Westmoreland County don’t miss high school football matchups for 2021 Week 4

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, September 22, 2021 | 6:30 PM

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Class 6A

Hempfield (2-2, 0-1) at 2-Mt. Lebanon (4-0, 1-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Mt. Lebanon Stadium

Mt. Lebanon continued its sound defensive play as it held back Canon-McMillan for a 37-7 victory. The Blue Devils have three shutouts — also against Bethel Park and Peters Township — and have allowed just 13 points, the fewest in 6A. Big-armed QB Joey Daniels hooked up Eli Heidenreich last week for touchdown passes of 88 and 32 yards. Alex Tecza ran for two scores including a 64-yarder. … Hempfield could not follow up its best game of the season, a 30-28 win over Franklin Regional, and was flattened at Seneca Valley, 49-0. It gave up 27 points in the second quarter after a 0-0 first. A running game that looked like it was revving up against Franklin Regional was limited against the Raiders. Mt. Lebanon beat the Spartans last year 52-26. … The game was moved to Mt. Lebanon because of construction on Hempfield’s track.

Class 4A Big Eight Conference

1-Thomas Jefferson (3-0, 1-0) at 2-Belle Vernon (3-0, 1-0)

7 p.m. Friday, James Weir Stadium, Rostraver

The top teams in Class 4A clash on “the Beach” for the top spot in the classification and conference. This might not be the only time these teams will meet. This has been an interesting rivalry dating to when the late Belmar coach Bap Manzini was passed over by the Belle Vernon School District when the merger of Bellmar and Rostraver occurred in 1965. Manzini went on to coach Thomas Jefferson. … Thomas Jefferson is the reigning WPIAL and PIAA champion. TJ defeated Belle Vernon, 42-21, last season. TJ has won the past five meetings. Running back Conner Murga has rushed for 296 yards, 209 coming last week against Trinity. Belle Vernon quarterback Devin Whitlock has completed 30 of 40 passes for 400 yards and rushed for a team-high 369 yards and seven touchdowns.

Class 4A Greater Allegheny Conference

Indiana (3-1, 1-0) at Greensburg Salem (3-1, 1-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Offutt Field, Greensburg

Greensburg Salem and Indiana are riding three-game winning streaks heading into this crucial conference battle. The Golden Lions have defeated Connellsville, Mt. Pleasant and Knoch after dropping the season opener to Hempfield. Indiana has beaten Valley, Derry and Plum after losing to Ligonier Valley in the season opener. … The Greensburg Salem duo of quarterback Hayden Teska and wide receiver Cody Rubrecht have connected for five touchdowns, and running back Rashad Canady is coming off a three-touchdown, 105-yard rushing game. Indiana quarterback Devin Flint has rushed for 404 yards and scored seven touchdowns. Indiana has three players who have rushed for more than 298 yards in four games.

Class 3A Interstate Conference

Yough (0-4, 0-1) at South Allegheny (0-4, 0-1)

7 p.m. Friday, South Allegheny Stadium, Glassport

It has been a struggle for Yough, which is still trying to find an offensive identity through four weeks of the season. While the defense tightened some last week in a 14-0 loss to South Park, the Cougars have given up 135 points, second most in the conference, and have been shut out three times while managing just six points. … Also winless, South Allegheny put up a season-high 19 points against Southmoreland after losing a tight nonconference game the week before to Ringgold, 12-10. Akell Carrington caught a 42-yard touchdown pass from Eric Wehrer last week, but the Gladiators could not slow Southmoreland’s spread offense.

Class A Eastern Conference

Jeannette (1-3, 1-0) at Imani Christian (1-2, 0-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Graham Field, Wilkinsburg

A recent rivalry of sorts that saw these teams meet in the WPIAL championship in 2017 at Robert Morris, the Jayhawks and Saints have fallen on hard times. The teams have a combined 44 players. Jeannette actually gained two players recently to raise its total to 28. Imani, though, was down to 12 players last week after a flu bug hit the team and forced a forfeit to Greensburg Central Catholic. Jeannette picked up its first win — and 767th in program history — with a convicing 28-6 victory over Riverview. Senior quarterback Tyler Horn threw for two touchdowns, ran for another and had a pick-six on defense.

Greensburg C.C. (3-1, 1-0) at 3-Bishop Canevin (4-0, 1-0)

7 p.m. Saturday, Dormont Stadium, Dormont

After an unexpected “bye week” because of the forfeit by Imani Christian, GCC returns to action eager to develop continuity. Centurions coaches scouted Bishop Canevin last week instead of playing. They rotated quarterbacks Nate Dlugos and Tyree Turner in practice last week. Both played in a 33-7 win at Apollo-Ridge, with Turner sparking a better second half. Receivers are a big part of the attack. Watch Amari Mack and Joe Blahovec, among others. … Defensive-minded Bishop Canevin held off Springdale, 13-10, to stay unbeaten. The Crusaders won depite not scoring in the second half. Jason Cross was 9 of 13 for 115 yards and two touchdowns, including a 38-yard throw to Xavier Nelson. Bishop Canevin shut out Frazier and Carlynton by a combined score of 71-0 to start the season.

