Westmoreland County high school football matchups for 2024 Week 3

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, September 11, 2024 | 8:31 PM

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Here’s a look at the don’t-miss matchups for Westmoreland County in Week 3 of the 2024 season:

Class 6A

No. 1 North Allegheny (3-0) at Hempfield (1-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Spartan Stadium, Hempfield

Last week’s result: North Allegheny 18, Penn Hills 14; Hempfield 31, Kiski Area 29

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Top-ranked North Allegheny has wins over St. Frances (Md.), Gateway and Penn Hills so far. In last week’s win, Brady Brinkly threw for a score and ran for another to lead the Tigers. Kicker Peter Notaro, an Alabama commit, kicked field goals of 53, 52 and 30 yards. … Hempfield received a shot in the arm with the return of quarterback Dom Detruf, who has thrown for nearly 600 yards and six touchdowns in two starts. Sawyer Leuthold kicked the go-ahead field goal, a 26-yarder with 38 seconds left, in the come-from-behind win over Kiski Area.

No. 5 Seneca Valley (0-2) at No. 3 Norwin (2-1)

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

Last week’s result: Pine-Richland at Seneca Valley postponed; Latrobe 42, Norwin 28

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Two playoff contenders open conference play in the seven-team 6A conference. … Lightning delays and rain cut last week’s game short for Seneca Valley. The Raiders lost to Bethel Park (50-14) and North Hills (13-6) to start the season. Against North Hills, they managed only 35 passing yards. Andrew Loebig and Jack Martin had touchdowns in the loss. … Norwin, which hadn’t started 2-0 in a decade, struggled to slow down the run against Latrobe and took its first loss of the season. Norwin cut the lead to 21-14 after forcing a fumble and having Tristyn Tavares score on a 10-yard run. Tavares threw two TD passes in the fourth quarter, but the Knights could not rally. Tavares was 16 of 32 for 273 yards, and Jake Knight had five catches for 106 yards.

Class 5A Big East Conference

Woodland Hills (1-2) at Penn-Trafford (2-1)

7:30 p.m. Friday, Warrior Stadium, Harrison City

Last week’s results: Central Catholic 54, Woodland Hills 14; Penn-Trafford 14, Moon 7

Last year’s meeting: Penn-Trafford 28, Woodland Hills 26

Penn-Trafford leads the all-time series 7-4 and has won the past six meetings. Three of Woodland Hills’ wins came in the WPIAL playoffs. … Woodland Hills’ only touchdowns against Central Catholic came on returns — a 98-yard interception return by Malik McCloud and a 102-yard fumble return by D.J. Dutrieuille. Wide receiver Scoop Smith is a weapon in the passing game, and quarterback Cam Walter is effective with his arm and legs. … Penn-Trafford running back Tasso Whipple has three consecutive 100-yard plus games this season and quarterback Jonny Lovre is starting to find his groove. Tyler Boss and Dom Smith came up with big defensive games to preserve the win against Moon.

Class 2A Allegheny Conference

Shady Side Academy (1-2) at Ligonier Valley (1-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Weller Field, Ligonier

Last week’s results: Clairton 50, Shady Side Academy 0; Jeannette 34, Ligonier Valley 27

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Shady Side Academy has allowed 90 points in three games, including 50 in the first half against Clairton. … Ligonier Valley won the previous meetings, 26-25 in 2021 and 53-48 in 2020. … SSA’s offensive weapons include running back Darrin Haynes, wide receiver Jalen Bey and quarterback Cam Mallory. Haynes rushed for 206 yards against Greensburg Central Catholic and 178 yards against Burrell. … Ligonier Valley senior running back John Jablunovsky rushed for 202 yards and three touchdowns in a loss to Jeannette. He scored on an 82-yard run against Greensburg Salem. Duncan Foust rushed for 96 yards against Jeannette.

