BHPRSD Week 8 Football Forecast

It's another busy weekend on the gridiron, as Highland, Timber Creek and Triton take to the field. Timber Creek and Triton are in action tonight, as both look to beef up their power points with just two games remaining before playoff seeding, while Highland takes on Gloucester Catholic Saturday in a battle of winless teams.

Below is a look at some of the players and situations to keep an eye on this weekend.

PAUL VI AT TRITON, Tonight, 7 p.m.

Paul VI (2-4)

Last game: Lost, 32-27, to Winslow Township.

Last game against Triton: Won, 40-13. Six different players scored touchdowns as Paul VI racked up more than 200 yards rushing and more than 100 yards passing.

Key player: Running back Johnel Anderson. Anderson has been the workhorse for the Eagles. His best game came against Bishop Eustace when he produced 134 yards on just 12 touches. He had a 70-yard burst and a touchdown in a 7-0 victory over the Crusaders.

Three keys to the game:

- Keep the offensive momentum going. The Eagles had their best offensive output last week, even in a loss. The 27 points were an outburst for an offense that had scored just 39 in its previous five games.

- Use last year’s formula. While the Eagles were a much different team last year, their game plan should be the same. Paul VI was able to slow down the Triton rushing game, as quarterback Brian Keller ended up being the leading rusher. Triton wants to pound the ball and Paul VI will need to stack the box to limit rushing lanes.

- Get to the edge. The Eagles have some speed players who are much more effective when they get to the outside. Whether it is screens, tosses or misdirection, the Paul VI coaching staff must find a way to get the ball outside the tackles.

Triton (5-1)

Last week: Defeated Bishop Eustace, 13-0.

Last game against Paul VI: Lost, 40-13. Josh Woods ran seven times for 45 yards, but quarterback Brian Keller was running for his life much of the game and was sacked four times.

Key player: Linebacker Dan Bekier. The senior was all over the field last week, recording 10 tackles and forcing a fumble. It was his third game of the season with double-digit tackles. Look for Bekier to be in the Paul VI backfield plenty.

Three keys to the game:

- Redemption for Woods. Last season Josh Woods sustained an injury at Paul VI that cost him playing time. Look for Woods to be motivated to get a form of payback in a big day rushing. He currently has 854 yards on the ground, so reaching 1,000 is a distinct possibility.

- Let Keller establish the pass early. Triton will win this game on the ground, but finding a little success in the air early is a good way to keep the defense from loading up against the run. With Paul VI expecting a heavy dose of Woods, opportunities should be available in the passing game.

- Execute on offense early. Triton’s defense kept the Mustangs in the game last week, even when the offense faltered for three quarters. Triton can make tonight’s game much easier on itself if it can get a couple of scores in the early going and really allow its defense to let loose.

SENECA AT TIMBER CREEK, Tonight, 7 p.m.

Seneca (3-4)

Last game: Lost, 42-23, to Lenape.

Last game against Timber Creek: Won, 28-23. Zack Johnson rushed for 103 yards and a touchdown to lead a Seneca rushing attack that gained more than 300 yards.

Key player: Running back Joe Pawlowski. The Eagles like to use multiple runners, but Pawlowski leads the team in carries, yards and touchdowns. Last week, he had a touchdown rushing and receiving. Two weeks ago, he had four touchdowns and 163 yards against Gloucester Catholic on just six touches.

Three keys to the game:

- Sure up the special teams. The Eagles gave up a 70-yard punt return score that put them in an early hole last week. The team has also had a punt blocked and returned for a touchdown this season. The unit cannot allow big returns and expect to hang in against a Timber Creek squad that has the advantage on offense and defense.

- Avoid early deficits. In the Eagles last three losses, they have dug themselves early double-digit deficits. Seneca must buck that trend this week as the Chargers defense is too strong to spot an early lead.

- Smart play from quarterback A.J. Miskiewicz. Timber Creek's defense is stout so Miskiewicz has a big task on his hands. He will need to take shots downfield, while not being careless with the football. He also needs to be aware of an aggressive pass rush that has made a habit of bringing down the quarterback.

Timber Creek (6-0)

Last game: Defeated Eastern, 13-7.

Last game against Seneca: Lost, 42-23. The Chargers held the Eagles to once completion of 13 yards through the air but could not stop the run game in the loss.

Key player: Linebacker Quanzell Lambert. The Eagles will try to stay with the Chargers by handing the ball off to Pawlowski early and often. It will be up to Lambert and his fellow linebackers to make sure that rushes are limited, forcing the Seneca offense to leave its comfort zone.

Three keys to the game:

-  Continued excellence from Myles Nash. The sophomore has come out of the shadows and become a standout defensive player on a team full of them. Last week, he had two sacks, a forced fumble and an interception. His improved play makes the Chargers’ defense that much tougher.

- Establishing Khalil Pierce early. Seneca has had trouble stopping the run it its losses, giving up more than 200 yards a game on the ground. Look for Pierce to gash the Eagles for a few big gains, while also picking up the tough yards.

- Learn from last week. The Chargers let an inferior team stay with them for the entire 48 minutes last week and were lucky to escape with the victory. Timber Creek does not want to play with fire again, and should come out with a purpose and put this game away before the fourth quarter even gets started.

HIGHLAND AT GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC, Saturday, 10:30 a.m.

Highland (0-7)

Last game: Lost to Moorestown, 48-16.

Last game against Gloucester Catholic: Lost, 35-6. The Tartans’ offensive line had all kinds of problems, surrendering seven sacks on the day.

Key player: Quarterback Daniel Martin. The Highland signal-caller is coming off of his most productive game of the season. Martin passed for scores of 53 and 60 yards against Moorestown and will be called on to chuck the rock against Gloucester Catholic.

Three keys to the game:

- Use the positives from last week. Although the game was out of hand, Highland’s two-touchdown performance last week marked a season high. Gloucester Catholic is not nearly the team it has been in the past and the opportunity to put up points against it will be available.

- Guard against the pass. The Rams cannot throw the ball like they did a year ago, but they still like to go to the air. The Tartans need to guard against screens and quick slants that can turn into big gains if the defensive backs and linebackers do not stay in their assignments.

- Go out with a winning attitude. If the Tartans are going to break this two-year losing streak, Saturday is the day to do it. Gloucester Catholic has been outscored 200-31 and has only played in two competitive games. Highland players must come out of the gate with an attitude that they will not get pushed around and a belief that the losing streak will not continue.

Gloucester Catholic (0-6)

Last week: Bye. (Lost, 35-0, to Seneca two weeks ago.)

Last game against Highland: Won, 35-6: Cody Brown completed 14-of-22 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns in the win.

Key player: Running back Elliot McCummings. While not a big-play threat, McCummings does have enough elusiveness to cause problems for the Tartans. His best game came three weeks ago when he rushed for 63 yards and two touchdowns against Camden.

Three keys to the game:

- Get the passing game going. Gloucester Catholic teams of the past found success through the air, but that hasn’t been the case this year. If the Rams are going to put a win on the board they must find a way to have success through the air.

- Guard against the trick play. When two teams that are struggling offensively meet, there is typically a trick play or two attempted to jump-start the offense. Highland could gain a great deal of momentum if it strikes on one of these plays and that is the last thing the Rams want to allow a desperate team to get.

- Leave it all on the field. This game may not be attractive to those without rooting interests, but it should be viewed as a big game for both of these teams. The Rams do not want to endure a winless season nor do they want to be the team that Highland snaps its winless streak against. Those two factors should be enough to have the Rams pumped up from the first whistle.