Football

Heritage Conference teams hoping to raise the level

Squads confident they can compete in playoffs

PATTON -- A year ago, the District 6 high school football champions in all three lower classifications came from the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference.

Penn Cambria won Class 3A, Richland took the 2A title, and Bishop Guilfoyle Academy won in Class 1A.

But there's still plenty of hope from teams outside the LHAC that this could be their year, and that was evident Friday at Heritage Conference Media Day at Cambria Heights High School.

"Down through the years, we have been a program that has been able to do that," Homer-Center coach Greg Page said. "I think the Heritage has always been really competitive. It's transformed over the years through teams leaving, co-ops and new teams coming in, but I feel like it has always prepared us. As competitive as the Heritage is, for us, we know who is waiting for us when we get to the districts. BG has always been the elephant in the room for Class 1A teams. We have been fortunate enough to beat them a few times, and that's what you have to do if you want to be in the state playoffs."

Another team that has found success -- ironically after leaving the LHAC and transitioning to the Heritage -- is Cambria Heights, which won a Class 1A title in 2023 and a 2A championship in 2024.

"The last time when we made our run, we had to play three Laurel Highlands teams," Cambria Heights coach Jarrod Lewis said. "It was a tough gauntlet for us. But we have been playing tough games. Northern Cambria plays us tough every year, and that's a game that helps you for the playoffs, because it's such an intense game. It's a game that feels like it's win or go home.

"River Valley, United Valley, Conemaugh Township, Homer-Center and Penns Manor -- there are so many good teams in this conference, and Marion Center beat us last year. You're trying to get better and fix what you are doing and see where other teams are attacking you, and I think the coaches in this league help you prepare for that."

River Valley shared the Heritage Conference championship last season but lost in the first round of the District 6 playoffs to Bellwood-Antis for the second year in a row.

"Bellwood has had our number," River Valley coach Ed Dalton said. "We work with Richland in the summer, and they are a target. Cambria Heights is moving up to triple-A, which changes the dynamic. But we want to get into the state playoffs and host a state playoff game and all those fun things that go with it."

Making that jump on the surface is challenging, because LHAC teams in Class 1A and 2A play much larger schools all season.

"For our double-A teams, it might put them at a disadvantage, because we have five or six Class A teams in the conference," Page said. "I'm not knocking those schools, because we're one of them, but we're not a 3A or 4A school that teams in the Laurel Highlands might play. Maybe that might not make them quite as battle-tested."

Dalton said he believes in the Heritage Conference but agreed that his teams won't play the same level of opponent each week.

The veteran coach, who once coached at Altoona, lamented not having a bye week from the Heritage Conference to allow teams to schedule teams from outside the league.

"In our league, there's three or four teams that can give us that kind of game," Dalton said. "It's rare for a league to schedule every game. I have never been in a league with 12 teams in your section, so you don't have a chance when you're really good to maybe bump up and play someone maybe a little better."

But teams like Homer-Center have been able to reach the PIAA championship game while being a member of the conference.

"Our consistency over the years has benefited us," Page said. "This will be my 20th year, and we have had a lot of the same coaches. We have had some turnover, but you can build some things there if you have a belief in your kids. You need the right combination of players and coaches."

Experience also plays a major role.

"When you have kids with experience coming back, it gives you a leg up over teams that don't," Lewis said. "You want to see how those kids react when things aren't going well early. That's important to have experience in that spot to see how people react. Those are the kids you lean on when things don't go well to fix it."

Because the Heritage schedule is locked, Dalton took his team on the road this summer.

"During 7-on-7s, we went to West Virginia and places like that," Dalton said. "We didn't stay local. We wanted to try and compete against really good athletes. Our league has good teams that are physically tough. They play an old-school style, but they are tough. But we don't face passing teams as much."

He's hoping to turn River Valley into a state-wide power to match its home field.

"We have a collegiate facility," Dalton said. "We have been in there all year and have been able to train all winter. I think it's rare for a double-A team to have 46 kids in the upper two classes. We have a big roster. Our line could be menacing. We have 33 linemen."

Dalton has had his eye on District 6 teams at the state level and felt encouraged that his team can reach a new level after last year's Class 3A PIAA semifinals.

"I went to the Penn Cambria game against Avonworth, and they played them as well as anyone," Dalton said. "It can be done. It absolutely can be done."