JOHNSTOWN — Bishop McCort was wrapping up an early evening practice at Point Stadium on Tuesday when someone asked coach Kevin Sheridan if working his first game as head coach in the city rivalry against Johnstown might make for some anxious moments this week.

Sheridan cracked a half smile.

“If you watch Johnstown’s film and you’re a coach, if you’re not nervous, you’re crazy,” said Sheridan, whose 5-1 Crushers will visit undefeated Johnstown at 7 tonight. “They’re scary on film with what they can do one on one.”

That much was evident last week at Bedford. Johnstown trailed the Bisons 17-14 after one quarter but reeled off 28 unanswered points in a 42-17 victory.

The Trojans have found a balance between the passing game led by senior quarterback Gervon Simon and a deep group of receivers, and the running game fronted by the speed of Tim Odum and the power of Javon Vuckovich, with a mix of Simon’s nifty moves.

“There are just weapons all over the place. They really spread you out,” Sheridan said.

“They have the ability to run and throw. They do both extremely well. Their offensive line is strong and they seem to be balanced. You’ve got to take some chances in order to stop a team like that. Hopefully you guess right and come away with some turnovers.”

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Johnstown coach Tony Penna Jr. sees a lot of the same qualities in the Crushers, who  won a tough 24-10 game over Westmont last week.

McCort is led by three-year starting quarterback Jesse Cooper and the area’s leading receiver, Christian Leech. The ground game doesn’t have one runner with big rushing numbers but a group of players who have combined for 1,163 yards.

“They’re a quality ballclub and they’re well-coached. It’s business as usual over there,” Penna said. “They’ve changed coaches but Kevin’s been there a long time. We know what to expect.

“You can throw the records out the door. This is one of those old-fashioned rivalries where nobody has to get up for it. The kids talk about it all year. We’re a mile away from each other. It is all it’s advertised as. We have to come out with our ‘A’ game.”

Johnstown defeated McCort 27-14 last season at the Point, ending a six-game winning streak the Crushers had against the Trojans. McCort is 10-2-1 in the past 13 games in the storied series. Johnstown won the first 13 games in a rivalry first played in 1933.

“It’s a special atmosphere. It’s a rivalry that’s gone back a long time,” Sheridan said. “When you play Johnstown it is a good measuring stick to see where you are because they’re going to challenge and test you in every phase of the game.”

Simon is third in the area with 1,088 passing yards. Among his targets are Dwight Andrews (382 yards) and Mark Watson (328), who are ranked sixth and eighth in the area in receiving yardage. Last week, Watson ran the ball for 37 yards, adding another dimension. Odum has 637 rushing yards, and the powerful Vuckovich showed his capabilities during a multiple tackle-breaking 42-yard touchdown run at Bedford.

“We’re trying so hard to be balanced that you have to defend everything,” Penna said.

“If you have to defend sideline to sideline and in between the tackles, we’re going to be a tough team to stop.”

Sheridan will count on an experienced unit to take on the Trojans offense.

“We’ve created a lot of turnovers defensively. That’s been our strong suit,” Sheridan said of the Crushers’ 10 interceptions and 14 fumble recoveries. “Our defensive line is anchored by Zach Rugg. The other guys feed off the success he has. We have a veteran linebacking corps. John Dubovi returns. Ethan Neiderhiser has jumped in as a sophomore. Nate James and Zach Varga both started last year. They know the position.”

Bishop McCort’s Cooper ranks fifth in the area with 879 passing yards (47 of 95, 10 touchdowns, three interceptions). Leech has 20 catches for 492 yards and six scores. Jerqual Wilson (165 receiving yards) and Jordan Spangler (134) also average more than 20 yards per catch.

Zach Varga has a team-high 453 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, with Wilson (233) and Dustin Belskey (196) also gaining significant yardage.

“They’re real diverse,” Penna said. “They’re well balanced. They run those wing attacks.

“They’re able to get the edge on you, and then Varga can pound you up deep. Jesse is a veteran quarterback, and he has Leech, Spangler, (Nemo) Trexler and Jerqual Wilson, who can flat-out fly.”

Johnstown’s defense is anchored by Pitt recruit Alkwan Williams, who has 77 tackles.

“This is a school that’s always been carried by our defense,” Penna said.

Alex Merriman has four interceptions for Johnstown, and Leech and Wilson have four apiece for McCort.

“This is a great atmosphere,” Penna said. “The kids are friends off the field but when you get in between those lines it’s a battle.”

Forest Hills at Penn Cambria

This match up of 5-1 LHAC heavyweights will impact the conference race and the District 5-6 Class AA standings.