Class A Tri-County South Conference

Jefferson-Morgan (1-3, 1-0) at Monessen (2-2, 1-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Memorial Stadium, Monessen

Both teams are coming off wins. Monessen pounded Bentworth, 50-7, and Jefferson Morgan blanked Avella, 32-0. The Greyhounds have won two consecutive games for the first time since 2018 when Belle Vernon’s Devin Whitlock was the Greyhounds’ quarterback. … Jefferson Morgan is led by quarterback Cole Jones, who has rushed for 144 yards and completed 19 of 39 passes for 354 yards. Cole Fowler is the leading receiver with 10 catches for 205 yards. Monessen quarterback Lorenzo Gardner completed 8 of 15 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns against Bentworth, and running back Antony Crews rushed for 104 yards and three touchdowns .

Nonconference

Penn-Trafford (2-2) at Shaler (2-2)

1:30 p.m. Saturday, Titan Stadium, Shaler

A rare Saturday game for Penn-Trafford will be an opportunity for the Warriors to rebound from another rarity: two straight losses. That hasn’t happened since they dropped games to Norwin and Gateway to open the 2018 season. The Warriors produced two 100-yard rushers, Cade Yacamelli (134 yards) and Carter Green (109), but fell in an early 12-0 hole and allowed 20 fourth-quarter points, still unable to solve the Indians. … Shaler is used to hosting Saturday afternoon games for its homecoming festivities. The Titans started with back-to-back wins, over New Castle (37-20) and Mars (25-6), before dropping two in a row to Hampton (41-38) and West Allegheny (24-0). Penn-Trafford handled the Titans last year, 50-0, in Harrison City.

Bethel Park (1-3) at Franklin Regional (1-3)

7 p.m. Friday, Franklin Regional Panthers Stadium, Murrysville

It’s not the start either team hoped for. Bethel Park defeated Baldwin, 35-0, in Week 1, but it has dropped games to Mt. Lebanon, Canon-McMillan and Gateway. Franklin Regional opened the season by defeating Plum, but it has dropped three consecutive games despite having a fourth-quarter lead in all three. The Panthers could be 4-0. … Bethel Park quarterback Matt Blanc has completed 43 of 84 passes for 656 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Troy Volpatti has rushed for 319 yards and caught 12 passes for 183 yards and seven touchdowns. Franklin Regional’s Caden Smith has completed 4 of 5 passes for 228 yards and three touchdowns. He also has 16 catches for 197 yards. Quarterback Connor Donnelly has completed 20 of 34 passes for 188 yards.

Latrobe (2-2) at South Fayette (3-1)

7 p.m. Friday, South Fayette Stadium, McDonald

It’s the final nonconference tune-up for both squads before opening conference action. This will be a contrast of offenses. Latrobe features a strong offensive line and running game. South Fayette likes to throw the ball with a complex passing attack. … Latrobe features a strong one-two running punch of Drake Clayton (447 yards, four touchdowns) and Kyle Brewer (182 yards, nine touchdowns). Starting quarterback Bobby Fetter has been sidelined with a shoulder injury since Week 1. He could return this season. South Fayette quarterback Landon Lutz has completed 44 of 71 passes for 576 yards and four touchdowns. Running back Nathaniel Deans has rushed for 343 yards and has five catches for 63 yards.

Carrick (0-4) at Ligonier Valley (4-0)

7 p.m. Friday at Weller Field, Ligonier

Carrick’s struggles continue this season as the Raiders have opened the season with four consecutive losses. They were beaten by South Side, 46-0. One of their losses was by forfeit. Ligonier Valley has been on a roll, opening the season by defeating Class 4A Indiana and 3A Elizabeth Forward on the road. This is the Rams’ third consecutive home game. … Carrick is led by wide receiver VaShawn Howard and running back Tay’Ron Ross. Ligonier Valley must overcome the loss of quarterback Haden Sierocky, who injured his left arm. The Rams will rely on running back Nick Beitel and backup quarterback Broderick Schreyer. Jude Grzywinski intercepted a screen pass and returned it for a touchdown.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Belle Vernon, Bethel Park, Bishop Canevin, Carrick, Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Imani Christian, Indiana, Jeannette, Jefferson-Morgan, Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Monessen, Mt. lebanon, Penn-Trafford, Shaler, South Allegheny, South Fayette, Thomas Jefferson, Yough