WPIAL Friday Night HighLights – Week Two 2017

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, September 9, 2017 | 9:44 PM

While the 2017 football season continues to be dry, cool and crisp, we are only two weeks in to the regular season and the offensive numbers being put up continue to be hot and impressive. While the pass happy days of recent years are still here, old school strategy of lining it up and running it down teams throats, whether in a power I or a spread set hasn’t faded away and become obsolete. Here are some of the top performances from under the lights in Week Two.

Hollis Mathis – Penn Hills

Jon LeDonne won only two games in his three years as head coach at Shaler High School. Now in his first year at the helm of Penn Hills, he has three victories in three weeks thanks in part to the play of quarterback Hollis Mathis, who in a Class 6-A Non-Conference battle of the unbeaten against Canon-McMillan, connected on 13 of 21 passes for 232 yards and five touchdowns, four coming in the second half as the host Indians held on to beat the Big Macs 33-17.

Troy Fisher – Pittsburgh Central Catholic

An early season key battle of Top 3 teams in Class 6-A’s Northern Seven Conference turned into a breakfast bash with plenty of turnovers on both sides of the field. However in the end, the play of Pittsburgh Central Catholic senior quarterback Tony Fisher helped turn the game in his teams favor as he connected on 11 of 19 passes for 213 yards with a 72-yard scoring pass and a game winning touchdown plunge in the fourth quarter to give the visiting Vikings a 14-7 decision over the North Allegheny Tigers.

John Doleno – Bethel Park

Bethel Park was very systematic in taking care of business against neighbor Peters Township in an early season battle of unbeaten teams in the Class 6-A Southeastern Conference. Running back John Doleno rushed for 202 yards and scored on an 83-yard touchdown run to go with a 15-yard scoring reception as the Black Hawks scored 7 points in each quarter, grinding out a 28-7 triumph over the host Indians.

Micah Morris – Fox Chapel

A year ago, Fox Chapel lost their first five games, before winning out with five consecutive victories. That balanced formula left them in fifth place when all was said and done, one game  out of a playoff spot. History seemed to be repeating itself after two straight competitive losses, but Tom Loughran’s squad was able to flip the script behind the running of Micah Morris, who gained 174 yards and scored a 33-yard touchdown to help the Foxes to a huge 22-21 victory over the host Woodland Hills Wolverines in a Class 5-A Allegheny Nine Conference game.

Marcus Hooker – New Castle

After reaching the WPIAL title game for the first time in decades last fall, New Castle was staring long and hard at an 0-3 start as their Class 4-A Northwest Nine Conference game against host Highlands was coming down to the wire. But big time players rise to the occasion in tough spots, which is what Marcus Hooker did, rushing for 262 yards and four touchdown runs as the Red Hurricane came back and then stopped a two-point conversion in the second overtime to win a thriller 48-47 in double OT.

Lionel Deanes – Seton-LaSalle

This weeks stop on the Deanes Train was up Route 28 in the AK Valley for a Class 3-A Allegheny Conference battle for Seton-LaSalle against Valley. Lionel Deanes continued his strong senior season with 212 yards on the ground and a 74-yard touchdown run in the third quarter in what turned out to be a 37 point swing after falling behind by two scores as the visiting Rebels rolled past the Vikings 37-14

Nico Battisti – Central Valley

A quick start combined with a strong finishing kick is every jockey and football coaches dream. So pardon Mark Lyons if he’s a happy camper after Central Valley and quarterback Nico Battisti started strong with the games first 28 points before not getting to cozy and scoring 7 in each of the games final two quarters. Battisti hit on 11 of 21 passes for 264 yards and four touchdowns tosses to go along with two scoring runs in the Warriors 42-26 win over the Elizabeth Forward Warriors in a 3-A Non-Conference game.

Damon Smith – South Park

South Park is a team without a home this fall. With renovations going on at their high school stadium, the blue and white are playing here (Ringgold HS), there (Baldwin HS) and everywhere (Mount Lebanon HS). For their early season 3-A Interstate Conference showdown with Mount Pleasant, Dormont Stadium host the road warriors and was the backdrop to a big game by Damon Smith, who was 10 of 12 passing for 148 yards along with 140 yards on the ground including both socring runs in the Eagles big 14-9 victory over the Vikings.

Ricky Guss – Quaker Valley

Playing in the toughest conference in the district and possibly the state…no problem. Having your head coach walk away a month before the season start…no big deal. This 2017 Quaker Valley team is proving they are not a bunch of gusses, unless you are talking about quarterback Ricky Guss, who threw for 151 yards and two touchdowns, plus he rushed for 158 yards and two scores as the Quakers pulled away from the host Neshannock Lancers 43-6 with 30 unanswered points in the fourth quarter of a 3-A vs. 2-A Non-Conference contest.

Hunter Perry – Charleroi

It has been a season of feast or famine for Charleroi. They won big in Week Zero, got smoked in Week One, then pulled out the knife and fork to enjoy a Week Two buffet in a Class 2-A vs. Class 3-A Non-Conference match-up against Southmoreland. Hunter Perry had the biggest plate of goods after rushing for 209 yards and scored three touchdowns on scampers of 61, 4 and 37 yards as the Cougars clobbered the visiting Scotties 54-7.

Tags: Bethel Park, Central Valley, Charleroi, Fox Chapel