— Bishop McCort enters tonight’s game against Johnstown in an unfamiliar role of an underdog.

The Crushers have dominated this series since it resumed in the late 1980s, and McCort coach Ken Salem realizes that Johnstown is bent on reversing that trend, beginning tonight at Point Stadium.

“This is a big game and you want to play your best,” said Salem, whose Crushers were state runner-up in Class A last season and have won six straight against Class AAA Johnstown.

“The kids know each other. They get along, but they’re very competitive. We understand that Johnstown is 6-0 and has great expectations for the season. They’re looking at us as a vulnerable team. Our kids want to go out and play a good football game.”

The undefeated Trojans have skill and strength. Johnstown is capable of making the big play on offense and the tough stop on defense.

The Crushers (4-2) have won four straight after opening the season with two deceptive setbacks. McCort’s two losses were by a combined three points at Penn Cambria (16-14) in Week 1 and against Central Cambria in double overtime (39-38) in Week 2.

“It is a big game,” said first-year Johnstown head coach Tony Penna Jr. “McCort is on a roll. They’ve won four in a row.

“We’re 1-8 in our last nine games against them. We’re aware of that. We’re prepared and we’re expecting a great game.”

Johnstown’s junior quarterback Gervon Simon has settled into the position in his first year as a starter. Simon has completed 60 of 105 passes for 1,171 yards and 14 touchdowns.

On the ground, he’s gained a net 252 yards.

Tyler Arsenault has a team-high 465 rushing yards, and receivers Dwight Andrews

(15 catches, 329 yards), Alkwan Williams (12-248), Marc Watson (12-240), Calvin Anderson (12-158) and Daquan Minter

(9-154) all have big receiving yards.

“We’re in a tough spot because Johnstown is able to spread the field,” Salem said. “They have a more physical offensive and defensive line than they’ve had in the past. They put up a complete package. We have to play exceptionally in all three facets of the game.”

McCort’s offense is fronted by Zack Varga (96 carries,

503 yards, five touchdowns) and Anthony LaRue (44-346, three).

Quarterback Jesse Cooper completed 55 of 109 passes for

822 yards and six touchdowns.

Christian Leech has 18 catches for 325 yards, and Jerqual Wilson has 12 receptions for

166 yards.

“McCort is so well-coached and so fundamentally sound,” Penna said. “They have the speed on the outside. Their offense is similar to the wing-T and there is a lot of deception.

“That’s what bothers us the most. We had trouble with that last week (against Bedford) so that’s what we were concerned with. We want to remain disciplined.

“They’ll start off with a jet sweep one way and then reverse back the other way,” he continued. “They’ll criss-cross. They’ll fake the jet and run the fullback.

“Those guys can hurt you.

“Varga is good enough to keep the ball away from your offense, and we definitely don’t want that to happen.”

Defensively, Johnstown has limited opponents to a combined 52 points.

Anderson has an area-best eight interceptions, including three last week against Bedford. Williams has 61 tackles, or

10.2 a game.

“Defensively they’ve been dominant. They’re a pretty solid group,” Penna said.

“This group of kids is really hungry. We’re still searching for that one game where we kind of put it all together. For the most part different kids are stepping up on different nights to make the big play. I’m real proud of how balanced we’ve been.”

Salem also believes McCort has yet to reach its full potential.

“We’re excited about the improvement we’ve made since the beginning of the season,” Salem said. “Our kids are playing with more intensity and we’re executing better. The improvement has come along slower than we’d like. We still have our best game to play and there would be no better time to have that improvement than this week against Johnstown.”

The series has been well-documented.

From 1933 to 1973 the teams played 14 times, with Johnstown winning every game. The Trojans’ cumulative scoring advantage during that stretch was 447-37.

Johnstown outscored Johnstown Catholic 158-0 in the first six games.

The series was discontinued for a period in the 1960s because it wasn’t competitive. It was shut down again after the 1973 meeting.

