ProfessorBriggs.com

(Statistical Information Courtesy of Professor Briggs' archives, The Herald and Erie Times-News)

WEEK TWO FOOTBALL PREVIEWS

Seven games comprise the Week Two schedule, including five all-local matchups. League play also begins locally as Sharon visits Hickory in a Class 3A Region 5 battle. Greenville visits Grove City while Reynolds hosts Slippery Rock in all-local games that feature undefeated teams. Wilmington hosts Farrell in a clash between teams that played for state championships last year.

West Middlesex and Lakeview will wrap up the schedule Saturday night as the Big Reds head to the "Twin Cities" to face Lakeview during the Great Stoneboro Fair.

Sharon at Hickory, 7:00 p.m.

One of the area's fiercest rivalries resumes Friday night when Hickory hosts Sharon in Region 5 action at Hornet Stadium. Sharon plays its second consecutive road game after dropping a 26-14 decision at Wilmington. Hickory, meanwhile, held off host Sharpsville for a 14-6 win last Friday night to give first-year head coach Bill Dungee his initial win.

Hickory jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first six minutes of the game on a 69-yard touchdown scramble by quarterback Michael Henwood and a 59-yard touchdown pass from Henwood to Ramarion Whitehead. Hickory had only two first downs the rest of the evening, however.

Defensively, Hickory held Sharpsville to 154 yards on 61 offensive plays, an average of 2.5 yards per play. Hickory stopped Sharpsville three times inside the 3-yard line midway through the fourth quarter, then caused a turnover on downs in the final minute of the game to preserve the win. Dalton Beatty and Jackson Pryts both had two sacks for Hickory while Whitehead intercepted a pass.

Henwood threw for 84 yards on 6-of-13 passing. Hickory finished with 90 rushing yards, but had only 21 yards on its final 21 rushing attempts of the night.

Sharon's rushing attack also struggled in Week One at Wilmington as the Tigers netted 15 rushing yards on 19 carries. Senior quarterback Lane Voytik, hobbled throughout the game by an ankle injury sustained in the first quarter, completed 14 of 31 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown. Senior wide receiver Trey Jones caught five passes for 68 yards and a touchdown while senior wide receiver C.J. Parchman had four catches for 28 yards.

Parchman scored Sharon's first touchdown when he raced 13 yards to the end zone on a reverse with 16 seconds left in the first half.

Voytik left the game on Sharon's final possession. Junior Brett Salsgiver replaced him and will get the start if Voytik is unable to play Friday night. Salsgiver has completed 3 of his 5 career attempts for 31 yards and a touchdown. He has also rushed five times for 67 yards and a touchdown in reserve duty over the last two seasons. 

The teams' respective head coaches both worked on the Sharon staff in 2017 and 2018. First-year Sharon head coach Jason McElhaney spent the last two seasons as the Tigers' defensive coordinator before being promoted to head coach in the offseason. Dungee spent the 2017-18 seasons as co-offensive coordinator at Sharon. Additionally, McElhaney spent the 2013 season as an assistant coach at Hickory.

Sharon won last year's meeting in Hermitage, 27-24. Voytik completed 13 of 24 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns. Both touchdown strikes went to Parchman, who finished with 106 receiving yards on four catches. Ty Eilam also had four catches. Henwood started last year's game at wide receiver for Hickory but ran for a three-yard touchdown on a quarterback bootleg.

Sharon leads the all-time series 39-12-1. Hickory has won seven of the last 10 meetings. Hickory is 13-3 in its last 16 home openers, including a 2-0 mark against Sharon (2004, 2014).

The game can be heard on 790 WPIC. Live stats available here.

Farrell at Wilmington, 7:00 p.m.

For the first time in Mercer County history, two teams that played in a state championship game the preceding season will meet in the regular season as defending Class 1A kingpin Farrell visits Class 2A state runner-up Wilmington in inter-classification action. Farrell looks to bounce back from a 14-12 home loss to Pittsburgh's University Prep in last week's opener while Wilmington seeks its 15th straight home victory. Farrell aims for its 12th consecutive road win.

Wilmington extended its home winning streak to 14 games in Week One with a 26-14 victory over visiting Sharon. The Greyhounds turned back the proverbial clock by often using a T-formation with two tight ends. That strategy produced a pair of 100-yard rushers in halfbacks Darren Miller (126 yards) and Ethan Susen (125). Each back also ran for a touchdown while junior quarterback Caelan Bender scored on a pair of quarterback sneaks.

Overall, Wilmington ran for 292 yards. The Greyhounds also went 6 for 9 on third down opportunities. Defensively, Wilmington limited Sharon to 15 rushing yards and a 3-for-13 effort on third down.

