Westmoreland County don’t miss high school football matchups for Week 4

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, October 1, 2020 | 3:47 PM

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Class 6A

No. 5 Baldwin (1-0, 0-0) at Norwin (0-3, 0-3)

7 p.m. Friday, Norwin Knights Stadium, North Huntingdon

Baldwin returns to action after shutting down the program and canceling two games after a coach reportedly tested positive for covid-19. The Highlanders, coached by former Derry coach Tim Sweeney, won at Hollidaysburg, 27-7, on Sept. 11. They’ll only get to play two games at home. … Norwin remained winless with a 35-3 loss to Seneca Valley, but Dom Barca ran for 137 yards in 10 carries. The Knights have been outscored 101-45.

No. 4 Canon-McMillan (1-1, 1-1) at Hempfield (1-2, 1-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Spartan Stadium, Hempfield

Canon-McMillan, back after having last week’s game against Baldwin canceled, rallied for a 24-17 win over Mt. Lebanon two weeks ago. Chris Davis returned a kick 90 yards for a touchdown and also caught a 64-yard TD bomb. … Hempfield fell to Mt. Lebanon last week, 52-26. Quarterback Christian Zilli passed for a career-high 259 yards and three touchdowns and Roman Pellis had six catches for 166 yards and two scores.

Class 5A big east

Connellsville (0-3, 0-1) vs. Franklin Regional (2-1, 0-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Franklin Regional Stadium, Murrysville

Franklin Regional, which leads the all-time series 4-1, has bounced back to post impressive nonconference road wins. After falling to Gateway, the Panthers have beaten Fox Chapel (42-20) and Bethel Park (14-0). Mario Sarnic had 10 catches for 115 yards against Fox Chapel. … Connellsville RB Ky’Ron Craggette has posted consecutive 100-yard games. Connellsville’s defense must improve. The Falcons have allowed 53.0 points per game.

Class 4A big eight

No. 5 Belle Vernon (2-1, 2-1) vs. Laurel Highlands (1-2, 1-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Laurel Highlands Stadium, Uniontown

Belle Vernon will try to bounce back after a 42-21 loss to No. 1 Thomas Jefferson. … This game features two of the top basketball players in the WPIAL: Belle Vernon junior QB Devin Whitlock and Laurel Highlands sophomore SE Rodney Gallagher. Whitlock rushed for 128 yards against TJ. Gallagher hooked up with QB Joe Chambers five times for 128 yards and two scores in a 27-20 loss to West Mifflin. … BVA coach Matt Humbert is a Laurel Highlands grad.

Greater Allegheny

Hampton (2-1, 2-1) vs. Greensburg Salem (1-2, 1-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Offutt Field, Greensburg

Hampton has beaten Armstrong and Highlands after falling to Mars in the season opener. Greensburg Salem was outscored at Indiana (56-28) last week. … Hampton has a strong running game as Jake Premick and Christian Liberto have rushed for more than 100 yards the past two games. … Greensburg Salem junior QB Hayden Teska has thrown touchdown passes in every game. RB Alex Briggs has scored touchdowns on the ground and through the air.

Class 3A interstate

Yough (1-2, 0-2) at Mt. Pleasant (2-1, 2-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Viking Stadium, Mt. Pleasant

Yough received bad news on quarterback Tristan Waldier, who tore his ACL last week in a 41-9 loss to South Allegheny. Gamal Marballie moves to quarterback, but that takes away from the Cougars’ rushing attack. … Mt. Pleasant put up a strong defensive effort to hold back Southmoreland, 13-10. Jared Yester led a fourth-down stand late in the game. QB Asher O’Connor had a touchdown pass to Donavin Bair and also ran for a score. Bruising back Pete Billey ran for a 33-yard touchdown.

Class 2A century

Steel Valley (1-1, 0-0) vs. Ligonier Valley (1-2, 0-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Weller Athletic Field, Ligonier

Steel Valley earned its first win last week when it edged Brentwood, 14-12. Ligonier Valley gets to play its first home game after opening the season with three on the road. … Steel Valley has relied on the running of NiJhay Burt, who has scored six touchdowns and rushed for 369 yards in two games. … In its loss at Western Beaver (14-3), the Rams allowed two long touchdown passes and failed to convert in the red zone four times. Grant Dowden has scored three touchdowns. Sophomore QB Hayden Sierocky is the team’s leading rusher.

Class A eastern

No. 3 Jeannette (2-1, 2-1) vs. Leechburg (2-1, 1-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Veteran’s Memorial Stadium, Leechburg

Jeannette has outscored opponents 100-6 the past two weeks. Leechburg lost to Clairton and Springdale after thumping Greensburg Central Catholic in Week 1. … Jeannette freshman QB Brad Birch is 38 of 61 for 554 yards and eight touchdowns. Roberto Smith has scored seven touchdowns. … Leechburg QB Dylan Cook has completed 49 of 77 passes for 656 yards and three touchdowns. Dylan Lovelace has rushed for 268 yards and has 13 catches for 191 yards. He’s scored five touchdowns.

Springdale (3-0, 3-0) at Greensburg C.C. (1-2, 1-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Centurion Stadium, Carbon

Springdale is off to a fast start, moving to 3-0 with a 45-19 win over Leechburg. Logan Dexter ran for 129 yards and two touchdowns and caught five passes for 113 yards. Demitri Fritch filled in at QB and passed for 216 yards. Starter Legend Ausk did not play for unspecified reasons. … GCC is beginning to slip from the playoff picture. A 14-12 loss to Bishop Canevin dropped the Centurions into a tie for fifth place. Sophomore Amari Mack is out with a thumb injury.

Tri-County South

Mapletown (0-3, 0-3) at Monessen (0-3, 0-3)

7 p.m. Friday at Memorial Stadium, Monessen

Mapletown is giving up 45 points a game and lost last week to California, 49-18. The Maples scored first on an 85-yard strike from Max Vanata to Landan Stevenson, who ran for 137 yards and two TDs. … Monessen, looking for its first win under coach Shane Swope, rallied for 14 second-half points but could not overtake Jefferson-Morgan in a 22-14 loss. Jermere Majors had a fumble-return TD and freshman QB Shane Swope ran for a 20-yard score.

Class 3A nonconference

Southmoreland (1-2, 1-2) vs. Derry Area (1-2, 1-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Trojan Stadium, Derry

Both teams are coming off tough home conference losses. Southmoreland fell to Mt. Pleasant, 13-10, and Derry dropped a 34-14 decision to Freeport. Derry leads the series, 16-10-1. … Southmoreland is led by senior quarterback Zach Cernuto, who recently surpassed the 4,000-yard passing mark. … Derry has been hit hard with injuries to quarterback Paul Koontz and running backs Pryce Donovan and Isaiah Ward. Senior Nick Detore, who threw two touchdown passes against Freeport, has done a nice job.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.