Week 3 Preview Unbeaten Meyersdale hosting rival North Star among key games (WITH PICKS)

Sep. 8—Week 3 might be too early to contemplate postseason scenarios, but North Star will travel to Meyersdale in an Inter-County Conference South Division contest that most certainly will impact the trajectory of each team.

"We're 1-1. They're 2-0. It's early in the season. It's a matchup that really is going to determine which way two programs are heading," said North Star coach Bob Landis, whose Cougars dropped a one-point heartbreaker at Juniata Valley in Week 2.

"I think they're playing very good football right now. We've played good football at times, but we need to play more consistently."

Meyersdale is 2-0 for the first time since the 2019 season, when the Red Raiders won their first seven games, including a forfeit victory. That also is the same season Meyersdale previously beat North Star.

The Cougars have won three straight against their Somerset County rival. Meyersdale had won seven consecutive games in the series from 2013-19 following a three-game Cougars win streak from 2010-12.

"We're in a different situation heading into Week 3 than we've been in the past," Meyersdale coach Ryan Donaldson said.

"It's a good situation. We're healthy. There have been plenty of positives."

Include running back/linebacker Ian Brenneman among those positives. The 6-foot-3 senior has carried 37 times for 235 yards, a 6.4 average per carry, with one rushing TD.

He has an area-high 25 tackles through two weeks.

"Our run game has been where we needed it to be," Donaldson said. "Our run game is able to set up our passing game. That's been a highlight both weeks."

Sophomore quarterback Lance Jones has completed 5 of 18 passes for 114 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

Senior receivers Malachi Carr (2-59, one TD) and Tristin Ohler (3-55, two TDs) have combined on Meyersdale's five receptions.

"I like our matchup on both sides of the ball, with our offensive and defensive line," Donaldson said, "but North Star is always going to be tough up front. We like the matchup. We hope to be able to keep our run game going like the first two weeks."

North Star senior quarterback Connor Yoder has completed 22 of 53 passes for 377 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions. Juniata Valley had two pick-six plays inside the 10-yard line to win 21-20 in Week 2.

Senior Ethan Eller has 13 receptions for 140 yards and a touchdown, and junior Ethan Smith has five catches for 105 yards and two scores.

"When you look at the offense, Connor's obviously the quarterback and everything we do goes through him," Landis said. "Ethan Smith and Ethan Eller have done good things catching the ball.

"We've got to be able to establish the running game," the Cougars coach added. "We have not been able to establish the run game the last two weeks and it's put us in a bind and allowed people to focus on the passing game."

North Star has gained 114 rushing yards on 54 carries, an average of 2.1 yards per run and 57 yards a game through two weeks.

"Defensively, we've played well the last two weeks," Landis said. "We need to continue to do that this week against a very good offense that has moved the ball the past two weeks.

"We need to improve the consistency on offense. We need to eliminate the pre-snap penalties. We have to play cleaner football. We need to not be giving up the ball and putting ourselves in bad situations."

Meyersdale edged Glendale 14-6 in Week 2 after a season-opening 39-20 victory over Curwensville. This will be the Red Raiders' third straight home game to open the season.

The remainder of Friday's games involving area teams, with kickoffs at 7 p.m., follow:

Inter-County Conference

Everett (1-1) at Berlin Brothersvalley (2-0)

Last week: Moshannon Valley 35, Everett 27 (OT); Berlin Brothersvalley 38, Mount Union 7.

About the Warriors: Everett led by six points late in regulation, but Moshannon Valley's Jalen Kurten passed 46 yards to Luke Yarger for the game- tying score with 8.5 left. Everett had grabbed a 27-21 lead with 48.8 seconds to play after Jakobe Harman scored on a 3-yard run. Harman paced his team with 203 yards on 32 carries and two touchdowns. The Black Knights won in OT.

About the Mountaineers: Berlin Brothersvalley has outscored two opponents by a combined 83-28. Pace Prosser leads area passers with 464 yards and eight TDs. Mountaineers receivers Cody Kimmel (5-177) and Haydon Hutzell (7-125) are among the receiving leaders. Connor Montgomery tops the area with 17 kicking points, including two field goals made.

Windber (2-0) at Tussey Mountain (1-1)

Last week: Windber 42, Curwensville 7; Tussey Mountain 45, Southern Huntingdon 0.

