Justin Wheeler

JOHNSTOWN — The Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference produced four district champions in high school football last season and had a fifth team compete for a title.

But Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic coach Justin Wheeler thinks the conference could be even better this year.

“I think this year might be the most competitive from top to bottom that our conference has seen in a long time,” Bishop Guilfoyle coach Justin Wheeler said. “There are four or five teams who could potentially win the LHAC championship. Plus, the few teams that have been down the last couple years should be very much improved. It should be a fun season to see how it all plays out.”

Defending District 6 Class 2A champion Richland was picked as the favorite by conference coaches in the Mirror’s Blitz magazine to repeat as the LHAC champion this season, but the Rams lost several key players to graduation including star wide receiver Caleb Burke.

“Richland is the champ until someone knocks them off,” said Westmont Hilltop coach Pat Barron at LHAC media day at Trojan Stadium recently. “I think Bedford is another team that has a really great class coming up, but every week in the Laurel Highlands, you never know what’s going to happen so you have to be ready to go.”

The Hilltoppers were picked to finish just fifth in the LHAC, as they did in 2019, but they also played for a District 6 Class 3A title.

Bishop Guilfoyle (District 6 Class 1A), Chestnut Ridge (District 5 Class 2A) and Bedford (District 5-8 Class 3A) all captured gold last season and have a great chance to repeat this year.

“I think it looks like the usual suspects up top,” Central Cambria coach Shane McGregor said. “Richland, Bedford, Chestnut Ridge and BG have been perennial powers the last four or five years. I fully expect them to be good again. After that, it might get a little murkier, but I feel like there’s always a dark horse that’s competitive that you aren’t really expecting. It will be interesting to see what happens.”

Of course, as school districts and the PIAA adjust to handle the coronavirus pandemic, there’s always the chance that there will be no postseason, making winning the LHAC more important and meaningful than ever.

“Winning the Laurel Highlands is a big goal, especially with the situation right now,” Bedford senior running back Elijah Cook said. “Every game you want to go out and play it like it’s your last, especially being a senior.”

Other local teams including Cambria Heights, Penn Cambria and Central Cambria will be trying to break out from the middle of the pack in the challenging conference and sharpen their skills against elite competition with the hope of getting a chance to play in the postseason.

“The number of kids back on teams from top to bottom is impressive,” Chestnut Ridge coach Max Shoemaker said. “This is only our third year in the league, but it’s certainly overwhelming when you look at rosters the number of young kids that played last year and are coming back a year more experienced and a year more mature. It’s from the top of the league with teams like Richland, BG, a loaded Bedford team and down through some of the teams that have struggled like Central Cambria and Penn Cambria, those teams have nice numbers back too. Throughout the league, that’s kind of the theme.”