Wilmington's "Hounds Hammer" defense will be tested by Farrell's productive rushing attack Friday night. Last week, sophomore tailback Anthony Stallworth ran for a county-high 210 yards on 22 carries while Jaden Harrison added 60 yards on seven carries. Harrison also caught six passes for 37 yards and a touchdown from quarterback Christian Hartley. Hartley, who made his first varsity start in the opener, ran for a touchdown on a quarterback sneak. He completed 11 of 22 passes for 74 yards.

Farrell held a 17-6 edge in first downs a 345-161 advantage in total offensive yards. However, eight Farrell drives ended in University Prep territory. The Steelers went 0 for 5 on fourth down and committed two turnovers in University Prep territory.

Last season, Farrell scored 31 consecutive points to rally for a 31-19 Week Two home win over Wilmington at Paulekas Stadium. Wilmington jumped out to a 12-0 lead in the first quarter on a pair of Cameron Marett touchdown runs. Farrell tied the game in the second quarter, 12-12, then took the lead in the third quarter on Brian Hilton's 22-yard touchdown reception from Kyi Wright.

Farrell and Wilmington competed against each other in District 7's Tri-County North A from 1986 to 1991. Farrell competed in District 10's Keystone Football League from 1982 to 1985 and played in Class AA in District 7 in the years prior. Wilmington moved up to Class AA in 1992-93, then moved to District 10 in 1994. The teams first met in 1921. 

The most famous meeting between the programs came November 26, 1988 at Three Rivers Stadium, when Wilmington downed Farrell, 10-7, in the District 7 Class A championship game. Wilmington kicker Paul Johnson booted a tiebreaking 28-yard field goal with 1:02 left in the game to give the Greyhounds the win.

The game will be heard on Sports Radio 96.7.

Greenville at Grove City, 7:00 p.m.

Greenville and Grove City will renew one of the Commonwealth's oldest rivalries Friday night when both 1-0 squads meet at Grove City's Forker Field. It will be the 109th all-time meeting between the programs in a series that dates back to a 5-0 Greenville win in 1903. Greenville leads the all-time series, 51-50-7. The teams have split their last 16 meetings since 1997.

Both teams followed a similar formula last week in earning season-opening wins over Erie County opponents. Greenville held visiting Northwestern to 102 yards and five first downs as the Trojans rolled to a 21-0 win. Meanwhile, the Grove City defense forced four turnovers and recorded a safety to help the Eagles earn a 16-3 win over Fort LeBoeuf at Edinboro University.

Additionally, Greenville and Grove City each generated efficient offensive attacks. Greenville's power rushing attack accumulated 233 yards, thanks to a balanced effort from Levi Swartz (92 yards), Isaac Sasala (61) and quarterback Jon King (59). King also completed 8 of 13 passes for 104 yards and a touchdown. Fellow senior Blair Paxton hauled in six receptions for a county-high 90 yards and a score.

While Grove City's one-back spread offense looks far different than Greenville's traditional two-back alignment, the Eagles' offensive numbers produced nearly identical numbers to Greenville. Led by Colby Nelson's 152-yard effort, Grove City ran for 236 yards as a team. Junior quarterback Logan Breese completed 11 of 18 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown.

The win extended Grove City's regular-season win streak to 19 games. Grove City aims for its fourth straight 2-0 start. Greenville has started 2-0 in 2013, 2015 and 2017.

Last season, Grove City earned a 60-6 win at Greenville as the Eagles amassed 530 offensive yards. Nelson ran for 128 yards and two touchdowns. Greenville had won the previous three meetings between the teams. Grove City's last home win over Greenville came September 23, 2011, when the Eagles picked up a 48-7 triumph.

Greenville head coach Brian Herrick and Grove City head coach Sam Mowrey are both Grove City College graduates. Both men set athletic records at Grove City College during their respective careers. Herrick played flanker for the football team from 1983 to 1986 and lettered four years as a middle-distance runner for the track and field team. He graduated as Grove City's record-holder in the 800 and 1500 meters. He earned the College's Sportsman of the Year award for 1986-87 and is a 2015 Grove City College Athletic Hall of Fame inductee.

Mowrey started at quarterback in 2003 and set a single-season program record with 16 touchdown passes that season. He also became the first Grove City quarterback to throw four touchdown passes in one game, accomplishing that feat against W&J. 

Grove City and Greenville played every year from 1927 to 1995, except for Greenville's forfeit win in 1974 due to the Grove City teachers' strike. In 1996, Grove City elected to play Pine-Richland in the opener due to both Greenville and Grove City being in Class AAA and the possibility that the teams would meet in the playoffs. Grove City did not make the playoffs in 1996, but did meet Greenville in the 1997 District 10 Class AAA title game. Current Grove City athletic director Casey Young started at tight end and defensive end for Greenville in the Trojans' 35-6 win at Erie Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The series resumed in 2002 and the teams played yearly until 2015. After a two-year hiatus, the series restarted with Grove City's win last year at Greenville.

