Trib HSSN high school football team of the week for 2024 Week 4

By: Don Rebel
Monday, September 23, 2024 | 11:23 PM

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Trib HSSN football team of the week – Central Valley Warriors

Coach: Mark Lyons (15th season)

Result: Central Valley 51, Beaver 37

Record: 2-0 in the 3A Western Hills Conference, 2-3 overall

#Earned: Two weeks ago, the Class 3A preseason top-ranked team was 0-3. However, there was no panic by Central Valley after competitive losses to Class 4A powers Montour, Thomas Jefferson and Belle Vernon. So there should be no surprise that the Warriors are in the midst of righting the ship at the right time. Following a 3A Western Hills Conference-opening shutout win at McGuffey, CV returned home to Sarge Alberts Stadium and won a wild one against Beaver for first place. The Warriors jumped out to a 14-0 lead after one quarter, then the two conference powers went back and forth lighting up the scoreboard. The early lead was the difference as the Warriors beat the Bobcats, 51-37.

Statistical standouts: The Warriors have a dynamic one-two punch at running back and both feasted against the Bobcats on Friday. Healthy for the first time in a couple of years, senior Mason Dixon crossed the line with 204 yards on 15 carries and scored three touchdowns on runs of 6, 66 and 40 yards. Sophomore running back Jance Henry had 18 carries for 130 yards and scored twice on runs of 13 and 3 yards. Senior quarterback Steven Rutherford threw for 60 yards and ran for 76 yards and a 6-yard score. The Warriors’ first score lit up the crowd and the team — a 30-yard fumble return by senior lineman Tyler Ondrusek.

Last year: Central Valley wrapped up its two-year stint in Class 4A with a 7-3 regular season and a third-place finish in the tough Parkway Conference behind Aliquippa and Montour. In the opening round of the WPIAL 4A playoffs, the Warriors eliminated Highlands, 28-7. However, their season ended in the district quarterfinals when CV lost to Mars, 24-14, to finish 8-4. In the two years of playing in 4A, the Warriors were a combined 19-6 with a trip to the WPIAL championship game in 2022 where they fell to the rival Quips, 34-7.

Remember when: This is the 15th year of existence for Central Valley, formed in 2010 following the merger of Center and Monaca high schools. In their very first year as the Warriors, the team finished 6-3 in the regular season, and then shocked the district by beating Ringgold, Knoch and Thomas Jefferson in the Class 3A playoffs to reach the championship game. There they rolled past Montour, 24-7, as Robert Foster returned a punt for a touchdown and scored on a 75-yard reception. Since then, they have won district gold in 2014, 2019, 2020 and 2021. While Center never won a WPIAL football championship, Monaca hoisted gold three times in 1975, 1982 and 1985.

Week 4 Honorable Mention

Penn Hills Indians

It was a nonconference win for Class 5A Penn Hills against a 4A opponent, but let’s face it, any victory over Aliquippa is honorable mention worthy. Senior quarterback Jay’mere Ellis was 9 of 12 passing for 75 yards and touchdown tosses to sophomore Connor Bonner of 11 yards late in the first half and a 34-yard strike to senior Martel Palmer-Mollett in the third quarter as the Indians raced out to a three-score lead before holding on to defeat the Quips, 21-13. The loss ended Aliquippa’s district-best 16-game winning streak and handed the Quips their first regular season loss since losing to Central Valley in Week 2 of the 2021 season.

Ambridge Bridgers

A tough road in the rugged Class 4A Parkway Conference begins Friday against West Allegheny, plus the two top-ranked teams in 4A are ahead on the schedule in Montour and Aliquippa, but so far so great for Ambridge. The Bridgers are 3-1 through their nonconference schedule and while that might not impress most people, consider they won two games in each of the previous three seasons, plus in the five years before that from 2016-2020, Ambridge won a grand total of one game. In Week 4, senior Zavion Lewis scored on a pair of touchdown runs as the Bridgers made the long trek to Greensburg Salem and handed the Golden Lions their first loss, 27-8.

Leechburg Blue Devils

There were two battles of unbeaten teams this past Friday in Class A. In a Black Hills Conference showdown, defending champion Fort Cherry finished strong to knock off Monessen. In the Eastern Conference, Leechburg not only won at Jeanette, but controlled the game to improve to 5-0 overall. Blue Devils senior quarterback Jayden Floyd was outstanding, throwing for 50 yards, but doing great damage with his legs as he ran for 223 yards on 14 carries and scored all five of his team’s touchdowns in an uber-impressive win over the Jayhawks, 35-13.

2024 Trib HSSN Teams of the Week

Week 3 – South Allegheny Gladiators

Week 2– Jefferson-Morgan Rockets

Week 1 – Bethel Park Black Hawks

Week Zero – Blackhawk Cougars

Tags: Central Valley