Greener pastures?

Word broke in January of 2009 that the Altoona Area High School was applying, with neighbor Hollidaysburg Area High School, to join the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League for football.

The move also would guarantee that the Mountain Lions and Tigers would compete in the District 7 (WPIAL) playoffs in classes AAAA and AAA, respectively.

Both teams had been members of the Mid-Penn Conference since 2004 - Hollidaysburg bolted after two years of membership - but when word reached Harrisburg that Altoona approached the WPIAL for admittance it took the league by surprise. Altoona never bothered to inform the MPC that it was looking for a new home.

So when the MPC realigned, it decided to do so with the Mountain Lions, whether they were welcomed into the WPIAL or not.

What followed was a tough final act for Altoona in the MPC. The Mountain Lions won only two games in league play and were outscored 282-62 their other seven games. Those losses included a dud to Central Dauphin East (it was the Panthers' only win of 2009) and a 75-6 home defeat to Harrisburg.

Friday night, in its first true game as a member of the WPIAL - Altoona opened the season at Hollidaysburg - Altoona was blasted at home by McKeesport, 60-0. The Tigers held a 25-0 lead after one quarter and scored three defensive touchdowns. The Altoona Mirror's Jim Lane describes the horror from Mansion Park here.

What might be worse than that final score is the fact that McKeesport probably won't turn out to be the best team Altoona faces this year. The Mountain Lions have a trip to preseason top five Woodland Hills on Oct. 1 and also travel to honorable mention Erie McDowell on Oct. 29.

At home, the Mountain Lions play perennial power Penn Hills on Oct. 8 and Pittsburgh Central Catholic, which is ranked No. 7 in the Pennsylvania Football News state rankings, on Oct. 22.

Conversly, had Altoona remained in the MPC it would only play two teams - Cumberland Valley and Central Dauphin - that are either ranked or listed as honorable mention in the PFN rankings.