2 • SUNDAY, AUGUST 19, 2018 • TRIBUNE-REVIEW
INDEX HIGH SCHOOLFOOTBALLGAMEPLAN2018
Apollo-Ridge 21
Burrell 16
Deer Lakes 17
Fox Chapel 6
Freeport 18
Highlands 10
Kiski Area 8
Knoch 12
Leechburg 25
Plum 5
Riverview 26
Springdale 28
Valley 22
The Tribune-Review welcomes you to GAMEPLAN 2018, an in-depth look at the upcoming
high school football season in Western Pa. The tabloid includes coverage of area high school teams,
including schedules, statistics, rankings, players to watch and games to watch. It is designed to serve
as a reference for the Trib’s high school football fans throughout the season. Starting Thursday, the Trib
will begin its expanded game previews in THURSDAY GAMEPLAN, a look at the week’s top games,
players to watch and statistical leaders. We will take you from Week Zero through the PIAA finals. ... And don’t forget
to pick up your Tribune-Review newspaper every Saturday for complete coverage of Friday night’s action
and visit our website, Tribhssn.triblive.com, for season previews of every team in the WPIAL.
SPORTS EDITOR | Kevin Smith HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS EDITOR | Bill Hartlep DESIGNERS | Chuck Curti, Brady Hunter, Mel Wass
HIGH SCHOOL STAFF WRITERS | Bill Beckner Jr., Doug Gulasy, Chris Harlan, Mike Kovak, Michael Love, Don Rebel, Paul Schofield
HIGH SCHOOL CONTRIBUTING WRITERS | George Guido, Dave Mackall, Jerin Steele, D.J. Vasil, William Whalen
PHOTOGRAPHERS | Shane Dunlap, Bill Hartlep, Christopher Horner, Chaz Palla, Louis B. Ruediger, Louis Raggiunti, Kristina Serafini, Nate Smallwood, Dan Speicher
ON THE COVER: Freeport’s Conor Selinger, Valley’s Deonte Rosson, Apollo-Ridge’s Logan Harmon and Kiski Area’s Drew Dinunzio-Biss
After considering holdout, The Birdie is back picking games
After flying back north this
summer from his undisclosed
offseason home, The Birdie
heard all about the contract
dispute between the Pittsburgh
Steelers and a certain star running
back.
And to the surprise of no one
who knows him, he sympathizes
with the player. Plenty of people
have called him a diva in his many
years picking
games in the
Alle-Kiski Valley,
and he’s more
than familiar
with angering fan
bases.
“I’m pretty
sure the fine folks
of Kittanning
still don’t forgive me for the 2013
season,” he said. “But maybe they
understand me more now that
they’re River Hawks. And I know
Leechburg feels bedeviled that I
constantly pick against them, but
at this point, I can’t help myself.”
Like Le’Veon Bell, The Birdie
considered his own holdout from
the Valley News Dispatch this
summer.
“He wants to get paid like a
running back and receiver, which
I understand. I thought I should
get paid like a comedian and a
prognosticator,” he said.
“I even wrote a rap about it, but
nobody seems to want to hear my
side of the story.”
At the 11th hour, a holdout was
averted over a meal at Phillippi’s
—“Home of the Birdville Pie”—
leading The Birdie back for yet
another season of predictions,
much to the consternation of local
football followers.
“Sorry to disappoint all of you,
but that’s what I’m here for,” he
crowed.
The Birdie’s 2017 preseason
predictions had some misses: a
1-5 start put curtains to his Valley
playoff pick, while Fox Chapel did
make the postseason. Kiski Area
fell well short of his 5-5 prediction,
while Highlands did better than
his 3-6 pick. And even he didn’t see
the A-K Valley’s three playoff qualifiers
going three and out.
But he had a strong season overall,
posting a record of 84-18 for an
.823 winning percentage.
“Can’t win ‘em all,” he said, “but
I win enough.”
The question is…will your team
win enough?
Apollo-Ridge
Injuries derailed a promising start
for the Vikings last season. They’re
now picking on teams of their own
size, but will that be enough?
Record: 5-5
Playoffs: No
Burrell
Watch out for flying footballs as
new coach Shawn Liotta implements
his high-octane offense. But the Bucs
won’t get it going enough this fall.
Record: 2-8
Playoffs: No
Deer Lakes
The Lancers have some talent, no
doubt, and they made the best of a
difficult situation by promoting Tim
Burk to head coach. But they won’t
get a promotion to the postseason.
Record: 3-6
Playoffs: No
Fox Chapel
The Foxes nearly pulled off a firstround
stunner against Penn-Trafford
last season, but with virtually the
entire starting lineup graduated,
just making the playoffs would be
shocking.
Record: 2-8
Playoffs: No
Freeport
The Yellowjackets’ 2017 postseason
ended with a first-round thud, but the
A-K Valley’s deepest team in returning
experience should create buzz again
this fall.
Record: 7-2
Playoffs: Yes
Highlands
Only one record matters to the
Golden Rams this year, and that’s the
win/loss record. It should be good, but
maybe not good enough.
Record: 6-4
Playoffs: No
Kiski Area
There are skill players all around for
the Cavaliers in coach Sam Albert’s
second season, but where’s the beef?
Record: 3-7
Playoffs: No
Knoch
Like celebrity deaths, long-term
injuries to key starters unfortunately
came in threes for the Knights this
offseason.
Record: 4-5
Playoffs: No
Leechburg
The Blue Devils have the size and
the spirit, but do they have the skill —
especially in the most difficult conference
in Class A?
Record: 1-9
Playoffs: No
Plum
A rash of graduations means the
most familiar face at Plum this fall is
coach Matt Morgan. Alas, he’ll be on
the sidelines.
Record: 3-7
Playoffs: No
Riverview
Just like Jon Gruden in Oakland,
Todd Massack returns for his second
stint as coach of the Raiders. Just win,
baby? Don’t bet on it.
Record: 2-7
Playoffs: No
Springdale
A proud playoff tradition —
17 appearances in 18 years — exists in
Springdale, but a narrowed postseason
field and inexperienced roster will
do the Dynamos no favors.
Record: 3-6
Playoffs: No
Valley
The Vikings dropped to Class 2A
after a disappointing 2017, but they’re
poised for a bigger year in a smaller
division.
Record: 6-4
Playoffs: Yes
KISKI AREA’S JARED CUSTER