LHAC Football Forecast Week One.

Bishop McCort at Bishop Carroll Friday 7:30 DeGol Field 

Dustin Belskey

It is weird to see a Bishop McCort-Bishop Carroll game without Ken Salem and Criag Sponsky on the sidelines, but it is a new era for the two programs. Bishop Carroll will usher in the Greg Snyder tenure with a tough opening test against Bishop McCort. Bishop Carroll has been hit hard with transfers recently and will be dressing only 28 kids, and just two seniors. The offense will be very run heavy as it has been recently. David Maruca will key the offense at quarterback and will rely on the running backs, Dan Lesney and Alex Repko. Bishop Carroll is coming off a rough season in which they only averaged 7 points per game.  The offense's strength will be the size of linemen, Michael Leslie and Josh Mock.Bishop McCort will have a new set of play makers from 2011, but they are expected to fill in nicely. Zaine Tomkowski is the new quarterback, and has some game experience. He has some quick targets on the outside in Jordan Spangler and Luke DiFrancesco. The running game will be fronted by senior, Dustin Belskey. Bishop McCort has a nice balance on offense, and plenty of experience returning on defense. The keys for Bishop Carroll will be if they can find a way to score. They had such trouble with that last year and McCort has a good group of defenders led by Gap Barbin and Tyler Rugg.  McCort needs to prove that the new group of skilled players can replace the stars of 2011. I think McCort will be able to show the balance they have on offense early in the season. I like the Crushers in running away fashion.

Crimson Crushers 38 Huskies 7

Bedford at Bishop Guilfoyle Saturday 7:00 Mansion Park

The opening weekend matchup between Bishop Guilfoyle and Bedford could be a big one. Bedford is a proud program that has been inconsistent through the years, and would like to start 2012 on the right foot. They lose the key piece in their offense in Marcus Shippey. They will turn to Aaron Henry to run the show.  It will be interesting to see how the unit will operate, and what kind of offense will be employed. Bishop Guilfoyle comes into 2012 with plenty of young talent, and could finally make a little bit of noise in the LHAC.   Pat Irwin should be set for a good season as the quarterback. He is athletic and the leader for BG.  Brandon Chadbourn is a name to keep an eye on for Guilfoyle. He has plenty of athletic ability and should be a key asset for them.  This game is a tough one to predict. Bishop Guilfoyle has yet to leave an impact on the LHAC, but they have lots of good sophomores and juniors and their run could be comming soon. I'm going to say this will be a tight game because both teams will be looking for an identity. I'll take Guilfoyle in a close one.
Marauders 18 Bisons 14

Westmont at Forest Hills Friday 7:00 G.H. Miller Field 

Pat Barron

Westmont will be breaking into a new era as Pat Barron will make his debut as the new head coach. He will bring a new offense with him and Westmont will be running a single wing look. Liam Moran will take on the role as the quaterback. He will be running a tough offense to defend for opponents, but it will just be a matter of how well Westmont has grasped the new look. Sam Curry and Luke Blackburn will be the primary play makers in the new offense. Westmont may have an advantage up front, because this is not the typical Forest Hills team. They have little to no experience up front, and they do not have the huge size or numbers as they often do. The quarterback situation is not settled for Coach Bailey either. The Rangers still have talent, and they usually resolve their problems quickly. Jared Shope is arguably the best player in the league and his versatility should carry the team early on. Shawn Dell got a considerable amount of carries last season, and will figure prominently this season. I see this game as a measuring stick for both teams. Forest Hills must identify a quarterback and gain some experience on the line, and Westmont needs to run the new offense in a game situation.  I like Forest Hills because of the ability of Shope and the coaching of Bailey and his staff. 

Rangers 35 Hilltoppers 7

Somerset at Central Cambria Friday 7:00 Red Devil Stadium

Somerset is looking to make another step in the right direction. They showed a lot of promise in 2011, and it may translate into more success in 2012. Tanner Stull is an athletic quarterback that showed signs of being a really good player last season. He will need to improve his passing and remain consistent, and he could be a real star in this league. Matt Boyer and Justin Wilkow should form a nice running tandem. Wilkow has the speed and quickness, and Boyer is a big bruising type. The real wild card can be Jordan Wilkow. He is a big 6-4 threat that could really open up the passing game. Central Cambria should be better than last season. Stephen Papuga will thrive as the feature back, and Will Seymour has some promise at quarterback. Both these teams need to prove themselves. I think this game can be close, but I like Somerset. Stull is a very intriguing player, and he could take Somerset from a 3-7 record to a possible winning season. 

Golden Eagles 27 Red Devils 13

Richland at Cambria Heights Friday 7:00 Patton Field

This could a very good football game. Richland is my pick to win the conference, and Cambria Heights is ready to be to a playoff caliber team. Richland will feature a more diverse attack this season without the services of John Rizzo. Matt Shaffer and Nico Pecora will both continue to get reps at quarterback. They have the luxury of finding Kyle Flick in the passing game. Tanner Solarczyk will also be a reliable offensive weapon for the Rams. The experience up front for Richland could be a key in this game, because the Heights skilled position players can match up with Richland. Nathan Bearer is set for a good senior season at quarterback. Tyler Crawford, Ben Myers, and Donnie Contorchick are all reliable ball carriers and they have versatility to make plays in the passing game.  Andrew Brawley will be a good receiving threat. The name of this game will be offense. It will be a good showcase for both teams to try to live up to the expectations. Richland played in some big games last season, but many people doubt them without Rizzo. Heights went 5-5, but still have not had a winning season in years. I think this game will feature plenty of points, as both teams allowed a lot of scoring last season. I like Richland because in a tight one, and I would not be shocked if Cambria Heights pulls this one out. 

Rams 38 Highlanders 31

GAME OF THE WEEK

Johnstown at Penn Cambria Friday 7:00

Mac Behe

Penn Cambria is the preseason favorites according to the coaches. They return an experienced senior class that has played well together through the years, and they are ready to leave their mark in 2012. Johnstown is coming off two of their best seasons in recent memory. They are losing almost anyone that scored or gained yards from the past two seasons, and will rely on offensive line play and new play makers. This game has all the story lines to be the best game of the week. Penn Cambria does not have a definite quarterback settled in yet, but they will be a run heavy team. Devin Lawhead and Mac Behe will be the leaders on both offense and defense. They are two terrific linebackers, and will see the bulk of the carries on offense. James Mardula is a versatile threat that will see the ball in a variety of ways. Johnstown is breaking a new quarterback, running back, and a host of receivers. Brody Loboi looks like he will be the quarterback. He does not have the open field ability the Gervon Simon had last season, so there could be more of a running dynamic from the tailbacks. Phillip Madison will be the player to watch in this game. He will be Johnstown's top offensive threat all around, and will touch the ball in many ways. I think this game can and will be close. Johnstown loses so much, but still have talent. Penn Cambria wants to prove the hype is warranted. It will be a fun game to watch, and I'm taking Penn Cambria in a close game. Johnstown can end up being a very good team, but the core of Penn Cambria senior class is why I am going with the Panthers.

Panthers 24 Trojans 17