A-K Valley high school football matchups for 2024 Week 3

By: Bill Hartlep
Wednesday, September 11, 2024 | 8:33 PM

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

Class 5A Big East Conference

Gateway (1-2, 0-0) at Kiski Area (1-2, 0-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Richard Dilts Stadium, Allegheny Township

Last week’s result: Gateway 22, Plum 15; Hempfield 31, Kiski Area 29

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Elsidro Bryant’s 14-yard TD pass to Amari Gans in the fourth quarter sealed a win for Gateway last week. Bryant finished with 256 passing yards and two scores. Gans ran for 67 yards and a score. Shawn Moorefield Jr. had seven catches for 179 yards and a score. … Kiski looks to rebound in the conference opener after falling to Hempfield on a last-minute field goal Friday. QB Carson Heinle threw for 195 yards and three touchdowns — one each to Aven Shirley, Teegan Shirley and Andrew Finney. … Gateway holds a 15-4 lead against Kiski Area in the all-time series that dates to 1972 when the Gators defeated the Cavaliers, 22-13, in the WPIAL semifinals at Three Rivers Stadium. Kiski’s last win was in 2001.

Class 5A Northeast Conference

Penn Hills (0-3, 0-0) at Fox Chapel (1-1, 0-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Burke Stadium, Fox Chapel

Last week’s result: North Allegheny 18, Penn Hills 14; Knoch at Fox Chapel, suspended

Last year’s meeting: Penn Hills 61, Fox Chapel 0

Penn Hills suffered close losses in Week Zero to Susquehanna Township, 36-30, and last week to North Allegheny, 18-14, in addition to a 26-6 setback to Woodland Hills in Week 1. QB Devin Harris stood out last week with 240 passing yards, including an 80-yard strike to Martel Palmer-Mollett, who had seven catches for 176 yards. … Fox Chapel snapped a 22-game losing streak in Week 1 and had momentum last week while leading Knoch before that game was suspended in the second quarter. QB Joe Geller and running back Victor Nernberg lead the Foxes’ offensive attack. … Penn Hills holds a 17-1 lead in the all-time series. The Foxes’ only win was 22-14 in 1997.

Shaler (2-1, 0-0) at Plum (0-3, 0-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Mustangs Stadium, Plum

Last week’s result: Shaler 33, Hampton 13; Gateway 22, Plum 15

Last year’s meeting: Shaler 28, Plum 14

The Titans got off to a strong start with wins over Butler and Hampton. Last week, Sami Tapu ran for 147 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries, and Braylon Ronel, Aaron Aversa and Joe Rispoli also ran for touchdowns. … Plum looks for a kick-start to conference play after nonconference losses to Franklin Regional, Latrobe and Gateway. Darian Nelson caught a TD pass last week, and John Nonnenberg ran for a score. Darian Slaughter came through with a safety. … Plum is 5-5 vs. Shaler in a series that dates to 1984.

Class 3A Allegheny 7 Conference

East Allegheny (0-3, 0-0) at Highlands (1-1, 0-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Golden Rams Stadium, Natrona Heights

Last week’s result: Elizabeth Forward 41, East Allegheny 14; Highlands at New Castle, suspended

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Highlands and East Allegheny clash for the first time as they open Allegheny 7 play. East Allegheny struggled to keep up with opponents in nonconference losses to South Park, Southmoreland and Elizabeth Forward. Aumar Evertt and Kam Marshall had short TD runs last week, and Cedric Mack threw for 161 yards. East Allegheny won the Allegheny 6 title last season at 5-0. … In limited time before their game was suspended last week, the Golden Rams had the ground game moving with QB Menage Lucas and running back Darius Cherry gaining 55 yards on 18 carries.

No. 1 Imani Christian (3-0, 0-0) at Valley (0-3, 0-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Memorial Stadium, New Kensington

Last week’s result: Imani Christian 42, Beaver 28; Greensburg Salem 50, Valley 14

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Imani Christian aced a test last week against Beaver and proved to be the team to beat in Class 3A. Gabriel Jenkins ran for 165 yards and a score, and Steve Vandiver ran for 107 yards and two TDs and also threw for 171 yards and a touchdown for the Saints, who were a second-place team in the Class 2A Allegheny last year before bumping up in class. … Valley struggled to slow down the Greensburg Salem attack in the first half last week. QB Mason Simmons threw for 175 yards and a touchdown to Zay Farron, and Nicholas Heakins added a 9-yard TD run for the Vikings, who were 0-5 in conference play last fall.

