WPIAL Week Five Friday Night HighLights

By: Bruce Markey
Saturday, September 29, 2012 | 9:51 AM

If you were to picture the WPIAL nine-week regular season, you would envision four weeks of climbing the mountain top, then four weeks of descending either into the district playoffs or into a deep dark crevasse of postseason emptiness.  That would mean Week Five is right at the summit of this high school football mountain. Thus here are the players who planted their teams flag of victory Friday with a steady dose of awesomeness.

Tyler Roth & Troy Apke – Mount Lebanon

Two teams riding a three game win streak collided Friday at the Wolvarena in Turtle Creek in a key Southeastern Conference clash with a possible section title and postseason home field ramifications on the line.  On a lovely night, visiting Mount Lebanon turned to the air and the lethal combination of Tyler Roth and Troy Apke. roth hit on 20 of 37 passes for 370 yards and five touchdown tosses while Apke caught 12 of those passes for 273 yards and two scores in the Blue Devils 39-36 thriller over the Woodland Hills Wolverines.

Jordan McRae & Jade Maher – Connellsville

Connellsville needed a big win on the road to inch closer to playoff position in the Class AAAA Foothills Conference and they earned it with a solid one-two punch. Running back Jordan McRae rushed for 176 yards and a touchdown while quarterback Jade Maher completed 10 of 17 passes for 144 yards and two touchdown passes along with a pair of scoring runs in the Falcons 44-29 triumph over the host Norwin Knights.

Robert Foster – Central Valley

Good players make good plays, however great players make great plays, especially when they are needed most. Trailing 14-0 in the second quarter of their Class AAA Parkway Conference battle with West Allegheny, host Central Valley called on Division I wide receiver recruit Robert Foster and he did not disappoint.  Foster ended up with 11 receptions for 83 yards and a game tying 15-yard touchdown catch, plus he scored on a 63-yard run that helped turn the game around as the Warriors beat the Indians 28-14.

Brett Brumbaugh & Zach Challingsworth – South Fayette

In the battle of the Brumbaugh's (Luke for Seton-LaSalle, Brett for South Fayette) and for the top spot in the Class AA Century Conference, in the end, it really wasn't much of a challenge…or Challingsworth if you will. Sophomore quarterback Brett was 21 of 35 passing for 378 yards and four scoring passes and one touchdown run while wide receiver Zach Challingsworth caught 9 passes for 131 yards and a score as the Lions roared to a 51-12 surprise rout of the Rebels. 

Shai McKenzie – Washington

Shai McKenzie of Washington has not been shy about making our weekly HighLights 'film' here on The Network, but Friday in a big Class AA Interstate Conference showdown with Jeannette, he took a different course to greatness. McKenzie, averaging nearly 200-yards per game on the ground through the first four week, was limited to 104 yards and two short touchdown runs, however with only 19 seconds left, McKenzie scooped up a blocked punt, broke a tackle and raced 47-yards to paydirt for the game winning score in the host Little Prexies 18-15 thriller over the still stunned Jayhawks.

Cole Bush – Burrell

You know what they say, a bird in the burning Bush is worth two in the hand. OK, nobody has ever said that, but there is no hotter Bush around than Burrell running back Cole Bush. Bush ended up three yards shy of 300 yards while scoring SIX touchdowns on runs of 6, 39, 5, 50, 59 and 10 yards and the Buccaneers remained undefeated and in first place in the Class AA Allegheny Conference with a 56-35 victory over the host Kittanning Wildcats.

Jared Meyers – Ellwood City

After back-to-back breakout playoff seasons in 2010 and 2011, including a postseason victory last year, 2012 has not been kind to the dear old Lincoln High. But in the battle for fourth place in the Class AA Midwestern Conference, one win puts you back into the playoff hunt. Jared Meyers led the way for Ellwood City with a huge effort, rushing for 290 yards and five touchdowns as the Wolverines raced past the rival Riverside Panthers 42-28 for their first victory of the campaign.

Lenny Williams – Sto-Rox

Usually when it comes to mid-season non-conference games, the tendency is to look away. But in the case of Lenny Williams of Sto-Rox, it is hard to ignore what he accomplished in a Class A battle of Top 10 teams and non-conference tilt. The talented quarterback completed 7 of 11 passes for 216 yards and four touchdown tosses, plus he also rushed for 224 yard on the ground (the rare double 2K outing) as the Vikings handed the Northgate Flames their first loss of the season in a 35-31 thriller.

Sean Dugan – Springdale

Sometimes it doesn't have to be pretty, ripping off large chunks of yardage while dancing here there and everywhere on the sport turf. No, sometimes you have to go old school with a bruising attack and several clouds of real dirt. You get the feeling that fits Sean Dugan's game, as he rushed for 241 yards and scored all three of the Class A Eastern Conference game's touchdowns in the Dynamos 22-0 whitewash of the visiting Leechburg Blue Devils.   

Ben Carlisle – Bentworth

Wins have been very rare in the last few years for Bentworth, so any victory is cherished, especially one with a standout performance. Ben Carlisle enjoyed a huge night, rushing for 263 yards and five touchdowns, three on scoring runs, one on a touchdown reception and one on a recovered blocked punt as the Bearcats cruised to a 57-28 Class A non-conference triumph over the Vincentian Academy Royals.

BONUS – Canon-McMillan Big Macs

The drought had reached Pittsburgh Pirates like status. 20 consecutive weeks of lsoing football finally came to an end Friday as the Big Macs posted a 16-13 triumph over the Plum Mustangs. Kudos to Canon-Mac!

Tags: Bentworth, Burrell, Canon-McMillan, Central Valley, Connellsville, Ellwood City, Washington