Let's take care of some unfinished business first.

It was reported last week that Chartiers Valley quarterback Wayne Capers was going to get a second opinion on his fractured foot to see if he might be able to return to action this season.

According to Colts coach Chris Saluga, "He's out."

With that settled, we take up the business of Chartiers Valley's 20-0 loss to Thomas Jefferson a week ago in front of the FSN Pittsburgh cameras. It was the first loss of the season for the Colts and just the fact they stayed close to TJ deep into the second half had to help in the eyes of the WPIAL football steering committee.

If things go according to chalk and Chartiers Valley wins its final two regular-season games -- the Colts are at Elizabeth Forward tomorrow and then entertain Albert Gallatin -- and Thomas Jefferson and Hopewell remain undefeated, Chartiers Valley will get a home game in the first round of the playoffs and be one of the top four seeds in Class AAA.

It is hard to imagine the winner of the Greater Allegheny or Keystone conferences being seeded ahead of the Colts.

"That's what we're hoping. That we are one of the top four," Saluga said. "We had some positives come out of that game ... our defense played its best game of the season. We played with confidence and for three-plus quarters we played with the No. 1 team.

"The thing is we struggled on offense. I told the team afterward that I was proud of them."

Here is a rule that every head coach should know about, especially with more and more teams going to a spread offense with the quarterback operating out of the shotgun formation.

In Springdale's loss at Brentwood this past Friday, the Dynamos quarterback was flagged for intentional grounding when he spiked the football to stop the clock out of a shotgun formation.

It's a rule that not many people know about, but the official was correct with his call.

"The rule is that to stop the clock, the quarterback has to be under center and can take no more than one step back when spiking the football," said Dick McHenry, who has been officiating football for 20 years and is a PIAA rules interpreter for football and baseball in the Beaver County area. "If [spiking the ball] is done out of the shotgun, it's intentional grounding."

When asked if he had ever had a quarterback spike the ball from the shotgun in a game he was working, McHenry said, "No, I haven't."

Running back Cody Cook is having a monster season for the Beaver Falls Tigers with 1,187 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns. He is averaging 8.7 yards per carry and is the focus of every opposing defense.

Overshadowed by Cook's accomplishments has been what senior wingback Admire Carter has done for the Tigers. He has become a big-play guy.

In the 49-7 victory against Mohawk this past Friday, Carter recorded a hat trick. He scored on a 59-yard punt return, an 82-yard run and a 27-yard reception. Not bad for someone who touched the football just five times.

"Admire takes advantage of his chances," Beaver Falls coach Ryan Matsook said. "He doesn't get many, but when he does, he makes the most of them. That's what he's done since he has been a sophomore."

Against Mohawk, Carter caught two passes for 55 yards and carried the football two times for 88 yards. So far this season, he has scored 11 touchdowns, rushed 18 times for 319 yards (that's 21.3 yards per carry) and caught 16 passes for 343 yards (17.7 average). And on defense, he has four interceptions.

There are other important contests being played this weekend other than Beaver Falls-Center and South Fayette-Steel Valley. Many with playoff implications.

• Ambridge is entertaining New Castle tomorrow night in the Class AAA Parkway Conference. Despite a 3-4 overall record and 1-3 mark in the Parkway, the Bridgers can still make the playoffs if they beat New Castle and win at Blackhawk next weekend.

• Beaver has lost three of its past four games but is 4-2 in the Class AA Midwestern Athletic Conference and can secure a playoff spot with a victory tomorrow night against visiting Mohawk.

• South Side Beaver is 5-2 overall, 3-2 in the Class A Big Seven Conference. It entertains undefeated Rochester Saturday and a victory would solidify a playoff spot.

• Monaca, 4-3 overall, 3-2 in the Big Seven, needs to beat visiting Neshannock to secure a playoff spot.

• And the real biggie has New Brighton (0-7) visiting Helling Stadium as Ellwood City (0-7) tries to end its 31-game losing streak. The longest losing streak by a WPIAL team is 39 games by Geibel.

Mike White's "High School Sports Edition" videos are featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.