Class A Eastern Conference

Riverview (1-1, 0-0) at Leechburg (3-0, 0-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Veterans Memorial Field, Leechburg

Last week’s result: Cornell 52, Riverview 9; Leechburg 48, Serra Catholic 27

Last year’s meeting: Leechburg 29, Riverview 28

Riverview holds a 29-15-2 lead over Leechburg in the all-time series, though the Blue Devils have won each of the last six seasons, including last year’s 29-28 thriller at Riverside Park when Leechburg had to stop a Raiders’ 2-point conversion try to win the game. … Riverview comes off a blowout loss to Cornell where it allowed two kickoff return touchdowns in the first quarter. The Raiders got a 47-yard field goal from Drew Hunter as well as a 4-yard TD pass from Rio Stotts to Max Cratt. Leechburg fired on all cylinders in the early-season wins over Apollo-Ridge, Beth-Center and Serra Catholic. Tim Andrasy had a 42-yard interception return last week to lead the defense. Jayden Floyd ran for 254 yards and four touchdowns to pace the Blue Devils.

Brentwood (1-2, 0-0) vs. Springdale (0-2, 0-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Freeport Area Athletic Stadium, Buffalo Township

Last week’s result: Brentwood 21, Sto-Rox 14; Avella 44, Springdale 0

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Brentwood is a newcomer to the Class A Eastern Conference. The Spartans started with blowout losses to Yough and South Allegheny but got on the winning track last Friday with a win over Sto-Rox. Forrest Betz had an 88-yard kickoff return for a score and also found the end zone on a 10-yard pass from Colton Rosing. … The Dynamos seek their first points of the season after shutout losses to Chartiers-Houston and Avella. They play this week’s home game at Freeport.

Nonconference

Apollo-Ridge (0-2) at Carlynton (2-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Honus Wagner Stadium, Carnegie

Last week’s result: Greensburg C.C. at Apollo-Ridge, suspended; South Allegheny 37, Carlynton 13

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Apollo-Ridge has one more nonconference test before starting Class 2A Allegheny Conference play next week at Shady Side Academy. The Vikings trailed 28-21 last week before their game against GCC was suspended because of lightning. QB Alex Clawson had completed 18 of 19 passes for 237 yards and touchdowns to Jaden McCray and David Cochran. McCray also scored on a 3-yard run. Apollo-Ridge has played Carlynton twice, winning 21-18 in 2018 and 22-7 in 2019. … Carlynton now has the longest playoff drought among active WPIAL schools, last making the postseason in 2001. The Cougars have wins over Carrick and Avella this season, leaning on QB Devonte Dean. He ran for 29 yards and threw for 67 and a touchdown last week. Receiver Mark Jameson caught four passes for 61 yards and a score.

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.

Knoch (1-1) at 2-4A Montour (2-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Thomas J. Birko Memorial Stadium, Robinson

Last week’s result: Knoch at Fox Chapel, suspended; Montour 14, Trinity 7

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Knoch has quite a nonconference tune-up scheduled against the No. 2-ranked team in Class 4A. Knoch has a win over North Catholic this season. Last week’s game with Fox Chapel was canceled because of lightning. The Knights will try to lean on a balanced offensive attack led by QB Colt Sprankle and running backs Codi Mullen and Sam Skurka. … Montour comes off a win over Trinity where QB Trey Hopper threw for 130 yards and a score, and Caden Halajcio ran for 138 yards. … Montour has a 9-3 record all-time vs. Knoch. The last Knights win was in 2003. Knoch lost to Montour, 42-14, in the 2011 Class 3A title game, the last time an A-K Valley team played for a WPIAL title.

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Brentwood, Burrell, Carlynton, East Allegheny, Fox Chapel, Gateway, Highlands, Imani Christian, Kiski Area, Knoch, Leechburg, Montour, Penn Hills, Plum, Riverview, Shaler, Springdale, Valley