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Farrell Steelers
Coach (season): Tina Slater (4th season)
2010 overall record: 10-8
2010 region record (place): 7-7 (fourth)
2010 playoff results: Lost to Cochranton in a District 10 play-in match.
Top players lost: None
Top returning players: Tyra Robinson, Lashelle Platteborze, Johntae Scott
Assistant coach: Marsha Fields
Outlook: Farrrell finished above .500 last fall and earned a play-in match against Cochranton. The Steelers are looking to take things a step further this season with no seniors gone from last year’s team. Johntae Scott (libero) and Tyra Robinson (outside hitter) are back after being named to the all-region first team to lead the way. Farrell plays in a tough region, including Sharpsville and getting to the playoffs won’t be easy. The key will be replacing a few transfers and developing some of the younger players as well.

Schedule
September
12 at Sharon 7:15
13 Commodore Perry* 7:15
15 Lakeview* 7:15
20 at Reynolds* 7:15
22 Jamestown* 7:15
27 at Kennedy Catholic* 7:15
29 Sharpsville* 7:15
October
3 New Castle 7:15
4 at West Middlesex* 7:15
6 at Commodore Perry* 7:15
11 at Lakeview* 7:15
13 Reynolds* 7:15
18 at Jamestown* 7:15
20 Kennedy Catholic* 7:15
25 at Sharpsville* 7:15
27 West Middlesex* 7:15

Later today: Fort LeBoeuf

– Tom Reisenweber

Farrell Steelers
Coach (season, record): Tim Scarvel (1st season at Farrell, 6th overall, 18-32)
2010 overall record: 13-2
2010 region record (place): 7-1 (co-champion)
2010 playoff results: Won the District 10 Class A championship. Lost 48-8 to Clairton in the PIAA Class A semifinals.
Top players lost: Robert Trudo, Kevin Brodie, Jamar Whitman, Malcolm Hailstock, Donte Pegues
Top returning players: Lawrence Hughes, Forrest Wested, Mel Jordan, Diallo Lewis, Jamel Jordan, Jason Pinkins
Assistant coaches: Bucky Newell, Vic Phillips, Lamont Samuels, Omar Stewart, Frank Scarvel, Don Scarvel, Amp Pegues, Jim Cardamon
Outlook: Farrell’s powerhouse program will be under a new direction this fall after the resignation of coach Jarrett Samuels. Tim Scarvel, a Farrell graduate, takes over after stints at Reynolds and Kennedy Catholic. The job won’t be easy this season. The Steelers usually reload quickly and maintain its success, but several standouts from last year’s PIAA semifinal team graduated.

Kevin Brodie was one of the top athletes in District 10 last season and was named the all-district team at the all-purpose position. Brodie graduated as well as all-district lineman Robert Trudo, who is at Syracuse. The two will be tough to replace as well as first-team all-region linebacker Jamar Whitman and all-region members Malcolm Hailstock (defensive line) and Donte Pegues (defensive back).

A big positive for the Steelers is the return of quarterback Forrest Wested. Wested started 14 games last season and has developed into a leader for Farrell. He threw for 682 yards and 12 touchdowns as a sophomore while rushing for 83 yards and two TDs. Wested will be important when helping the underclassmen develop, which his backfield could be full of. The only returning running back that had more than 100 yards last fall is Jason Pinkins (743 yards, 5 touchdowns).

Farrell’s high-flying defense will have several key members back. Lewis was the Steelers’ third-leading tackler with 87 tackles, while Pinkins recorded 85. Junior Billy Carthorn had three sacks last fall, while Anthony Perkins and Ryan Green each had 2 1/2 sacks.

There are a few question marks for the Steelers with a new coach and new system. The biggest hole to fill will be replacing Brodie. Brodie led Farrell in rushing (1,405 yards, 20 touchdowns), receiving (15 catches, 319 yards, 4 touchdowns), interceptions (9), fumble recoveries (5), punt returns (13 returns, 407 yards), kickoff returns (4 returns, 90 yards) touchdowns (33) and scoring (200 points). Farrell always has speed to burn but it will need to find a player to be the “X” factor that Brodie was last year. The Steelers will also need to develop a solid line in camp to support the depth at the skill positions.

Farrell and new coach Scarvel will find out how good they are in the first month of the season. The Steelers start with the annual “Steel Bowl” against rival Sharon before later taking on up-and-coming Mercer on Sept. 16. Mercer has consistently beat Farrell in the regular season in recent history. A week later, the Steelers will be tested by another Mercer County-power Hickory.

Schedule
September
2 at Sharon 7
10 at Kennedy Catholic* 12
16 Mercer* 7
23 Hickory 7
30 Conneaut Valley* 7
October
7 at Linesville* 7
14 West Middlesex* 7
21 at Sharpsville* 7
28 Lakeview* 7
November
4 Bye

Saturday: Fort LeBoeuf

– Tom Reisenweber

Farrell remains the only District 10 team ranked No. 1 in the state polls as the second weekend of the postseason approaches.

