WEEK 9 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEWS

Guy Cipriano

Philipsburg-Osceola (3-5) at Chestnut Ridge (4-4)

When: 7 p.m. tonight

Where: Dr. Larry Giovacchini Stadium

Last year:Chestnut Ridge won 36-29

The skinny: Philipsburg-Osceola and District 5 Chestnut Ridge play in different districts and share no common opponents.

Those petty facts haven’t stopped the teams from getting to know each other.

The Mounties and Lions are meeting for the second straight year. It could be an exciting night in Bedford County if this year’s game resembles last year’s, when Chestnut Ridge used a late 15-play, 76-yard drive, lasting 7 minutes, 29 seconds, to defeat the Mounties.

The teams could be meeting for what could be the first of two meetings in the next three games, since the Mounties begin next season against Chestnut Ridge.

“I mentioned to our kids we have to familiarize ourselves with them,” P-O coach Jeff Vroman said.

The Mounties need a win tonight — and likely next week against Huntingdon — to extend their season. P-O is ninth in the District 6 Class AA playoff standings behind Central Cambria.

Chestnut Ridge, which lost to P-O in a 2004 playoff game, leads the District 5-8 Class AA playoff race. The Lions have won three straight, defeating Meyersdale, DuBois and Northern Garrett (Md.). They are averaging 32 points per game during the stretch.

Vroman called Chestnut Ridge quarterback Brad Hengst, who has completed 52 of 98 passes for 659 yards, “very efficient.” The Lions also have three players who have rushed for more than 380 yards, led by fullback Jude Donatelli’s 810 yards on 164 carries.

“Chestnut Ridge is playing some inspired football,” Vroman said. “They are playing to win. They are going to hit you and they are going to hit the holes. We have been preaching to our kids all week they better be ready to go.”

P-O has lost two straight since defeating Penns Valley, but the Mountie defense has not allowed more than 300 total yards since a Week 4 loss at Central. Safeties Reggie Coval and Zack Czap and linebackers Steve Rusnak and Jeremy Pollick are defensive stalwarts.

“That’s where it starts,” he said. “You need decent run support from your safeties. You need them to make hay and Steve Rusnak and Jeremy Pollick have done a nice job of finding the football.”

Next week: Huntingdon at Philipsburg-Osceola

Penns Valley (2-6) at Tyrone (7-1)

When: 7 p.m. tonight

Where: Gray Veteran’s Memorial Field

Last year: Tyrone won 42-0 The skinny:Penns Valley played its best game last Friday, allowing 83 yards and committing one turnover in a 22-0 victory over Bellefonte.

The trick for the Rams is to duplicate that performance against Tyrone.

The Golden Eagles, who are 6-0 in the MAFC Nittany Division, have yielded just 54 points since their Week 1 loss to rival Bellwood- Antis. No league opponent has scored more than 14 points against a defense featuring veteran linemen Jared Templeton and Adam Bonsell and savvy defensive backs Eric Desch and Steve Franco. Templeton also is a reliable kicker.

“They are certainly firing on all cylinders and have a good combination,” Penns Valley coach Martin Tobias said. “They have a stout defense, good special teams, an excellent kicker and a good punt game when they need it. They execute like a machine. It’s a typical Tyrone team.”

The Rams’ success hinges on their running game.

Their two wins coincide with senior Kody Bjalme’s biggest games. Bjalme, who has 678 yards on 146 carries, gained 244 yards against Bald Eagle Area and 175 against Bellefonte. The Golden Eagles have allowed 110 rushing yards the past two weeks.

“You certainly don’t have much room for error,” Tobias said. “They stay at home, they play very disciplined and they get to the ball. It’s going to be a challenge.”

Tyrone is tied with undefeated Forest Hills for the lead in the District 6 Class AA playoffs. Penns Valley eclipsed its 2008 victory total by defeating Bellefonte.

