Familiar foes C-H, Washington clash in the Century
Linebacker Chance Hightower, back, and Jack Kern are part of Wash High’s defense, which is allowing only 9.5 points per game.
Chartiers-Houston wide receiver A.J. Myers has 20 pass receptions and eight touchdowns.
The Washington High School football team has spent the past six weeks big-game hunting. The Little Prexies finally found one.
After sampling the appetizers, Wash High is moving to the main-course portion of its schedule, beginning tonight. The undefeated Little Prexies (5-0, 6-0) play at Chartiers-Houston (5-0, 6-1) with sole possession of first place in the Class AA Century Conference going to the winner. Kickoff is 7 p.m.
Washington-Chartiers-Houston is one of two first-place showdowns involving local teams. In the Class AAAA Big Nine Conference, first-place Belle Vernon (6-0, 6-0) plays at undefeated Thomas Jefferson (5-0, 6-0).
Chartiers-Houston and Washington both have clinched WPIAL Class AA playoffs berths. So has Burgettstown (4-1, 4-2), the third-place team in the Century. The Prexies host Burgettstown next week.
“Chartiers-Houston is having a very good year and this is an exciting game for us,” Washington head coach Mike Bosnic said. “We like that it will be played right down the road from Washington. Our kids play against Chartiers-Houston’s kids in other sports. They all know each other.”
The Little Prexies also know they haven’t had much competition though six games. They are outscoring their opponents by a whopping 36½ points per game and haven’t had one decided by fewer than four touchdowns.
There was one slight bump in the road. The Little Prexies fell behind Bentworth 14-6 in the second quarter last week before scoring the final 41 points of that game, which was played in driving rain and mud.
Chartiers-Houston, meanwhile, was defeating Charleroi 14-6 in a game that had Bucs head coach Terry Fetsko searching for his offense in the Lost and Found department. The Bucs had only three first downs and were held to 67 total yards but managed to win with defense. A.J. Myers and Spencer Terling each returned an interception for the Bucs’ only touchdowns.
“Early in the year, our offense was carrying our defense,” Fetsko said. “We were putting up a lot of points. The defense is playing well now. We haven’t been scoring as many points but that’s because we’ve had some bad-weather games. We had a game at Bentworth that was delayed at halftime, and at Charleroi the rain was pouring down and made it tough to move the ball.”
The Bucs’ defense has allowed only four touchdowns over the last three weeks. Outside linebacker R.J. Hall is the leading tackler and inside linebacker Matt Whitfield has been a force. He had 15 tackles in a 25-13 win at Beth-Center. Senior Trey Lober anchors the defensive line. The front seven must play well against Wash High, which is averaging 45.7 points per game.
“We have to limit their big plays,” Fetsko said. “They make big plays with their offense, with their special teams. They’re very athletic and we have to contain them. We have to make them drive the ball and earn what they get. We can’t give up yards in chunks.”
Washington has a balanced offense. Quarterback Connor Bedillion has thrown 12 touchdown passes with four multi-TD games. The run game doesn’t rely on just one ball-carrier as Lyle Webb (267 yards), Ronnie Paith (259), Nick Welsh (250) and Zyan Wallace (217) all have been productive. Webb rushed for 137 yards and three touchdowns in the slop at Bentworth.
“Webb’s a mudder,” Bosnic joked. “We usually go with the running back who has the hot hand that night.”
There will be no mud for this game as it will be played on Chartiers-Houston’s synthetic turf field, where the Bucs beat Burgettstown 7-6 three weeks ago. Chartiers-Houston’s lone loss, a turnover-filled 59-14 setback against Class A power Jeannette, was played on the Bucs’ home turf.
Chartiers-Houston’s offense is built around Terling at running back, Myers at wide receiver and quarterback T.J. Johnston. They will face a Washington defense allowing only 9.2 points points per game, the second-best average in Class AA. The Prexies are led on defense by inside linebackers Jackson Interval and Chance Hightower and outside linebacker Isaiah Schoonmaker.
A win by Chartiers-Houston will clinch at least a share of the conference title and give the Bucs the tiebreaker over both Washington and Burgettstown. That would be quite an accomplishment for a team that was playing Class A football last season.
“If you look at our history, we’ve been playing Clairton, Neshannock, North Catholic, Jeannette,” Fetsko pointed out. “Playing those quality teams prepared us for the move up to Double-A.”
This will be the second year in a row Belle Vernon has played at Thomas Jefferson. The Leopards overcame a 24-7 halftime deficit and won in overtime last year. It is the only loss for TJ in its last 64 home games.
West Mifflin (5-0, 7-0) also is undefeated in the Big Nine and will host Ringgold (4-2, 4-2).