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The Friendly High School football team is back in the playoffs with a home game Friday night against Westlake. The Patriots won the 3A state championship in 2006, but did not qualify for the playoffs last season after forfeiting six games for using an ineligible player. The Patriots would have been the region's top seed if not for the forfeits.

But that is the past. The future is now, and the 2008 Patriots are eager for the chance to play in a playoff game again.

"We're definitely glad we're home in front of a home crowd," said Friendly coach John Morgan Jr., who took over the program in June. "It's a situation where we're going to play a good football team with a lot of talent. We have to capitalize on mistakes that they make."

Morgan said he is aware of Westlake's top scoring threat, senior running back Devon Smith, but execution in all phases will be critical. In their final regular season games against Gwynn Park and Central, the Patriots had difficulties finding a good rhythm, and were held scoreless in six of those eight quarters.

Sophomore quarterback Sherrod Baltimore and receiver Alex Blake are new to Friendly this season, but they combine to form a potent scoring duo. Blake has caught 37 passes for more than 500 yards and six of the seven touchdowns that Baltimore has thrown. Baltimore has passed for 779 yards and has completed nearly 70 percent of his throws.

The running game offers many options, including senior Dewayne Price, who has team-highs in yards (621) and touchdowns (10). Navon Hobby, Jordan Haden and Isaiah Fulton also are legitimate threats.

Longtime Westlake coach Dominic Zaccarelli said the two teams aren't familiar with one another, as they have never played in the regular season.

"We know what we've seen on tape of them," said Zaccarelli. "But it's still a geographically good rivalry because we are only 20 or 30 minutes from them."

Smith and senior Evan Harris are Westlake's leading rushers at just under 1,500 combined yards. Sophomore quarterback Chris Istvan is in his first varsity season. On defense, Harris is also the team's leading tackler at linebacker, followed by junior linebacker Marcus Anderson and senior linebacker Jerrell Wilson. Junior defensive tackles Anthony Arcell and Lenny Augilliard are also having solid seasons.

The Wolverines average 36.1 points per game, but have only scored 20 points against playoff teams in their only losses to North Point and Lackey.

Senior tight end Milton Gilchrist is among the holdovers from the Patriots' 2006 title team.

"There's a lot more pressure on us to win this year," said Gilchrist. "We're really under the glass. People don't think we're competitive enough to be in the playoffs, but I feel we put in just as much work as anybody else that puts on pads. We hear it from people from our school and from other schools. It makes us strive to do better."

E-mail Adam Rubenstein at arubenstein@gazette.net.