Scholastic Notebook – 09/25/2015

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, September 25, 2015 | 2:00 PM

It’s a Zane-y world out there in WPIAL football so far this season.

After the first three weeks of the season, Zane Dudek is atop the WPIAL in rushing yards – and also points scored. Dudek is a 5-foot-10, 180-pound junior running back at Armstrong High School. This is Armstrong’s first year of existence after Ford City and Kittanning merged to form Armstrong. Dudek is certainly bringing some attention to the Riverhawks.

Dudek has rushed for 736 yards on 67 carries, an average of 10.9 yards a carry. No other WPIAL running back has 600 yards rushing. Dudek is tied for the scoring lead with Beth-Center’s Tony Welsh at 72 points.

The regular season still has six weeks remaining. It will be interesting to see if Dudek can stay on top in both categories. Over the past 30 years, one player has led the WPIAL in rushing and scoring 12 times. But only six times has that player been in Class AAA or AAAA (Armstrong is AAA). They are West Mifflin’s James Wheeler (2013), Mount Lebanon’s Brian Young (2001), Connellsville’s Marcus Furman (1999), Franklin Regional’s Dave Campbell (1998), Valley’s Brandon Williams (1997) and Laurel Highlands’ Jim Smith (1989).

Dudek’s next game is Friday against Hampton. Will Dudek find the going rough? Hampton is 3-0.

Burns Burns the Carries

To say Hunter Burns has been a workhorse for Deer Lakes would the classic understatement.

Burns is the second-leading rusher in the WPIAL with 597 yards, but he has 100 carries. No other WPIAL running back has more than 74.

Burns is averaging 33.3 carries a game. Of the 38 running backs averaging 100 yards a game rushing, eight have 33 carries or fewer for the entire season.

Wolverines and Bears in a Rush

Woodland Hills boasts a star running back in Miles Sanders, who is ranked among the top senior running backs in the country. Clairton boasts a standout running back in Lamont Wade, who is ranked among the top junior players in the country.

While Sanders and Wade have done some impressive things this year, it’s what their “team” is doing on the ground that is so impressive. Did you know through the first three games that the Clairton Bears and Woodland Hills Wolverines are both averaging about a first down every time they rush the football?

As a team, Woodland Hills is averaging 10.2 yards a carry (847 yards on 83 attempts). Sanders and Jo-El Shaw have been a most-potent one-two punch. Their statistics are almost identical. Sanders has 374 yards on 30 carries and Shaw 368 on 28.

Meanwhile, Clairton is averaging 9.9 yards a carry. Wade has 330 yards on 18 carries (18.3 average). But Harrison Dreher has 352 on 32 attempts, Noah Hamlin 71 on 3 and Tre’Sean Howard 181 on 26.

Will TJ Rebound?

It seems strange to look at the Big Ten Conference standings and see four teams ahead of Thomas Jefferson.

The Jaguars are 1-2, losing two conference games for the first time since 1999. Thomas Jefferson started the season 0-2 for the first time since 1994 before defeating Laurel Highlands last week.

Looking at the upcoming schedule, don’t be surprised if Thomas Jefferson wins out until a week nine game against West Mifflin. Plus, TJ coach Bill Cherpak said his team is finally getting more adjusted to not having quarterback Bobby Kelley.

“Honestly, our foundation was shaken when he went out,” said Cherpak.

Kelley sustained an appendicitis the week of the first game. On top of that, he got mononucleosis. But Cherpak said the team received good news this week in that there is a possibility that Kelley could return to the team in upcoming weeks.

Julian Metro was Kelley’s backup quarterback. He has played some, but Zane Zandier has also moved from receiver to QB to play some. Zandier is one of Thomas Jefferson’s best receivers.

“We didn’t play great against Ringgold,” said Cherpak of the season-opening loss. “Then against Belle Vernon we missed a field-goal attempt with 10 seconds left to win. A lot of things that usually go our way didn’t.

“We kind of rebooted our season the Sunday night before last week [against Laurel Highlands]. We let seniors and varsity kids talk at a meeting. We just said ‘alright, we’re starting over.’ I think we’re more on the same page now.”

Nothing Doing at Frazier

There is only one team that has not allowed a touchdown this season. It’s Frazier.

Yes, Frazier plays in the Tri-County South, which is never confused with one of the toughest in the WPIAL. But it’s still pretty impressive that the Commodores have let up only three points.

The top defensive teams in the WPIAL after Frazier are Steel Valley (2.0) and Washington (2.3).

Meanwhile, five teams are averaging more than 50 points a game after three weeks. Clairton is No. 1 at 62.7, followed by Steel Valley (57.0), Aliquippa (52.7), Washington (50.7) and West Allegheny (50.3).

The Week After

Two Fridays ago, Meadville beat DuBois, 107-90, in one of the most unforgettable games in U.S. football history – as Meadville’s Journey Brown rushed for 722 yards on 29 carries and DuBois’ Matt Miller threw for 787 yards.

What happened a week later? Well, Meadville beat Bradford, 57-14. While Brown didn’t come close to what he did the week before, his performance was still amazing. He carried the ball only seven times, and rushed for 269 yards. That’s 38 yards a carry.

Meanwhile, Miller was only 15 of 31 for 208 yards in a 56-21 loss to Conneaut.

Tags: Armstrong, Clairton, Deer Lakes, Frazier, Woodland Hills