Matt Gray wasn't being evasive. He was trying to be honest about Western Beaver's 3-0 start and rise to No. 5 in the Post-Gazette's WPIAL Class A rankings.

"Am I surprised? Yes and no," said Gray, whose Golden Beavers fended off Farrell, 21-6, in a Big Seven opener Saturday in Industry. "I always think if kids do what they have to do, things will work out. But we had questions because we lost a lot of talented running backs."

Warren Taylor topped 4,000 career yards rushing last season. Jordan Blinn, the No. 2 ball carrier last year with 476 yards, also got his sheepskin.

The Western Beaver running game has been just fine, though, thanks largely to the emergence of three backs who had a collective zero varsity carries last year: sophomores Shane Waida and E.J. Tisdale and senior Van Sallis. They combined for 252 yards on 37 attempts against Farrell.

Waida (419 yards rushing this year) and Tisdale were junior high players in 2004.

"They didn't have great scrimmages," Gray said. "You have 10 plays, then 10 more, and it's hard for them to get a feel. But once they got into game situations, they gained confidence and started coming on."

Gray also credits a line that has returned intact; junior fullbacks Chris Charles and Dom Presutti; and the efficiency of quarterback Jon D'Angelo.

Changing horses

Chartiers Valley began 2005 with starters returning at three positions. Robertino Coury's injury has cut that to one.

Coury, a running back-defensive back-special teams maven with speed, had a wrist broken Friday in a 27-7 loss to West Mifflin. He had surgery Sunday and is done.

This is a blow to the Colts (2-1, 0-1), who will play at Big Seven rival Ringgold (1-2, 0-1) tomorrow. Two varsity newcomers, however, are striving to alleviate the pain coach Chris Saluga and his players are experiencing from Coury's absence.

Brian Becker has topped 100 yards rushing in two games. He is a senior who played primarily with the junior varsity a year ago, and wasn't in the program as a freshman or sophomore.

Dan Bachner, heretofore a tennis player, is a running back-defensive back. And a senior in his first varsity season. Saluga said he is the second-fastest player on the squad.

"Our goal is to get better every week," Saluga said. "To have a 'new' team and be competitive, you have to say that is good."

Chicken, chicken, chicken

Blackhawk senior Louis Pappan brings a lot to the table. Just as his grandfather did for years.

Pappan plays wide receiver, running back, defensive back, return guy and just about anywhere else coach Joe Hamilton needs him. Pappan ran for 2 touchdowns Friday in a 48-34 victory at New Castle.

His name should be familiar to many Beaver County residents, and hundreds elsewhere in the region. He is the grandson of Lou Pappan, whose Pappan's restaurants once proliferated hereabouts.

The elder Pappan is retired and living in the Blackhawk School District, where three sons reside. Most of his restaurants have closed or exist under a different name.

His trademark line on TV ads was, "Chicken, chicken, chicken, and you're going to like it ... and that's a promise."

His grandson, appropriately, plays wing back on occasion.

Building Bridgers

Scoff, if you will, at Ambridge Area's 0-3 record. But probably no one in the WPIAL has had a tougher schedule to date.

The Bridgers have lost to Aliquippa, West Mifflin and West Allegheny, which are a collective 9-0. West Allegheny is No. 3 and West Mifflin No. 4 in the Post-Gazette's WPIAL Class AAA rankings, and the Quips may be on the verge of breaking into the Class AA top five.

And there won't be a letup for a while. Ambridge will be at Hopewell (2-1) tomorrow, then will play host to Moon Area (3-0) next week. Five foes, 14-1 overall.

Antelope crossing

Rochester (3-0, 1-0) is ranked No. 1 in WPIAL Class A and No. 2 in the PIAA, And the Rams deserve to be.

At first glance, they have an easy game tomorrow at home vs. Avonworth, which was 0-9 in 2004 and hasn't had a winning season since 1993. But at second glance, it isn't.

The Antelopes (2-1, 1-0), led by first-year coach Jason Kekseo and running back Eric Vone (419 yards rushing, 6 TDs), are well ahead of the 0-9 team they were in 2004, A lot of young players learned and developed amid last season's misery.

Avonworth toppled Monaca, 29-19, in a Big Seven opener Friday for a second straight win.