WPIAL, District 9 football playoffs: The X-factors who will decide games for Mars, Freeport, Union/A-C Valley, North Catholic
The temperatures are cooling down. You know what that means.
Playoff football.
Western Pennsylvania’s high school gridiron playoffs kick off this week, with four Butler County-area teams taking the field for do-or-die clashes. Who could be the reason their team moves on to play for at least one more week?
Here are the X-factors in all four games Friday night:
Mars WR Gabe Hein: If the Planets are to reach their third consecutive WPIAL Class 4A semifinals, Hein will have to make an impact.
The senior wideout and Sacred Heart commit, who piled up 848 yards and 10 touchdowns on 54 regular-season receptions, has been first-year starting quarterback Colin Yurisinec’s preferred target.
Thomas Jefferson RB Tyler Eber: There are bell cows. And then there’s Eber.
The Jaguars’ junior tailback has carried the ball an average of 27 times per game, recording 1,653 yards and 22 touchdowns on the ground, according to MaxPreps. Mars senior Ayden Yocum (1,731 rushing yards) is one of the few in the WPIAL to outgain him this fall.
Drew Ross, QB, Freeport: Ross dealt with an ankle injury for a sizable portion of the second half of the season, and the Yellowjackets’ offense reflected it.
The senior passer played only the first three quarters of his team’s loss to Imani Christian last week and is hoping to look more like himself this postseason. Whether he does or not will be key in this one.
Beaver WR Philip Marino Jr.: Marino’s been the central figure in the Bobcats’ passing game, reeling in 43 passes for 843 yards and five touchdowns. He’s also among the top pass catchers in the WPIAL, which will pose a problem for John Gaillot’s defense.
The senior receiver has visited Robert Morris and has offers from Muskingum and St. Vincent College.
North Catholic QB Joe Felitsky: He finished the regular season with a WPIAL-leading 2,436 passing yards, firing 33 touchdown passes. It marks the second year in a row the senior signal caller paced the district.
Burrell’s defense will aim to limit him like Avonworth did in the Trojans’ second-to-last regular season contest, but not many other defenses have had such luck.
Burrell QB Antonio Perkins: Perkins, a Valley transfer, set a school record with 360 rushing yards and also brought back a punt and kickoff for scores his last time out for the Bucs. He had five total touchdowns and an interception for good measure.
Perkins is a true do-it-all talent. His designed keepers could hurt a North Catholic defense that has been licking its wounds, allowing 31.6 points over the last five games.
Union/A-C Valley RB/LB Max Gallagher: Stay out of Gallagher’s way.
The senior is the driving force behind the Falcon Knights’ rushing attack, whether leading teammate Logan Skibinski into lanes or carrying the ball himself.
Gallagher has averaged 6.4 yards per tote while piling up a team-leading 1,081 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground. He also leads the team’s defense with 107 tackles (eight for loss).
Cameron County LB Brodie Artman: Artman will probably ignore the advice above.
The Raiders’ junior inside linebacker has 100 stops on the year, including 10 for a loss and four sacks. He’ll hope for some help from Malakai Zucal (96 tackles), Kamden Fragale (88) and Jacob Matteson (83).