The Steelers (11-0) are ranked No. 1 by the Pennsylvania Football News and No. 3 by the Harrisburg Patriot-News.

McDowell (No. 7, Class AAAA), Cathedral Prep (No. 8, AAA), Wilmington (No. 6, AA) and General McLane (No. 8, AA) also are ranked by the Patriot-News.

Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania Football News ranks the following D-10 teams (in addition to Farrell): Cathedral Prep (No. 9, AAA), General McLane (No. 4, AA) and Wilmington (No. 5, AA).

For complete state rankings, click below:

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After reviewing the statistics and overall performances, here are our nominees for the Breakout Player of the Week.  In an oddity, receivers dominate this weekend’s poll.

Vote in the poll at upper right. We’ve added one player from Friday and several players from Saturday.

The winner will be announced Tuesday on the Varsity blog and will be featured in Friday’s sports edition.

Josh Niswonger, General McLane: 4 receptions, 49 yards; TD catches of 10, 18 and 5 yards, including the game-winner in the closing seconds.

Courtney Harden-Pullium, Strong Vincent: 4 receptions, 170 yards, including a 64-yard TD catch

Josh Rzepecki, Harbor Creek: 9 receptions, 125 yards; TD catches of 3, 3, 13 and 7 yards.

Braidy Westfall, Corry: 3 receptions, 132 yards, including TD catches of 80 and 49 yards. Also caught a two-point conversion pass.

Justin Wiley, Cathedral Prep: 8 carries, 91 yards; TD runs of 6 and 49 yards, 12-yard TD receptions — all in the first half Saturday

Ryan Myers, Union City: 80-yard TD reception, 74-yard kickoff return for a TD, 8-for-12 passing for 106 yards, 2-point conversion pass

Dan Odem, Farrell: 20-yard interception return for TD, 5-of-8 passing for 85 yards and and four touchdowns, 11-yard TD run

Chris Kurzik, Mercyhurst Prep: 18 rushes for 122 yards and a TD.

Matt Stapleford, Warren: 16-of-24 passing for 227 yards and 2 TDs, two-point conversion pass, TD runs of 3 and 10 yards

Note: North East’s Jimmy Bailey and Mercyhurst Prep’s Aaron Horton were previous winners and were not eligible to win this week.

Farrell and Wilmington remain atop the polls in their respective classes of this week’s Pennsylvania Football News rankings.

The Steelers are first in Class A and the Greyhounds, PIAA champions in 2008, in Class AA. They are the only District 10 schools ranked in PFN’s four polls.

District schools which received honorable mentions were McDowell in Class AAAA, Bradford, Cathedral Prep and Strong Vincent in Class AAA, General McLane in AA, and Linesville and Mercyhurst Prep in A.

– Mike Copper

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Cathedral Prep remained fourth in Class AAA and General McLane stayed at No. 10 in Class AA in this week’s Harrisburg Patriot-News poll.

Two other District 10 teams are ranked No. 2 statewide. Wilmington, the defending Class AA champion, moved up one spot to No. 2 in AA. Farrell remained at No. 2 in Class A.

For complete rankings, click below:

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Take a break and visit the Varsity blog during lunchtime today for the first Football Central live blog of the season. Starting at noon, members of the Times-News sports staff will discuss 10 questions that we posted Monday on the Varsity blog.

If you can’t join us at noon, check back here on the Varsity blog later in the day or over the weekend to read the blog and get our views on the upcoming season.

It’ll be the first of many Football Central live blogs we will have during the 2009 season. Starting Sept. 4, we’ll cover action throughout D-10 every Friday night on Football Central.

Here are the 10 questions we’ll chat about today:

1. Can Strong Vincent reload enough to repeat as District 10 Class AAA champions?
2. Who will emerge as the top player in Erie County this season?
3. Which team(s) have a shot at winning a PIAA championship?
4. Will District 10 allow McDowell to become a football-only member of the WPIAL?
5. Can McDowell replace the offensive tandem of A.J. Fenton and Alex Schmude?
6. Is there a Class A or AA team in District 10 that can knock off Farrell and Wilmington?
7. Who are some of the early candidates for the top quarterback in District 10?
8. Which defense in all of District 10 is the fastest and most effective?
9. Which team from the highly competitive Region 4 will emerge as the champion?
10. Which teams will make the most improvement this season in District 10?

Kayla McBride, Villa Maria's all-state guard

I ran my state playoff record to 29-4  with a perfect 11-0 second round. As the playoffs march on the teams  get better and the predictions get tougher. Here is what I think will happen tonight at Slippery Rock’s Morrow Field House.

Boys

Class A

Kennedy Catholic 52, Sewickley Academy 50

Class AAA

Farrell 65, Greensburg Salem 58

Girls

Class AA
Villa Maria 58, Bishop McCort 52

– Tom Reisenweber