The Rangers have reeled off five straight wins since a season-opening setback to Richland.

Since falling behind 35-3 in the first half of that game, Forest Hills has posted a cumulative 197-37 scoring advantage.

Senior quarterback Justin Gdula has passed for 1,040 yards.

Shawn Dell has rushed for nearly 400 yards. The Rangers defense has limited opponents to an average of 12 points a game.

Last week, speedy back Anthony Unger appeared in his fourth game of the season and with 105 rushing yards nearly equaled his season total through five weeks. He has 229 yards on 31 carries.

Penn Cambria’s Jordan Fuller has rushed for 711 yards. On defense, the Panthers have two of the area’s top tacklers in leader Mac Behe (84 tackles) and Devin Lawhead (78), who is tied for second.

Forest Hills won 34-6 last year.

Cambria Heights at Bishop Carroll

One week after posting its first victory of the season, Bishop Carroll (1-5) suffered its fourth shutout loss in six weeks as Bishop Guilfoyle notched its first win 17-0 at Mansion Park on Saturday night.

Carroll’s offense moved the ball at times against the Marauders but couldn’t find the end zone. Opponents have outscored the Huskies 174-34, with 27 of those points scored in the 27-17 win over Central Cambria.

The Highlanders (2-4) are coming off back-to-back setbacks to a pair of 5-1 LHAC teams in Forest Hills 35-6 and Penn Cambria 20-12 last week.

Heights’ Tyler Crawford has 630 rushing yards, 105 a game, with four touchdowns. As a team, the Highlanders have gained 5.1 yards per carry and average about 200 rushing yards a game.

Bishop Carroll won 47-33 last season.

Bedford at Somerset        

Bedford went toe-to-toe with visiting Johnstown early last week and took a 17-14 lead after one quarter. But the Trojans muscled their way to 28 consecutive points in a 42-17 game.

Luke Campbell was  a dual threat, returning a kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown that put the Bisons up 8-7 and answered Johnstown’s opening scoring drive. Quarterback Marcus Shippey continues a solid season with 607 passing yards and 10 touchdowns, and

61 tackles on defense.

Bedford (3-3) has faced plenty of adversity lately, losing tight games against Richland, 40-36, and Bishop McCort, 27-24, and beating Westmont, 20-16. All three of those games were decided in the fourth quarter during Weeks 3 through 5 respectively.

Somerset (2-4) is coming off losses to Richland, 49-36 last week, and Johnstown, 21-7 in Week 5, in which Somerset held leads against two LHAC front-runners.

Quarterback Tanner Stull has thrown for 537 yards. The Eagles Matt Boyer has a team-high

292 rushing yards on 69 carries, a 4.2 average.

Last year the Bisons won 32-14.

Bishop Guilfoyle at Central Cambria   

The Marauders (1-5) moved into the win column last week against Bishop Carroll. Now Guilfoyle wants to avoid the same fate as the Huskies, who lost to a previously winless team only one week after recording their first win.

Central Cambria is winless in six weeks. The Red Devils fell 28-7 at Forest Hills last week and lost 27-17 to Bishop Carroll in Week 5.

Guilfoyle received a big boost with the return of 6-foot-4 defensive end Tai Irwin last week. Irwin had been out since a Week 1 injury against Johnstown. Early in his return, he helped cause a Carroll fumble that rolled out of the end zone for a safety and 2-0 Guilfoyle lead. Cody Rossman ran for 137 yards and an 18-yard touchdown, and Pat Irwin had a

12-yard touchdown scamper.

Last week Central Cambria (0-6) quarterback Scott Bellock ran for 86 yards and passed for 95 yards, including a 15-yard scoring pass to Brandon Long for the Devils’ lone touchdown.

Central Cambria won 34-13 last year.

WestPAC

Blacklick Valley at North Star

Blacklick Valley’s modest two-game winning streak will be put to the test in this matchup against undefeated North Star.

The Vikings (2-4) are coming off back-to-back wins over Conemaugh Valley (20-6) and Ferndale (8-0). Versatile quarterback Johnny Sheesley runs the veer offense and has gained 483 yards on 91 carries. He rushed for 163 yards in the win over visiting Conemaugh Valley and picked off two passes on defense.

North Star (6-0) beat Rockwood last Saturday as quarterback Max Strasiser ran for two touchdowns and passes for another and two conversion tosses.

He threw for 201 yards last week and now has 1,093 passing yards (56 of 87) with nine touchdowns and three interceptions.

His brother Tony Strasiser has 487 receiving yards on 21 catches. Both of the Strasisers rank second in the area in their respective categories, each within a few yards of the leader.

North Star won 32-13 a year ago.

