PIAA football Butler County midseason power rankings | See who’s No 1, where Butler sits, more after Week 5
Somehow, the high school football regular season is already halfway through.
There are still plenty of meaningful matchups down the stretch, some of which will decide whether or not local teams take the field during the postseason.
Where do Butler County’s teams stand after the initial five weeks? Here is one reporter’s power rankings.
It's hard to argue with an undefeated mark, isn’t it?
With a District 9 championship rematch with Central Clarion on the horizon, Joe Sherwin’s team has demonstrated itself to be a title frontrunner thus far. Cole Johnston is key to what the Gremlins do — combining for 14 touchdowns. And, wait, Karns City could have a 1,000-yard receiver, too? It's not out of the realm of possibility for senior Owen Kaufman (13 catches, 460 yards, five TDs).
With standouts such as Drew Ross and Amos Glenn having graduated after last season, there was some thought the Yellowjackets might take a step back this time around.
Instead, they’re squarely in the Allegheny Seven Conference mix. Freeport takes a step back from conference play this week, but keep an eye on back-to-back matchups with Deer Lakes and Highlands that will probably decide how highly the ’Jackets are seeded in the postseason.
The best news for the Raiders following a 62-0 loss to Pittsburgh Central Catholic? Seneca Valley won’t face a team with that sort of strength again unless they cross paths in the playoffs.
Having seen Don Barclay’s team twice so far this season, it has an electric tailback/returner in Jake Donesec and a receiver who can make plays like Rory O’Shea. Don’t count these guys out after consecutive defeats.
Chris Rizzo’s Trojans have bounced back from an 0-3 start. Two Allegheny Seven Conference wins, and the fact they sit behind only Highlands in the standings, are what to focus on out of the first half of their schedule.
The Trojans finish the regular season against Highlands, actually, which could decide the section title if trends continue.
The Knights have absorbed two straight setbacks and have North Catholic right in front of them. Even if Knoch drops that one, too, the final four regular season games for T.J. Wiley’s bunch come against teams who are currently a combined 7-13.
Stack up a few wins there, and this is a playoff team after losing all 10 of its outings a season ago.
The Planets have certainly had their growing pains under first-year coach Zachary Benedek, but their early losses were all decided by only two or three plays. Mars isn’t without weapons, either — opponents feel the after-effects of tackling big tailback Jameson Garvin, and Brady Brennan is on track to be a 1,000-yard receiver.
Putting the Rockets behind a team with only one victory so far might seem like a head-scratcher, but two of their wins were over struggling teams in Conneaut and Titusville.
Beat some combination of Fort LeBoeuf, Sharon and Grove City — Slippery Rock’s next three foes — and this ranking is moot. Consider this bulletin board material.
The Golden Tornado’s stock can be bought for cheaper after these past two weeks than it could have during their 3-0 start. Eric Christy’s crew was outscored by a combined 111-24 in defeats to Austintown Fitch and Hickory.
The good news for Butler? Its remaining schedule features a good mix of WPIAL, District 9 and District 10 squads. Two wins could secure a second consecutive season of .500 or better.
The Falcon Knights have been tagged with a few ugly losses but could just as easily have a winning record at this juncture if not for coming up a point short of Ridgway last week.
Junior Parker Bish has been a solid offensive playmaker for Union/A-C Valley, totaling nine touchdowns. He’ll need to come up big against a solid Keystone team Thursday.
After consecutive shutout losses to start the season, the Warriors could have mailed it in. They obviously haven’t, with back-to-back wins as proof head coach Clay Kohlmeyer can rally the troops.
How the Warriors compete down the stretch here while in the hunt to make the D9 playoffs will go a long way with how the program is being built.
As per usual, the results on the field won’t tell the whole story for the Knights, who haven’t scored a touchdown in their past three outings. First-year Summit Academy coach Teddy Orringer wants his players to learn life lessons and how to deal with adversity.
