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Fumbler: It's all in the name in WPIAL
Friday, October 30, 2009

The Fumbler has a routine. He goes to a Friday night game, then wakes up early and sprints to his driveway to get the Saturday morning Post-Gazette.

The Fumbler loves looking at the handiwork of Kenny "The Horse" Mrazik, the guy who takes care of all the high school box scores. The Fumbler just gets a kick out of some of the names.

Like Keystone Oaks' Max Kielbasa. The Fumbler has said Kielbasa should quit football and be in the drama club because he's such a ham.

Or, Seneca Valley kicker Will Hugo. When he comes to an intersection and everyone is stopped, does he just scream "Will you go!"

How about Dom Timbers at Woodland Hills? Doesn't he have a future as a lumberjack?

The Fumbler thinks West Allegheny's Mike Cherokee plays for the perfect team, the Indians, while his teammate Jared Buck should probably transfer to Deer Lakes.

Is Upper St. Clair receiver Mitch Fawcett related to former Florida quarterback C.J. Leak?

Is the favorite player of McKeesport athletic director Charley Kiss, Blackhawk's Chuckie Lipp?

Shouldn't Ambridge's Wally Rideout be a wrestler?

Quaker Valley's Lucas Clear and Rochester's Devon Glass should go into the window-washing business together. Does Penn-Trafford's Ryan Burger put opposing defenses in a pickle? And how many horse-collar penalties have been called against the Chartiers Valley Colts?

Well, one thing is certain, as far as names go: The only thing you can call The Fumbler is successful. He was 55-10 (.846 percentage) last week, and is 425-94 (.818 pct.).

Here are his thoughts on this weekend's top games:

Gateway (8-0, 5-0) at McKeesport (7-1, 5-0), 7:30 p.m. today -- Both teams average more than 40 points a game. Neither team will get 40 in this one, but Gateway will get a perfect regular season for the second year in a row. Winner: Gateway.

Penn Hills (4-4, 3-1) at Woodland Hills (7-1, 4-0), 7 p.m. today -- The Fumbler plans on venturing to Turtle "Crick" for this Big East showdown. Penn Hills has won three of its past four games, but none of those three victories was against a team with a winning record. Winner: Woodland Hills.

Mars (5-3, 3-1) at Knoch (3-5, 3-1), 7:30 p.m. today -- Many wondered how Mars would fare after moving up to Class AAA a year ago. Last season, Mars made the WPIAL playoffs. This year, the Planets will finish first in the Greater Allegheny Conference. Winner: Mars.

Serra (7-1, 5-1) at Clairton (7-1, 6-0), 7:30 p.m. today -- After weeks of blowouts, finally some competition for Clairton, which has scored 50 or more in five of its past six games. The Bears won't get 50 this time, but they will get the Black Hills Conference title. Winner: Clairton.

Avonworth (7-1, 5-1) at North Catholic (6-2, 6-0), 7:30 p.m. today -- This is a battle for first place in the Eastern Conference. How do you explain that when North Catholic is near the city and Avonworth is in the northern suburbs. Avonworth has allowed only 58 points, but The Fumbler likes North Catholic's offense. Winner: North Catholic.

And now the rest (home teams in capital letters):

This afternoon

CITY LEAGUE -- Oliver over Peabody (Cupples Stadium).

Tonight

CITY LEAGUE -- Schenley over Carrick (Cupples Stadium).

WPIAL CLASS AAAA -- (Big East Conference) Central Catholic over FOX CHAPEL; KISKI AREA over Plum. (Foothills) LATROBE over Hempfield; PENN-TRAFFORD over Norwin. (Great Southern) BETHEL PARK over Baldwin; Canon-McMillan over PETERS TOWNSHIP; MT. LEBANON over Upper St. Clair. (Northern Six) SENECA VALLEY over Butler; NORTH ALLEGHENY over North Hills; SHALER over Pine-Richland.

WPIAL CLASS AAA -- (Big Seven) BELLE VERNON over Elizabeth Forward; TRINITY over Ringgold; Thomas Jefferson over WEST MIFFLIN. (Greater Allegheny) Franklin Regional over INDIANA; HAMPTON over Highlands. (Keystone) GREENSBURG SALEM over Derry; UNIONTOWN over Laurel Highlands; YOUGH over Southmoreland. (Parkway) BLACKHAWK over Ambridge; HOPEWELL over Moon.

WPIAL CLASS AA -- (Allegheny) Apollo-Ridge over WEST SHAMOKIN; Burrell over VALLEY; Ford City over KITTANNING; Shady Side Academy over DEER LAKES. (Century) Cornell over QUAKER VALLEY; STO-ROX over Northgate; KEYSTONE OAKS over Seton-LaSalle; STEEL VALLEY over South Park. (Interstate) WAYNESBURG over Brownsville; East Allegheny over SOUTH ALLEGHENY; Greensburg Central Catholic over JEANNETTE; Mount Pleasant over CHARLEROI; MCGUFFEY over Washington. (Midwestern) Aliquippa over FREEDOM; CENTER over Beaver; Beaver Falls over NEW BRIGHTON; RIVERSIDE over Ellwood City.

WPIAL CLASS A -- (Big Seven) NESHANNOCK over Union. (Black Hills) BURGETTSTOWN over Avella; FRAZIER over Bentworth; Fort Cherry over CHARTIERS-HOUSTON. (Tri-County South) MONESSEN over California; Carmichaels over WEST GREENE; JEFFERSON-MORGAN over Mapletown.

NON-CONFERENCE -- CHARTIERS VALLEY over Albert Galatin; New Castle over MOHAWK.

Tomorrow afternoon

CITY LEAGUE -- Westinghouse over Allderdice (Cupples Stadium).

WPIAL CLASS AA -- (Allegheny) Freeport over SUMMIT ACADEMY.

WPIAL CLASS A -- (Big Seven) South Side Beaver over WESTERN BEAVER. (Eastern) WILKINSBURG over Leechburg. (Tri-County South) Beth-Center over GEIBEL.

Tomorrow night

WPIAL CLASS AA -- (Century) South Fayette over BISHOP CANEVIN.

WPIAL CLASS A -- (Big Seven) Laurel over SHENANGO; ROCHESTER over Monaca.

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.
First published on October 30, 2009 at 12:00 am