Trib HSSN Football Player of the Week for Week 3

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, September 27, 2020 | 10:17 PM

The last time Plum defeated Mars in football was 1955. Dwight Eisenhower was president, a gallon of gas was 23 cents and minimum wage was $1 an hour.

Sixty years later in 2015, the Mustangs started the season 4-0, marking the last time Plum qualified for the WPIAL playoffs.

Advance five years to the 2020 season and Plum is flying high. They are alone in first place in the Class 4A Greater Allegheny Conference with a 3-0 record after disposing of the Fightin’ Planets, 49-21, Friday night.

Quarterback Ryan Hubner completed 8 of 12 passes for 98 yards with three touchdown passes and a scoring run.

“Ryan has matured tremendously as a player this year,” Plum coach Matt Morgan said. “He is executing and managing the game very well this season. He also has the ability to create plays with his feet.”

His numbers might not be gaudy, but Hubner has been a big part of the Mustangs great start. He has thrown for 559 yards in three games. He also has 10 touchdowns and only one interception.

“His poise and command of the offense was the difference that night,” Morgan said. “Our team showed their maturity going down early and responding given the opportunity. Once we got the opportunity, everyone contributed to keeping us ahead.”

Trailing then-No. 2 Mars on the road 13-7 in the second quarter, Hubner connected with Reed Martin on touchdown passes of 7 and 10 yards to take a 21-13 lead at the half. He built on that in the third quarter with a 20-yard scoring strike to Max Matolcsy.

Hubner scored on a 31-yard run in the fourth quarter to help seal the win.

“Ryan has the ability to create plays and make the right reads in our offense,” Morgan said. “Ryan is very calm but a vocal leader of the offense.”

Beating Mars was nice.

Being alone in first place in the GAC is very nice.

Yet, Morgan knows there is a lot of football left and his team has to stay focused in Week 4.

“Being 3-0 is great for the program and community,” Morgan said. “But that doesn’t matter to Highlands or the rest of our conference. We need to continue to be a mature and experienced group. Our goal has been and will remain one game at a time.”

WPIAL Week 3 honorable mentions

Ethan West, Seneca Valley

It could have been a trap game for Seneca Valley as it faced winless Norwin in Week 3, just one week before hosting Class 6A power Central Catholic.

Instead, it was the Knights who were trapped under a dominating rushing attack by the Raiders, led by West.

The senior ran north, south, east and West, rushing for 260 yards on 25 carries with touchdowns on runs of 51, 7 and 29 yards as Seneca Valley improved to 2-0 with a 35-3 rout of Norwin.

Gavin Miller, West Allegheny

Saturday night proved all right for West Allegheny as several team records fell in a nonconference victory over Connellsville.

One of those records was a single-game passing mark set by junior quarterback Miller, who hit on 21 of 29 passes for 392 yards and three touchdowns.

His prime target was Jahson Spencer, who had nine catches for a team-record 207 yards in receptions. Also benefitting from the West A offensive outburst was kicker Breana Gerst, who set a mark with nine extra points in the Indians’ 63-24 victory over the Falcons.

Amari Miller, Washington

Washington had to overcome an early deficit and a lot of self-inflicted wounds for their second Class 2A Century Conference victory.

Miller, a senior running back, led the way for Wash High as he rushed for 257 yards and scored three touchdowns, helping the Prexies outgain Chartiers-Houston on the ground 347 to minus-21.

Miller’s efforts helped the team overcomesix turnovers and 12 penalties in a 45-14 win over the host Buccaneers.

2020 HSSN Players of the Week:

Week 2 – Logan Shrubb, Keystone Oaks

Week 1 – Devin Whitlock, Belle Vernon

Tags: Plum, Seneca Valley, Washington, West Allegheny