It's Week No. 5 for district high school football teams, but Penn Hills is the only team in the WPIAL that has played only three games to date.

But it's definitely not by choice.

"We certainly didn't want an open date for the first week of the season," said Penn Hills coach Neil Gordon. "We just couldn't find an opponent."

The unwanted open date was partially due to the WPIAL's conference/class realignment, which increased the number of sections in Class AAAA (from three to four) and decreased the number of teams in each section.

The realignment, which made significant changes throughout the four classifications, scheduled all but the first week of competition for Class AAAA schools.

"We had internet problems the day the schedule was released," said Gordon. "We had a tentative agreement with Bethel Park to play in Week 1, but the WPIAL scheduled us to play them in Week 2.

"The whole process [of finding a week one opponent] was a nightmare."

Gordon had no luck finding an opponent in Pennsylvania, Ohio, or West Virginia.

"The only possibilities were DeMatha outside of Washington D.C., and a school from Fort Lauderdale, but neither materialized," said Gordon. "It was so frustrating, because we really needed the game experience.

"I wouldn't have been as disappointed if we had a veteran team coming back, but this is one of, if not the, youngest team I've had in my 20 years as head coach. We have six sophomores in starting roles. I've never had that before."

Despite a lineup that includes only seven returning starters, Penn Hills has won two of its first three games and enter Big East Conference play with hopes of making a return trip to the WPIAL playoffs.

"The Big East is clearly the strongest of the four [Class AAAA] sections," said Gordon. "Woodland Hills and Gateway are among the best teams in the state. I'm glad we face them at the end of the season, especially with such a young team."

Penn Hills plays host to Kiski Area in tomorrow's Big East Conference opener. The Cavaliers (2-2) have moved to the Big East from the Quad Southwest, but Gordon is very familiar with their quarterback, Josh Vick.

"His father, David Vick, and mother, [the former] Debbie Smith are both Penn Hills graduates," said Gordon, who jokingly referred to the Vicks as "turncoats."

"Josh is one of the most talented athletes in the WPIAL. He is being recruited heavily for both football and track. He won WPIAL and PIAA javelin titles last year, his first year of competition."

Penn Hills traveled to Bethel Park for its opener, and the Indians came away with an impressive 30-13 victory.

The second week was a different story, as North Hills pitched a 19-0 shutout.

But Gordon's Indians rebounded nicely with a 21-20 upset of McKeesport Friday in their home opener.

"We are still making mistakes that we would have worked out by now if we had a first game," said Gordon. "But I am impressed with our overall play. The seniors have provided some good leadership, and our younger kids are starting to play like veterans. We just have to be patient."

Senior Aaron Williams and sophomore Chris Darby have been carrying the workload on the ground. Williams has rushed for 239 yards and two touchdowns on 43 attempts, including a 57-yard scamper to give Penn Hills the deciding points in Friday's win. Darby has 110 yards and three touchdowns on 40 carries.

"Aaron is a three-year starter at tailback and linebacker," said Gordon of Williams, who leads the team with 31 total tackles. "Seniors Joe Rash [DE-TE] and Carlos Scott [FL-DB] are also three-year starters. All three have provided leadership, which is especially important with such a young team."

Gordon had three sophomore quarterbacks to choose from, and picked Tom Fulton.

"Tom is a gifted student who is very coachable," said Gordon. "He's getting better each week."

Fulton has completed 12 of 39 passes for 115 yards and four interceptions.