Westmoreland County don’t miss high school football matchups for 2022 Week 4

By: Paul Schofield
Wednesday, September 21, 2022 | 7:56 PM

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Class 4A Big Seven Conference

Laurel Highlands (2-2, 0-1) at Latrobe (2-2, 0-1)

7 p.m., Friday, Memorial Stadium, Latrobe

Both teams are coming off conference opening losses. Laurel Highlands was blanked by McKeesport, 33-0, and Latrobe was beaten by Thomas Jefferson, 31-21. The Wildcats have dropped their past two games. The teams haven’t met since 1999. Latrobe leads the series 10-7, but Laurel Highlands has won the last five meetings. The first meeting was 1980 and the Wildcats won, 22-16. … The Mustangs’ offense couldn’t get untracked against the Tigers’ swarming defense. Quarterback Rodney Gallagher, a West Virginia commit, was held to 21 yards rushing and completed 4 of 13 passes for 86 yards and two interceptions. Gallagher has rushed for seven touchdowns and thrown for five. Antwan Black and Keondre DeShields each have three touchdowns. Latrobe’s Robby Fulton rushed for 196 yards and two touchdowns against Thomas Jefferson. He has rushed for 695 yards and 11 touchdowns. H-back Corey Boerio has five catches for 72 yards and two touchdowns.

Class 2A Allegheny Conference

Apollo-Ridge (2-2, 0-1) at Derry (0-4, 0-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Trojan Stadium, Derry

Apollo-Ridge has dropped two in a row after a 2-0 start. The Vikings fell to Ligonier Valley last week, 28-14, as the Rams ran the ball effectively. Dom Curci had two touchdowns and Gage Johnston passed for 104 yards in the loss. … Derry had a 10-7 lead at Yough but could not hold back the Cougars in a 13-10 loss to keep the Trojans winless. Nate Gray kicked a 22-yard field goal and Damari Robinson ran for a touchdown in the defeat. The Trojans have scored just 41 points, 14 at home.

1-Steel Valley (3-0, 1-0) at Ligonier Valley (3-1, 1-0)

7 p.m., Friday, Weller Field, Ligonier

The series between the teams is 1-1 with the Ironmen winning 40-0 in 2021 and the Rams, 28-26, in 2020. The Ironmen opened conference play with a 56-6 demolition of Imani Christian. The Rams defeated Apollo-Ridge, 28-14, on the road. … Quarterback Cruce Brookins has scored 11 touchdowns in three games and rushed for more than 400 yards to pace the Ironmen. Running backs Quaron Pierce, Jesean Wright and Donald Barksdale have rushed for more 100 yards this season. Ligonier Valley running back Haden Sierocky has rushed for 463 yards and six touchdowns, caught 11 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns, has three interceptions, three fumble recoveries and has two returns for touchdowns. Running back John Jablunovsky has rushed for 351 yards and four touchdowns.

Yough (2-2, 1-0) at Burrell (3-1, 0-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Buccaneer Stadium, Lower Burrell

The Bucs hung with Serra Catholic through the first two quarters last Friday, but the Eagles scored 21 straight points in the third quarter to take control in a 38-20 win. Devin Beattie (19 carries, 142 yards) and Mason Jones (14-89) continued Burrell’s strength in the ground game with first-quarter rush scores. Jones also recovered a fumble and returned it 60 yards for a TD in the fourth quarter. Burrell has 1,163 total rush yards and just 38 yards passing. … Yough evened its overall record in its conference debut last Friday with a close 13-10 victory over Derry. The Cougars have won two in a row. Yough rallied in the fourth quarter to win on a Gavin Roebuck 63-yard run. Raidon Kuroda threw for 176 yards, including an 87-yard TD to Antonio Marra. Burrell leads the all-time series 7-2. Burrell’s original athletic director, Bob Haser, and Yough coach John Bruno co-founded the Keystone Conference in the 1970-71 school year. Prior to 1975, schools made up their own conferences. This is the first conference game between the two schools since 1976.

