PUP high school football game of the week: Avonworth at Beaver (Week 9)

Each Wednesday, the PUP high school sports staff will preview the game of the week.

Between the hash marks

Who: Avonworth (7-2, 5-0) vs. Beaver (7-2, 4-1)

Where: Beaver High School

When: 7 p.m. Friday

The coaches: Duke Johncour (Avonworth); Cort Rowse (Beaver)

When they last met: Dimitri Velisaris ran for 202 yards and two touchdowns to lead host Avonworth to a 41-21 win against Beaver in last year’s WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinals.

On deck: WPIAL playoffs

This and that: Both of these ranked WPIAL Class 3A teams enter the final week of the regular season having already clinched playoff berths, but the outcome of this game will determine the Western Hills Conference champion. Second-ranked Avonworth can claim a third consecutive conference title without a loss. The Antelopes went 6-0 in conference play in 2022 and 2023. If No. 4 Beaver wins, Avonworth, Beaver and Central Valley will share the title. Beaver’s last conference title came in 2007. … Avonworth has had Beaver’s number as of late, beating the Bobcats in the regular season and WPIAL quarterfinals each of the past two seasons. Beaver lost seven games total in 2022 and 2023, with four of those defeats coming against Avonworth. … Avonworth has been red hot. The Antelopes have won five games in a row since back-to-back losses to Aliquippa and Thomas Jefferson. The Antelopes have averaged 41.2 points per game during that run and have won each of their past three games by at least 20 points. Beaver has been playing well, too, winning four straight since dropping two of three games (losses to Imani Christian and Central Valley). The Bobcats are averaging 47.5 points during the win streak and have won all of those games by at least 32 points. … In a game in which Avonworth led, 42-0, in the third quarter, Velisaris ran for a pair of scores to lead the Antelopes to a 48-28 win against North Catholic last week. Bryce Metz ran for his team-leading 10th touchdown, and Carson Bellinger also threw for a touchdown, his ninth of the season. … Beaver also rolled to a win last week, scoring the first 30 points of the game before going on to defeat Quaker Valley, 51-19. Amari Jackson scored three touchdowns, one on a run and two courtesy of scoring tosses from Travis Clear. Jackson leads the team in receiving (32 catches, 649 yards), is second in rushing (493 yards), has scored a team-high 20 touchdowns, and his four interceptions on defense also leads the team. Clear has passed for 1,039 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Qualan Cain has rushed for 1,128 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Expert picks (records in parentheses)

Brad Everett (5-4): Avonworth 34, Beaver 28

Steve Rotstein (4-5): Beaver 28, Avonworth 21

John Santa (4-5): Avonworth 21, Beaver 14

On the radar

Kiski Area at Woodland Hills, 7 p.m. Friday

And here comes Woodland Hills! Some might have forgotten about the Wolverines (7-2, 5-0) after starting the season 1-2, but they have won six straight since, and another win here would allow them to finish unbeaten in conference play (Class 5A Big East) for the first time since 2015. Scoop Smith continues to be one of the WPIAL’s top playmakers, and last week scored three touchdowns in a 27-17 win at Franklin Regional. Unlike Woodland Hills, Kiski Area (4-5, 2-3) has not qualified for the playoffs, but the Cavaliers would put themselves in good position to earn a wild-card berth with a win. The Cavaliers followed up a five-game losing streak with three consecutive wins. Landon Kucic scored two touchdowns last week to give him 14 this season.

Laurel at Neshannock, 7 p.m. Friday

The Class 1A Big 7 Conference title will be on the line in this one. Neshannock (8-1, 5-0) has won six games in a row, while Laurel (5-4, 5-0) has won five straight. Jino Mozzocio gives Neshannock a dual threat at the quarterback position. He also teams with Anthony Eakin to give the Lancers a strong 1-2 punch running the ball. Eakin ran for three scores last week. Kolton Carlson’s three touchdowns helped Laurel keep its conference title hopes alive last week via a 27-13 win at South Side. Carlson leads the team in receiving and touchdowns. Neshannock is trying to finish without a conference loss for the second year in a row. Laurel last did it in 2022. Neshannock got the best of Laurel last season, beating the Spartans, 39-22.

Jefferson-Morgan at California, 7 p.m. Friday

There won’t be just one, but two matchups in Class 1A between opponents without a conference loss. This one will determine the Tri-County South Conference title. Jefferson-Morgan (9-0, 6-0) is one of only nine remaining unbeaten teams in the WPIAL. The Rockets are looking to wrap up not only a conference title but also their first undefeated regular season since 1989. California (7-2, 6-0) does have a few checks in the loss column, but the Trojans have won six straight. They own the No. 2 scoring offense in Class 1A (44.5 ppg), while Jefferson-Morgan ranks fourth (41.7 ppg). California has owned this series, winning each of the past eight meetings, all of them by at least 27 points.

PUP ‘underdog’ to watch

Trinity (Hosts Belle Vernon at 7 p.m. Friday)

While both of these teams are playoff bound, this game will play a big part in where the two are seeded. The winner will finish second in the Class 4A Big Six Conference and could earn itself a home game in the first round. Belle Vernon (4-3, 3-1), which won WPIAL and PIAA Class 3A titles the past two seasons, has won three games in a row following a three-game losing streak. But Trinity has been playing its best ball as of late, too, as the Hillers have won three of four since their own three-game slide. Trinity quarterback Jonah Williamson could be the difference in this one. Williamson is coming off one of his better performances of the season, accounting for four touchdowns (three rushing, one passing) in a 38-3 win against Laurel Highlands.