Sep 26, 2019 4 min read

Ed Dalton rattled off the similarities between his undefeated McGuffey football team and undefeated Southmoreland.

“We are similar in many ways,” Dalton said. “Our quarterbacks are really accurate. We each have a really good receiver, they even wear the same number. We both have good kickers. It’s a very even matchup.”

The comparisons don’t stop at their rosters.

Southmoreland (4-0, 5-0) is the highest-scoring team in Class 2A at 51 points per game. McGuffey (3-0, 5-0) is right behind at an average of 46.4 points. Each team’s margin of victory hovers around 30 points.

McGuffey and Southmoreland meet in a showdown of undefeated teams atop the Class 2A Interstate Conference tonight.

Of the 10 opponents they’ve combined to cruise through with little resistance, none has a winning record. The combined record of those 10 teams is 9-39, some of which are overlapping victories against winless conference foes Frazier and Beth-Center.

“You can only play the schedule you get,” Dalton said. “Southmoreland is real explosive. They can throw it and run it. They have a screen game and a power running game. They present a lot of problems.”

Leading the list of possible problems for the McGuffey defense is standout receiver Riley Comforti, who has 33 receptions for 607 yards and eight touchdowns. Comforti is the go-to target for quarterback Zach Cernuto, already a 1,000-yard passer five games into the season.

“It seems people seem to try to throw on us on every down,” Dalton said. “Our defense doesn’t see a whole lot of running plays. They choose to not play us in a small area. The thing that they have is outside receivers who are 6-3 and 6-5. I don’t know where these kids are coming from.”

Dalton said the biggest difference in Southmoreland, which has never made the WPIAL playoffs, from last year to this season is the Scotties’ defense can match the production of its offense. The Scotties are surrendering 17.6 points per game, a number that will be challenged by McGuffey’s smoothly ran offense.

The entire backfield, consisting of quarterback Marshall Whipkey, fullback McKinley Whipkey and others, has combined to rush for more than 1,500 yards already. Wide receiver C.J. Cole offers a reliable target outside with 12 receptions for 286 yards.

The winner will take over sole possession of first place in the Interstate Conference. Washington is also undefeated through five games, including two conference games. The Prexies host Frazier at 7 p.m.

“Southmoreland has never been a football power,” Dalton said. “This might be the biggest game for the best team they’ve ever had.”

Peters Twp. at Canon-McMillan

Canon-McMillan coach Mike Evans strongly believes in how field position can change games.

It could make a big difference in a rivalry game tonight in Canonsburg.

All the talk about Peters Township (3-0, 5-0) surrounds around the Indians’ offense, which averages 32.2 points per game, and defense, which surrenders only 8.4 per game.

Changing the field position and putting the offense in good situations have been kick and punt returners Josh Casilli and Aidan McCall. Through five games, McCall is averaging 35 yards per kick return and has taken one of his two punt returns for a touchdown.

Let’s not forget that Canon-McMillan (1-3, 1-4), which won its first game last week at Hempfield, defeated Peters Township, 35-26, last season.

South Fayette at Blackhawk

Neither team started the season like they wanted but both have firmly found their footing in the Class 4A Northwest Eight Conference.

South Fayette (2-0, 4-1) lost to Upper St. Clair to begin the season but has rattled off four consecutive victories in convincing fashion. The Lions haven’t played a conference game since defeating New Castle on Sept. 6.

Blackhawk (3-1, 3-2) has won three straight, albeit against opponents with two combined wins. The Cougars lost their first two games of the season. Those losses came against Central Valley and Knoch, two teams that are currently undefeated.

Can South Fayette’s defense do what it did last year? The Lions shut out high-scoring, upstart Blackhawk, 21-0.

It will start with stopping Cougars senior tailback Marques Watson-Trent, who has 97 carries for 687 yards and eight touchdowns.