Birdie ready to hit the road to follow Plum, Apollo-Ridge in WPIAL playoffs

By: The Birdie
Thursday, November 5, 2020 | 4:16 PM

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Last week: 4-1 (80%)

Overall record: 63-12 (84%)

The Birdie was flustered as he was getting ready for Friday night’s semifinal football games.

“Honey! Where are my driving gloves?” the Birdie screamed to Mrs. Birdie as he dug through a bin in the basement.

After two teams were knocked off last weekend, the remaining A-K Valley football teams were preparing for road trips as they looked to earn a right to compete for a WPIAL football title next Friday.

The No. 4 Apollo-Ridge Vikings were set to drive 63 miles north to Geneva College, and the No. 3 Plum Mustangs are driving 24 miles south to Thomas Jefferson to take on the No. 2 Jaguars.

“Man, road trips are the worst,” the Birdie said. “I was getting used to these short drives to away games, but now we have some long drives, or flights, ahead of us. No way I’m flying, though. Solidarity and all.”

When the WPIAL committee reconstructed the sections this past year, they did so on a geographical basis so teams didn’t have to travel as far for regular-season contests. But at this time of the season, short road trips are out the window, for both teams and fans.

“Both teams get big wins and a long road trip for their prize,” the Birdie said. “That’s rough, but I’m sure the Vikings and the Mustangs don’t mind.”

For the past few years, Apollo-Ridge has been building towards a season like it is having. Yeah, it may have missed a few games this season — “Maybe the other teams were just scared,” the Birdie said. — but it is the real deal and proved it Friday with a historical win over the No. 5 Washington Prexies.

“Logan Harmon, man, that kid is a bowling ball. Have fun tackling him for four quarters,” the Birdie said. “Let’s just say there will be plenty of strikes on Friday, though, when they take on Beaver Falls. Josh Hough and Shileak Livingston are built the same way.”

The Mustangs also have to travel to a top team in the defending state champion, but McKeesport showed the Jaguars aren’t unbeatable. Plum has had a historic season and is undoubtedly ready to play anyone at this point.

“Look, the Mustangs have weapons all over the place, and Matt Morgan is gonna have his guys fired up,” the Birdie screamed as he walked out to his Birdmobile to make his final preparations and his weekly picks.

Class 4A

• No. 3 Plum (8-0) at No. 2 Thomas Jefferson (6-1): At this point in the season, these picks are tough. The Jaguars have only lost one game in the past year and a half, and the Mustangs are gearing up to make it two as they have been rolling this season. Plum comes out on top in a tight one. Plum, 10-7

Class 2A

• No. 4 Apollo-Ridge (6-0) at No. 1 Beaver Falls (8-0): The Vikings have a bowling ball in their backfield in Logan Harmon, but they aren’t used to going against another one, let alone two. The Tigers have two running backs with more than 800 yards rushing, and it might be too difficult for the Vikings to handle a taste of their own medicine. Beaver Falls, 35-31

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Beaver Falls, Plum, Thomas Jefferson