Streaks, playoffs and players on the run

It’s always great when we get to the last couple of weeks of the high school football season.
Teams are fighting for playoff positioning and while others are just trying to get into the WPIAL playoffs.
But does the playoff field need to be downsized in some classifications?
Specifically singling out Class A, where 16 spots are open to the three conferences. Teams with six, or even seven, losses at this point in the season are still in the playoff hunt.
That’s simply ridiculous.
But let’s not let that ruin what did happen last weekend. Here are five things we learned from Week 8:
1. Playoff worthy – One team that deserves to be in the playoffs clinched a spot Friday. Peters Township (4-2, 6-3) did so by defeated rival Canon-McMillan, 28-14, to finish in third place in the Class 6A Southeastern Conference and gain its first playoff berth since 2010.
The Indians have allowed 18.6 points per game, a number that would be much less if you eliminate the game against top-ranked Pine-Richland in which they gave up 56 points. The Indians are 4-0 when scoring 16 points or more, 6-1 when they score at least 10 points.
2. Big streaks, different reasons – Sit back, relax and enjoy the regular-season success of South Fayette and Washington.
The Lions and Prexies each are something to behold, especially when you recognize the difficulty of finishing only one regular season undefeated.
South Fayette head coach Joe Rossi has the Lions sitting on 56 consecutive regular-season wins while Wash High pushed its streak to 37 straight with a 33-0 victory over Century Conference challenger Burgettstown Friday night.
So much for a challenge for the Prexies.
Washington and South Fayette have done it in different fashions, with one specific trait standing out among all the rest.
The Prexies have kept their streak going with sheer athleticism. They are more athletic than any team in their conference and the difference is not even close. From running backs to wide receivers, Wash High is lethal when it creates the space to fully put that athleticism on display.
While quarterbacks have certainly played a major role in South Fayette extending its streak, there is something the Lions do execute better than any high school team I’ve seen: fundamentals.
South Fayette does all the little things that go unnoticed by many other local teams until those small things become big problems.
3. Still running – Even with Mapletown’s Dylan Rush missing his second consecutive game, several running backs were on the loose Friday night, led by Beth-Center’s Dominic Fundy, who carried 33 times for 294 yards and three total touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ 49-44 loss to Charleroi.
Carmichaels’ Nick Mundell ran behind a stellar performance by his offensive line for 192 yards, and Trinity’s Joey Koroly eclipsed 4,000 career yards at Trinity with 158 yards against Greensburg Salem.
California had three running backs – Jonathan Wood, Cochise Ryan and Zion Aldrich – all exceed 100 yards in its win over Jefferson-Morgan to stay undefeated. And none of those three running backs is California’s leading rusher for the season.
4. Century Conference conviction – Though Beth-Center has an opportunity this weekend to make a case for inclusion, it’s Washington and then everybody else in the Century Conference.
The Prexies have overwhelmed the closest teams to them in the standings – Charleroi and Burgettstown – by a combined score of 69-8.
There is no team in the conference – or maybe in all of Class AA – that can match Washington (6-0, 8-0) position by position.
The addition of junior wide receiver Dan Walker completely changes the Wash High’s offense. He gives defenses matchup problems with Isaiah Schoonmaker on the other side of the Prexies’ formation. Walker and Schoonmaker force opponents to respect the pass, which gives room for running back Nick Welsh.
5. A big hurdle, a small hurdle – South Fayette and Belle Vernon, in some combination, are currently sitting at the No. 1 and 2 seeds in Class 4A, but things could change in the last week of the regular season.
South Fayette travels to Montour (6-1, 7-1) and will attempt to win the conference title and most likely the top seed in the playoffs.
The last true test for Belle Vernon, the Big Nine Conference champion, came last week when it handled West Mifflin, 35-7. Though the Leopards are at Ambridge for their final regular-season game, the Bridgers haven’t won a game.
Belle Vernon might be awarded the No. 1 seed even with a South Fayette (7-0, 9-0) win, but the Leopards definitely will be atop Class 4A if the Lions falter.
Staff writer Luke Campbell can be reached at lcampbell@observer-reporter.com.