2 • SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2022 • VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH
INDEX HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAMEPLAN 2022
Apollo-Ridge 21
Burrell 22
Deer Lakes 13
Fox Chapel 6
Freeport 16
Highlands 9
Kiski Area 10
Knoch 17
Leechburg 25
Plum 7
Riverview 26
Springdale 27
Valley 18
The Tribune-Review welcomes you to GAMEPLAN 2022, an in-depth look at the upcoming
high school football season in Western Pa. 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 visit our website, TribHSSN.triblive.com, for season previews of every team in the WPIAL.
SPORTS EDITOR | Bill Hartlep ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | Jonathan Bombulie
HIGH SCHOOL STAFF WRITERS | Bill Beckner Jr., Chuck Curti,
Chris Harlan, Michael Love, Don Rebel, Paul Schofield
HIGH SCHOOL CONTRIBUTING WRITERS | George Guido,
Jerin Steele, William Whalen
PHOTOGRAPHERS | Shane Dunlap, Christopher Horner, Chaz Palla, Louis B. Ruediger
ON THE COVER: Leechburg senior Braylan Lovelace shows off his Pitt gloves during a preseason practice.
Acrisure enough, Birdie’s back for another season
an Acrisure bet to make it.
“Braylan Lovelace has got to
be the most exciting player in the
Valley in years. Look high and low
and you won’t find a more Acrisure
footed runner.
“Really looking forward to
watching Freeport, too. If Lovelace
is the most exciting player in the
area, Ben Lane isn’t far behind.
The Yellowjackets better make
Acrisure that they get the ball in
his hands as often as possible.
“Highlands should make some
noise this season as well. They’ve
got all their top skills players
back — a dynamic quarterback
in Chandler Thimons, a rumbling
running back in Luke Bombalski
and an Acrisure-handed receiver
in Landan Signorella. Those Rams
will be tough to beat.”
His spirits sufficiently lifted,
The Birdie made season predictions
for all 13 A-K Valley teams.
Apollo-Ridge
The Vikings had so many injuries
last season, they could really
use a health insurance brokerage
company. Anybody know a
good one? Anyway, they should
improve, but it’s a tough section to
make the playoffs in.
Wins: 4
Playoffs: No
Burrell
A drop to Class 2A should help
the Bucs, but it won’t be easy to
replace Caden Dicaprio and, again,
it’s a tough conference.
Wins: 4
Playoffs: No
Deer Lakes
The Lancers emerged as a good,
solid football team last year, and
there’s opportunity in the Allegheny
Seven.
Wins: 5
Playoffs: Yes
Fox Chapel
The Foxes probably deserved
more plaudits than they got for a
really solid season last year, but
graduation hit hard and their
conference is rough.
Wins: 4
Playoffs: No
Freeport
The Yellowjackets have a roster
loaded with talent and a workable
schedule in front of them. Big
season coming.
Wins: 8
Playoffs: Yes
Highlands
First-year coach Matt Bonislawski
walked into a pretty
promising situation. The Golden
Rams have a tough schedule but
tons of talent.
Wins: 6
Playoffs: Yes
Kiski Area
The Cavaliers are a difficult
team to figure out. Graduation
hit hard, but the roster is hardly
barren. They’ll probably be better
at the end of the year than the
beginning.
Wins: 5
Playoffs: No
Knoch
A tough start for new coach Tim
Burchett. Field renovations mean
the Knights will play their whole
season on the road.
Wins: 2
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When The Birdie heard that
Acrisure was spending $150
million to put its name on
the big football field on the North
Shore, a thought popped into his
bird brain.
“The Birdie writes the most-read
weekly high school football prediction
column in the A-K Valley,” he
boasted. “What company wouldn’t
want to be associated
with me?”
So The Birdie
made a few
phone calls,
trying to secure
a naming rights
deal for his
column.
He was not
successful.
“They told me their advertising
budget was completely spent,” The
Birdie complained. “They said all
they could offer me was a leftover
jar of Heinz-branded pickles if I
worked their name subliminally
into my column. Would an author
as illustrious as myself accept a
deal that chintzy?”
Discouraged, he turned his
attention to the upcoming football
season. It made him feel better.
“Can’t wait to go see Leechburg,”
he said. “That team used
to be the longest of long shots to
make the playoffs only a few short
years ago, and now they’re all but
Playoffs: No
Leechburg
The Blue Devils will send Lovelace
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off to Pitt with a season to
remember.
Wins: 9
Playoffs: Yes
Plum
The Mustangs finished last
season strong and bring back star
running back Eryck Moore.
Wins: 6
Playoffs: Yes
Riverview
The Raiders have a hard-working
group that should improve on
last season.
Wins: 3
Playoffs: No
Springdale
Like Fox Chapel, Springdale
probably didn’t get enough credit
last year. This year, new coach
Ryan Tempalski has a lot of blanks
to fill.
Wins: 4
Playoffs: No
Valley
New coach Dave Heaver should
give the program a jolt, but there’s
a lot of building to do.
Wins: 2
Playoffs: No
Last year’s record:
84-32 (72.4%)
LEECHBURG’S LOGAN KLINE