Three games into the 2026 high school football season, Carlynton coach John Tortorea has few complaints. In fact, it’s just the opposite when asked about his team’s 2-1 start.

“Honestly, it’s impressive what they’ve been able to accomplish,” Tortorea said of the young Cougars, whose 22-man roster features a dozen or so freshmen.

What Carlynton has been able to accomplish is a season-opening win over Carrick, followed by a 47-12 loss to Charleroi and then a 63-14 win over Brownsville.

“We had a rough go of it at Charleroi – that was definitely a lack of experience game,” Tortorea said. “But we rebounded against Brownsville. We have a lot of young guys out there working hard. I couldn’t be happier for them and where we are as a program right now with limited numbers and experience.”

But Tortorea and his team are well aware of the challenge that faces them at 7 p.m. Friday at Honus Wagner Stadium in Carnegie.

That would be Bishop Canevin, which is 3-0 and has outscored its opposition 137-10.

Friday’s Carlynton-Bishop Canevin game — a Class 2A Century Conference opener for both teams — is one of six involving West Hills schools. In other games, Cornell visits Laurel, Sto-Rox travels to Burgettstown, Montour hosts West Allegheny, Moon treks to Thomas Jefferson and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart visits Berlin-Brothersvalley.

Carlynton will see a top-flight quarterback in Bishop Canevin’s Brady Wagner, who has completed more than 82% of his passes for 463 yards and five touchdowns and a stable of dynamic running backs that hasn’t even yet had to call on Myontae Mott, who figured to be one of the top backs in the area this season but has been sidelined because of injury.

“They’re loaded,” Tortorea said of the Crusaders. “We watch the film and we can’t hide that. It’s very obvious.

“They have playmakers everywhere. Everyone who can touch the ball is super explosive. They have a sizable offensive line and speed all over the place. It’s very impressive. They’re in the running to be somewhere very significant at the end of the season.”

Tortorea will call on his small group of seniors – Justin Berger and Jaesean Nembhard, who have been with Tortorea all four years he’s been at Carlynton – and first-year senior Justin Williams to set the tone for Friday night and the rest of the season. Berger and Nembhard went through rebuilding pains as freshmen then helped the Cougars snap a 23-year playoff drought before falling back upon hard times last year when the team had to play five freshman – three of whom now play at Bishop Canevin.

“They’ve done fantastic work,” he said of his seniors.

Tortorea said it’s taken awhile, but this year’s crop of freshmen is finally listening and buying into what the Carlynton coaches are teaching them.

“There’s a significant difference from last year, when they were playing junior high ball,” Tortorea said. “They’re now learning structure and learning to play with technique. They’re trusting how hard they have to work in practice because it’s now translating into games.”

Tortorea said his young players have to be disciplined in part because they’re physically not on the level of many teams’ upperclassmen, who are three to four years older.

“To give them any chance in any game, not just tomorrow, they have to be systematic,” he said. “When you’re that young, you think you can rely on your ability, but they’re 14 and they’re playing against grown men.”

While the Crusaders have plenty of firepower, the Cougars have weapons of their own. Quarterback Maddox Horrell has thrown for 441 yards and six touchdowns and has three solid receiving weapons in Dwayne Fisher (six catches, 94 yards), Williams (5-89) and Nembhard (4-94). Nembhard and Berger alternate at running back and both are explosive.

Berger rushed for 181 yards and three touchdowns in last week’s win over Brownsville and Nembhard also scored three touchdowns in just four carries.

“Our skill players are doing a fantastic job,” Tortorea said. “It’s one of the most talented groups I’ve had in my four years here. They’re clicking – last week was a big win and they did well. The next test – the next step – is against one of the big boys in the WPIAL.

“The kids are excited to go up against a really good team. Wherever that leads us, whatever the experience is, it’ll be a valuable one.”

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Cornell (2-1) vs. Laurel (1-2)

The Raiders dropped their first game last week, 32-6, to Beaver Falls after opening the season with two straight wins. In their Class 1A Big 7 Conference opener, they’ll take on a Laurel team that enters the game 1-2 and lost 21-17 to Fort Cherry, a team the Spartans knocked out in the WPIAL Class A semifinals a year ago.

Laurel, which reached the WPIAL finals last year before dropping an 8-6 decision to Clairton, posted its only win over Mohawk, 28-6, on Sept. 4.

The Spartans have given three players – Carso Mahoney, Brody Geiwitz and Joshua Sherman – time at quarterback and the three have combined to throw for 240 yards and three touchdowns.

