Week 2’s don’t miss matchups in the A-K Valley

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, September 6, 2017 | 5:48 PM

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CLASS 5AALLEGHENY 9 CONFERENCE

FOX CHAPEL (0-2, 0-1) at WOODLAND HILLS (1-1, 1-0)

7 p.m. Friday

Last week: Fox Chapel fell to West Allegheny, 41-20. Woodland Hills defeated Baldwin, 40-6.

The buzz: The Foxes visit the Wolvarena looking for win No. 1, while the Wolverines hope to build on last week's conference-opening triumph over the Highlanders.

Key players: Fox Chapel senior linebacker Luke Brown intercepted a pass early in the third quarter against West Allegheny to set up a score. The Wolverines got a lift against Baldwin from Naszhir Taylor, who returned a punt 70 yards for a score and added a 15-yard TD run.

About the Foxes: Led by coach Tom Loughran, Fox Chapel played even with West Allegheny in the second half Friday after falling behind 27-7 at halftime.

About the Wolverines: Woodland Hills will attempt to pick up its first win on newly named George Novak field after a Week Zero loss to Gateway.

CLASS 5ABIG EAST CONFERENCE

4-5A FRANKLIN REGIONAL (1-0, 1-0) at KISKI AREA (0-2, 0-1)

7 p.m. Friday

Last week: Franklin Regional upset top-ranked McKeesport, 13-7. Kiski Area lost to Plum, 9-6.

The buzz: After an emotional victory over then-No. 1 McKeesport, Franklin Regional tries to keep rolling against winless Kiski Area. The Cavaliers, who upset the Panthers last season, were beaten late in the fourth quarter for the second consecutive week.

Key players: Franklin Regional QB Adam Rudzinski completed 10 of 19 passes for 106 yards, including a 40-yard scoring strike to Hunter Stonecheck. Kiski Area RB Ross Greece, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards last year, is off to a slow start, rushing for 25 yards on 16 carries.

About the Panthers: Senior linebacker Bryce Lauer led a defense that forced three turnovers against McKeesport.

About the Cavaliers: First-year coach Sam Albert would like to see those last-second losses end. Plum won last week on a field goal as time expired.

CLASS 5ABIG EAST CONFERENCE

PLUM (1-1, 1-0) at 2-5A PENN-TRAFFORD (2-0, 1-0)

7:30 p.m. Friday

Last week: Plum used a 38-yard field goal by Jackson Gildea as time expired to clip Kiski Area, 9-6. Penn-Trafford ripped Connellsville, 48-7.

The buzz: No. 2 Penn-Trafford returns to Harrison City where it has not lost a home opener since 2010. The Warriors have been one of the top defensive teams in 5A the last year-plus.

Key players: Plum is known for producing kickers — Pat McAfee and Jake Chapla come to mind — and Gildea is following suit. He made three field goals total last week. Penn-Trafford tailback John Gay IV ran for two touchdowns last week and tallied 110 yards against Norwin.

About the Mustangs: Running back Corey Thomas makes the offense go behind a decent front line, which will be tested by the Warriors' strong trio of down defensive linemen.

About the Warriors: They will get a test against another run-first team but their rush defense hasn't give up much in two weeks.

CLASS 4ANORTHWEST NINE CONFERENCE

NEW CASTLE (0-2, 0-1) at HIGHLANDS (1-0, 1-0)

7 p.m. Friday

Last week: New Castle was doubled up by Montour, 42-21. Highlands did the same to Ambridge, 28-14.

The buzz: Highlands welcomes last year's WPIAL Class 5A runner-up to Golden Rams Stadium and hopes to avenge a close 29-26 loss to the Red Hurricanes last season.

Key players: Cornerback Marcus Hooker, an Ohio State commit, is one to watch on both sides of the ball for the Hurricanes. Highlands quarterback Seth Cohen completed 10 of 19 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown against Ambridge.

About the Red Hurricanes: New Castle pulled to within 28-21 early in the second half as Hooker threw a touchdown, but Montour, fourth in the Tribune-Review Class 4A rankings, pulled away late.

About the Highlanders: Dom Girardi celebrated his first win as coach of the Golden Rams. The season started with a bang, as Logan Crise took the opening kickoff against Ambridge and returned it 87 yards for the touchdown.

CLASS 3AALLEGHENY CONFERENCE

SETON LASALLE (1-0, 1-0) at VALLEY (0-1, 0-1)

7 p.m. Friday

Last week: Seton LaSalle opened with a 35-20 win over Shady Side Academy. Valley suffered a 16-6 loss at Keystone Oaks.

The buzz: The Vikings return home hoping to avoid a 0-2 start in conference play. The Rebels will look to build off last week's triumph.

Key players: Valley's Deonte Ross was a workhorse in Week 1 with 102 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries. Seton LaSalle's Lionel Deanes rushed for 224 yards on 29 carries and added two catches for 73 yards with three total TDs against Shady Side Academy.

About the Rebels: Matt Banbury complemented Deanes in the Seton LaSalle offense with 11 completions — finding five receivers — for 235 yards and three touchdowns.

About the Vikings: Valley hurt itself Friday against KO with 15 penalties, including four of the personal foul variety. Tyler Green threw for 98 yards in his season debut.

