Dallas (7-3)

Dallas (7-3)

at

Berwick (9-1)

1 p.m. Saturday

District 2 Class 3A Semifinal

The Coaches: Dallas' Bob Zaruta (7-3, 1st year); Berwick's George Curry (422-91-5, 43rd year)

Last Meeting: Berwick 50-14 on Sept. 14

All-Time Series: Berwick leads 10-4

Quick Fact: Dallas is 4-1 in its last five games on artificial turf, with the only loss the setback to Berwick earlier this season.

What's At Stake: The winner plays the winner of Valley View at Abington Heights for the district title. Berwick will host the title game if it wins. Dallas will be on the road if it wins.

Scouting Dallas: That first meeting with Berwick was a disaster. Not only on the board, but Zaruta fractured his knee when a Dawg ran into him on the sideline.

Zaruta has spent the last seven games in the pressbox and the Mountaineers have spent them making amends. They're on a seven-game winning streak thanks in part to the line making massive improvements in its play. The running game has also improved tremendously, piling up a season-high 305 yards in last Saturday's 51-6 victory over Lake-Lehman.

Scouting Berwick: The Dawgs are back in the district playoffs after two consecutive appearances in the Eastern Conference tournament, including winning the title last year.

Berwick put up its second highest points total of the season vs. Dallas. QB C.J. Curry passed for 250 yards and two TD passes to Jake Pecorelli and RB Matt Cashman had 104 and three TDs on the ground. Pecorelli's second TD reception late in the second quarter started a 28-point run.

Berwick amassed 427 yards of total offense, the most Dallas allowed all season.

What To Expect: Certainly not a 36-point victory by Berwick. The Dallas team entering Crispin Field isn't the same that was there in September.

-- John Erzar