About the Ramblers: Windber has been dominant on both sides of the ball, scoring 93 points while allowing only 13 in two wins. Luke Hostetler is averaging 247 rushing yards a game, with an area-high 547 rushing yards and 48 points on six TDs.

About the Titans: Tussey Mountain suffered a one- sided loss in the opener (35-6 versus Mount Union) and bounced back with a one-sided victory in Week 2 (45-0 over Southern Huntingdon). This will be the Titans' first home game of the season. Junior quarterback Landon Myers is 14 of 26 for 250 yards, four TDs and no interceptions, with Collin Gillis catching six passes for 167 yards and two scores.

Heritage Conference

Penns Manor (1-1) at Conemaugh Township (0-2)

Last week: Penns Manor 42, Homer-Center 35; Portage 37, Conemaugh Township 34.

About the Comets: Each team was in a wild, high-scoring affair in Week 2, with the Comets pulling out a seven-point win over Homer-Center in a game that produced a combined 77 points. Carter Smith rushed for 252 yards and had TD dashes of 22, 23 and 43 yards for the Comets, who produced 400 total yards of offense, all on the ground, at Homer-Center.

About the Indians: Similarly, Conemaugh Township engaged in a high-scoring, back-and-forth contest at Portage. The Indians led by 13 points in the fourth quarter until the Mustangs rallied to win by three points. Jon Updyke ranks among the area leaders with 349 rushing yards on offense and 20 stops on defense.

United Valley (2-0) at Conemaugh Valley (0-2)

Last week: United Valley 27, West Shamokin 12; Northern Cambria 42, Conemaugh Valley 0.

About the Lions: United Valley had a statement win against West Shamokin and the Wolves' big, physical line in Week 2 at Blacklick Valley's McMullen Memorial Field. The defense shut out the Wolves in the second half and in three of the four quarters. Gino DiPaolo caught six passes for 98 yards and made two interceptions on defense.

About the Blue Jays: Opponents have outscored Conemaugh Valley 76-7 in its two losses. Northern Cambria entered Week 2's game with a figurative chip on its collective shoulder after a season-opening loss to United Valley, and the Blue Jays faced a determined bunch. Conemaugh Valley's Devon Chontas has 166 rushing yards on 37 carries.

Marion Center (0-2) at Northern Cambria (1-1)

Last week: Cambria Heights 39, Marion Center 7; Northern Cambria 42, Conemaugh Valley 0.

About the Stingers: Marion Center quarterback Camden Rising passed 25 yards to Mason Ploskunak for the Stingers' lone score in Week 2. Isaac Bassa had a team-high 52 rushing yards on 14 carries.

About the Colts: Northern Cambria played with determination and an attitude in a six-touchdown shutout over visiting Conemaugh Valley. Ty Dumm returned a fumble for a score and caught a 37-yard TD pass from Ethan Donatelli, and Jack Sheredy ran for TDs of 72 and 33 yards as the Colts evened their record.

Cambria Heights (1-1) at Portage (2-0)

Last week: Cambria Heights 39, Marion Center 7; Portage 37, Conemaugh Township 34.

About the Highlanders: Cambria Heights achieved its goal of bouncing back from a season-opening setback, and the Highlanders did so in a big way, scoring the game's first 25 points. Stephen Nelen had 120 rushing yards on eight carries and scored touchdowns on runs of 58 and 8 yards. He also caught four passes for 62 yards.

About the Mustangs: Portage is averaging 35.5 points through two games, putting up 37 in Week 2 and 34 at Conemaugh Valley. The two outcomes, while both producing wins, came in different manners. In Week 2, the Mustangs overcame a two-TD deficit and won 37-34 over Conemaugh Township. Issac Willinsky is second in the area with 368 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 47 carries.

Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference

Central Cambria (1-1) at Bedford (1-1)

Last week: Bald Eagle Area 35, Central Cambria 0; Mount Union 38, Bedford 7.

About the Red Devils: Central Cambria looks to bounce back after a disappointing shutout loss to undefeated Bald Eagle Area. The Red Devils lost three fumbles and an interception in the first half, and Bald Eagle outgained Central Cambria 304-155 in total offense.

Central Cambria's Grady Snyder is among the area leaders with 166 rushing yards.

About the Bisons: Bedford allowed 20 unanswered points in the second half of Week 2's loss to visiting Penns Valley. The Bisons' Quincy Swaim has seven receptions for 189 yards, and quarterback Joey Huxta has completed 18 of 37 passes for 292 yards and three scores.

