they are able to qualify out of what has been a tougher conference.

Monessen is averaging 59 points per game and is undefeated through the first three games.

The Greyhounds’ TyVaughn Kershaw has scored 16 touchdowns, including six against Beth-Center last week.

Monessen hosts Serra Catholic (0-3) tonight at Memorial Stadium.

5. Key nonconference showdowns

Belle Vernon trailed Aliquippa, 12-0, in Week 1 after the first quarter, but the game was called because of inclement weather.

Obviously, no one knows how that game would have turned out, but the Leopards’ winning streak remained intact after Matt Humbert’s squad topped Central Valley, 23-17, last week.

Belle Vernon is on an 11-game winning streak and plays at McKeesport tonight.

The Tigers have lost their first three games, but to very solid competition in Uniontown Lake (Ohio), Peters Township and Thomas Jefferson.

In other nonconference games, Canon-McMillan is at Armstrong; Trinity is at Peters Township; Greensburg Salem plays at Ringgold; and South Fayette will be at Elizabeth Forward. Peters Township and South Fayette both are 3-0.