The end of summer heralds the beginning of Western Pennsylvania high school football, and the PG Sports department is keeping you ahead of the curve again this season with a preview section packed with information, analysis and the players, teams and games that will be major factors this year.

You can't teach speed ... or can you?
When Justin King started playing organized football, his midget-league coaches made him lean over and plant his hand in the dirt. That's the tight end's stance.

Post-Gazette preseason Fabulous 22
The top players in the WPIAL and City League going into the 2004 season.

Post-Gazette Rankings
Where the rankings stood at the close of last season for WPIAL, PIAA and the City League.

PIAA playoff changes affect WPIAL
The beginning of this football season was different for WPIAL teams. They started practicing a week earlier than the rest of the state. But the end of the season will also be different. The reason is a change in the PIAA playoffs.

Pennsylvania's 30 best for 2004
The Post-Gazette's roster of the top Pennsylvania college football prospects.

Ten you just can't miss
Here are 10 games you might want to check out this season.

Southwest Conference: Gateway's Barlak a hit on defense
Mike Barlak once thought baseball would be his ticket to college, that is until he grew some and fell in love with football. Even though he isn't playing baseball any more, he still has become known as Gateway's utility player.

East Conference: Central Catholic quarterback double trouble
Art Walker Jr. is taking a chance many big-school coaches resist. He has anointed his quarterback, Shane Murray, a two-way starter.

North Conference: Tigers ready to prowl
It's likely this will be Jim Rankin's final season as North Allegheny's coach. He is considering retiring as a teacher and coach at the end of the school year.

Big Seven Conference: Thomas Jefferson linebacker itching for action
The infamous date is burned into Thomas Jefferson linebacker Jason Kolodziej's memory.

Parkway Conference: Weight training lifts West Allegheny's Davis
The light bulb has clicked on for West Allegheny's C.J. Davis. Now he's looking to turn out the lights on opposing linemen.

Greater Allegheny Conference: Champions not dwelling on the past
It's hard to discuss the Pine-Richland football team this year without talking about some of the Rams from last year.

Midwestern Conference: New Brighton's Richardson has a BIG role
According to New Brighton coach Joe Greco, the scales in the locker room at Oak Hill Field top out at 350 pounds. Senior lineman Brandon Richardson puts the needle on the peg when he steps on it.

Interstate Conference: Jeannette ready to join elite 600-victory club
Jeannette High School has nearly 600 validations of its football success, and one simple explanation for it. "You grow up thinking of playing for the Jayhawks," said Art Tragesser, head coach at Penn-Trafford.

Tri-county North Conference: Riverside quarterback has something to prove
Roughly 10 years ago, when Riverside quarterback Joe DeSanzo began playing Pee-wee football, he was pressed into a line position by default.

Allegheny Conference: For Burrell's John Brown Jr., there was no catch with his commitment to Pitt
It is one of the great moments in Pitt football history. And John Brown Jr. would relive it constantly in the backyard of his parents' home in Burrell.

Black Hills Conference: Canevin's energizer bunny
It was 1973, the height of Watergate, and Bob Jacoby felt like Richard Nixon -- under siege.

Tri-County South Conference: Monessen running back special talent
Ever since the first time Quinton Martin stepped onto a football field at the age of 5, it was obvious he had great talent.

Big Seven Conference: Farrell backfield will be in motion with Odem, Newby
Farrell's Quentin Odem is one of the most talented players in the WPIAL, but last year his numbers were down compared to his sophomore campaign in 2002.