Sep 22, 2014 4 min read

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ famous Steel Curtain defense during the 1970’s is credited with shaping how coaches scheme to systematically alter an offense’s ability to score points. Well, with Pennsylvania being the state where the modern defense was born, it sure hasn’t trickled down to high school football.

The 2014 season is only four weeks old, but we’ve already seen Clairton score at least 70 points in every game, and South Fayette is averaging 51.8 points per game – the most in WPIAL Class AA. OK, so those two teams are the cream of the crop. What about some of the less-successful programs?

Burgettstown, which had the WPIAL’s longest losing streak at 24 games, scored 41 points in a win over Charleroi Friday night. It was the first time in more than three years that the Blue Devils scored 40 points. Bentworth, which scored only 83 points last year, scored 42 in a win over Avella. The Bearcats have scored 90 points in four games this season.

At this rate, the WPIAL should pick up an antacid sponsorship. Coaches are going to need some relief watching their defenses surrender points at a nauseating rate.

Of the 17 local games Friday night, the winner scored at least 40 points in 10. In 16 of the 17, the winner scored at least 21 points. Only 11 losing teams in those games were held to less than 21 points. Those teams’ combined record is 10-34.

Local teams averaged 33.1 points per game last weekend and the average margin of defeat was almost 24 points. Though shootouts happened at Fort Cherry, Bentworth and Waynesburg, blowouts were the story of the night. South Fayette extended its winning streak to 20 games with a 42-point victory over South Allegheny. Wash High, which ranks sixth in Class AA in points scored, dropped 51 on Brownsville. The closest, low-scoring game was Chartiers-Houston’ 19-13 win over Northgate.

While that score is usually the norm in football, it was anything but as the scores in the WPIAL made you look outside to see if snow was on the ground for basketball season. Even legendary WPIAL sports statistician Deuce Skurcenski would have trouble keeping track of the offensive numbers some players are racking up.

And what about McGuffey? The Highlanders have quietly scored the third-most points in Class AA, averaging 45.5 per game with a 3-1 record. They scored 42 in a win at Southmoreland. Unless Bill Belichick quits his day job to join a coaching staff in the Interstate Conference, there doesn’t seem to be a team that can slow them down. South Fayette, McGuffey and Wash High all rank among the top-six offenses in Class AA.

What about Beth-Center in the Tri-County South? Ed Woods and company added a 52-point win to their resume for the playoff committee and have scored the fifth-most points in Class A. Let’s not forget about West Greene. After scoring just six points in their first three games, the Pioneers and Serra Catholic combined for 84 points Friday in a four-overtime WG win. Did the defenses fall to the ground at the snap of the football?

No one is asking these defenses to rush the quarterback like Joe Greene, but how about forcing the other team to punt? Waynesburg and Mt. Pleasant ended with the Vikings converting a late two-point conversion to pull out a one-point win. With both teams having a stable of talented running backs, neither defense could even force a punt. The phrase live to play another down does not apply when tackling is thrown out the window.

While some of the best offenses hail from the O-R’s coverage area, some of the worst defenses are also present. Canon-McMillan has allowed the third most points in Class AAAA (157), while Trinity’s defense has surrendered the fifth-most in Class AAA (146).

It’s still early, but the WPIAL football season has the makings to be one of the highest-scoring in history. With South Fayette looking unstoppable and no team in Class AA able to figure out Wash High senior DeQuay Isbell’s speed, there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight to the scoring.

With each touchdown making defensive coaches’ stomachs churn, the WPIAL will either build a sterling reputation for offense or coaches will be stocking up on Pepcid-AC as we approach the playoffs.

Lance Lysowski can be reached at llysowski@observer-reporter.com.