2015 LHAC Football Preview

[Panthersfan]

[quote="konjo78"]Nice Job. I think BG is a bit overrated, as they lost most of their core, but hey the LHAC needs some type of Catholic to rule their conference to do anything relevant in playoffs.

Overall a lot weaker than I can ever remember. I think FH will be the stand out this year[/quote]

One good lineman and a freshmen QB no way they win more than 5 or 6 games at most. Losing 4 olinemen and Shareef, Donoughe, Madison etc is so too much to lose

[Panthersfan]

Way too much *

[bison1987]

[quote="konjo78"]Nice Job. I think BG is a bit overrated, as they lost most of their core, but hey the LHAC needs some type of Catholic to rule their conference to do anything relevant in playoffs.

Overall a lot weaker than I can ever remember. I think FH will be the stand out this year[/quote]


yeah I'm going to act like that second part about Forrest hills was never said... Not sure about that one

[Manfred]

One thing everyone should keep in mind is the schedule. This is the year everyone stays in the same spot on the schedule, except the Home from last yr. is now reversed or Away. So I've been informed.

[Panthersfan]

Wow BC is going to be terrible especially if Swatsworth doesn't play

[Crimson's Ghost]

If I had to mesh the rankings together,

1. Bedford
2. Somerset
3. Bishop Guilfoyle
4. Forest Hills
5. Richland
6. Johnstown
7 Central Cambria
8 Penn Cambria
9 Bishop McCort
10 Cambria Heights
11 Westmont
12 Bishop Carroll.


-- I think people are underestimating Bishop Guilfoyle a tad. They lost some really good players, but they are still really well set. They have one of the best lines in the league. Yasuilitis and Chadbourn are a step below the elder Chadbourn and McCloskey, but still really good. I guess I'll put it this way, they'll be the team expected to win in 9 of their 10 games this year.

-- Forest Hills is getting a lot of praise, and while I like them a good bit, still have a lot of holes. The people down on BG for losing their studs, seem to be giving Forest Hills a free pass for losing Donoughe and Blough. Two terrific HS football players. Forest Hillls has a lot to prove, and talent or not, a freshman quarterback is a freshman quarterback.

-- The CC/PC debate is close. The teams are similar. Sure Seymour did a lot for that team, but don't forget Mardula did the same amount for PC. It's neck and neck with these two, but it's splitting hairs really. Penn Cambria is not a clear shot ahead of CC and vice versa, I just prefer the Red Devils slightly. Both teams should be in that 5-5 or 6-4 range.

-- Bedford has everything in place to have an enormous year, all they really have to do is get by their nemesis Chestnut Ridge in the D5 A championship. But regular season wise, at Somerset is going to be their big game. They avoid BG on the schedule and get some big games like Forest Hills and Johnstown at home.

-- Somerset is going to be really tough, but they probably lose more than anyone from last year in the whole league. Having Barnes and Heiple back is huge, but they must reshape the defense and the line big time. They can have another big year 8,9 wins and a postseason run. I think in the playoffs though, Johnstown has closed the gap a tad, and Clearfield is going to be better. Should be competitive at least.

-- Not a lot of talk, but after the big two in Section II. I think things become a little shuffled 3-5. Richland has a solid team, well coached, and an experienced QB. The Rams are slotted below Johnstown for now, but I think they can be better than their 4-6 mark of last year. Johnstown has a ton of firepower on offense, some D1 recruits, and a good bit of experience back. Still, they aren't overwhelmingly better than Richland. Should be a good game when they get together. Now the wild card is Bishop McCort. I'm intrigued with their underclassmen, really think they have some pieces. Might be a year away, but they can be pesky to some better teams.

-- And yes, Bishop Carroll will be very bad if Swatsworth does indeed not play. Sounds like a broken record, because they keep hanging on, but Carroll does not seem like they have much time left as a school, or at the very least fielding a football team. Westmont has just had a lot of troubles for the better part of a decade and a half now. I think they can at least compete in some games, but if you stuck them in another league since they are a class A team now, they are probably closer to .500.

[Panthersfan]

I think BG will have a nice year but no state championship. No one and I mean NO ONE can replace Brandon Chadbourn or Sam McCloskey or even Andrew Berger on defense. Yes they have some nice players returning but they will not have a 6'1 195 4.46 40 QB who can bench 300 lbs and the same goes for McCloskey. The little Chadbourn will be good but not as good as Brandon and wow what a stud Berger was on defense!! Take away all of his sacks and tackle for loses and it will be a different defense. Somerset is better, Bedford is better, Johnstown is better, Richland could but probably won't beat them so this team will not be unstoppable like last years team

[Manfred]

I bite my tongue the few times I have to say this, but today's T-D report of the LHAC Coaches' picks is pretty spot-on. I figure these men know way more than I do, so, following their lead, I've tempered my expectations for FH's regular season. I now predict 6-4, with losses to Bedford, Somerset, and BGCHS, with a "flex" loss, to possibly either Richland or Johnstown. Maybe not make the playoffs. This will be a definite rebuilding season, rather than the typical re-load. But expectations will really be a lot higher for the 2016 season.

[peytonsaturday]

deleted my comment. Don't want to get into it.

[Manfred]

What did I say? Nothing intended to stir anyone up with my last comment. I do enough of that when it's deserved.