Class A Eastern Conference

Greensburg C.C. (2-2, 0-0) at Springdale (0-4, 0-1)

7 p.m. Friday, at Veterans Memorial Field, Springdale

It was a tough go of it last week for Springdale, which suffered a 77-0 loss at the hands of Leechburg. The young Dynamos squad was paced by the running of sophomore Colton Gent, who rushed 14 times for 38 yards. … GCC gave up 55 points to Washington last Friday in a 55-27 loss after scoring 57 the week before in a victory over West Greene. GCC quarterback Tyree Turner had a strong game in the loss to the Little Prexies. He completed 16 of 26 passes for 219 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. Amari Mack caught five balls for 103 yards and two scores, while Dasjon Craggette complemented the passing game with 19 carries for 121 yards. GCC leads Springdale, 12-5, in a series that dates to 1990. The Centurions won last year’s meeting, 35-0.

Class A Tri-County South

California (4-0, 1-0) at Monessen (2-2, 1-1)

7 p.m., Friday, Memorial Stadium, Monessen

The Trojans have opened the season by running roughshod over four opponents. They are averaging 54.3 points per game and opened conference play with a 44-6 win against Jefferson-Morgan. They Greyhounds have won their past two games to even their record. They averaged 42 points in those games and are coming off a 42-9 win against Bentworth. … Spencer Petrucci has scored 10 touchdowns – eight rushing and two receiving – this season for California while quarterback Jake Layhue rushed for a team-high 455 yards and six touchdowns and completed 19 of 33 passes for 338 yards and five scores. Tyvaughn Kershaw scored on runs of 31, 51 and 6 yards, and Daevon Burke ran 5 yards for a score and returned a punt 75 yards for another score to lead Monessen.

Nonconference

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

7 p.m. Friday, Thomas Jefferson stadium, Jefferson Hills

Belle Vernon saw a 19-game home winning streak come to an end as Penn-Trafford edged past the Leopards, 14-13. Belle Vernon took a 13-7 lead into the fourth quarter. Quinton Martin, Pennsylvania’s top college prospect for 2024, had a 50-yard touchdown run and rushed for 76 yards. Jake Gedekoh scored on a 40-yard run, but the 3A newcomer Leopards missed the extra point. … Thomas Jefferson lost twice to Belle Vernon last year, 28-21 in Week 4 and 21-7 in the WPIAL 4A semifinals. Last week, the Jaguars pushed past upstart Latrobe, 31-21, as Brody Evans threw for 213 yards and three touchdowns and Aidan Whalen ran for 112 yards and a score.

East Allegheny (3-1) at Greensburg Salem (3-1)

7 p.m., Friday, Offutt Field, Greensburg

This will be a good tune-up for both teams before they start conference play Sept.30. This is the first meeting between the teams. East Allegheny bounced back after a loss to Elizabeth Forward by defeating South Allegheny, 33-14. Greensburg Salem won its third consecutive game by rallying to defeat Deer Lakes, 28-14. … East Allegheny’s Lorenzo Fancher scored on runs of 59 and 41 yards and ended up rushing for 119 yards on five carries. Quarterback Michael Cahill completed 9 of 25 passes for 137 yards and two scores against South Allegheny. Greensburg Salem quarterback Cody Rubrecht rushed for 168 yards and scored on runs of 4, 11, 20 and 62 yards. Running back Kai Brunot chipped in with 77 yards on the ground.

Jeannette (1-3) at Charleroi (0-3)

7 p.m., Friday, Cougar Stadium, Fallowfield

Back in 1956, quarterback Dick Hoak helped lead Jeannette to a game-winning field goal and a 16-13 victory against Charleroi in the WPIAL Class A championship game at Latrobe. Jeannette defeated Frazier, 60-14, for its first win of the season and for new coach Tom Paulone Jr. Charleroi dropped its third consecutive game to begin the season, 82-7, against Sto-Rox. Jeannette leads the series, 15-6. The Jayhawks won the previous meeting, 62-27, in 2013. … Jeannette used a quick start as Michael Mason and Noah Sanders each scored three touchdowns and quarterback Payton Molter threw a touchdown pass and rushed for two scores. Gianni Pelligrini has scored the Cougars’ only touchdown of the season. Taylor Ramsdell had the extra point. Mark Gambino is a first-year coach, taking over for Brady Barbero.