CLASS 3AALLEGHENY CONFERENCE

SHADY SIDE ACADEMY (0-1, 0-1) at BURRELL (1-1, 0-0)

7 p.m. Friday

Last week: Shady Side Academy fell to Seton LaSalle in its conference opener, while Burrell was doubled up by Hopewell, 12-6, in nonconference action.

The buzz: The Bucs begin conference play this week hoping to make it 2-0 this season at Buccaneer Stadium. Burrell upended Shady Side, 35-21, last season for one of its two conference victories.

Key players: Skyy Moore rushed for 284 yards, passed for 103 and accounted for all three of the Indians' touchdowns against Seton LaSalle. Logan Bitar had another solid game for Burrell last Friday with 185 yards on 23 carries, including an 86-yard TD scamper.

About the Indians: Dino and Mason Tomlin, the sons of Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, are skill players in the Shady Side Academy offense.

About the Bucs: The Burrell defense, which forced two turnovers against Hopewell, has allowed 12 points in each of its first two games after giving up an average of 30.9 points a contest last season.

CLASS A EASTERN CONFERENCE

3-A IMANI CHRISTIAN (2-0, 1-0) at RIVERVIEW (1-0, 1-0)

Noon Saturday

Last week: Imani routed Greensburg Central Catholic, 70-7, while Riverview shut out rival Leechburg, 16-0.

The buzz: The Raiders have a tall task ahead of them as they try to slow down a high-powered Saints team.

Key players: Imani Christian receiver Sam Fairley scored three times on offense and once on defense to key a Week 1 victory over the Centurions. He has six touchdowns through two weeks. Riverview's Devon Binz and J.D. Sykes combined to rush for 180 yards — Binz scored both touchdowns — in the win over Leechburg.

About the Saints: Imani Christian's offense has fired on all cylinders with an average of 60 points in its first two wins. The Saints are third in the Tribune-Review Class A rankings behind fellow Eastern Conference foes Clairton and Jeannette.

About the Raiders: The Riverview defense made its offensive output stand up by limiting Leechburg to 47 yards. The Raiders also defeated Leechburg last year, as it was one of its two conference victories that helped it clinch a WPIAL playoff spot.

CLASS AEASTERN CONFERENCE

LEECHBURG (0-2, 0-1) at 2-A JEANNETTE (2-0, 0-0)

7 p.m. Friday

Last week: Leechburg lost to Riverview, 16-0. Jeannette rolled past Chartiers-Houston, 58-0.

The buzz: Jeannette opens conference play with a strong-looking pass attack and a defense that posted a shutout after allowing big yardage in Week Zero against East Allegheny.

Key players: Leechburg first-year quarterback Bret Kardos is adjusting to the position after starting at fullback last season. Robert Kennedy, another “rookie” QB, has been Jeannette's playmaker, throwing for 265 yards (19 of 30) and six touchdowns in two wins. He also is a threat to run.

About the Blue Devils: There are two seniors on the roster. They have dropped 11 straight in conference.

About the Jayhawks: They have 723 wins all time, four behind New Castle (727) for the WPIAL record.

CLASS A EASTERN CONFERENCE

SPRINGDALE (1-1, 0-0) at 1-A CLAIRTON (1-0, 1-0)

7 p.m. Friday

Last week: Springdale topped Jefferson-Morgan, 42-20, while Clairton shut out Bishop Canevin, 32-0.

The buzz: Springdale, which gave first-year coach Seth Napierkowski his first victory, will go up against a Bears squad gunning for their fourth WPIAL title in a row and 10th since 2006.

Key players: Dynamos senior fullback Scott Landis carried the ball 34 times for 209 yards and two touchdowns against Jefferson-Morgan. Running back Aaron Thompson, a 6-foot-2 sophomore, accounted for four touchdowns — all in the second half — and totaled 140 rush yards in Clairton's dominating opener.

About the Dynamos: The Springdale offense hopes to maintain a solid run game against the Bears. Last week, the Dynamos totaled 373 rushing yards as a team. Josh Harmon added 101 yards and two ground scores on 17 attempts.

About the Bears: Clairton is the top team in the Tribune-Review Class A rankings. In fact, the top three teams — Jeannette is No. 2 and Imani is No. 3 — all are from the Eastern Conference

NONCONFERENCE

APOLLO-RIDGE (2-0) at BEAVER FALLS (0-1)

7 p.m. Friday

Last week: Apollo-Ridge topped Deer Lakes, 34-21, in its Allegheny Conference opener. Beaver Falls was shut out by Aliquippa, 36-0.

The buzz: The Vikings, led by 6-foot-5 senior quarterback Kyle Fitzroy, hope to take down perennial WPIAL power Tigers. Beaver Falls won last year's matchup in Spring Church, 40-14.

Key players: Freshman running back Logan Harmon had a breakout game against Deer Lakes with 89 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Behind an entirely new offense line, Torian Leak is back this season as a starter at running back for Beaver Falls.

About the Vikings: The Apollo-Ridge defense limited Deer Lakes to 51 yards rushing and has given up fewer than 100 yards on the ground over its first two games.

About the Tigers: Beaver Falls' shutout loss to Aliquippa was its first of that nature since a 35-0 setback against Beaver in Week 3 of the 2014 season. The Tigers edged Apollo-Ridge, 33-29, in the first round of the WPIAL Class AA playoffs in 2015.

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Burrell, Fox Chapel, Highlands, Kiski School, Leechburg, Plum, Riverview, Springdale, Valley