McCort-Carroll (0-2) at Chestnut Ridge (2-0)

Last week: Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic 51, McCort-Carroll 7; Chestnut Ridge 35, Bellefonte 6.

About the Crushers: McCort-Carroll faced a highly motivated Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic squad at Mansion Park, and the Marauders tallied the first 37 points of the game and 51 overall in Week 2. Angelo Gallucci scored on a 1-yard sneak for the Crushers' lone TD.

About the Lions: Chestnut Ridge has won all five meetings with Bishop McCort/McCort-Carroll since the Lions rejoined the LHAC in 2018. Chestnut Ridge has outscored its first two opponents 77-20.

Nate Whysong has completed 17 of 28 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown. Jeb Emerick has 243 rushing yards.

Penn Cambria (1-1) at Forest Hills (2-0)

Last week: Penn Cambria 34, Philipsburg-Osceola 3; Forest Hills 22, Clearfield 13.

About the Panthers: Penn Cambria bounced back from a tight loss at Richland by routing Philipsburg-Osceola. In two games, quarterback Brady Jones has completed 18 of 30 passes for 275 yards, four TDs and no interceptions. Gavin Harrold has nine catches for 147 yards, and Carter McDermott has seven receptions for 123 yards, and both receivers have two TD catches.

About the Rangers: Forest Hills is 9-2 against Penn Cambria since 2012, although the Panthers won a high-scoring 49-34 contest in 2022. Mason Papinchak rushed for a 66-yard touchdown and two-point conversion on the third play of Week 2's win over Clearfield. The junior finished with 117 rushing yards and two TDs on 11 carries. Quarterback Nate Cornell and Ben Harteis teamed on a TD pass.

Westmont Hilltop (1-1) at Richland (2-0)

Last week: Westmont Hilltop 14, Bellwood-Antis 6; Richland 35, Huntingdon 0.

About the Hilltoppers: Westmont Hilltop went to the air to score its first touchdown on Barrett Gyure's 45-yard toss to Noah Brownlee. The Hilltoppers closed with a 10-yard scoring run by David Ray in a win at Bellwood-Antis. Westmont Hilltop enters the game with 499 wins, including the Hilltopper teams dating to the first season in 1920, according to the online Pennsylvania football win list.

About the Rams: Richland combined a balanced offense and a stifling defense in a shutout win on the road in Week 2.

The Rams rushed for 195 yards and four TDs against Huntingdon and passed for 158 yards and two scores. First-year starting quarterback Grayson Mahla is 18 of 32 for 219 passing yards.

Army commit Evan McCracken ranks fourth in the area with 257 rushing yards, and Arnold Mugerwa is among the leaders with three catches for 94 yards.

Greater Johnstown (0-2) at Somerset (0-2)

Last week: Tyrone 35, Greater Johnstown 0; Central 47, Somerset 6.

About the Trojans: Greater Johnstown has lost 32 straight games since beating Somerset 33-27 in Week 9 in 2019.

The Trojans had success moving the ball in the first half last week at Tyrone, using 17 plays in a scoreless first quarter and advancing to the Golden Eagles' 19-yard line and 26 before those drives stalled. Conseer Baxter ran for 68 yards on 16 carries in Week 2 and has a team-high 86 yards on the ground this season.

About the Golden Eagles: Somerset has won four games since the 2020 season, and three of those victories came against Greater Johnstown in 2022 (21-19), 2021 (26-0) and 2020 (38-20). Camden Lowery returned a kickoff 97 yards for Somerset's lone score in Week 2's loss at Central. Lowery has a team-high 104 rushing yards.

WPIAL

Ligonier Valley (1-1) at Greensburg Salem (0-2)

Last week: Southmoreland 48, Ligonier Valley 7; Derry 26, Greensburg Salem 21.

About the Rams: Aaron Dennison had a 17-yard touchdown run for Ligonier Valley's lone score in Week 2's one-sided loss to Southmoreland in the home opener. John Jablunovsky has 232 rushing yards on 28 carries this season.

Opponents have outscored Greensburg Salem 71-27 in two games, including a season- opening, 45-6 loss at Hempfield. Quarterback Adam DiPasquale completed 8 of 18 passes for 101 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.

Brady Smith rushed for 63 yards on 13 carries.

Mike Mastovich is a sports reporter and columnist for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5083. Follow him on Twitter @Masty81.