Friday Night HighLights – 10/01/2011

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, October 1, 2011 | 12:03 PM

Friday night of Week Five not only brought the curtain down in September, but also the mercury came down as well as the first chilly, gray and somewhat rainy evening befell the guys on the gridiron throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania. However there was plenty to be upbeat about as some teams tasted victory for the first time while other knocked their opponents from the ranks of the unbeaten creating some unlikely HighLights from around the WPIAL on midway-point weekend in district high school football.

Eddie Stockett – McKeesport

These ain’t your three yards and a cloud of dust Tigers from the days of yore. McKeesport continues to fly through the air with the greatest of ease thanks to the play of quarterback Eddie Stockett, who Friday was 16 of 30 passing for 247 yards and five touchdowns, four of which were 20-yards or longer as the Tigers remained unbeaten in Class AAAA Foothills Conference play with a 39-6 victory over the Latrobe Wildcats as McKeesport prepares for a showdown next week against unbeaten Penn-Trafford.
 

Julian Durden – Montour

The Class AAA Parkway Conference contest started with a couple of big bangs in the first quarter for visiting Montour, and ended in the fourth quarter with a couple of…well, more big bangs in a victory over host New Castle. All of the explosives were provided by senior running back Julian Durden, who began the game with an 89-yard kickoff return for a score, then rushed for 227 yards and three more scores, including a first quarter 59-yard TD run, and two fourth quarter scores from 44 and 59-yards out as the Spartans outlasted the Red Hurricane 35-25.
 

Josh Desmond – Blackhawk

Josh Desmond is not a house-hold name around the WPIAL football circles. OK, let’s be honest, Josh isn’t even a familiar face in the Blackhawk line-up, however he won’t soon be forgotten for his role in an upset win of second-ranked Hopewell.  Subbing for super-sophomore quarterback Chandler Kincade who was out with a shoulder injury,  Desmond was 7 of 14 passing for 178 yards and three touchdowns, all in the first half as the Cougars stunned the Vikings 37-13. Props as well go out to the Blackhawk defense for holding the WPIAL’s all-time leading rusher, Rushel Shell to only 109 yards and no touchdowns.
 

Pat Frey – Trinity

Sometimes stats tell all you need to know. But even if the numbers aren’t overwhelming, enough big plays and a surprising result can lead you straight to the HighLights page. Trinity halfback Pat Frey scored a pair of touchdowns, the first coming on a 19-yard run for the only first half score, then the second coming on a 50-yard touchdown hookup with quarterback Jason Vankirk that even the score in the third quarter in the Hillers eye-brow raising 22-13 upset of the previously undefeated West Mifflin Titans in Class AAA Big eight Conference action.
 

Kris Stern – Hollidaysburg

There was no big-game feel in this Class AAA Keystone Conference battle of winless teams as Hollidaysburg visited Uniontown, but Kris Stern was able to provide a big-game performance. Stern rushed for 232 yards and scored all four touchdowns in the game on runs of 8, 1, 10 and 50-yards as the Golden Tigers tasted victory for the first time this season in a 31-0 whitewash of the still searching for a win Red Raiders.
 

Nick Yobbi – South Park

South Park hit the midway point of the season still searching for their first victory after losses against four Class AAA heavyweights in West Allegheny, Thomas Jefferson, West Mifflin and Blackhawk. So they were more than happy to welcome fellow 0-4 McGuffey to town on Friday. Quarterback Nick Yobbi celebrated with 6 of 10 passing for 107 yards and a touchdown toss of 38-yards to Brandon Kmonk, plus he scored on a pair of one-yard dives to lead the Eagles to a 20-7 win over the Highlanders.
 

Nick Zupper – Waynesburg

A decade ago, there was plenty to crow about when it came to Waynesburg football. They were a perennial power in the Class AA Interstate Conference…then known as the Three Rivers Conference. Times have changed however for this Greene County school as they entered the midway point of the season still looking for a win. Nick Zupper was Supper as he reminded fans of yesteryear with a monster game, rushing for 262-yards and FIVE touchdown runs as the Raiders enjoy the sweet taste of victory to the tune of 48-22 over the Southmoreland Scotties.
 

Dylan Jones – Laurel

With fading playoff hopes in the top-heavy Class AA Midwestern Conference, Laurel turned to the steady and solid talents of Dylan Jones to keep them in the postseason hunt. Jones rushed for 221-yards and scored early and often with five touchdown jaunts beginning with a 36-yard scoring run in the opening quarter and ending with a 79-yard run in the third quarter as the Spartans remained a game out of a playoff spot with a 46-6 rout of the host Freedom Bulldogs.
 

Brandt Gribbin – North Catholic

It was only a non-conference contest, but this Class A battle of powers had a playoff feel to it. North Catholic quarterback Brandt Gribbin brought his postseason game to North Park as he was 8 of 11 passing for 114-yards two touchdown passes of 17 and 28 yards, plus he scored on a three-yard run for all of the points in an 18-0 shutout of the previously undefeated Monessen Greyhounds.
 

Isiah Neely – Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

Last week, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart won their first ever WPIAL Eastern Conference game in this, their second year of existence. Now OLSH is enjoying their first two game winning streak in program history  due in part to the big game by Isiah Neely. Neely rushed for 234 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns on runs of 53 and 54 yards and the Chargers jolted the winless Leechburg Blue Devils 38-16.
 

BONUS HighLights – Gateway and Clairton Offenses

All I can say is WOW!  Gateway 85 – Norwin 0 and Clairton 84 – Avella 0 (Bears led 76-0 at the half)
169 points on one night for the Gators and Bears…OH MY!

Tags: Blackhawk, Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic, Clairton, Gateway, Hollidaysburg, McKeesport, North Catholic, Waynesburg Central