People stand in line to get a picture with the Stanley Cup, but you should see what they'll do to win one of The Fummies.

Ever see a high school coach on his knees begging? That's what former Seton-LaSalle coach Greg Gattuso did once. "I have a wife, kids, a state championship and a WPIAL championship. A Fummie would complete me," Gattuso said.

By the way, The Fummies are The Fumbler's half-season awards. OK, so the regular season is more than half over, but The Fumbler simply forgot to hand out these awards last week. So here goes:

Player of the Half Year -- Rushel Shell, Hopewell. The Fumbler does not like giving this award to sophomores, but Shell is the leading rusher in the WPIAL and has helped his team to an unbeaten record. The Fumbler also likes Canon-McMillan's Mike Hull, but the Big Macs aren't doing so hot as a team.

Coach of the Half Year -- Chris Saluga, Chartiers Valley. The guy has put Chartiers Valley football on the map, and the Colts won their first six games for the first time in school history.

Favorite name -- LittleBear DeVaughn, a junior lineman at West Shamokin.

Quote of the half year -- Retired coach Don Yannessa on expectations at Aliquippa: "You don't get it done here, they talk about you like a dog until the day you die. You don't win, you're like a leper. If you have a 4-6 season here, you're leper-ized and you never come out into the sunshine again for fear of being smitten with a baseball bat."

Enough of the awards. The Fumbler was 52-12 (.813 percentage) last week, and his season record is 319-74 (.812 percentage)

Here are his thoughts on this weekend's top games:

West Allegheny (5-1 overall, 4-0 in conference) at Hopewell (6-0, 3-0), 7 p.m. today -- This game is being billed as the battle of the backs -- Hopewell's Rushel Shell and West Allegheny's Mike Caputo. But The Fumbler believes the quarterback who completes a few big passes will be the difference in the game. Winner: Hopewell.

Erie McDowell (5-1, 3-1) at Gateway (6-0, 4-0), 7:30 p.m. today -- You know The Fumbler likes to eat a pregame dinner at a local favorite restaurant. But he has no idea of any special place in Monroeville for a good bite to eat. If you have a suggestion, send an email to highschool@post-gazette.com. As for the game, Gateway has scored more than 50 points the past three games. OK, so the competition was not the greatest, but Gateway's offense is still looking awfully good. Winner: Gateway.

Steel Valley (4-2, 4-2) at Seton-LaSalle (4-2, 4-2), 7 p.m. today -- These are two teams trying to rebound. Seton-LaSalle has lost two games in a row while Steel Valley lost last week. The Fumbler can't see Seton-LaSalle losing three in a row. Winner: Seton-LaSalle.

Monaca (4-2, 3-1) at Laurel (5-1, 3-1), 7:30 p.m. today -- All of a sudden, Monaca is a player in the Class A Big Seven Conference race. Averaging 38 points in three consecutive wins, Monaca will test Laurel's run defense. But Laurel's offense is pretty good, too. Winner: Laurel.

And now the rest (home teams in capital letters):

CITY LEAGUE -- Oliver over Carrick (Cupples Stadium).

CITY LEAGUE -- Brashear over Peabody (Cupples Stadium).

WPIAL CLASS AAAA -- (Big East Conference) Central Catholic over PLUM; Penn Hills over KISKI AREA; Woodland Hills over FOX CHAPEL. (Foothills) Hempfield over CONNELLSVILLE; MCKEESPORT over Norwin; Penn-Trafford over LATROBE. (Great Southern) MT. LEBANON over Canon-McMillan; BETHEL PARK over Peters Township; Upper St. Clair over BALDWIN. (Northern Six) North Hills over BUTLER; NORTH ALLEGHENY over Pine-Richland; Shaler over SENECA VALLEY.

WPIAL CLASS AAA -- (Big Seven) BELLE VERNON over Ringgold; WEST MIFFLIN over Trinity. (Greater Alleheny) FRANKLIN REGIONAL over Highlands; INDIANA over Knoch; Mars over HAMPTON. (Keystone) Laurel Highlands over ALBERT GALLATIN; GREENSBURG SALEM over Southmoreland; UNIONTOWN over Yough. (Parkway) Montour over BLACKHAWK; NEW CASTLE over Moon.

WPIAL CLASS AA -- (Allegheny) FORD CITY over Apollo-Ridge; Burrell over KITTANNING; Shady Side Academy over VALLEY; Summit Academy over DEER LAKES; FREEPORT over West Shamokin. (Century) SOUTH FAYETTE over Cornell; Keystone Oaks over QUAKER VALLEY; BISHOP CANEVIN over Northgate; Sto-Rox over SOUTH PARK. (Interstate) East Allegheny over WAYNESBURG; Greensburg Central Catholic over BROWNSVILLE; Jeannette over WASHINGTON; McGuffey over CHARLEROI; Mount Pleasant over SOUTH ALLEGHENY. (Midwestern) Beaver Falls over MOHAWK; CENTER over Ellwood City; Freedom over RIVERSIDE; ALIQUIPPA over New Brighton.

WPIAL CLASS A -- (Big Seven) ROCHESTER over Neshannock. (Black Hills) BENTWORTH over Avella; Clairton over BURGETTSTOWN; Fort Cherry over FRAZIER; Serra over CHARTIERS-HOUSTON. (Eastern) Avonworth over LEECHBURG; NORTH CATHOLIC over Riverview; Springdale over BRENTWOOD. (Tri-County South) BETH-CENTER over California; MONESSEN over Jefferson-Morgan; Mapletown over WEST GREENE.

NON-CONFERENCE -- BEAVER over Ambridge; Elizabeth Forward over DERRY.

CITY LEAGUE -- Allderdice over Langley (Cupples Stadium).

WPIAL CLASS A -- (Big Seven) Union over WESTERN BEAVER. (Eastern) Carlynton over WILKINSBURG. (Tri-County South) Carmichaels over GEIBEL.

WPIAL CLASS A -- (Big Seven) SHENANGO over South Side Beaver.

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