But since the two city rivals resumed playing – initially in 1989 and regularly since 2001

– McCort has had the upper hand.

The Crushers are 10-1-1 since 1989 with a combined 315-146 scoring advantage.

The Trojans’ lone victory in the recent stretch came in 2003, when future Pitt and NFL player LaRod Stephens-Howling was part of a 14-9 win.

The 14-all tie came in 1991.

McCort has won six straight by posting 100 more points than Johnstown during those games (177-77).

“It’s an exciting rivalry,” Salem said.

“The game has been played for so long and Johnstown has such an outstanding program. When you go back to the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, Johnstown High was such an outstanding program. It was a testament to McCort to stand up and play such an outstanding opponent.”

LHAC

Bishop Carroll at Cambria Heights

Cambria Heights (0-6) came close to notching that elusive first victory last week before falling 22-20 at Penn Cambria.

The Highlanders led 14-0 and 20-6 before the Panthers added a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns in a heartbreaking loss for Heights.

The Highlanders have the top passing attack in the LHAC with senior quarterback Caleb Vescovi throwing for 1,412 yards.

Receiver Bryce Brawley has 32 catches for 752 yards and tight end Erik Welteroth has

26 receptions for 306 yards.

Bishop Carroll (5-1) ranks third in the District 6 Class A.

The Huskies have shown the potential to dominate with a physical line and effective running game fronted by quarterback Josh Barzdo (84 carries, 471 yards) and running back Ryan Woo (121-819). Power backs David Kephart (51-248) and Josh Chumrik (20-126) add to the ground game.

Defensively, Chumrik has an area-high 11 sacks. The Huskies used a big second half to beat visiting Bishop Guilfoyle 26-6 in comeback fashion last week.

Somerset at Bedford

Somerset (0-6) will try for its first win at Bedford (2-4).

The Eagles have rushed for 1,002 yards and passed for

419 in six games. Philip Ickes has a team-best 464 rushing yards.

The Golden Eagles have scored only 63 points, 10.5 a game, while giving up 156, or

26 a game.

Bedford (2-4) lost 35-8 at Johnstown last week. Like Somerset, the Bisons have given up a lot of points (188) while scoring well under 100 (77).

Quarterback Marcus Shippey has 321 rushing yards and

449 passing yards. Shippey also has 70 tackles on defense, 11.7 a game.

Penn Cambria

at Forest Hills

Two of the LHAC’s more physical teams will meet in Sidman. The Rangers (6-0) have rolled through opponents by a 265-45 count, including last week’s 48-13 victory at Central Cambria.

Forest Hills’ Nick Dudukovich moved into the area rushing lead last week and has 922 yards on 89 attempts.

Quarterback Justin Gdula has thrown for 654 yards, with Jared McCombie catching

18 passes for 327 yards.

Penn Cambria (5-1) knows about close games.

The Panthers edged Heights 22-20 last week and had narrow wins over Central Cambria

(14-13), Somerset (14-12) and Bishop McCort (16-14) as well as a victory at Bishop Guilfoyle that was much closer than the 28-7 score indicated. Penn Cambria’s lone loss was to Bishop Carroll (38-10) in Week 4.

Westmont at Richland

Westmont (1-5) hasn’t scored in the past two losses to Bishop McCort (34-0) and Bedford

(12-0). The Hilltoppers won their lone game over Somerset (17-14) in Week 4.

Richland (2-4) hopes to build on the momentum gained during last week’s 43-14 rout of host Somerset. Rams running back John Rizzo has 617 rushing yards on 77 carries.

He has seven touchdowns and 42 points. Jordan Cinko has

405 yards on 77 runs.

Non-conference

Chestnut Ridge

at Portage

This non-conference meeting of 5-1 teams is among the weekend’s most intriguing games.

Chestnut Ridge has established itself as one of the area’s top teams with its option attack and ground game. The Lions have gained 1,828 rushing yards, with fullback Jude Donatelli (115-724), quarterback Brad Hengst (54-623) and Matt Dull (41-245) accounting for most of the yards. Hengst also has thrown for 588 yards.

