Trib HSSN High School Football Player of the Week for Week 2

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, September 20, 2020 | 9:55 PM

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Keystone Oaks coach Greg Perry has a reputation of being a “quarterback whisperer.”

In his successful career as an assistant and head coach at Seton LaSalle and Keystone Oaks, he has coached standout scholastic quarterbacks such as Bruce Gradkowski, Bill Stull, Luke Brumbaugh, Tyler Perone and Alex Smith.

All of them were at or near the top of the WPIAL passing list.

Now four-year starter Logan Shrubb has Keystone Oaks off to a 2-0 start and is on the district’s leading passer list and leading rusher list.

“Logan is a little more unique because he is a power runner who likes contact, and he’s not just a scrambler,” Perry said. “He has athleticism like Gradkowski and Smith but is physically stronger than they were as seniors.”

On Friday, Shrubb joined on a rare list: the 200-200 club. He completed 18 of 31 passes for 226 yards and rushed for 231 yards in the Golden Eagles’ 44-36 nonconference win over Steel Valley.

“Friday he played every offensive and defensive play and didn’t flinch,” Perry said. “He’s just a great competitor who loves football.”

Before you think it was a once-in-a-lifetime game for Shrubb, he also threw and rushed for more than 200 yards two years ago in a Week 2 49-42 win over Highlands.

Perry said running the football always has been easy for Shrubb, but developing into a good passer is something he has worked hard at.

“Logan has become a better passer because I believe he is more patient in making his progressions,” Perry said.

Behind Shrubb, the Golden Eagles have scored 91 combined points in their two wins. They host Montour in a nonconference game Friday before finishing their schedule with Class 3A Northwestern 6 games.

“We are playing well, but we also realize the big dogs are around the corner,” Perry said. “We need to stay healthy to survive this conference. I like our group, and they have a great report with each other.”

Week 2 Honorable Mentions:

Breylen Carrington, Peters Township

As Rick Bell said during the HSSN broadcast of the Penn-Trafford at Peters Township game this past Friday, “Four interceptions and two pick-sixes is a nice career.”

Those career numbers were registered in one night by Peters Township senior defensive back Braylon Carrington.

Carrington picked off four Warriors passes and returned two of them for touchdowns (28 and 30 yards) as part of an defense that forced seven turnovers. But the Indians needed a late field goal to beat visiting Penn-Trafford, 24-21, in a terrific Class 5A nonconference game.

Aiden Wardzinski, Brentwood

Wardzinski rushed for 237 yards, giving the senior running back 465 yards through two games. He also scored six touchdowns on runs of 1, 30, 1, 5, 4 and 5 yards as the Spartans improved to 2-0 with a 37-20 nonconference victory over host Quaker Valley.

Cole Beck, Freedom

Whether he voted for or against a coaching change earlier in the week, Freedom quarterback Cole Beck cast a winning ballot Friday night.

A crazy week surrounding the Bulldogs football team began with the resignation of coach Greg Toney and ended with a season-saving victory to erase a lot of the turmoil around the program.

Beck connected on 18 of 28 passes for 235 yards and three touchdown passes — all to Reiker Welling — as the Bulldogs shut out host Riverside, 21-0 in a Class 2A Midwestern Athletic Conference game.

2020 HSSN Players of the Week:

Week 1: Devin Whitlock, Belle Vernon

Tags: Brentwood, Freedom, Keystone Oaks, Peters Township