Rockwood at Berlin                 

Rockwood (2-4) had its two-game winning streak snapped by North Star last week. The Rockets led early as Ben Miller passed 18 yards to Bryan Phillippi. Miller completed 12 of

29 passes for 157 yards. Julian Sleasman rushed for 51 yards on 11 carries, and Luke Brancato caught six balls for 61 yards.

Berlin  (4-2) is looking to start a new trend this season after winning two straight, dropping a pair and then winning two more. The Mountaineers will look for a third consecutive win at home.

Last week Berlin blanked Meyersdale 21-0 as coach Doug Paul switched from the uptempo, no-huddle set his team had used the entire season to a physical, run-first mentality to control the ball. Jacob Craig (12 carries, 68 yards), Drew Glotfelty (13-63) and Andre Daughinais (11-44) helped Berlin chew up the clock, especially in the second half. Glotfelty leads the team with 559 rushing yards.

Berlin ran to a 60-16 victory last season.

Meyersdale at Shade            

Meyersdale (3-3) received a major boost from the return of Justin Hoover, last season’s 1,200-yard rusher and three-year starter at linebacker who had been out since a preseason injury. Hoover had 88 first-half rushing yards but was limited to four carries in the second half of the loss to Berlin. He finished with 97 yards in his first game of the season.

Points have been scarce for the Red Raiders in the past three weeks. In addition to the 21-0 setback to Berlin, Meyersdale was limited to 14 points in a loss to North Star and scored

13 in a one-point win over Conemaugh Valley.

Shade (1-5) has been in most of its games, including a tight 26-21 loss last week at Saltsburg. The Panthers have dropped four straight since beating Ferndale (28-7) in

Week 2.

Shade has a pair of 500-yard rushers in Brock Medva (592 yards) and Dylan Glessner (510). The Panthers have rushed for 1,421 yards, an average of 236.8 a game.

Meyersdale won 44-15 last year.

Heritage

Ligonier Valley at Blairsville

Ligonier Valley (5-1) bounced back in impressive fashion after its first loss of the season. The Mounties piled up 420 rushing yards to beat Marion Center 34-0.

The Rams continue to accumulate eye-popping totals on the ground. Ligonier has rushed for 1,855 yards, an average of 309.2 a game.

Russell Markosky (651), Ryan Torrance (607), Anthony Tutino (318) and Ryan Knupp (108) are key runners. The Rams have 22 rushing touchdowns.

Blairsville (5-1, 4-1) is led on the ground by Andrew Iezzi’s 715 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on 96 carries. Quarterback Tyler Ferguson completed 42 of 72 passes for 635 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.

The Bobcats average 28.2 points a game and 171.8 rushing yards per contest.

Ligonier blanked Blairsville 41-0 last season.

United at Northern Cambria

United (3-3) must regroup after a lopsided 50-6 loss to defending conference champion Penns Manor last week.

Dom Chero was held to a season-low 64 rushing yards and sits at 998 for the season after previously gaining 195 and 250 yards in back-to-back wins over Saltsburg and Homer-Center, respectively. Early turnovers, including one on the opening kickoff, hurt the Lions last week as United’s three-game winning streak was snapped.

Northern Cambria (2-4) fell 24-9 at Blairsville, the latest in a line of relatively close games the Colts have played. Northern Cambria has lost by a touchdown or less three times and won 7-0 at Marion Center.

Nate Zachesky has 503 rushing yards, and Gary Paronish has gained 463 yards on the ground.

United doubled up Northern Cambria 24-12 last season.

Nonconference

Portage at Chestnut Ridge

Portage (3-3) has dropped a pair of one-sided games to WestPAC contenders Conemaugh Township and Windber in the past two weeks.

The Mustangs face another challenge in a Chestnut Ridge (3-3) team that has won three in a row after opening the season with three straight setbacks.

Portage running back Jesse Kreutzberger has 662 yards on 113 carries. Deam Bimle caught 13 passes for 299 yards. Quarterback Jake Bryja completed 41 of 79 passes for 642 yards.

Chestnut Ridge put away host Keystone early as the Lions tallied 28 first-quarter points en route to a 35-8 victory last week in Knox. Quarterback Brad Hengst completed 5 of 7 passes for 129 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Ridge used 11 rushers in the game and collected 127 rushing yards.

The Lions’ defense was tough, keeping Keystone off the scoreboard until midway into the fourth quarter. Ridge’s surge began with a tight Week 4 win over Berlin, 13-7. Then the Lions handed Conemaugh Township it’s lone loss, 23-7, in Davidsville.

Chestnut Ridge won 35-18 last season.