Cornell is led by Jerimiah Dent, who has rushed for 200 yards on 19 carries, and Chris Ford, who has 174 yards on the ground in 25 attempts. The two have combined to score seven touchdowns.

Quarterback Daveon Collier has completed 13 of 26 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown, but he’s been intercepted four times. Collier also has rushed for 136 yards in 29 attempts.

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Sto-Rox (2-1) vs. Burgettstown (3-0)

The Vikings already have eclipsed their win total from a year ago, adding victory No. 2 last week in a 74-0 drubbing of Summit Academy. That followed a 36-28 win over Rochester.

Karic Wills ran for a pair of touchdowns and passed for two more in last week’s win. Wills has completed 11 of 32 passes for 130 yards and two scores and has rushed for 313 yards and four touchdowns.

Ramir Valentino has 189 yards rushing in 23 attempts and two touchdowns and Zaahkir Cox also has 151 yards on the ground.

Burgettstown has been rolling in the early going, outscoring its three opponents 111-7 going into Friday’s Class 1A Black Hills Conference opener for both teams. Blake Neal has been the offensive standout, completing 28 of 36 passes for 449 yards and seven touchdowns. He has yet to be intercepted. Brady Rightweiser has rushed for 296 yards and six touchdowns.

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West Allegheny (2-1) vs. Montour (2-1)

The Spartans were riding high in Class 4A after knocking off then-No. 1 McKeesport on Sept. 4, but they tasted defeat for the first time last week, dropping a 35-28 decision to South Fayette.

West Allegheny has beaten Chartiers Valley (17-6) and Gateway (49-10) and sandwiched in between those wins was a 59-20 loss to Class 6A power Pine-Richland.

Montour led last week’s game 28-13 at halftime but was outscored 22-0 in the final two quarters. South Fayette outgained the Spartans, 247-74, on the ground and the Spartans hurt their own cause by committing 10 penalties for 80 yards.

Montour coach Lou Cerro said his team played “uncharacteristically” in the second half.

“South Fayette took it to us, and we didn’t respond,” he said. “We need to fix that.”

Cerro said both the offensive and defensive lines did not play up to par and his team made a “ton” of mental mistakes.

As for West Allegheny, reunited with legendary coach Bob Palko, Cerro said the Indians are a “solid football team that makes plays within their system. Palko is changing the culture.”

For Montour, Brandon Bennett has completed 28 of 50 passes for 418 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, and he’s also rushed for 206 yards and four scores.

Archie Collins has rushed for 234 yards and caught eight passes for 135 yards. Zander Stern has been Bennett’s top target with 12 catches for 169 yards and a touchdown.

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Moon Area (0-2) vs. Thomas Jefferson (2-0)

The Tigers dropped their second straight outing, 22-7, to Penn-Trafford last week in a Class 5A nonconference game after opening the season two weeks earlier with a 28-25 loss to Montour. Freshman quarterback Richie McMullen has completed 11 of 25 passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns and has been intercepted twice.

Dionte Henry leads the Moon rushing attack with 85 yards on 20 carries and Savario Vandetti has been the Tigers’ top receiver with seven catches for 150 yards and two touchdowns.

Thomas Jefferson is coming off a 40-33 win over McKeesport last week. Tyler Eber carried 41 times for 203 yards and four touchdowns while Kane Eggerton caught five of Harrison Kolling’s passes for 92 yards and a touchdown.

Eber has 354 yards rushing on the season to go with six touchdowns. Kolling has thrown for 379 yards and five touchdowns and has not been intercepted.

Moon coach Ryan Linn said his young team continues to improve each week. “But we have to do a better job holding onto the football and limiting mistakes,” he said.

“Last week, our kids continued to battle the whole game, but we had six turnovers and it’s hard to win games with that many mistakes.”

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Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (0-3) vs. Berlin-Brothersvalley (3-0)

The Chargers have found the going a bit rough so far in 2026, and it might not get an easier Friday, as they take on the unbeaten Mountaineers.

Berlin-Brothersvalley, located about 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh in Somerset County, has won its last two games by a combined score of 96-20. OLSH, meanwhile, has been outscored 98-26 in its three losses, with the last one coming in a 43-12 defeat at the hands of unbeaten Blackhawk.

Quarterback J.J. Hayden has completed 21 of 47 passes for 220 yards but has been intercepted six times and has yet to throw a touchdown pass. Kassius Gildon has been Hayden’s top target with 12 catches for 127 yards and Thomas Pinno has six grabs for 113 yards.

Jamire Samuels leads the Chargers in rushing with 92 yards on 29 carries and a touchdown.