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H.S. soccer: Week 2

Who: Cambria Heights at Northern Bedford

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Coaches: Jarrod Lewis, 48-59 in 11 seasons at Cambria Heights; Garry Black, 46-24 in seven seasons at Northern Bedford

Information: Each groups are 1-0

All-time collection: First assembly

The sudden postponements that started final 12 months because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the a number of co-ops which have shaped throughout the realm in highschool soccer lately have led to some unusual matchups to keep away from open weeks on the gridiron.

A type of video games will happen this Friday evening at Panther Group Stadium at 7 p.m. when the Heritage Convention’s Cambria Heights takes on the Inter-County Convention’s Northern Bedford.

Heights had been searching for an opponent for the second week of the season since Saltsburg and Blairsville merged to change into River Valley early within the offseason, and so they lastly discovered a recreation with the Black Panthers when their Week 2 opponent, Williamsburg, merged with Juniata Valley a couple of month earlier than the season started.

“The one group we knew regionally searching for a recreation was Cambria Heights,” Northern Bedford coach Garry Black mentioned. “The one different groups I knew that have been searching for video games have been (defending PIAA Class 1A champion) Steelton-Highspire and Jenkintown in Philadelphia, so this was the native recreation. I don’t suppose we’ve ever performed Cambria Heights in soccer, so this will probably be distinctive in that means. That is the form of recreation you need to be in that’s going that can assist you within the postseason.”

Northern Bedford, the defending District 5 Class 1A champion, will host Heights, final 12 months’s District 6 Class 2A runner-up, after profitable a coin flip.

“Any time you might be enjoying a defending district champion, it’s thrilling,” Cambria Heights coach Jarrod Lewis mentioned. “It virtually seems like a playoff recreation for us, as a result of it’s a group we don’t historically play and a group that I’m unsure we have now ever performed.”

Each groups are coming off spectacular victories of their openers.

Northern Bedford edged Southern Huntingdon, which went undefeated within the common season final 12 months, 7-2, and got here by way of with a defensive stand within the last moments of the sport.

“We’re enjoying some youthful children in some key spots,” Black mentioned. “It was a check of our depth, however everybody that stepped on the sphere carried out and did the job they have been requested to do. Figuring out we shut down one of many higher offenses within the space was an enormous confidence booster to our children.”

The Highlanders gained their first recreation as a member of the Heritage Convention, 23-14, over final 12 months’s District 6 Class 1A runner-up Homer-Middle.

“I favored the way in which we competed, that was the most important factor,” Lewis mentioned. “Once you come out in an opener, you need to see your children fly to the ball, and I assumed we did that. It was extraordinarily sizzling, however our children competed on each down and performed laborious.”

Black and Lewis are each anticipating a bodily contest.

“You’ll be able to inform from the (Southern Huntingdon) movie that Northern Bedford may be very bodily,” Lewis mentioned. “They’ve a number of expertise coming again on their offensive and defensive position. They have been in a position to get a number of penetration on a number of Southern Huntingdon’s performs. They’re effectively coached, disciplined and play bodily.”

Cambria Heights received contributions on the bottom from Tanner Hite, Tanner Trybus, Ryan Haluska and quarterback Ty Stockley to complete with 150 yards on the bottom in its opener.

“We go from a group that was enjoying both empty or one-back units to a group that likes to floor and pound and is bodily,” Black mentioned. “They’re huge up entrance and have a handful of backs that may all damage you in numerous methods. Their quarterback can run, and they’re only a bodily, highly effective, working soccer group.”

Although his group was stable throughout the first week, Lewis mentioned the Highlanders missed out on some huge performs.

“We have to restrict their huge performs and enhance our execution,” Lewis mentioned. “I assumed we had some performs the place we missed a block or an project, which is typical early within the season, however we have now to wash that up for the second week. I inform the youngsters, groups make their greatest enhancements Week 1 to Week 2.”

Black can be hoping for extra splash performs from his offense this week.

“Offensively, we executed the sport plan that we wished to make use of towards Southern Huntingdon even when it wasn’t fairly and perhaps it was a little bit boring, it was precisely what we have been making an attempt to do,” Black mentioned. “We have been making an attempt to grind out the clock. Towards Cambria Heights, I’m hoping to see our offense open it up a little bit bit extra and do some issues.”

Northern Bedford’s recreation towards Cambria Heights is simply the beginning of a brutal stretch in its schedule the place the Black Panthers will tackle the Highlanders, Bellwood-Antis and WestPAC favourite Windber in consecutive weeks.

“In response to the coaches in Blitz journal, our video games in Week 2, 3 and 4 are towards the favorites to win their respective conferences,” Black mentioned. “We’ve our work reduce out for us, so getting that first one was clearly essential.”

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