Class A Black Hills Conference

Serra Catholic (0-3) at Monessen (3-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Memorial Stadium, Monessen

Last week’s results: Leechburg 48, Serra Catholic 27; Monessen 56, Beth-Center 30

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Serra Catholic started the 2023 season by losing its first four games then rallied to win five in a row and make the WPIAL playoffs. The Eagles have allowed 153 points (51.0 per game) this season. Senior wide receiver De’reon Washington has eight catches for 159 yards from senior quarterback Quadir Stribling. Washington scored touchdowns three different ways against Leechburg. … Monessen is off to a great start. The Greyhounds have scored 177 points (59.0 per game), and junior running TyVaughn Kershaw has been unstoppable. He scored six touchdowns — three rushing, two receiving and one interception return — against Beth-Center. He rushed for 149 yards and caught two touchdown passes. Tim Kershaw had a 75-yard kickoff return for a score.

Class A Eastern Conference

Frazier (1-2) at Jeannette (3-0)

7 p.m. Friday, McKee Stadium, Jeannette

Last week’s result: Carmichaels 50, Frazier 20; Jeannette 34, Ligonier Valley 27

Last year’s meeting: Jeannette 54, Frazier 0

Frazier, which won just one conference game last season, has scored 72 points and allowed 70 in the first three weeks of the season. The Commodores gave up five touchdown passes to Carmichaels. … Unbeaten Jeannette hopes to open conference play on a high note after holding back Ligonier Valley in a back-and-forth matchup of county teams. Two players were ejected last week and will have to serve a one-game suspension. Quarterback Kymon’e Brown and Jayce Powell continue to power the offense with big plays. Brown, who had shared snaps with Markus McGowan, ran for 237 yards and two TDs last week, and Noah Sunder had a TD catch.

Greensburg Central Catholic (1-1) at No. 2 Clairton (3-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Neil C. Brown Stadium, Clairton

Last week’s result: Clairton 50, Shady Side Academy 0; Greensburg Central Catholic at Apollo-Ridge, postponed

Last year’s meeting: Clairton 40, Greensburg Central Catholic 28

This conference opener will be played at Thomas Jefferson because Clairton’s home field is undergoing renovations. Clairton has been untouchable so far, outscoring teams 123-7. Last week’s game was called at halftime with pending weather. Quarterback Jeff Thompson has thrown for 562 yards and seven touchdowns. Tailback Drahcir Jones has 172 yards and three TDs, and Taris Wooding has 10 receptions for 151 yards. … Weather forced GCC and Apollo-Ridge to cancel last week and wipe out a first half worth of statistics. GCC is scoring 40 points a game and allowing 38. Samir Crosby is 20 of 40 for 367 yards and four touchdowns and has rushed for 412 yards and seven scores. Landon Honick leads the Centurions with 11 receptions for 222 yards and three TDs. Crosby also is the leading tackler with 26 stops.

Nonconference

Belle Vernon (1-0) at McKeesport (0-3)

7 p.m. Friday, Weigle-Schaeffer Stadium, McKeesport

Last week’s results: Thomas Jefferson 34, McKeesport 31 (OT); Belle Vernon 23, Central Valley 17

Last year’s result: McKeesport 21, Belle Vernon 14 (OT)

McKeesport blew a three-touchdown first-half lead and lost to Thomas Jefferson in overtime. Running back Kemon Spell ran for two touchdowns and has five on the season. Anthony Cromerdie returned an interception for a score. The Tigers are having problems stopping the run. … Belle Vernon finally got to play a game after getting rained out in Week 1 at Aliquippa. Three Leopards scored against Central Valley, including a 96-yard kickoff return by Kole Doppelheuer, who rushed for 66 yards. Quarterback Curtis Wade rushed for 66 yards and a touchdown and completed 7 of 12 passes for 63 yards. Anthony Crews rushed for a score and caught three passes for 31 yards, and Preston Rathway kicked a 33-yard field goal.

Blackhawk (1-2) at Southmoreland (3-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Russ Grimm Field, Alverton

Last week’s result: North Catholic 33, Blackhawk 32; Southmoreland 49, Laurel Highlands 13

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

This marks one of two more nonconference matchups for each team before the start of conference play. Blackhawk was stunned by North Catholic in a game that was plagued by inclement weather last Friday and finished Saturday. North Catholic scored on a touchdown pass with about two minutes left. Brayden McCarthy rushed for 118 yards and scored three touchdowns in the loss, and Stephen Knally passed for 171 yards. … Southmoreland continued its hot start, scoring 42 straight points en route to a third straight blowout. Freshman quarterback Anthony Smith was 12 of 16 for 281 yards and three touchdowns. Elliot Premus had four catches for 138 yards, Makel Darnell had a receiving and a punt-return touchdown and Jackson Mickens caught two scores. A sound pass rush has complemented the offense.

