Five things we learned in Week 7
Each Monday we’ll look back at the highlights of the week that was in local high school football. Because of the Columbus Day holiday this week it’s in Tuesday’s edition.
1. End of a drought?:
Trinity’s 40-18 win over Chartiers Valley has the Hillers in position to do something for the first time since Ronald Reagan was President – win a conference title. The Hillers last won a conference crown in 1986, which was 39 years ago. Trinity (3-0, 4-4) can clinch at least a share of a conference title with a win at Laurel Highlands next week and the top overall seed out of the conference. A win at Belle Vernon the following week assures the Hillers of an outright title.
Trinity quarterback Jonah Williamson ran for four touchdowns in the win over the Colts and the defense picked off four passes in the second half. Running back Owen Gardner also had a huge night with 200 yards and a touchdown on his birthday.
2. Super Sieg:
Matt Sieg already had the WPIAL record for touchdowns scored and now he has the WPIAL total yardage record. He needed 32 yards coming into Friday and got it on the first play from scrimmage, a 70-yard touchdown run. Sieg has 11,798 career yards. Sto-Rox’s Lenny Williams previously held the record.
Sieg led the Rangers to a 56-19 win over Bishop Canevin, which assured them of a third-consecutive Class A Black Hills Conference title. He had four touchdown runs, an interception return for a touchdown and scored on a punt return.
After Penn State fired James Franklin Sunday, Sieg posted on social media that he loves Penn State and is still open to playing there, but with uncertainty of the coaching situation, has decided to re-open his recruitment.
3. Tri-County South shakeup:
It seemed as if Jefferson-Morgan and California were on a collision course to settle the Tri-County Conference title for a second year in a row, but Bentworth derailed that Friday night.
The Bearcats beat Jefferson Morgan 35-13 and, in the process, threw themselves into the mix for a share of the conference title.
If Jefferson-Morgan beats California in the final week of the regular season, and all three teams finish with one loss, they’d be tri-champions, because all three would be 1-1 against each other.
California is in the driver’s seat to win the conference. The Trojans beat Bentworth 8-7 on Sept. 12. Since then, California has not given up a point. The Trojans shut out Avella, Mapletown, Carmichaels and West Greene the last four weeks and have racked up 195 points in those four games.
4. Playoff picture:
With only two weeks remaining in the regular season it’s a good time to provide a refresher on the WPIAL’s playoff format for each classification.
In Class 6A the top four teams qualify. Canon-McMillan is tied with Norwin for third place at 2-2 and the two teams meet Friday at Norwin. The winner secures a playoff spot. Canon-McMillan has wins over Mt. Lebanon and Seneca Valley and losses to North Allegheny and Hempfield. The Big Macs got some help from Seneca Valley’s win over Hempfield.
A dozen teams make the playoffs in Class 5A with the top three teams in the three conferences getting automatic bids. Peters Township is in good shape atop the Allegheny Six. South Fayette is fifth, but finished fifth last year and received a wild card over Plum, the fourth-place team in the Big East Conference.
Only eight teams make the playoffs in Class 4A. Trinity can clinch with a win this week against Laurel Highlands. Ringgold plays Belle Vernon this week and the loser will be eliminated from postseason contention.
McGuffey, the lone area Class 3A team, has been eliminated from playoff contention.
There are 13 teams in the Class 2A field and Wash High will be one of them. The Prexies clinched a playoff spot with a 61-9 win over Charleroi on Friday.
Waynesburg and Charleroi are tied for fourth place in the Century Conference and meet this Friday. The winner wouldn’t be guaranteed a playoff spot, but would be in great position for a wild card. Last year, five Century Conference teams made the playoffs.
Class A has the largest field at 16. Fort Cherry is in as the Black Hills Conference champ. Chartiers-Houston can secure third place in the Black Hills with a win over Cornell Friday. Avella sits fourth in the Tri-County South Conference and prior to last year that’d be good enough for a playoff spot, but not anymore. Carmichaels finished fourth last year and did not get in. The Eagles didn’t help their cause for a wild card on Friday with a 14-13 loss to the Mikes. Carmichaels was winless in conference play entering Friday.
5. Many happy returns:
Monessen kept itself in the playoff hunt with a 40-13 win at Burgettstown and did so with three pick-sixes and a kickoff return for a touchdown. Michael Hines took the opening kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown. Kaden Kolbeck returned an interception 69 yards for a score and Kezjere Butler and Daniel Towler had 45-yard pick-sixes.
Staff writer Jerin Steele can be reached at jsteele@observer-reporter.com