A-K Valley don’t miss high school football matchups for 2021 Week 9

By: Michael Love
Wednesday, October 27, 2021 | 4:59 PM

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Class 5A Northeast Conference

Penn Hills (5-3, 3-1) at Kiski Area (6-3, 1-3)

7 p.m. Friday, at Richards Dilts Stadium, Allegheny Township

Penn Hills can clinch a share of the conference championship with a win Friday. The Indians put themselves in position last Friday with a 40-3 victory over Shaler. It was Penn Hills’ third straight victory following a 21-14 loss to Pine-Richland on Oct. 1. Quarterback Julian Dugger is the offensive focus for the Indians. He threw for 103 yards and two touchdowns and added 53 rushing yards and a score against the Titans. … Kiski Area was eliminated from playoff contention with last Friday’s 33-27 loss to Pine-Richland. The Cavaliers’ three losses in conference and overall have come by a combined 24 points. Logan Johnson continues to perform as a dual threat for the Cavaliers. He completed 11 of 17 passes for 185 yards against the Rams, and he added 20 carries for 88 yards and a score … Penn Hills has won all three meetings of the most recent conference series, including last year, 31-13.

Pine-Richland (5-4, 3-1) at Fox Chapel (4-5, 2-2)

7 p.m. Friday, at James Burk Athletic Complex, O’Hara Township

Pine-Richland can clinch a share of the conference championship with a win over the Foxes. The Rams put themselves in position with a spirited 33-27 victory over Kiski Area last Friday. Pine-Richland has won five of six games after an 0-3 start. Tailback Brooks Eastburn led the Rams against Kiski Area with 165 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries. His 29-yard run with 2:09 left in the fourth quarter proved to be the game-winner. … Fox Chapel could earn a share of the conference championship with a win over Pine-Richland and losses by North Hills and Penn Hills on Friday. Despite last Friday’s 17-10 setback at North Hills, the Foxes clinched a playoff spot with Kiski Area’s loss. Collin Dietz connected with Khi’Lee Patterson for 15 yards for Fox Chapel’s lone score against North Hills. … Fox Chapel is 1-7 all time against Pine-Richland. The one win came in 1961. The Foxes last won a conference title in 1997.

Class 4A Greater Allegheny Conference

Greensburg Salem (5-4, 3-3) at Plum (2-7, 2-4)

7 p.m. Friday, at Plum Mustangs Stadium, Plum Borough

The Mustangs, despite having to forfeit their win against Mars from earlier in the season, control their playoff destiny. Plum clinches a spot in the WPIAL postseason with a win Friday against Greensburg Salem. The Mustangs have split their last four games, beating Highlands and Knoch and falling to Hampton and Armstrong. Plum sophomore quarterback Sean Franzi threw two touchdowns against Armstrong, giving him seven for the season against just two interceptions. Eryck Moore added a rushing score against the River Hawks, and he has eight such TDs through eight games to go along with 801 yards. … Greensburg Salem has lost three of four after a 4-1 start. The Golden Lions, tied for third place in the conference with Highlands and Indiana, also clinch a playoff spot with a win at Plum. Greensburg Salem was doubled up last week against Highlands, 40-20. Hayden Teska threw for 251 yards and three touchdowns against the Golden Rams. Two of the TD passes went to Cody Rubrecht.

Knoch (2-7, 1-5) at Highlands (6-3, 3-3)

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

Highlands has clinched a playoff spot and can finish in third place in the conference with a win over Knoch and an Indiana loss on Friday. The Golden Rams can finish either third or fifth based on how any one of a plethora of win-loss scenarios play out Friday. Highlands won its second in a row after a three-game losing skid with a 40-20 win over Greensburg Salem last Friday. Golden Rams quarterback Chandler Thimons threw for 133 yards and two scores and added 100 rushing yards and three TDs against the Golden Lions. Luke Bombalski added 77 rushing yards and a score. … Knoch is the only team in the conference which has been eliminated from playoff contention. The Knights’ lone win in conference play came in a 27-26 triumph over Indiana on Oct. 1. Knoch was held off the scoreboard for the second week in a row in a 30-0 loss to undefeated Hampton last Friday. Keagan Fraser rushed for 79 yards on 20 carries in the loss.