Derry (1-2) at Burrell (0-3)

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

Last week’s results: Deer Lakes 34, Derry 12; Mt. Pleasant 23, Burrell 13

Last year’s meeting: Derry 29, Burrell 22

Derry couldn’t slow down the Deer Lakes offense and dropped a tough game. Damauri Robinson scored his fourth touchdown of the season on a 13-yard run and Brady Brown scored his first, also on a 13-yard run. Max Doperak caught a touchdown pass against Freeport. … Burrell has scored only four times this season. Quarterback Stephen Hasson rushed for a touchdown and threw for a score against Mt. Pleasant. He completed 8 of 17 passes for 104 yards and two interceptions. Talan Newcomer, Liam Kasavage and Trey Coury scored for the Bucs.

Greensburg Salem (3-0) at Ringgold (1-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Joe Montana Stadium, Monongahela

Last week’s results: Greensburg Salem 50, Valley 14; Ringgold 21, Yough 19

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Long-suffering Ringgold snapped the WPIAL’s longest active losing streak (27 games) as it rallied past Yough. The Rams scored twice in the fourth quarter. They had not won since Sept. 24, 2021. Receiver Demetri Lowe has six touchdowns in three games. … Greensburg Salem, which has yet to play a road game this season, continued its best start since 2011 with a commanding win over Valley as four players rushed for 60 or more yards. Kai Brunot had two rushing touchdowns and a blocked punt to set up another, and Peyton Chismar and Brody Chismar each threw and ran for scores.

Mt. Pleasant (2-1) at Ambridge (1-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Moe Robenstein Stadium, Ambridge

Last week’s result: Mt. Pleasant 23, Burrell 13; Hopewell 35, Ambridge 34 (OT)

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

After having its Week 1 matchup against Laurel Highlands postponed by inclement weather, Ambridge was in position to post its first win of the season but allowed a score and conversion run in overtime and fell to Hopewell. Zavion Lewis scored for the Bridgers in OT. He rushed for 167 yards and two touchdowns. … Mt. Pleasant finally gained some separation and kept it against Burrell after losing 28-27 to Jeannette and defeating Greensburg Central Catholic, 35-34. Jarret Garn ran for a career-high 134 yards and two touchdowns to pace the Vikings, who use multiple rushers out of their wing-T formation. Burrell led 13-10 in the second quarter.

New Castle (2-0) at Yough (2-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Cougar Mountain, Herminie

Last week’s results: New Castle-Highlands, ppd., lightning; Ringgold 21, Yough 19

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

New Castle is unbeaten and is led by quarterback Kyrell Harris, who has rushed for 96 yards and completed 27 of 35 passes for 417 yards and five touchdowns. His main targets are Nate Knight (10 catches for 271 yards and three touchdowns) and Chase Lemmon (11 catches for 146 yards and three scores). Running back Kaevon Gardner has rushed for 230 yards and scored five touchdowns. … The Cougars were moments away from being undefeated but gave up two fourth-quarter scores against Ringgold. Yough has rushed for more than 253 yards in every game this season. Quarterback Raidon Kuroda rushed for 172 yards and a score and completed 6 of 17 passes for 57 yards and two touchdowns to Ryan Sarver, who had four catches for 39 yards. Aiden Thornton rushed for 81 yards.

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

Tags: Ambridge, Belle Vernon, Blackhawk, Burrell, Clairton, Derry Area, Frazier, Greensburg C.C., Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Jeannette, Ligonier Valley, McKeesport, Monessen, Mt. Pleasant, New Castle, North Allegheny, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Ringgold, Seneca Valley, Serra Catholic, Shady Side Academy, Southmoreland, Woodland Hills, Yough