At a glance SHARON-FORT LEBOEUF Who: Sharon (8-1) vs. Fort LeBoeuf (6-3). What: District 10 Class AA Semifinal. When: 1 p.m. Saturday. Where: Hickory High School Stadium. How qualified: Sharon won the Mercer County Athletic Conference AA title; Ft. LeBoeuf is the second AA team in the Erie County League. Top players: Sharon -- T.J. Phillips, 6-2, 215-pound Sr. RB-LB, (193 carries, 1,444 yards, 20 TDs); Jeff Valentino, 6-4, 195-pound Sr. QB-FS, (69-of-111, 1,326 yards, 17 TDs, 3 INTs); Ralph Odem, 6-0, 180-pound Sr. WR-DB, (13 receptions, 333 yards); Bear Shimrack, 6-4, 235-pound Sr. TE-DE, (17 receptions, 357 yards, 9 TDs). Fort LeBoeuf -- Josh Fiske, 6-0, 225-pound Jr. TB, (266 carries, 1,470 yards, 25 TDs, 165 points); Lucas Hiltabidel, 5-8, 185-pound Sr. HB, (36 carries, 310 yards, 3 TDs); Chris Smith, 6-0, 185-pound Sr. QB, (23-of-64 for 475 yards, 4 TDs, 4 INTs); Jamie Miller, 6-1, 225-pound Sr. HB-TE, (6 catches, 178 yards, 4 TDs). Winner will play: Wilmington-Northwestern winner in the District 10 championship game. Extra points: Sharon is ranked third in the latest AP poll. ... Phillips is Mercer County's all-time leading rusher with 5,410 yards. He needs 6 TDs to become Sharon's all-time leading scorer. Current Tennesee Oiler Mike Archie has the record of 75. ... Phillips rushed 9 times for 212 yards last week. ... Valentino is a four-year starter and has 3,219 career passing yards and has thrown 38 TDs. ... Sharon is averaging an area-best 45.8 points and 377.7 yards/game. ... Since failing to make the playoffs in 1986, this is the 11th playoff appearance in the last 12 years for the Tigers. The only other time they missed was 1996. ... Coach Jim Wildman is 173-68-6 since taking over in 1977. ... Coach Joe Shesman is in his 24th year in leading the Braves and has a mark of 148-74-9. ... Fiske carried 44 times for 184 yards against Harbor Creek in a 30-29 overtime victory. He had over 1,300 yards last season and leads the ECL in rushing and scoring this year. ... The Bisons' leading receiver, Mike Steigerwald, broke his leg in the season's sixth game when he had a punt blocked. He is out for the season, but had 7 catches for 148 yards. ... Shesman once coached Cincinnati Bengals and former Penn State standout fullback Brian Milne. ... Only two players this season have rushed for 100 yards or more in a game against Sharon -- Hickory's Torrance Gash (26-141) and East Canton's Shadle (17-105). WILMINGTON-NORTHWESTERN Who: Wilmington (5-3) vs. Northwestern (6-3) What: District 10 Class AA semifinals When: 7 p.m. Saturday Where: Sharon High School's Tiger Stadium How qualified: Wilmington as an at-large; Northwestern as the Erie County League's top seed. Top players: Wilmington -- 5-10, 200-pound Sr. RB-LB Kevin McGinnis (97-583, 6.0, 7 TDs); 5-9, 170-pound Jr. RB-DB Bobby Whiting (37-233, 4 catches, 97 yards, 24.3 yards/catch, 11 TDs); 6-4, 190 Sr. QB-DB Matt Robison (31-58, 511, 7 TD, 1 INT); 6-2, 160-pound Sr. WR Adam Robison (15-225, 15.0, 3 TDs); Northwestern -- 5-8, 155-pound Sr. RB Dan Madden (59-679, 11.5, 11 TDs and 21 catches, 417 yards, 4 TDs); 5-10, 190-pound Sr. FB Jason Bish (24-129, 5.4); QB Jeremy Thompson (50-97, 869, 5 TDs); 6-2, 215-pound Jr. TE Brent Swift (13-216). Winner will play: Sharon-Fort LeBoeuf winner for the D-10 title. Extra points: First-year Northwestern head coach Tom Gage and defensive coordinator Dave Merritt simply switched roles at the outset of the season. Merritt, in five years at the helm, won three ECL crowns. ... the Tigers lost Jr. FB Josh Jackson (91-446, 4.9) after four games as he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament. ... Bish rushed for 118 yards in Northwestern's regular-season finale against Fort LeBoeuf which earned the Wildcats the ECL's top spot. ... Verrelli enters the contest with a 133-80-3 career ledger at Wilmington. ... the 'Hounds are the 4-time defending D-10 titlists. ... Wilmington is averaging 29.5 points and 299 total yards/game while surrendering 12.4 and 140.4, respectively. GREENVILLE-GENERAL MCLANE Who: Greenville (8-1) vs. General McLane (9-0) What: District 10 Class AAA semifinals When: 8 p.m. Saturday Where: Veterans Stadium, Erie How qualified: Greenville as the Northwest Conference runner-up; General McLane as the Erie County League champion. Top players: Greenville -- 5-8, 165-pound Sr. RB Todd Shimshock (150-974, 6.5, 20 TDs, 120 points); 5-9, 180-pound Jr. RB Brian Anderle (53-366, 6.9, 5 TDs); 5-10, 180-pound Sr. QB Cliff Mason (46-99, 641, 3 TDs, 1 INT); 5-10, 165-pound Jr. WR Jim Spiegel (27-359, 13.3); 5-11, 190-pound NG Mike Steele (6 QB sacks); 5-10, 190-pound Sr. ILB Jeremy Beh (70 tackles, 4.5 sacks); General McLane -- 5-8, 190 Sr. FB Tom Kirdahy (116-1,030, 8.9, 156 points); 5-7, 185-pound Sr. RB Lincoln Bufalino (102-963, 9.4, 6 catches, 239 yards, 39.8 yards/catch, 4 TDs 114 points); 6-0, 160-pound Jr. QB Matt Riccomini (30-48, 63 percent, 925, 7 TDs); 6-0, 150-pound Sr. FL Tim Stafford (9-242, 2 TDs); 6-0, 155-pound Jr. SE Matt Hopkins (7-169, 24.1, 1 TD); 6-1, 185-pound Sr. DB Jeff Madara (65 tackles); 5-10, 180-pound Jr. LB Dave Banta (64 tackles), and 6-2, 205-pound Matt McMaster and 5-11, 190-pound Greg Gebhardt, a pair of Sr. LBs, each of whom has registered 63 stops. Winner will play: Oil City-Franklin winner for the D-10 title. Extra points: Head coach Jim Wells is in his second season at the helm after guiding the Lancers to a 7-3 mark last year and an ECL runner-up berth. ... General McLane has outscored nine foes by a collective 133-0 first-quarter margin and an aggregate 115-3 differential in the second stanza, and the Lancers have permitted 50 points all season ... Kirdahy doubles as the Lancers' placekicker and has booted a pair of field goals and 48 conversions. ... Bufalino's father, Joe, is the former Strong Vincent head coach who guided the Colonels to the '91 PIAA title. ... Greenville, the 2-time defending D-10 titlist (three since '93) won five consecutive NWC crowns and 35 conference contests before bowing to Oil City this season. ... Stone (21st year, 172-42-6) is one win behind Sharon's Jim Wildman for the top spot in county annals. ... the Trojans are averaging 28.7 points and 297.3 yards/game while allowing 5.8 points and 132.3 yards/game (2.49 yards/carry and 44 percent completion accuracy). ... Shimshock tied for the NWC lead in interceptions (4).

