Conference clashes, better matchups headline Week 3

The only belief a high school football fan should have coming into Week 3 is the games have to get better.
With the separation of haves and have-nots being about as large as possible last week – only two games were decided by one possession and the average margin of victory surpassed 31 points – this week’s schedule looks much more appealing.
Many games are tough to predict as quality teams are playing one another and the matchups aren’t limited to only Friday night.
Here are five things to look for when local high school football teams kick off this weekend:
1. Game to Watch: Mt. Lebanon at Canon-McMillan – There is now an expectation to win at Canon-McMillan, at least that’s what Mike Evans and the Big Mac football team believes.
That’s going be tested when Mt. Lebanon and C-M kickoff in Canonsburg tonight at 7 p.m.
“They are a very well-coached football team,” Evans said. “We feel that we have just a good of chance winning this game as any game we go into play.”
This is a measuring stick to see exactly where C-M stands in the Class 6A Southeastern Conference. The Big macs already have a win over Hempfield, which was considered a title contender. Mt. Lebanon will challenge every level of C-M’s defense with a dangerous passing attack.
Mt. Lebanon will rotate quarterbacks James Stocker, who has returned after suffering a knee injury earlier in the season, and Seth Morgan. Morgan leads the WPIAL in passing through the first three weeks, completing 62 of 99 passes for 808 yards, eight touchdowns and only one interception.
It’s not a secret who their favorite target will be.
Aidan Cain, a senior wide receiver, has 41 catches for 657 yards and six touchdowns for the Blue Devils this season. No other receiver on the Mt. Lebanon roster has more than 10 catches. Cain leads the WPIAL in receptions and has more than double the total for the No. 2 player. Cain set a state record with 27 receptions in the Blue Devils loss to Pine-Richland two weeks ago.
It will be interesting to see how C-M uses defensive back Drew Engel. Will he simply play his normal position on a play-by-play basis or be asked to go man-to-man against Cain throughout the entire game.
Whichever way Evans decides use Engel, stopping Cain will go a long way in halting the Mt. Lebanon offense that has scored at least 29 points in every game.
Canon-McMillan will try to win its second conference game of the season – something that has happened only one time since 2010.
“We don’t look at logos anymore. We don’t look at helmets. We don’t look at who the other team is. We worry about us,” Evans said. “Whoever shows up on Friday and comes out of that tunnel, we will be ready for.”
2. Rush of problems for Avella – The last person the Eagles want to see following an 86-13 loss to California last week is Mapletown’s Dylan Rush.
Rush, who holds the top spot in career rushing yards and scoring for Mapletown, earned both of those records the hard way last week against West Greene.
Finding open running lanes shouldn’t be as hard to find this week against Avella, which he has dominated.
In the past three years against Avella, Rush has ran for a total of 840 yards, scored 15 touchdowns, had five extra points and converted three two-point conversions.
3. Big game in the TCS – As the weeks have progressed for West Greene, so have the importance of its games.
The Pioneers have another big test tonight when they host Tri-County South Conference rival Carmichaels (1-1, 1-1). Kickoff is 7 p.m.
West Greene’s win last week, its first over Mapletown in the last four years, surely had to strengthen the Pioneers’ confidence of actually being a title contender.
This is a team that believes.
Whether it’s the playoff fever the school has developed over the last few years with other sports, or something in the drinking water, West Greene (2-0, 3-0) is primed for taking another big step toward the WPIAL playoffs.
4. Finishing the focus for Trinity, C-M – The words from the head ball coaches at Trinity and Canon-McMillan have to be nearly identical.
Evans and Trinity’s Jon Miller have to start and end pre-practice, post-practice and pre-game talks with the same message:
Finish.
The Big Macs have survived in two of its first three games with last-drive victories, but when C-M has an opponent on the ropes, like it did with Hempfield, it’s about taking control of the game. Canon-McMillan (1-0, 2-1) hasn’t scored a single point in the third quarter this season.
Trinity (0-2, 0-2) finally gets to play a game the newly refurbished Hiller Field, where it went 0-5 last season.
The Hillers took West Mifflin down to the wire, and only trailed powerful Thomas Jefferson 7-0 at halftime. Their schedule will lighten with Laurel Highlands tonight and Blackhawk in a nonconference game next Friday.
5. True toss-ups – There are several games that are hard to figure out. Most of those matchups will be important as to who is on the inside looking out and outside looking in at the playoffs come November. Monessen (1-1, 1-2) is at Fort Cherry (0-1, 1-1) after both teams earned their first win last week.
Mt. Pleasant (1-1, 1-2) hosts McGuffey (1-0, 2-1) in the Interstate Conference. If the Highlanders win, they will remain tied for first place and put Mt. Pleasant two games back in the loss column.
The other game to watch is Class A Springdale (0-1, 1-2) traveling to Fredericktown to take on undefeated Beth-Center (1-0, 3-0) in a nonconference game. Springdale might seem like a pushover. However, it played Clairton tough in a 32-16 loss last week.
Staff writer Luke Campbell can be reached at lcampbell@observer-reporter.com.