Mt. Pleasant (3-1) at Freeport (3-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Freeport Athletic Stadium, Freeport

Mt. Pleasant has established a sound rushing attack, producing over 350 yards per game, including 398 last week in a 40-13 win at Valley for its third straight win. Two-sport standout Robbie Labuda had 325 all-purpose yards, including 203 rushing, and scored twice. QB Cole Chatfield had three completions, all for touchdowns. … Freeport was bouncing along nicely at 3-0 until it was thumped last week at Armstrong, 49-7. Freeport led 7-0 on a 69-yard touchdown run by Ben Lane, but then it was all River Hawks, who did all of their damage in three quarters and produced two 100-yard rushers and allowed 294 yards passing and four TDs to Cadin Olsen.

Southmoreland (2-2) at Deer Lakes (1-3)

7 p.m. Friday, Lancer Stadium, West Deer

Southmoreland is becoming a passing team and that is just fine for the Scotties, who evened their record with a 33-24 win over visiting Knoch. Ty Keffer, a newcomer at receiver, pulled in a career-high nine receptions for 159 yards and two touchdowns and Kadin Keefer was 13 of 18 for 167 yards in the win. Keffer also had an 87-yard pick-six on defense as the Scotties won two in a row. … Greensburg Salem downed Deer Lakes, 28-14, despite a 7-7 first half. The Lancers gave up big plays to Cody Rubrecht, who ran for 168 yards and scored four touchdowns. Derek Burk threw for 148 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted twice. The Lancers are scoring 21.3 points and allowing 20.3.

Woodland Hills (2-2) at Norwin (1-3)

7 p.m. Friday, Norwin Knights Stadium, North Huntingdon

While Woodland Hills is young, it has athletes like usual and can move the football. Freshman QB Cameron Walter threw for 110 yards and a touchdown and Frankie Keyes ran for a score in last week’s 14-0 win over North Hills. Also keep an eye on Will “Scoop” Smith, a freshman wide receiver for the Wolverines. … Norwin took a step back after its first win of the season, falling 42-13 to Plum in the Big East Conference opener. The Knights are allowing 30.8 points, the most in the conference. Jackson Pons has been a bright spot, playing wide receiver and some quarterback to try to spark the offense. Freshman Tristyn Tavares has been starting behind center.

Franklin Regional (2-1) at Shaler (2-2)

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

After pulling the stunner of Week 3, Franklin Regional will look to keep the momentum going. The Panthers upset No. 1 Gateway, 16-7, behind a physical, repetitive ground attack led by Zach Brewszka and Roman Sarnic, who combined for nearly 300 yards on the ground. Breszka had 142 yards on 30 carries and a touchdown and Sarnic 126 yards on 29 attempts. Gateway had three interceptions, lost a fumble and had a punt blocked. … Shaler’s feel-good turnaround story hit a bump as storybook Hempfield rumbled to a 48-7 win over the Titans, whose Saturday homecoming game is a tradition. The Titans’ big play last week was an 89-yard strike from Keegan Smetanka to Kaden Orga, but it didn’t come until the fourth quarter. Shaler was looking to go to 3-1 for the first time since 2009.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Belle Vernon, California, Charleroi, Deer Lakes, Derry Area, East Allegheny, Franklin Regional, Freeport, Greensburg Salem, Jeannette, Latrobe, Laurel Highlands, Ligonier Valley, Monessen, Mt. Pleasant, Norwin, Shaler, Southmoreland, Steel Valley, Thomas Jefferson, Woodland Hills