Next week: Penns Valley at Central Mountain

Lewistown (2-6) at Bald Eagle Area (1-7)

When: 7 p.m. tonight

Where: Alumni Stadium

Last year: Bald Eagle Area won 41-0

The skinny: A two-game winning streak to end last season helped Bald Eagle Area reach the district playoffs for the first time since 1999. The Eagles’ 2009 playoff hopes faded after last week’s 30-0 loss at Huntingdon, forcing coach Jack Tobias to articulate new goals.

“We have to finish strong,” he said “(Tonight) is our senior night and we talked about the seniors and what they have done for this program and how much I care about them. We need to send them out on a positive note.”

BEA received one of its key seniors back against Huntingdon as linebacker/running back Jon Gingrich returned from an injury. Gingrich didn’t run the ball against the Bearcats.

Gingrich played a big part in last year’s rout of Lewistown. This year’s game should be closer. The Panthers (2-6) own wins over Philipsburg-Osceola and Penns Valley, teams that beat BEA earlier this season.

The Panthers have struggled since their overtime victory over Penns Valley. Coach Steve Guthoff’s team has scored just 20 points the past four weeks.

One of BEA’s emerging seniors could cause problems for Lewis-town’s offense. Cole Stover, a 5-foot-8, 160-pound defensive lineman, had eight tackles, including three for losses last week.

“There’s an undersized kid that worked hard all off-season,” Tobias said. “He wasn’t a starter at the beginning of the year, but he didn’t pack it in. He came back and he got a chance. He’s a kid that listens, he’s smart and he does a nice job of doing what he’s supposed to do.”

Next week: Bald Eagle Area at Bellefonte

Bellefonte (1-7) at Indian Valley (1-7)

When: 7 p.m. tonight

Where: Mitchell Field

Last year: Indian Valley won 23-20

The skinny: Three years ago, Bellefonte and Indian Valley played a wacky 55-54 game won by the Warriors. Two years ago, they met in the district playoffs. Last year, both teams went 4-6. And now?

The Red Raiders and Warriors again find themselves in comparable positions. But concocting ways to earn win No. 2 in Week 9 isn’t what either side envisioned.

“It’s weird because we played each other in the playoffs my first year,” said third-year Bellefonte coach Zac Wynkoop, whose program hasn’t defeated Indian Valley since 2005. “We both had really good years. We are now in the same boat. Things go in cycles. We both have some young guys trying to find their niche and get experience. There are some growing pains in football.”

Bellefonte hasn’t won since defeating Brookville in Week 2. Indian Valley’s losing streak is longer as the Warriors haven’t won since opening with a 35-14 victory over District 3 West Perry.

Neither team has generated much offense recently. The Red Raiders haven’t rushed for more than 100 yards since gaining 311 against Hollidaysburg on Sept. 25. Indian Valley’s offense netted less than 100 yards last week at Central Mountain. The Warriors have eclipsed the 20-point mark just once in their last four games. Ditto for the Red Raiders.

“It’s easy to kind of start playing sloppy when things aren’t going your way,” Wynkoop said. “That’s the thing I noticed the past couple of games. We have had some silly penalties and turnovers.”

Running back Mitchell Fultz leads Indian Valley with 619 yards on 86 carries. Bellefonte doesn’t have one running back with more than 200 yards, although wide receivers Torin Miller (15 catches-299 yards) and Matt Watson (10-270) lead Centre County in receiving yardage.

Next week: Bald Eagle Area at Bellefonte

Regional Games of Interest

St. Marys (6-2) at Central (7-1) — How will Central react to its first loss?

Huntingdon (6-2) at Clearfield (5-3) —Clearfield’s defense deserves props for holding Central to 13 points last Saturday.

Hollidaysburg (4-4) at Williamsport (5-3) —Millionaires could squeeze into the district playoffs with two victories. Golden Tigers guaranteed a spot in slim District 6 Class AAA field.

Cumberland Valley (7-1) at Cedar Cliff (5-3) —Cumberland Valley’s Tim Rimpfel and Cedar Cliff’s Jim Cantafio are two of central Pennsylvania’s best coaches.

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