By Brad Isles
Herald Assistant Sports Editor

Jim Wildman. Bob Stone. Terry Verrelli.

The names are synonymous with winning in local football circles. They're also synonymous with playoff success.

The coaches of Sharon, Greenville and Wilmington, respectively, have won a combined 11 District 10 titles in the 1990s and played 60 postseason games so far this decade. And that number would likely be higher if Wilmington had joined the Mercer County Athletic Conference before the '94 season.

The trio can improve on those numbers Saturday as they lead their teams into the District 10 semifinals.

Sharon (8-1) plays Fort LeBoeuf (6-3) in a 1 p.m. Class AA matinee at Hickory High School. Wilmington (5-3) goes up against Northwestern (6-3) at Sharon High Stadium at 7 p.m. in the other AA semi, and Greenville (8-1) closes out the night with a Class AAA game in Erie Veterans Stadium against General McLane (9-0).

Having had so much experience and success during the "second season" all three coaches know what they have to do to get their teams ready.

Both Wilmington (four-time) and Greenville (two-time) are defending district titlists. Sharon is looking for its first title since '95, when it beat Greenville and went to the PIAA Class AAA finals for the second consecutive year.

Wildman has the luxury of a strong senior class, led by a a very experienced trio of players who were in a state championship game as freshmen: quarterback/defensive back Jeff Valentino, tailback/linebacker T.J. Phillips and wideout/defensive back Ralph Odem.

"Those three and 14 others who have joined them since then give us a good mixture of senior leadership," Wildman said.

And they would like nothing better than to end their scholastic careers where they began -- with a trip to the state finals.

"There's no doubt," Wildman said. "I think they and a few of their friends would like that."

Stone's Trojans lost out on a chance to win their sixth consecutive Northwest Conference title by losing to Oil City, 19-6, in the eighth week of the regular season. That fact is not lost on his club.

"We blew the conference championship, so this would, in some ways, make up for that," Stone said.

Provided Greenville wins and Oil City defeats Franklin in the other semifinal, it would set up a rematch. Stone's club is aware of that, but is focusing on the game at hand.

"We have to get by McLane and they are obviously a very good team," Stone said. "I think this is an intelligent group of (Greenville) kids. They know they have to take it one game at a time. And they know if they don't win this week, this is it."

During their playoff runs the last few years the 'Hounds had the luxury of utilizing the services of veteran players, hardened through successful regular seasons and long playoff excursions. Verrelli's '98 squad is much different, being led by first-year starters at the skill positions.

"I think throughout the year they've grown and gotten better," Verrelli said. "They're ready for this challenge. Some were around, maybe not as the key players, but they were around and they know what it's about."

Nonetheless, it's safe to say all the teams are ready for kickoff. Well, maybe.

"Unfortunately, that's something you don't know until Saturday," Stone said.