Westmoreland H.S. notebook: Hempfield lineman heading to St. Francis

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, December 28, 2019 | 8:26 PM

Another Hempfield lineman has accepted an invitation to play football at the next level.

Senior Ryan Cross, another key blocker for a Spartans unit that helped put up more than 200 rushing yards per game, is headed to St. Francis (Pa.) as a preferred walk-on. He will have a spot on the team and can compete for a future scholarship.

Cross also had an offer from NAIA-level Union College.

A 6-foot-1, 290-pound center and defensive tackle, Cross joins senior teammate Cole Graham, who also is a St. Francis (Pa.) commit.

Another Spartan, Fintan Brose, will play at Delaware.

Sprung by his linemen, Hempfield senior running back Nathan Roby ran for 1,449 yards and 19 touchdowns, with 908 yards and 14 scores coming in the final three games. Roby had back-to-back six-touchdown games to close the season.

Cross had 23 tackles and 1.5 sacks on defense.

Huss sidelined

Derry senior basketball player and football star Justin Huss will miss the rest of the season with a broken right leg.

He had the bones in his leg realigned last weekend and said a future test will reveal if the alignment held, which would mean less rehab time:six to eight weeks, as opposed to six months to a year with surgery.

Huss landed awkwardly on his leg as he was attempting to grab a rebound in last Friday’s home game against Freeport. He suffered a similar injury to his left left leg — a fractured tibia and fibula — before his junior football season.

He returned from the last injury to have a memorable senior football season as he rushed for a Westmoreland County-best 1,995 yards and scored 32 touchdowns.

Huss has not decided on a college. He also runs track.

“This injury is just a minor setback for a comeback,” Huss said. “I am still undecided and open to all colleges in my future.”

Shootout at Seton Hill

The Hoops for a Cure Shootout at Seton Hill basketball showcase will be Sunday, Jan. 26, at Seton Hill’s McKenna Center.

The six-game lineup features: Serra Catholic vs. Greensburg Central Catholic (girls), 12:30 p.m.; Norwin vs. Hempfield (girls), 2 p.m.; Saltsburg vs. Geibel (boys), 3:30; Derry vs. Greensburg Central Catholic (boys), 5; Valley vs. Penn Hills (boys), 6:30; and Jeannette vs. Penn-Trafford (boys), 8.

Recruiting trail

Hempfield senior middle linebacker and offensive guard Dillon Ferretti has been somewhat under-recruited in his coaches’ estimation, but two Division II offers came in last week: Mercyhurst and Seton Hill.

He also has an offer from Clarion.

Ferretti led the Spartans this season with 100 tackles, 5.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss.

• Greensburg Salem senior football player Ryan Thomas, a tight end and punter, picked up an offer from Seton Hill.

• Another Greensburg Salem senior, Jalen Page, was offered by Division II Lake Erie College. Page played slotback and free safety for the Golden Lions.

• Hempfield senior Jake Boord will run track at Allegheny College.

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

Tags: Derry Area, Greensburg C.C., Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Jeannette, Penn-Trafford