Sep 22, 2016 4 min read

When looking over the Burgettstown High School football roster recently, one thing in particular stuck out to Terry Fetsko.

Size.

Of the 10 linemen listed for the Blue Devils (2-0, 2-1), four are six feet or taller and five weigh 200 pounds or more.

“They are very aggressive, too. It’s not like they’re bigger, slower kids,” said Fetsko, the coach of Chartiers-Houston. “We’re going to have our hands full.”

Burgettstown and Chartiers-Houston both undefeated in Century Conference play, meet tonight at Buccaneer Stadium. The winner is guaranteed of no worse than a share of the conference lead.

Kickoff is 7 p.m.

Whether or not Burgettstown can replicate the chaos it caused up front in a 35-7 dismantling of Bentworth a week ago will likely dictate how this matchup goes. Chartiers-Houston operates a high-powered spread offense and has a talented quarterback at the controls. Senior T.J. Johnston has thrown for 640 yards and eight touchdowns, completing 39 of 69 attempts. The Bucs (2-0, 3-1) also have a dependable alternative to the pass game in senior running back Spencer Terling, who has run for 394 yards on 52 carries.

Linebacker Bryan Krynak will lead Burgettstown in trying to limit their success. The last time he took the field, Krynak recorded 5½ sacks and recovered two fumbles, including one he returned for a 65-yard touchdown against Bentworth. The Blue Devils’ defense had 11 quarterbacks sacks against the Bearcats.

“You have to game plan around him a little bit,” Fetsko said. “I don’t think you stop him. I think you slow him down, and hopefully your offense can execute.”

Chartiers-Houston’s offensive line was an unproven group entering the season, but Fetsko said it has developed well since training camp with Trey Lober, a four-year starter, directing those around him. Terling gained 141 rushing yards its C-H’s blowout win over Brownsville last week.

“Their best effort without a doubt,” Fetsko said of the offensive line.

Burgettstown coach Mark Druga said his defensive front knows it’s going to take a collective effort to contain Terling, whose balanced skillset of speed and power is a change from what they’ve faced so far.

Key to whether or not Burgettstown’s pressure at the line of scrimmage will halt Chartiers-Houston, though, will be the play of its defensive backs. Druga highlighted their ability to blanket Bentworth downfield as what made the line’s standout performance possible.

The defensive backs will need to extend their coverage farther downfield with Chartiers-Houston often using a vertical passing game and likely to try and bomb it over them, Druga said.

“We’re going to be vigilant against all of the threats Chartiers-Houston poses,” he added.

Druga said starting running back Shane Tennant will miss the game while continuing to recover from an ankle injury. Nick Speer will fill in for him again.

Elizabeth Forward at McGuffey – The Highlanders will try to stay undefeated in conference play when they host Elizabeth Forward. McGuffey (2-0, 3-1) overcame an uneven defensive performance to beat previously undefeated Mt. Pleasant 24-17 last week. EF (1-1, 1-2) is coming off a 33-0 win over Waynesburg.

Frazier at Washington – Will this be the week someone challenges the Prexies after halftime? Frazier is as good a bet as any Century Conference team to do so. The Commodores (2-1, 2-2) possess a powerful offense orchestrated by quarterback Chris Pierce and his cadre of weapons that averages 26.5 points a game. Washington (2-0, 3-0) has allowed just 14 points over three games and displayed an ability to create turnovers. Whether Frazier can actually present a legitimate threat will rest on its defense’s ability to contain a Washington offense that has compiled lopsided wins every week this season.

California at Mapletown – A week after trying to limit Imani Christian’s dynamic Kenny Robinson, the Trojans (1-1, 2-2) won’t have a break when they resume Tri-County South Conference play with a trip to Mapletown and a different challenge in running back Dylan Rush. Rush ran for 388 yards and five scores on 42 carries against Avella a week ago and has 1,027 yards and 12 touchdowns in four games. No other Mapletown player has more than 100 yards and the team has just 92 passing yards. Whether or not Rush continues his run might not matter if he and his teammates can’t stop the Trojans. Missing a starting linebacker for the Avella game a week ago, Mapletown allowed 33 points and 389 passing yards to Avella. Caifornia defeated Avella 39-0 two weeks ago.