It's an early East vs. West showdown.
In the type of matchup usually reserved for the third weekend in December, Archbishop Wood and Pittsburgh Central Catholic will battle Sunday for early state bragging rights.
If the so-called experts are on the mark, Central Catholic is the real deal. In preseason polls, the Vikings were ranked No. 27 in the country by ESPN Rise and 28 by Rivals.com.
"We'd prefer being under the radar, but there's nothing we can do about it," said Terry Totten, Central Catholic's seventh-year coach. "We might as well embrace it."
Central Catholic handled the preseason hype splendidly in 2007. Ranked in the top 25 in some national polls, it went 16-0, outscored foes by 612-168, and won its third PIAA Class AAAA title.
The Vikings opened that season by playing in the Kirk Herbstreit National Kickoff Classic. In a nationally televised contest, they crushed Northmont (Ohio), 34-6.
Sunday's 2 p.m. clash between the Pennsylvania powerhouses will be aired by ESPN2. "We've done it before, but it's always an exciting thing for our kids and our community," Totten said of playing on TV.
Totten has a 63-11 mark at his alma mater. In 2004, when the squad beat Neshaminy for the state championship, he was the defensive coordinator.
This year's team is powered by quarterback Perry Hills, wide receiver-safety Anthony Nixon, and tailback Damion Jones-Moore. Hills and Nixon are ticketed for the University of Maryland; Jones Moore is hearing from Mid-Atlantic Conference and Football Championship Subdivision (I-AA) schools.
With a Pro-I scheme, the Vikes averaged 30.1 points last season. Hurt by a late rash of injuries, they bowed to eventual state champ North Allegheny, 17-7, in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) semifinals.
Central Catholic must contend with a Wood offensive line that, including tight ends Colin Thompson and Jonathan Vicari, has a 6-foot-3, 250-pound average. "I would say they have a little bit of a size advantage on us," Totten said.
Of Wood, ranked No. 1 in the area by The Inquirer, Totten said, "It's an excellent football team. It's the best offense I've seen."
All that's left is to play the game.
Said Totten: "Our No. 1 goal is a state championship, but, obviously, you want to get the season off to good start. You're playing for personal pride, pride for your school, and pride for this side of the state."