This is the 50th anniversary of the last Grove City team to finish undefeated. The 1969 Eagles went 7-0-2, finishing as Mercer County champions. Grove City highlighted that season with a 24-0 win at Greenville, scoring all 24 points in the second half.

Slippery Rock at Reynolds, 7:00 p.m.

Reynolds continues its season-opening four-game homestand Friday night by hosting Class 3A Slippery Rock. Both Reynolds and Slippery Rock earned decisive home wins over Erie County foes in Week One. Reynolds rolled to a 41-0 win over visiting Union City while Slippery Rock stormed past General McLane, 34-21, in Butler County. Reynolds and Slippery Rock produced the top two point and yardage totals in Week One among the 12 local teams.

Reynolds halfbacks Sean O'Hara and Cole Toy both ran for a pair of touchdowns while quarterback Bryce McCloskey completed all four of his pass attempts for 130 yards. Reynolds rang up 373 offensive yards on 33 plays, averaging a county-best 10.1 yards per play last week. O'Hara and Toy each had 86 rushing yards while O'Hara also caught a pair of passes for 38 yards. He also kicked three extra points.

Slippery Rock charged through the General McLane defense for 388 offensive yards. Senior running back Nathan Hyatt ran for 116 yards and three touchdowns. Senior quarterback Vito Pilosi went 11 of 12 for 179 yards and a touchdown. Senior running back David Duffalo pulled in an area-high six passes for 68 yards while Ethan Plesakov caught a 43-yard touchdown strike from Pilosi.

Now in his third season as Slippery Rock's quarterback, Pilosi also ran for 68 yards. He leads the area in passing yards and total offensive yards (247) through one week of action. Senior kicker Nathaniel Willison kicked a pair of field goals and also went 4 for 4 on conversion

Slippery Rock pulled away for a 24-6 home win over Reynolds last season. Toy's 25-yard touchdown run put Reynolds ahead in the first quarter, 6-0. Pilosi and Duffalo each scored on touchdown runs in the victory. Pilosi ran for 72 yards and Duffalo contributed 55 rushing yards.

Slippery Rock won the last meeting in Transfer, 13-12, in the 2017 season opener. Reynolds scored with 2:43 left on Tylir Shannon's one-yard touchdown run but Slippery Rock stopped the go-ahead two-point conversion attempt.

Reynolds last started 2-0 in 2013. Reynolds won the first meeting between the teams, 28-0, September 16, 1988. Ed Underwood ran for three touchdowns to help lead the visiting Raiders to the Keystone Football League win. The 1988 season marked Slippery Rock's first year in District 10. SRHS athletic teams competed in District 10 during the 1987-88 academic year, with the exception of football, which played in District 7.

Slippery Rock's first win over Reynolds came October 22, 1993, when the Rockets earned a 7-0 home win. Ron Duffy's 12-yard touchdown run with 7:46 left in the first quarter accounted for the scoring. Current Thiel College head football coach Mike Winslow started at quarterback for Reynolds.

Northwestern at Mercer, 7:00 p.m.

It's been six years since Mercer started 2-0. Coming off a season-opening win, the Mustangs will play the second of three straight home games as they host Albion-based Northwestern in non-conference action Friday night. Northwestern will be making its second straight voyage to Mercer County after dropping a 21-0 verdict in Week One at Greenville.

Mercer opened the season last Saturday night with a 14-12 home victory over Cochranton in non-conference play, giving first-year head coach Jeff Lockard his first win. Mercer forced three turnovers, including safety Dominic Pugh's interception midway through the fourth quarter. The Mustangs also stopped Cochranton's two-point conversion attempt with 3:30 left in the third quarter to help preserve the win.

Defensive tackle Logan Conner forced and recovered a fumble on a kickoff in the second quarter, setting up his own one-yard touchdown run four plays later. Ian Taylor added a sack.

Sophomore halfback Logan Turton paced Mercer with 70 rushing yards on 13 carries in his first start. Junior halfback Aidan Bright added 67 rushing yards on eight attempts before leaving with injured ribs. Bright caught a 25-yard pass in the second quarter from Ethan Wiley, giving Mercer an 8-0 lead. 

Greenville held Northwestern to 102 total yards and five first downs last week. Quarterback Derek Albert went 7 of 14 for 49 yards. Austin Swift led the Wildcats with 32 rushing yards.

Northwestern pulled out a 10-7 home win over Mercer last season. Mercer held a 224-200 edge in total offense but turned over the ball three times. Bright ran for 46 yards on seven carries. All-Region kicker Preston Runser gave Northwestern the lead with a 31-yard field goal in the third quarter. That kick accounted for the only scoring in the final three periods.

The teams had not met since the 1993 District 10 Class AA title game, which Northwestern won 7-6.

