Upper classes hit start of conference play tonight

There are plenty of games worth checking out this week, one of which is our Game of the Week, Greensburg Salem visiting Elizabeth Forward. While each team returns a bulk of the players from last year’s roster, the Golden Lions are off to a great start with a 4-1 record.

Now the proverbial “stuff” gets real with Interstate Conference play getting underway.

The Warriors were 48-13 winners at Warriors Stadium last season.

Ryan Messina is getting hotter as the weather gets cooler, accounting for all six touchdowns last week, five coming through the air. He’s also using his feet a little bit more this season.

While it’s a fact that the Golden Lions are better, with twice as many wins as they’ve had all of last season, the difference in the two teams’ schedules couldn’t be wider.

With the Warriors coming in with a 2-3 record, the schedule is getting a little lighter. It starts with the Golden Lions.

I’m not sure if it will be a five-touchdown game, but I think the Warriors win handily.

Elizabeth Forward 39, Greensburg Salem 13 BELLE VERNON AT THOMAS JEFFERSON

People first need to realize the Leopards aren’t the team they were last season. Personnel is totally different, and youth and inexperience are running wild.

At the skill positions, the Leopards’ cupboard is not bare. But it all has to come together.

Hopefully, BVA can get healthy in time to salvage the majority of the conference season, which I think they will.

The Jaguars are going to be a tough out. Brayden White is a top player in the WPIAL, Tyler Eber is a handful at running back and Luke Kosko still has a cannon for an arm.

The BVA line could be in for a long night.

Thomas Jefferson 28, Belle Vernon 10 JEANNETTE AT CLAIRTON (SATURDAY) The Bears start their home-awayfrom- home slate against the Jayhawks at TJ’s Jaguars Stadium.

The one thing that may be scarier than the Bears on grass is the Bears on turf.

Jeannette could be the first team since the opener to score on the Bears.

Even if they do, though, they won’t score enough.

Clairton 55, Jeannette 0 MONESSEN AT S.S. BEAVER (SAT.)

The Greyhounds learned a lesson last week. The game’s not over until it’s over.

Fort Cherry’s 22-point fourth quarter handed Monessen its first loss of the season.

Now we’ll find out how the Hounds respond.

SSB is a ground-and-pound attack. Will they wear down the Hounds like Matt Sieg did? Can the Greyhounds bounce back from the loss?

I think they will, but not until next week when they’ll bounce back from two losses.

SS Beaver 35, Monessen 19 CHARLEROI AT STO-ROX Could this be the week the Cougars finally get off the schneid and pick up that elusive win?

Charleroi had Keystone Oaks right up until the fourth quarter. I think they finally get the job done.

Charleroi 20, Sto-Rox 7 MCKEESPORT AT HAMPTON

The schedule finally lightens up a bit for the Tigers, and the Talbots are up next.

The Tigers have played some close games and only one, Peters Township, got away from them.

I just think the Tigers have way too much speed and I’m eager to see how Kemon Spell, Anthony Boyd and Anthony Cromerdie start to run wild over 4A competition.

McKeesport 42, Hampton 22 MT. PLEASANT AT YOUGH

It seems like every time I see a Yough score, it’s Raidon Kuroda and Ryan Sarver.

It needs to be more than those two doing all the damage if the Cougars want to get back on track.

Throw out the records in a rivalry game, but this time, the Vikings get it done again.

Mt. Pleasant 34, Yough 18

In other games this week: Brentwood 21, Frazier 14 Trinity 19, Ringgold 13 South Allegheny 44, L. Valley 14 Cornell 33, Serra Catholic 19 Bentworth 27, Carmichaels 12 California 55, Mapletown 6

LAST WEEK: 11-1 SEASON: 41-14