MSA Sports Friday Night HighLights – Week One 2015

By: Bruce Markey
Saturday, September 5, 2015 | 5:21 PM

We expect fireworks on the field on a Friday night in the fall from the players, but it was Mother Nature putting on a show in some areas of Western Pennsylvania on opening night. Lengthy lightning delays and on four occasions, postponements were part of the story on the first Friday of the 2015 season, however the sky show did not steal the spotlight from these individuals who shined in their teams lid-lifters.

Brett Lafoon – Penn-Trafford

A year ago, Penn-Trafford won their first eleven games until falling to then defending champion Pittsburgh Central Catholic in the WPIAL Semifinals. The P-T quarterback was the ‘other’ Brett a year ago, now Brett Lafoon is the only hit-man in town and he started the new campaign in prized gunslinger mode. Lafoon connected on 9 of 13 passes for 301 yards and three touchdown tosses, plus he scored on runs of 1 and 26 yards as the Warriors routed the visiting Kiski Area Cavaliers 52-7 in a Class AAAA Foothills Conference fray.

Peyton Deri – Norwin

Whether it’s a first name like Peyton Manning, or a last name like Walter Peyton, there’s something about the name Peyton that bring out the best in a player on the gridiron. Which brings us to the Class AAAA Foothills Conference opening fray for Norwin, who turned to Peyton Deri who rushed for 166 yards on a busy 21 carries and scored on touchdowns jaunts of 5 and 48 yards to lead the Knights to a 31-0 drubbing of the host Latrobe Wildcats.

Matt Rech – Hampton

Back in the days of yesteryear, teams from District 7 and District 8 would battle in Week One of a new season for non-conference bragging rights. Those days a re mostly gone, but there was one fray pitting City League vs WPIAL in the season opener.  Matt Rech ran wild and ran free for Hampton, gaining 285 yards on a gassing 28 carries while scoring four touchdowns on short runs of 1, 2, 2 and 2 yards as the Talbots held on to outlast the visiting Allderdice Dragons 48-42.

Noah Angelo – Moon

While most of the lightning delays were that and nothing more, there were a few downpours here and there that would have been ideal for an arc. He didn’t gain his yards two by two, but Moon running back Noah Angelo did have a night to remember in rushing for 264 yards on 26 carries and four touchdowns on runs of 55, 3, 5 and 2 in leading the Tigers to a wild 38-23 victory over the visiting Blackhawk Cougars in a Class AAA Parkway Conference fray that featured a pair of new coaches.

Eric Borkovich – Yough

After a Class AA playoff run two years ago, moving up in class in 2014 turned into a season to forget for fans of the green and orange. Yough finished in last place in the Class AAA Greater Allegheny Conference and finished winless at 0-9. However the WPIAL moved Yough into the Big Ten Conference (formerly known as the Big Nine) when new Armstrong High School was placed in the GAC. Cougars fans are thrilled, especially after Eric Borkovich rushed for 121 yards and scored three times in their Big Ten Conference fray, a win over the visiting Albert Gallatin Colonials.

Bradley McLaughlin – Burgettstown

Burgettstown has struggled big time since moving up from Class A to Class AA a few years ago, so blue and white fans were not optimistic starting this season against a playoff team from a year ago in Waynesburg. But this fray raised some eyebrows and brought some optimism to the hills around Memorial Stadium thanks in part to quarterback Bradley McLaughlin, who hit on 10 of 13 passes for 226 yards and three touchdown tosses, plus a 25-yard scoring scamper as the Blue Devils downed the Raiders 35-8 in a Class AA Interstate Conference fray.

Duane Brown – Apollo-Ridge

With Tre Tipton, one-half of the twin terrors on offense last year for Apollo-Ridge now toiling for the Pitt Panthers, all eyes for fans and opponents alike fell on Duane Brown and the junior did not disappoint. Brown rushed for 226 yards and had 115 yards receiving to go with five touchdowns on ruins of 3, 46, and 1 yard along with 25 and 7 yard scoring receptions as the Vikings held on in a Class AA Non-Conference fray to beat the visiting Keystone Oaks Golden Eagles.

Zach Chandler – Avonworth

Quarterback Zach Chandler’s junior season ended early with a leg injury and he wasnt able to help his Avonworth mates who made it all the way to Heinz Field before falling to Clairton. Now heathy and under center again, Chandler’s bounce back fray was a marvelous display as he connected on 16 of 25 passes for 335 yards and tossed three touchdown passes of 19, 39 and 57 yards…all to Jamal Hughley in leading the Antelopes to a 42-20 triumph over the visiting Chartiers-Houston Buccaneers in a Class A Black Hills Conference matchup.

Tony Welsh – Beth-Center

While Frank Dreucci rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns, it paled to the number put up by his Beth-Center teammate in a Class A Tri-County South Conference fray. Tony Welsh was sticky to tackle for the Maples as the Bulldogs senior gained 240 yards on the ground and scored on touchdowns runs of 49, 28 and 3 yards in the first half, then capped off his night with an 8-yard TD to give B-C a convincing 48-12 victory over visiting Mapletown.

Ben Sowinski – Springdale

When you have three classification giants in Clairton, Jeannette and Greensburg Central Catholic in your conference, there is little room for error for the other six Class A Eastern Conference teams. Every win is treasured, even if its a harder fray than most thought it would be. Ben Sowinski rushed for 203 yards and scored touchdowns on runs of 4, 13 and 2 yards as the Dynamos fought hard and finally put away a game Serra Catholic squad 34-20

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Avonworth, Beth-Center, Burgettstown, Hampton, Yough