Week Eight Record: 3-4
Overall: 49-11

Week Nine Previews

Friday
Region 1
Cochranton Cardinals (3-5, 2-5) at Lakeview Sailors (4-4, 2-4), Lakeview Stadium, 7 p.m.
The Cardinals are long shots to qualify for the District 10 Class A playoffs, but could play the spoiler role for successive weeks.
Sharpsville sustained severe damage to its postseason hopes when Cochranton beat them 12-6 last Friday. It was the Cards’ second victory in their last three games.
Lakeview, despite 170 yards and a touchdown from standout running back Thomas Miller, lost 28-12 at Mercer last Friday. There are seven A teams in the district with three losses or fewer, so another setback would determine the Sailors’ football future.
Prediction: Lakeview 30, Cochranton 13.

Farrell Steelers (6-2, 5-1) at Conneaut Lake Indians (5-3, 4-2), Farkas Memorial Field, 7 p.m.
A back-loaded schedule continues for Conneaut Lake.
After their 28-12 non-region victory at rival Conneaut Valley, Conneaut Lake must close its schedule against playoff contenders Farrell and Linesville. Conneaut Lake has already lost to region leader Mercer, so losses to the Steelers and Lions ultimately could leave them out of the A playoff field.
Farrell resumed its resurgence from a 1-9 season for 2006. The Steelers routed Linesville 38-14 last Friday, a huge step for their first postseason appearance since returning to District 10.
Prediction: Farrell 31, Conneaut Lake 20.

West Middlesex Big Red (3-5, 2-4) at Linesville Lions (5-3, 4-2), Linesville Field, 7 p.m.
Similar to Conneaut Lake, a loss to West Middlesex wouldn’t deplete Linesville’s postseason chances. But it wouldn’t help, either.
The Lions have lost two of their last three, which included last Friday’s 38-14 final against Farrell. Win or lose against the Big Red, Linesville will host rival Conneaut Lake on Nov. 2, a game that could determine the playoff fates for both teams.
First things first, though, for Linesville. They need to beat West Middlesex, which played in the 2006 PIAA A championship game.
Prediction: Linesville 27, West Middlesex 21.

Region 2
Saegertown Panthers (7-1, 5-1) at Cambridge Springs Blue Devils (4-4, 3-3), Baird Memorial Field, 7 p.m.
As if these teams need extra hype when they meet.
The French Creek rivals always draw a good crowd. This time, all fans will have extra incentive to cheer.
Saegertown’s only loss was to region leader Mercyhurst Prep. The Lakers play at 6-2 Eisenhower on Friday, so the Panthers have a chance to tie for first place if they win and the Knights pull off a mild upset.
The Blue Devils have a chance to qualify for the A playoffs, but will likely need home wins over Saegertown and Mercyhurst (Nov. 2). Cambridge Springs’ postseason chances were dealt a blow with last Friday’s 27-7 loss at Iroquois.
Prediction: Saegertown 21, Cambridge Springs 16.

Conneaut Valley Indians (3-5, 3-3) at Maplewood Tigers (2-6, 2-4), Maplewood Stadium, 7 p.m.
The Indians are long shots to make the A playoffs after rival Conneaut Lake beat them 28-12 last Friday. Even so, a victory would be their most in a season since the 2003 team made the playoffs at 7-3.
Maplewood also has a reason to win, even if a playoff berth is no longer one of them. The Tigers can improve upon their 2-7 mark of 2006, Matt Crocker’s first season as coach.
Prediction: Conneaut Valley 21, Maplewood 15.

Non-region
East Warriors (0-8) at Titusville Rockets (7-0), Carter Stadium, 7 p.m.
No team, or at least no coach, wants the players looking ahead on a schedule.
That could be the only challenge this week for Rockets coach Scott Salvo.
Titusville, which closes its regular season at General McLane, should use East as nothing more than a warm-up for that Nov. 2 contest. The Warriors have lost 16 straight games, the longest current streak within the district.
The Rockets, who clinched their second straight Region 5 title last Friday at Warren, seek the second perfect regular season in school history. The first was 50 years ago, when Titusville finished 7-0.
Prediction: Titusville 55, East 14.

General McLane (6-2) at Meadville Bulldogs (5-3), Bender Field, 7 p.m.
Forget the roller coaster at Conneaut Lake Park. The Bulldogs’ season has had the bigger ups and downs.
Meadville opened its season with a school-record 15th straight loss, then snapped it a week after it inherited the longest current streak within the district. The Bulldogs then won five of their next six and looked like they’d wrap up an at-large berth for the Class AAA playoffs.
That changed with last Saturday’s 13-6 loss at Slippery Rock. Now, Meadville will likely need at least one victory over the Lancers or Strong Vincent to have a legitimate postseason shot.
McLane hasn’t been the juggernaut that it was last season en route to the PIAA championship. But it does have the experience factor when it comes to big late-season games like this.
Prediction: General McLane 21, Meadville 17.