Birdie feels pain of Westmoreland County teams in WPIAL football playoffs

By: The Birdie
Wednesday, November 9, 2022 | 5:50 PM

Last week: 5-4 (56%)

Season: 101-28 (78%)

An ice pack on his peanut-sized head, the Birdie limped into work Monday morning like a defensive back who had just been beaten on a go route.

“Ugh,” the high school football expert said as he took a sip of pickle juice. “I feel like the end of times.”

The Birdie, cramping up from the unusual heat, checked himself into concussion protocol after his worst week of the season.

Westmoreland County teams were roughed up in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs, and Woody Woodpicker limped across the finish line with four losses.

“I’ll be all right,” he said as he turned off the bright office lights, inciting moans and groans from across the newsroom. “Like Latrobe and Ligonier Valley, I’m still standing. Like the turning back of clocks earlier this week, it was time for some new blood in the WPIAL quarterfinals. To the rest of yinz county teams that talked a big game, better luck next year. If you need a Tylenol, I got ’em.”

Election night pizza allowed the Birdie to stress-eat his sorrows away.

Now for his self-medicated quarterfinal predictions, of which he is more confident.

• East Allegheny (8-3) at Belle Vernon (7-2): East Allegheny’s coach runs a pizza shop, and the Birdie is partial to pie. However, he thinks Belle Vernon’s defense is its best attribute. Pressure on the quarterback will present problems to the Wildcats. Belle Vernon, 30-10

• Latrobe (7-4) at Thomas Jefferson (7-3): While the first matchup between these two was close (10 points), the Birdie knows Thomas Jefferson has another gear at playoff time. Latrobe had its fun last week. The Jaguars will reign supreme and return to the semifinals for the 25th straight year. Thomas Jefferson, 35-14

• Ligonier Valley (8-3) at Beaver Falls (9-1): Ligonier Valley turned Offutt Field into its personal mosh pit last week. The Rams enjoyed their first WPIAL playoff win. But Beaver Falls presents a totally different challenge: Speed on the perimeter, big-play potential and, above all, playoff pedigree. Beaver Falls, 29-13

Tags: Beaver Falls, Belle Vernon, East Allegheny, Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Thomas Jefferson