The Black Hawks will start the season as the Post-Gazette's fourth-ranked team in WPIAL Class AAAA and open tonight against Kiski Area. What appears to be Bethel Park's toughest game of the year will come next week when it plays host to No. 2 Central Catholic. The Black Hawks also will play a non-conference game against Chartiers Valley (Sept. 24 at Bethel Park), the No. 4 team in WPIAL Class AAA. The toughest stretch of Bethel Park's conference schedule will come in October when it plays road games against Mt. Lebanon (Oct. 15) and Upper St. Clair (Oct. 22) in consecutive weeks.

Until last season, the Black Hawks had never won consecutive conference championships. Now, Bethel Park is in position to clinch its third Great Southern Conference title in a row. The Black Hawks have not lost a conference game since 2007. The team won its only WPIAL Class AAAA championship in '08 and advanced to the PIAA title game that year. The school advanced to the WPIAL title game one other time -- in 1980 when the Black Hawks lost to Mt. Lebanon. Bethel Park pushed eventual champion Woodland Hills to the brink last season in the WPIAL semifinals, losing in overtime.

The Black Hawks had a chance to earn a trip to the WPIAL championship game last season but faltered in overtime. The team returns a bevy of talented skill players, including West Virginia recruit running back/safety Nick Kwiatkoski and 2009 Fabulous 22 selection running back/safety Bre Ford. But the Black Hawks need to replace a lot of veterans, including Fabulous 22 selection center/linebacker Adam Lazenga and quarterback Matt Bliss (1,302 yards passing). Bethel Park coach Jeff Metheny said a lot of talented players have graduated in the past two years but that his current team is working hard. "There are some growing pains," he said. "We need experience, and the only way to get experience is to have your guys healthy and let them play."

Kwiatkoski and Ford compose one of the best backfields in Class AAAA. The two combined for 1,758 yards rushing last season (1,313 from Ford, 445 from Kwiatkoski), 564 yards receiving (305 from Ford, 259 from Kwiatkoski) and 32 touchdowns (21 from Ford, 11 from Kwiatkoski). They are both excellent defenders, where Kwiatkoski will play at West Virginia. Additionally, the two are good friends -- best friends, said Ford -- and have turned into team leaders. "Those two guys, they really care about each other," Metheny said. "Good friends and team players. They want to see the team do well."

Anthony Cinello, Bethel Park's junior starting quarterback, has some big shoes to fill. Bliss completed 89 of 144 passes last season for 1,302 yards, 12 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. The year before, Erik Olson completed 101 of 176 passes for 1,813 yards and 21 touchdowns. Metheny said Cinello showed improvement in the Black Hawks' preseason scrimmages. "He's not Olson and he's not Bliss, but he has a very strong arm," Metheny said. "I've been very blessed with kids who work hard, who listen, who understand they're probably not going to play at USC or somewhere, but they can be a very good high school quarterback if they work hard."

Bethel Park has the most wins of any WPIAL Class AAAA school the past two years. Gateway (24 wins) is second, and Shaler (17) is third. The Black Hawks beat the Gators in the 2008 WPIAL Class AAAA championship game, and they beat the Titans last season in the WPIAL quarterfinals. Metheny said if Bethel Park's success is to continue, new stars must emerge. He is hopeful his junior class and his defensive secondary will produce.

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