Class 3A Allegheny Seven Conference

Valley (2-7, 1-4) at Burrell (2-7, 2-3)

7 p.m. Friday, Buccaneer Stadium. Lower Burrell

Burrell can clinch a spot in the WPIAL playoffs with a win Friday and a Deer Lakes loss to Freeport. The Bucs have won two of their past three games after an 0-6 start. Burrell kept its postseason hopes alive with a 43-13 win over Derry last Friday. Caden DiCaprio and Devin Beattie each scored two rushing touchdowns to lead the Bucs. Beattie paced the offense with nine carries for 82 yards. … Valley, shorthanded after a number of suspensions stemming from an in-game fight against Yough two weeks ago, was eliminated from playoff contention with last Friday’s 40-0 loss to East Allegheny. The setback snapped a two-game win streak. The Vikings hope to play spoiler this week and knock out Burrell. … Valley leads the all-time series between the teams, 23-15. Burrell won last year’s meeting 22-13.

Class 2A Allegheny Conference

Apollo-Ridge (2-7, 1-3) at Ligonier Valley (7-2, 2-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Weller Field, Ligonier

A playoff berth could be on the line for the winner of this game. Apollo-Ridge needs a win and some help to get into the playoff picture. A Ligonier Valley win could give the Rams a favorable seeding in the playoffs. Apollo-Ridge is coming off consecutive losses to Serra and Steel Valley. Ligonier Valley held on to defeat Shady Side Academy, 26-25, despite allowing touchdowns on a kickoff return, a fumble return and an interception return. Apollo-Ridge has been banged up this season. Nick Curci has scored 10 touchdowns, but didn’t play last week. Curci has 19 catches for 299 yards and also 530 rushing yards. Landon Harmon rushed for 87 yards and a score against Steel Valley. … Ligonier Valley running back Nick Beitel has scored nine touchdowns. Haden Sierocky rushed for 126 yards and two scores against Shady Side Academy, while Broderick Schreyer tossed two TD passes. The defense stopped SSA on a two-point conversion with 24 seconds left.

Class A Eastern Conference

Leechburg (7-2, 4-2) at 4-Greensburg C.C. (6-3, 4-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Centurion Stadium, Carbon

It’s a breakthrough season for Leechburg. The Blue Devils are finally back in the WPIAL playoffs after a clinching win last week over Imani Christian. Leechburg won 66-6 as running back Braylan Lovelace scored seven touchdowns. He ran 32 times for 183 yards. The Blue Devils scored 71 points against Riverview. They lead Class A with 47 points per game. … Greensburg Central Catholic won at Jeannette for the first time since 2009, establishing the run on the way to a 49-3 victory. Jaydin Canady, a Jeannette transfer, ran for 191 yards and scored four TDs, including a 90-yard run and a 72-yard punt return. QB Tyree Turner also ran for three scores as GCC locked up a playoff spot.

Springdale (5-4, 2-4) at Riverview (1-7, 1-5)

Noon Saturday, at Riverside Park, Oakmont

Springdale controls its own destiny for the playoffs and can clinch with a win over the Raiders. The Dynamos own wins over Jeannette and Imani Christian in conference play. Springdale held the potent Clairton offense to just 12 points last Friday, but the Dynamos were not able to get on the scoreboard. … Despite being outscored 206-8 over the last three weeks, Riverview still is alive for a playoff spot. The Raiders need to defeat Springdale and have Jeannette lose to Clairton. It was tough sledding for Riverview last Saturday in a 69-0 loss to Bishop Canevin. … Riverview holds a 23-15 all-time advantage in the series with Springdale.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Burrell, Fox Chapel, Highlands, Kiski Area, Knoch, Leechburg, Penn Hills, Pine-Richland, Plum, Riverview, Springdale, Valley