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This year's Goal Post Trophy Game pitting Central Cambria traveling to Penn Cambria tonight at 7 o'clock could be far more than a playoff preview -- it could turn out to be a defacto playoff game.
The Red Devils have moved up to Class 3A following their co-op with Bishop Carroll Catholic, and Penn Cambria is voluntarily playing up there despite having the enrollment of a Class 2A team, so the schools could meet again this postseason.
"With Penn Cambria and Central Cambria it is always a huge rivalry," Central Cambria coach Wade Klezek said. "It's such a fun game for the kids and a fun game for our communities. Both teams really want it, and for this year it to be a possibility to play later on is pretty big too. There have been times we have played in the postseason. In (2000), we played for a district championship (won by Central Cambria). Both teams want to win this game and have high aspirations of a district title, and both of us will fight like heck for this one."
But to even get a shot at a District 6 title this year, both have to make the playoffs. Most years, starting with a record of 3-1 as both teams have, would seem to put them in a good spot. This year, it could be a little tight.
Cambria Heights (another new edition to 3A) and Central are both 4-0 in Class 3A. Central Cambria, Penn Cambria, Tyrone, and Philipsburg-Osceola are all 3-1 -- but despite the new additions to 3A, the playoff field will still only include four teams according to District 6 chairman Ralph Cecere.
"Class 3A football in District 6 has only two weeks -- Weeks 10 and 11 to crown a champion," Cecere said. "Week 12 starts PIAA state rounds, therefore we can only take four."
That makes this evening's midseason game a huge one for both teams -- even beyond the rivalry.
"Looking at the standings for 3A, it's a log jam right now," Penn Cambria coach Jason Grassi said. "It's Week 5, but every game is important. It is like that every year, but it seems like that even more this year, because there are more teams in triple-A. It's an important game, because it's the next game, it's a rivalry game and it's a game that will impact triple-A."
Penn Cambria has won the last two Class 3A District 6 titles and made it all the way to the PIAA semifinals both seasons. Star running back and linebacker Corbin Vinglish is back, but several new players have stepped up to fill the voids of graduated starters.
"Nate Mack has been outstanding on both sides of the football," Grassi said. "He plays H-back, he plays defensive end and on Friday we put him on kickoff return. He had a great return to open the second half and set us up in good field position and we scored."
Grassi also mentioned Ben Gorba, who is back starting at guard after an injury and Cam Coudriet, a defensive back and wide receiver, who is back out for football after not playing.
Another player who was injured at the end of last year was Ian Beck.
"Ian Beck has been awesome for us playing alongside Corbin Vinglish at linebacker," Grassi said. "He's one of our other running backs that come in to take some carries, and he's done a nice job."
Central Cambria has been playing its own kind of smash-mouth football, especially lead back Ryan Chappell, who has 644 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns.
"I'm happy with how things have gone so far," Klezek said. "We have had three road games in a row and won three in a row. It's always tough to go on the road in the Laurel Highlands and pick up victories, so that's been nice the last three weeks. We have been building and getting better each week, which I am happy about, but we're not satisfied. We want to get better."
Klezek also realizes the importance of Friday's game.
"You look at games like this one against Penn Cambria and down the road against Central," Klezek said. "Those teams are playing really well right now, and we're all fighting it out in triple-A for the playoffs. Whenever you get a chance to take care of something and control your own destiny, you want to make sure you do so you're never looking back and wishing that something had went differently later in the season."
Both teams have similar challenges to face Friday.
"They are a tough physical team. They play hard," Klezek said. "The (Corbin) Vinglish kid is a very good player. He's been around for a long time. He's played a lot of good football. Containing him will be a huge task. They have some other really good athletes like Evan Latterner and some of the pass catchers they have. We have to take care of the football and be physical."
Last season, Penn Cambria shut down both Central Cambria and Chappell -- winning 36-0 and holding him to 27 yards on nine carries.
"They have just been pounding the football," Grassi said. "They run the football really well. Chappell is a big running back and a big threat in the backfield. They have five offensive linemen back. They haven't had to throw much, because they have been running the ball so well in a lot of different ways. We'll have to stop the run and stop him. Hopefully, we're up for the challenge."