Trib HSSN football player of the week for Sept. 15, 2024

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, September 15, 2024 | 8:28 PM

Purchase Photo Options

Trib HSSN football player of the week – Trey Hopper

School – Montour

Class – Senior

Height/weight – 6-foot-4, 175 pounds

Position – Quarterback

What coach says – “(Trey) got better as the game went on,” Montour coach Lou Cerro said. “He knew he made some bad reads in the first half and made up for it in the second half.

“He is still getting comfortable with the offense and tries to improve weekly. He is starting to become more vocal.

“Having the receivers we have that have a ton of experience helps. Having three returning starters on the offensive line helps him tremendously.

“Everyone wants to play, but Trey never complained and he knew it would be his job if he worked at it. It’s a long season and we hope that he keeps improving every day in all aspects of the game.”

#Earned – Trey Hopper enjoyed one of the biggest passing nights in WPIAL history in leading Montour to their third win in as many games. The senior connected on 12 of 21 passes for 436 yards. He averaged over 36 yards per completion. The first year starter threw four touchdowns, with three of them longer than 65 yards. Hopper hit senior wide receiver Daniel Batch on a first-quarter 70-yard scoring strike, connected with senior wide out James Bundridge on a 74-yard touchdown and twice hit senior wide receiver Andrew Alston on scoring passes, one from 25 yards and the other from 66 as the Spartans soared past visiting Knoch, 44-14.

Background – The 436 passing yards on Friday is the 21st most in a single game in WPIAL history with Jason Dambach of Riverside holding the district record of 551 passing yards set back in 2015. His average yards per completion following the Knoch game is 22.5 yards per pitch and catch. For the season, Hopper is 40 of 69 for 901 yards and eight touchdowns in three games. Hopper wasn’t always a big guy in the pocket. He was around 5-foot-9 when he started high school, but really shot up in size between his freshman and sophomore years. Hopper also played baseball when he was younger, but at Montour, he has only played football and basketball.

WPIAL Week 3 Honorable Mention

Tanner Pfeuffer and Ja’Vaughn Moore, Bethel Park

Encore! The dynamic duo of the highest scoring show in the WPIAL finally had a chance to perform in front of the home crowd. Following what seemed like a world tour in the first three weeks, Bethel Park returned home and continued to do what it does, wreck opposing defenses. Senior quarterback Tanner Pfeuffer was 14 of 22 passing for 250 yards and five touchdowns, plus senior running back Ja’Vaughn Moore rushed for 173 yards and two scores as the Black Hawks rolled past West Mifflin, 62-14.

Menage Lucas, Highlands

Two weeks after needing three overtimes to score 53 points in their first win of the year, Highlands’ offense exploded again in win No. 2. Senior quarterback Menage Lucas was 7 of 11 passing for 125 yards and touchdown tosses of 24 and 36 yards to Montrell Johnson and 27 yards to Darius Cherry, plus he carried the ball 12 times for 141 yards and three more scores as the Golden Rams defeated East Allegheny, 64-46.

Matt Sieg, Fort Cherry

There was concern for the defending WPIAL Class A champions when news came out that stud quarterback Matt Sieg would not be able to play quarterback because of a broken thumb. However, the junior’s running skills and a strong supporting cast have the Rangers flying high following Week 3. Sieg averaged more than 17 yards per carry when he rushed for 225 yards on only 13 totes, scoring four touchdowns as Fort Cherry won a Class A Black Hills Conference opener and improved to 4-0 with a 42-6 win over Chartiers-Houston.

2024 HSSN Players of the Week

Week 2 – Tyler Eber, Thomas Jefferson

Week 1 – Donald Barksdale, Steel Valley

Week Zero – Drew Welhorsky, South Fayette

Tags: Montour