Each Wednesday, the PUP high school sports staff will preview the game of the week.
Between the hash marks
Who: Elizabeth Forward (7-1, 3-0) at Southmoreland (8-0, 3-0)
Where: Southmoreland’s Russ Grimm Field
When: 7 p.m. Friday
The coaches: John DeMarco (Elizabeth Forward); Dustin Shoaf (Southmoreland)
When they last met: On Oct. 18, 2024, when Elizabeth Forward defeated Southmoreland at home by a score of 31-3.
On deck: Elizabeth Forward returns home to host Mount Pleasant, while Southmoreland will welcome Greensburg Salem for the regular-season finale.
This and that: Something has to give in this high-stakes showdown under the brand-new LED lights at Russ Grimm Field, where Class 3A No. 3 Elizabeth Forward and its high-scoring offense will collide with Class 3A No. 5 Southmoreland’s smash-mouth defense. … The Warriors rank No. 3 in Class 3A with an average of 45.5 ppg, while the Scotties are allowing just 6.1 ppg after posting back-to-back shutouts against Yough and Mount Pleasant, giving them the top-ranked defense in the classification. … For the first time since 1964, Southmoreland is off to an 8-0 start, and the Scotties have even bigger goals in mind under 24-year-old first-time head coach Dustin Shoaf. A former two-time WPIAL rushing champ at Yough who rushed for more than 5,000 yards in his career, Shoaf has infused Southmoreland’s locker room with a burst of youthful exuberance after the departure of standout quarterback Anthony Smith, who transferred in the offseason. … In Smith’s place, junior Dawson Wolfe (6-2, 210) has filled in seamlessly for the Scotties, completing 66 of 118 passes for 902 yards and 11 touchdowns to go with 280 yards rushing and seven TDs on the ground. Sophomore Jackson Mickens (6-1, 220) is a big-time talent with 76 carries for 410 yards and a team-high 10 TDs, and he also excels on the defensive side of the ball for Southmoreland. … As for Elizabeth Forward, senior Ryan Messina (6-4, 225) is one of the top QBs in the area, having recently surpassed 5,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing for his career. On the season, Messina has completed 100 of 143 attempts for 1,551 yards and 19 TDs while rushing for 493 yards and seven scores. … Messina has a handful of reliable receivers to spread the ball around to, including senior Landon Honick, who leads the team with 30 receptions for 508 yards and eight TDs. Senior tight end-linebacker Brendan Stroschein (6-4, 220) is another physical specimen capable of making a major impact for the Warriors on both sides of the ball. … With the winner of this game clinching at least a share of the Interstate Conference crown and a likely top-three seed for the WPIAL Class 3A tournament, regular-season contests simply don’t get much bigger than this. And with the atmosphere sure to be electric out in Alverton, make sure to arrive early and get yourself a seat before the entire stadium fills up for this one.
Expert picks (records in parentheses)
John Santa (7-1): Elizabeth Forward 42, Southmoreland 21
Steve Rotstein (6-2): Elizabeth Forward 35, Southmoreland 17
Brad Everett (5-3): Elizabeth Forward 24, Southmoreland 17
On the radar
Montour at Aliquippa, 7 p.m. Friday
It’s fair to say there was a bit more on the line last year, when these two storied programs put on an instant classic won by the Spartans, 36-35, on a last-minute touchdown and go-ahead 2-point conversion. Still, this is certainly a marquee matchup with plenty at stake for both teams. Senior tailback Caden Halajcio will hope to put on another show for Montour, while the Quips will try to find a way to win without senior quarterback Marques Council, who is out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury.
Thomas Jefferson at Chartiers Valley, 7 p.m. Friday
Two teams knotted up in second place in the Class 4A Big Six Conference with identical records of 6-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play, the Jaguars and Colts will settle the score to help offer some clarity to the Class 4A playoff picture. Both teams have lost to Trinity in the past two weeks, but the winner will remain alive for at least a share of the conference title going into the final week of the regular season.
South Side at Laurel, 7 p.m. Friday
The Class 1A Big 7 Conference title will be up for grabs this Friday, when No. 5 Laurel hosts No. 4 South Side in what is sure to be a physical prime-time showdown. The Spartans have won four games in a row by 40-plus points since a 46-28 defeat against Class 1A No. 3 Bishop Canevin on Sept. 13, while the Rams have rattled off six consecutive victories since a 32-20 defeat against Class 2A No. 4 Western Beaver on Aug. 29.
PUP ‘underdog’ to watch
South Park (hosts Apollo-Ridge at 7 p.m. Friday)
It has been a rocky road so far for the defending WPIAL Class 2A champions, but the Eagles will get a chance to right the ship and potentially save their season when the Class 2A No. 5 Vikings come to town. After opening the season with a record of 3-0, South Park lost four consecutive games against Steel Valley, South Allegheny, Washington and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart before getting back in the win column last week at Ligonier Valley. Don’t be surprised if Brian Abbey’s bunch makes it two in a row on Friday.
Steve is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at srotstein@unionprogress.com.
