Area college preview | Saturday’s games

WALSH SFLBvs. TRINITY INTERNATIONAL

When: 2 p.m. Where: Leslie Frazier Field, Deerfield, Ill. Series history: Tied 3-3. Radio-TV: WCER-AM 900, WHLO-AM 640, www.wcer.us. Scouting report: Walsh, launching its 14th season of football, is seeking to bounce back from its first losing record (5-6, 2-4 in the Mid-States Football Association Mideast) last season. Coach Jim Dennison, a former University of Akron coach who has led the Cavaliers since their inception of football in 1994, is in his 27th year overall coaching collegiate football with a 93-48 record. Walsh’s leaders on offense will be red-shirt sophomore TB Clint Blossomgame, who rushed for 1,487 yards and scored 11 touchdowns last season; and senior QB Marc Pullen, who passed for 1,452 yards and eight TDs. Top receivers are junior Mike McGill, who caught 25 passes, four for TDs, and junior John Rutan with 10 catches and one TD. Walsh beat Trinity last year, 43-14, at Fawcett Stadium.

SLIPPERY ROCK vs. SETON HILL

When: 6 p.m. Where: Offutt Field, Greensburg, Pa. Series record: Slippery Rock leads, 1-0. Radio-TV: WISR-AM 680 (Butler), www.RockAthletics,com and www.MSAsportsnetwork.com. Scouting report: Slippery Rock, coached by Dr. George Mihalik (21st season, 136-79-4), is coming off a good season in 2007 (9-2, 4-2 PSAC-West for third place). Slippery Rock beat non-conference rival Seton Hill last year in their first-ever meeting, 51-24, at The Rock. Seton Hill (3-7, 3-5 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference for sixth place last year) is in only its third season of football. The Rock’s offense will be led by running back Corey Manfull (United High), who ranked No. 2 last season in PSAC rushing (1,258 yards), all-purpose yards (146.6 per game) and scoring (15 TDs). Manfull is one of eight area players on the roster, including senior LB Dom Razzano (Shenango) who is No. 2 on the depth chart. The others are senior Terry Grossetti (WR, Shenango), redshirt freshmen Jason Lane (OL, Kennedy Catholic), Zach Anderson (WR, Shenango), Adam Shankle (DL, Springfield) and freshmen Mike Carnahan (WR, Hubbard) and Billy Altman (WR, Sharon).

John Kovach