"Mr. High School Sports" - Eye on the WPIAL: Class AAA Football Teams to Watch
By Matt Popchock
We are less than two months from the start of a great western Pennsylvania institution: high school football. Mr. High School Sports is getting geared up to bring you comprehensive preseason coverage leading up to the start of the 2011 WPIAL season, but first he needs to know whom he should be looking for on the gridiron...and so do you.
In the weeks that lie ahead, we'll get into more in-depth coverage of what's new and exciting for each of the 126 District 7 teams in all four classifications for the upcoming campaign, but first, to whet your appetite, Mr. High School Sports would like to give you an early glimpse of some of the teams in Class AAA he'll be watching:
Montour - The Spartans saw a dream season come to a disappointing end at Heinz Field last fall, the second time in four years they've lost there, but if there's a team in Class AAA that can exorcise the demons of championship failure and get the gold, this is definitely the one. Quarterback Dillon Buechel and tailback Julian Durden, both seniors, form one of the finest offensive tandems in the area, and you'd be hard pressed to find a tougher group of linemen in the WPIAL. With most key starters returning, and with a strong underclass, expect Lou Cerro's boys to be "bound for" a greater "glory."
Central Valley - The Warriors have to put away the glass slipper after their Cinderella inaugural season, because it's time to see how well they wear the bulls-eye that comes with being a defending WPIAL champion. If senior QB Curtis Lewis can keep his nose--and jersey--clean, he can be quite a weapon for Mark Lyons, but not as big a weapon as junior Robert Foster, who seems poised to put this team on his back. We can't promise another title, but if the new starters can step up in the absence of outgoing seniors like Lukas Turley and Michael Kupper, this surprise team of 2010 will be back in the mix.
Thomas Jefferson - The Jaguars probably consider anything short of a WPIAL championship a disappointing season, and though they have some talent to worry about replacing, thanks to Bill Cherpak, they still have one of the most well-run programs in the state, and you can probably pencil them in for at least a semifinal appearance. TJ has graduated 15, but quarterback Dom Presto returns, as does tailback and fellow senior Ryan Ruffing. The defense, which took a step backward last year, has some growing up to do, but look for this, one of the hardest-working teams in the west, to rule the Big Seven again.
Hopewell - The Vikings turned heads last year by rallying to make the playoffs, but the window of greater opportunity may have closed for what some perceive as a one-dimensional team. The big story will be how well Hopewell, which lost a whopping 27 seniors, can get out of the chute as compared to its rocky start last fall, and whether it will wilt or thrive in the increased regional and national spotlight the program will get because of senior tailback Rushel Shell. Senior QB Nolan Harmatto can be a playmaker, but besides him, can the rest of Shell's supporting cast bolster this team?
Chartiers Valley - Each of the Colts' last two seasons has followed an identical pattern: lofty expectations crushed by a season-ending injury to senior quarterback Wayne Capers, who, when healthy, can be one of the best all-around athletes in the WPIAL. They graduated 23 seniors, yet they still have a lot of capable leaders returning, including fellow seniors Bryan Leipold, who can be an x-factor on offense, and lineman Niko Mamula. If Capers can finally stay healthy, and if that line can keep him upright, Chartiers Valley can finally make some noise.
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Be sure to revisit 937thefan.com later this month, as Mr. High School Sports' "Eye on the WPIAL" turns to some of the top players to watch in Class AAA!