Northwestern opens its home schedule in Week Three against another Mercer County foe, Wilmington.

Iroquois at Sharpsville, 7:00 p.m.

A pair of teams looking to bounce back from season-opening home losses to bordering rivals will meet Friday night as Sharpsville hosts Iroquois at McCracken Field. Sharpsville opened the season last Friday night with a 14-6 setback against Hickory. Iroquois fell to Harbor Creek, 48-0, in The Battle of the Bridge.

Sharpsville held Hickory to four first downs last Friday night. The Blue Devils ceded only one first down over the final 41 minutes of the game but could not complete a comeback victory. Sharpsville allowed only 174 total yards.

No area back carried the ball more often last week than Sharpsville senior Chayse Stevens-Luchey, who rambled for 118 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries. His efforts helped Sharpsville own a 15-minute edge in time of possession. The Blue Devils also executed 61 offensive plays, but finished with only 154 yards.

Visiting Harbor Creek rolled up 388 offensive yards against Class 2A Iroquois. Antonio Rodriquez led Iroquois with 57 rushing yards. Head coach Matt Morgan is in his seventh season at Iroquois.

Sharpsville bolted to a 56-0 halftime lead last season on its way to a 64-6 win at Iroquois. Stevens-Luchey returned an interception 27 yards for a touchdown. Quarterback Danny Henwood, now Sharpsville's starting signal-caller, threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Jadan Townsend to close out the scoring.

Iroquois is the first Erie County team to play at Sharpsville since Erie East visited September 11, 2015. Sharpsville earned a 48-6 win over East. Sharpsville last lost a home game to an Erie County team October 15, 1988, when Erie Strong Vincent won at Sharpsville, 31-9.

The "Bridge" game that Iroquois and Harbor Creek play refers to the Harbor Park Bridge, which connects Harborcreek Township and Lawrence Park, just east of Erie. That bridge opened in 2003. Iroquois High School came into existence during the 1965-66 academic year after the merger of Lawrence Park and Wesleyville.

SATURDAY NIGHT
West Middlesex at Lakeview, 7:00 p.m.

For the second straight week, West Middlesex will play a Saturday road game as the Big Reds visit Lakeview in non-conference play. It's a considerably shorter trip this week for West Middlesex, which rolled to a 32-0 win in the opener at Eisenhower. Lakeview opens its home schedule after falling at Class 1A power Maplewood, 40-0, in Week One.

West Middlesex's revamped offensive backfield amassed 281 rushing yards and four touchdowns while averaging over nine yards per carry at Eisenhower. Senior wingback Jason Davis scored on runs of 81 and 66 yards, respectively, and finished with 155 rushing yards.

Junior quarterback Ty Tate threw a touchdown pass to senior fullback Zeb Rubaker and also ran for a score. Tate completed 3 of 7 passes for 57 yards and added 67 rushing yards. Wingback Ian Smith chipped in 59 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, West Middlesex held Eisenhower to 93 total yards and six first downs. It marked West Middlesex's first win in a Saturday afternoon season opener since a 30-8 win September 5, 1987 at Venango Christian.

Lakeview unveiled its new spread offense in Week One at Maplewood. Sophomore quarterback Gavin Murdock completed 3 of 12 passes for 40 yards while Kendall Crocker led the Sailors with 35 rushing yards.

This is the second time in three seasons that Lakeview has held its home opener on a Saturday night. Two years ago, Mercer edged the Sailors, 35-33, in the home opener. Lakeview's last win in a home opener came August 29, 2014 as the Sailors blanked Youngsville, 46-0.

Lakeview has dropped 14 straight home games. The Sailors' last home win came in Dan York's finale as Lakeview head coach -- a 31-12 win November 6, 2015 over Grove City. That is also Grove City's last away loss as the Eagles now own a 13-game win streak on the road.

West Middlesex won last year's meeting, 47-0, as Davis, Rubaker and Smith all had rushing touchdowns. Clayton Parrish led West Middlesex with 124 of the Big Reds' 259 rushing yards. Rubaker also caught three passes.

Until 2015, West Middlesex and Lakeview played 12 straight seasons, with the Big Reds winning eight of the 12 meetings. The teams met yearly from 1972 to 1976 as members of the old Tri-County "B" league and then played periodically throughout the 1980s and 1990s as non-league foes.

This is the first time since 2014 that West Middlesex has opened the season with consecutive road games. That year, West Middlesex lost at Lakeview in Week Two, 22-20. It has been 26 years since the Big Reds opened the season with consecutive Saturday games. In 1993, West Middlesex fell at Kennedy Christian, 16-12, in the opener. Sharpsville then topped visiting West Middlesex, 6-0, in the second week.

The game will be heard on Sports Radio 96.7. Live stats available here.