Portage had a 32-game regular-season winning streak halted last week by Conemaugh Township (21-14) on the Mustangs home turf.

A determined Mustangs attack will rely on the running of Jalen Noel (63-607) and Jason Kostan (90-588) and the passing of quarterback Jake Bryja (28 of 58, 483 yards).

WestPAC

Ferndale at Conemaugh Township

Ferndale (0-6) relies on running back Dave Horvath (68-496). Colton Dull is 14 of 35 for 117 yards since moving into the quarterback position after Chad Eisenhuth was injured on the first play during a Week 5 loss to Blacklick Valley. Carlos Mason has 12 receptions for 153 yards.

Township (5-1) is led by Brett Byers on offense and defense.

Byers has 861 rushing yards and 90 points on offense and

78 tackles, five sacks and an interception on defense. Tanner Cahill has 63 tackles.

The Indians’ lone loss was to Chestnut Ridge in Week 5. The Lions won 31-14 and are the only team to score more than

14 points against Township. The Indians held three opponents to single-digit scoring.

Shade at Meyersdale

Shade (2-4) dropped a heartbreaker last week as missed opportunities cost the Panthers in a 12-7 setback to visiting Saltsburg in a non-conference match up.

The Panthers have lost three straight after posting consecutive wins in Weeks 2 and 3.

Brock Medva has a team-high 507 rushing yards, with Dylan Glessner gaining 385 and Brett Edwards, 227.

Meyersdale (2-4) has dropped two in a row, including last week’s 49-14 setback at undefeated Berlin.

The Red Raiders have won five straight in the series against Shade and seven of the past eight meetings since 2002.

Justin Hoover leads Meyersdale with 642 rushing yards on 110 attempts.

Conemaugh Valley

at Windber

The Ramblers have won 13 in a row against Conemaugh Valley and 15 of 17 meetings since the teams began playing regularly in 1993.

The Blue Jays (0-6) have shown signs of improvement since being blanked in each of their first two games.

Windber snapped a three-game losing steak last week with a 34-7 win at Ferndale. The Ramblers (3-3) had fallen to three teams with a combined

15-3 record – Portage (33-13), Conemaugh Township (28-6) and Chestnut Ridge (23-0).

Jarid Cover leads Windber with 637 rushing yards on

101 carries. Joe Pipon has passed for 367 yards. Defensively, Wolf Otten has 60 tackles.

Heritage

Blairsville

at Ligonier Valley

Blairsville (1-5) will attempt to stop a three-game losing streak. The Bobcats are led by Andrew Iezzi’s 629 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 116 attempts. Blairsville has scored 113 points while allowing 211.

Ligonier Valley (5-1) has had three consecutive one-sided wins over Marion Center (42-7), Baltimore Freedom Academy (52-6) and Saltsburg (61-0).

The Rams have rushed for 1,745 yards on 226 carries, with Ryan Knupp (51-458), Russell Markosky (54-330) and Bryan Saxton (30-295) among the leaders.

John Jones has rushed for

196 yards and passed for

489 while also accounting for

79 points. Also, the team’s kicker, Jones, has made 28 of

33 extra-point attempts and was good on his only field goal attempt.

Northern Cambria

at United

Senior running back Andy Hancharik has gained 275 yards in the past two games ­– wins over Blairsville (34-16) and Purchase Line (42-12).

Northern Cambria (3-3) has gained 1,314 rushing yards, with Hancharik (88-584) and Gary Paronish (85-335) leading the way.

United is stinging after last week’s 14-6 loss to conference rival Penns Manor. The Lions (4-2) rely on a three-pronged rushing attack fronted by backs Dom Chero, Kody Oliver and Shaquille Howard. Last week quarterback Tyler Dipofi threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Joey Reed for the Lions’ lone score.