Sep 7, 2015 5 min read

It was one year later than I expected, but Ringgold defeated Thomas Jefferson. Let that sink in. It’s hard to imagine the Jaguars not being the top team in the WPIAL Class AAA Big Ten Conference, but the Rams are the team to beat entering Week 2. If you want to know why, look at senior running back Chacar Berry, sophomore running back Brendan Small and an incredible performance by the offensive line. Berry and Small combined for 283 total yards and four touchdowns. They simply wore TJ down and don’t underestimate the impact junior quarterback George Martin had. He was given a big responsibility to read the opposing defense and his arm kept the Jaguars honest.

Simply put, I think Ringgold was simply the better team. The receiving corps is deep and don’t underestimate the defense. Though it gave up some big plays in the 27-20 win, the Rams forced the Jaguars to punt five times, forced three turnovers, stopped TJ on fourth down twice and held them to just 7 yards in the fourth quarter.

The Rams trailed 20-8 and stormed back for the win. Head coach Nick Milchovich and Berry both mentioned the thrilling win over Hampton in the WPIAL quarterfinals last year as the reason why they were able to overcome a deficit Friday night at Joe Montana Stadium.

It’s way too early to hand Ringgold the conference title, but that offensive line mixed with two incredibly talented running backs and a quarterback with a lot of potential make the Rams one of the top teams in Class AAA. If the defense learns from its mistakes and they stay healthy, look out.

Penalties were the story of the Hillers’ season-opening loss against Belle Vernon. Trinity was called for 10 during the 17-7 loss, but one takeaway I got was the improved defense. The Hillers could not get a few key third-down stops, but they showed a huge improvement from last season. Sophomore running back Joey Koroly was impressive and senior quarterback Garrett Briant made a few clutch throws in the fourth quarter, but the inability to sustain an offensive drive was a concern.

But remember that it’s only Week 1. Trinity will need to continue its strong defensive play Friday against Laurel Highlands, which has one of the better offenses in the conference, and it will need to score more points. One reader asked me last Thursday how I could possibly think Trinity would beat Belle Vernon (I picked the Hillers in the O-R staff’s weekly picks) and I stressed the impact head coach Jon Miller has had, plus he has a strong coaching staff. People will overlook Trinity, but there is definitely talent there. The wins will come soon.

It seems that every year people begin to talk about Beth-Center taking a step back. “How could they replace (insert name of departing senior)?” Head coach Ed Woods has built a program where young players are ready to step in. Plus, the Bulldogs have senior running back Tony Welsh. If you haven’t heard that name, remember it. Welsh should be playing college football a year from now. Mapletown head coach George Messich called Welsh the best running back he’s seen in his 33 years coaching. That’s high praise coming from a guy who blocked for Tony Dorsett at Pitt.

It’s hard to get a grasp of where the Prexies are after a win over Derry, but it’s obvious that senior quarterback Markel Pulliam is extremely talented. He even made a few great tackles on defense. Ball security is an issue for Wash High after seven fumbles in Week 1. That has to be cleaned up if this team is going to be a top contender in Class AA. The offensive line seems to be in flux because of injuries and the offense seemed to be looking for an identity in Week 1, but Wash High will be fine. The Prexies do get fullback/defensive end Kenya Davis back in Week 2 and we should have a better understanding of the quarterback competition between Pulliam and Connor Bedillion.

The defense is as strong as expected, but the offense is too talented to have fumbling issues.

What I got from the Highlanders’ loss to Mount Pleasant is the run defense and the Highlanders’ running game both have to improve. Junior quarterback Marcus Czulewicz had a strong game and so did senior wide receiver Shaun Sanders, but in the past, McGuffey kept teams off balance with a strong rushing attack. It has the pieces to get the job done and did so in the scrimmage I saw against Uniontown, but Mount Pleasant is always strong defensively.

I’m sure head coach Ed Dalton isn’t pleased that a blocked field goal and a lack of a balanced offense prevented them from beating the Vikings. McGuffey will be much better in the coming weeks. My prediction: it will win next seven games in a row to set up an interesting game against Washington.

Don’t overlook the Blue Devils. What a debut for first-year head coach Mark Druga as Burgettstown defeated Waynesburg, 35-8. Jacob Shipley caught three touchdown passes and quarterback Brad McLaughlin accounted for four touchdowns. The victory makes them a potential playoff team in the Interstate Conference. Southmoreland also looked good against Charleroi, but the Week 1 win gives the Blue Devils plenty of momentum. Next is Washington, so we’ll have a better idea where Burgettstown stands among the conference’s best.