ROCKWOOD —
Rockwood back Luke Brancato has been the focal point of the Rockets’ offense.
The 5-foot-6 senior certainly will attract plenty of attention from visiting Windber’s defense during today’s WestPAC contest.
“Luke Brancato is outstanding. He waited his turn behind (graduated Julian) Sleasman, and he’s the real deal,” said Windber coach Matt Grohal, whose 2-0 squad will travel to 1-1 Rockwood for a 1 p.m. contest. “They put him in a lot of different positions to get him the football. We have to take him out of the game.
“The word on the street is the other kid, (senior Joel) Ansell, will be back this week. He’s a running back who can scoot and he’s another weapon.”
Brancato has 31 of Rockwood’s 45 rushing attempts through two weeks. He has gained 183 yards on the ground for a 5.9 average per carry. A dual threat, Brancato has 11 of his team’s 19 receptions for 247 yards, a 22.5 average.
“The nice thing about Luke is he’s so versatile on both sides of the ball,” Rockwood coach Jerry Kaizen said. “He’s a great receiver, probably one of the best to come through Rockwood. His feet are nice and we can get him at running back. He has just enough quickness to make himself dangerous.”
Quarterback Matt Seifert has completed 17 of 36 passes for 338 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions.
Rockwood dressed only 17 players in last week’s 44-12 loss at Blacklick Valley.
“We weren’t ready,” Kaizen said. “Our practices have been a little more intense and a lot more solid this week. Hopefully, that will translate on the field (today).”
Windber has been formidable on both sides of the football.
The single-wing offense produced 500 yards in last week’s 49-19 win over Meyersdale. The Ramblers have outscored opponents, 69-25.
Four backs have gained 118 yards or more through two weeks, including Dustin Blough (18 carries, 167 yards), Trevor Neri
(14-160), Devon Tomlinson (26-142) and Dan Tomlinson (17-118).
“It’s difficult,” Kaizen said. “Looking at film and preparation, they’re really strong on the edge. They’ll get three or four guys out in front of the ball carrier somehow, some way. They’ll get 3-on-2 or 4-on-2 situations. They’re masters at that.
“Their offensive line is second to none in the WestPAC in terms of knowing who they’re supposed to block and getting there.”
Quarterback Dakota Gipe has completed 16 of 32 passes for 179 yards. Devon Tomlinson has thrown one pass for a 60-yard touchdown. Matt Barkley has 10 catches for 128 yards and a score.
“They seem to know where the coverage isn’t going to be,” Kaizen said. “I think coach Matt does a good job of figuring out what the coverages are going to be.”
Grohal said Windber has used a mix of the run and the pass to keep defenses off-balance.
“I think we threw the ball 19 times in Week 1,” Grohal said of a 20-6 win at Shade. “When I was looking at the stats, that caught me off guard. Last week, we threw 15 times. Having more balance is going to give teams a little more to prepare for every week.”
Kaizen knows his team is an underdog, but feels the Rockets can benefit from the opportunity.
“They’re one of the high water marks,” he said of Windber. “If you can play well against them and compete well against them, then you know going down the stretch you can play with anybody. They have such a great tradition.
“We’re a scrappy bunch of football players that want to win games,” he added. “It’s going to be fun going through the rest of the year with these kids. The motivation is right. If we get the preparation right we’ll be OK.”
HS Sports Windber
Windber concerned with Rockwood's Brancato
- HS Sports Windber
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Shanksville player gets 2,000th point in loss to Windber
Kayla Stockenus netted her 2,000th point in double-grand fashion on Tuesday night. The Shanksville senior guard grabbed a defensive rebound and drove the length of the court with multiple Windber defenders chasing her.
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Shade rolls past Windber
Shade’s Wade Walker was unhappy with the way he played on Monday so the senior forward elevated his game on Tuesday.
Walker finished with a game-high 38 points - as many as the entire Windber squad scored – and 20 rebounds, as the Panthers raised their record to 16-1, defeating the host Ramblers
64-38 in a WestPAC non-section game. -
Teamwork carries Conemaugh Twp. past Windber girls
Instead of having to depend on one player, the Conemaugh Township girls are blessed with an offensive arsenal from which to choose.
On Wednesday night at Windber, the Indians had seven players score at least three points led by 25 from Megan Boyer, as Township defeated the Ramblers 65-38 in the WestPAC North contest. -
Berlin trounces Windber in District 5-A
Newspaper clippings from Berlin’s 28-20 loss at Windber three weeks ago have been on full display inside the Mountaineers’ locker room recently.
They served as a daily reminder that Ramblers players called themselves the better football team. -
Conemaugh Twp. girls, Windber boys capture titles
The Conemaugh Township Indians won their third straight District 5-A girls soccer championship at Somerset Area High School in the first game of doubleheader with a 3-0 victory over North Star.
In the nightcap, Windber captured its first district crown with a 1-0 shootout win over Conemaugh Township in the 5-A boys title match. -
Windber-Conemaugh Township highlights soccer slate
The Windber boys soccer team is no stranger to playing Conemaugh Township. After all, the Ramblers ran into the Indians twice during the regular season and came away with one victory and one draw.
What’s different about today’s game is the stakes. -
Friday preview: Battle of unbeatens highlights slate
A battle of two 9-0, state-ranked teams highlights our weekly look at Friday-night matchups.
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Friday preview: Forest Hills concerned about Bishop Guilfoyle
Bishop Guilfoyle accomplished something not many believed possible during last week’s win against Cambria Heights. The Marauders significantly hampered the Highlanders’ high-powered run game.
Don’t be surprised if Bishop Guilfoyle’s blueprint for defensive success is copied by other members of the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference when going against Cambria Heights. -
Pair of unbeatens meet in Windber
Windber has been involved in its share of marquee matchups over the years.
Just not that often against Blacklick Valley. -
Ramblers roll to win over Rockets
Despite a one-sided 42-7 win over Rockwood, Windber coach Matt Grohal was not happy with his Ramblers on Saturday afternoon.
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