High school football roundup for Sept. 27, 2024: No. 4 Avonworth tops No. 3 Central Valley

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Saturday, September 28, 2024 | 12:17 AM


Luca Neal rushed for 153 yards and a touchdown as No. 4 Avonworth scored a 21-14 victory over No. 3 Central Valley (2-4, 2-1) in a Class 3A Western Hills Conference football matchup Friday night.

Cooper Scharding got the scoring started for the Lopes in the first quarter with a 25-yard fumble return for a score. Carson Bellinger also scored on a 3-yard run for Avonworth (4-2, 2-0).

Steven Rutherford threw for 95 yards and a touchdown, and Mason Dixon scored on a 22-yard run in the loss.

Here’s a look at other results in Week 5:

Class 6A

Hempfield 33, Canon-McMillan 27 (OT) — Dominic Detruf found Aidan Stinebiser with a 10-yard scoring pass in overtime to lead Hempfield (2-4, 1-2) to the Class 6A win at No. 3 Canon-McMillan (2-4, 1-1). Detruf threw for 185 yards and Stinebiser ran for 126 yards and one touchdown. Ty Jansma threw for 159 yards and one touchdown for Canon-McMillan.

Class 5A

South Fayette 38, Baldwin 0 — Drew Welhorsky threw for 156 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 121 yards and two TDs to lead No. 5 South Fayette (6-0, 1-0) to the Allegheny Six Conference shutout against Baldwin (0-6, 0-1). Aiden Martinic caught four passes for 113 yards and a touchdown.

Gateway 48, Armstrong 20 — In the Big East Conference, Elvis Koutsakis threw for 377 yards and five touchdowns to lead Gateway (3-3, 2-1) to victory at Armstrong (2-4, 0-2). Shawn Moorefield Jr. caught 12 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown for Gateway while teammate Amari Ganis rushed for 99 yards and two TDs.

Penn Hills 41, Shaler 0 — In the Northeast Conference, Naytel Mitchell ran for 103 yards and two touchdowns as Penn Hills (3-3, 2-0) shut out Shaler (2-4, 0-2). Devin Harris threw for 184 yards and one touchdown.

Pine-Richland 71, Fox Chapel 0 — Aaron Strader completed all six of his passes for 150 yards and four touchdowns as No. 2 Pine-Richland (5-0, 3-0) blanked Fox Chapel (1-4, 0-3) in the Northeast Conference. Tanner Cunningham scored three touchdowns for Pine-Richland — two on passes from Strader and one on an 80-yard kick return.

Class 4A

Chartiers Valley 42, Laurel Highlands 14 — Tayshaun Lewis ran for 190 yards and a touchdown as Chartiers Valley (3-2, 1-0) beat Laurel Highlands (3-2, 0-1) in the Big Six Conference.

Trinity 45, Ringgold 0 — Caden Vogal and Philip Whitlock returned interceptions 35 and 100 yards, respectively, as Trinity (2-4, 1-0) shut out Ringgold (1-5, 0-1) in the Big Six Conference. Semaj Fuse added a 45-yard fumble return for a touchdown for Trinity’s defense while Jonah Williamson threw for 130 yards and a touchdown and ran for a TD.

Knoch 42, Indiana 13 — Codi Mullen threw for 160 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 88 yards and three TDs to lead Knoch (2-3, 1-0) to the Greater Allegheny Conference win against Indiana (1-5, 0-1). Elijah Thomas scored both Indiana touchdowns.

Mars 42, West Mifflin 14 — Gabe Hein caught three passes for 101 yards and a touchdown, ran for a touchdown and returned a kickoff 85 yards for another score as Mars (2-4, 1-0) beat West Mifflin (2-4, 0-1) in Greater Allegheny Conference play. Eric Kasperowicz added 111 rushing yards and three touchdowns for Mars. Armand Hill ran for 163 yards and one touchdown for West Mifflin.

McKeesport 54, Hampton 7 — Kemon Spell ran three times — all for touchdowns — for 189 yards as No. 5 McKeesport (2-4, 1-0) picked up the Greater Allegheny Conference win at Hampton (2-4, 0-1). Anthony Cromerdie added two rushing touchdowns.

Aliquippa 62, New Castle 21 — Top-ranked Aliquippa (3-1, 1-0) scored 42 first-half points in its Parkway Conference win over No. 4 Uniontown (4-1, 0-1). The Quips scored touchdowns on a punt return, fumble return and interception return.

Montour 49, Blackhawk 8 — In the Parkway Conference, Trey Hopper threw for 296 yards and four touchdowns to lead No. 2 Montour (5-0, 1-0) to the win at Blackhawk (3-3, 0-1). Daniel Batch caught two passes — both for touchdowns — for 117 yards while Marcus Battes caught one scoring pass and returned a kickoff 95 yards for another TD.

West Allegheny 38, Ambridge 0 — Brody Malatak threw for one touchdown and ran for another as West Allegheny (1-2, 1-0) beat Ambridge (3-2, 0-1) in the Parkway Conference.

Class 3A

Beaver 49, McGuffey 0 — Quay Cain ran for 196 yards and two touchdowns as No. 5 Beaver (4-2, 2-1) scored 42 first-half points in its Western Hills Conference win over McGuffey (0-5, 0-3).

Hopewell 24, Quaker Valley 7 — In the Western Hills Conference, Rocco Marcantonio hit a WPIAL-record 56-yard field goal, and Brody Rock rushed for 202 yards and a touchdown as Hopewell (3-3, 1-2) beat Quaker Valley (1-4, 0-2).

Class 2A

OLSH 26, Apollo-Ridge 7 — Vann Kavals threw for 140 yards and two touchdowns, ran for a 36-yard TD and scored on a 70-yard fumble return to lead OLSH (3-2, 2-1) to the Allegheny Conference win at Apollo-Ridge (0-5, 0-2). Alexander Clawson threw for 106 yards and a touchdown for Apollo-Ridge.

Steel Valley 49, Shady Side Academy 0 — Donald Barksdale rushed for 259 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 5 Steel Valley (3-3, 1-1) to the Allegheny Conference win at Shady Side Academy (2-4, 1-2).

Charleroi 17, Sto-Rox 6 — In the Century Conference, Charleroi (1-5, 1-2) beat Sto-Rox (0-5, 0-3).

Keystone Oaks 10, Carlynton 7 — Keystone Oaks (3-2, 3-0) narrowly defeated Carlynton (3-3, 0-2) in Century Conference play.

Seton LaSalle 55, Waynesburg Central 0 — Michael Pastrik threw for 190 yards and four touchdowns as top-ranked Seton LaSalle (5-0, 3-0) downed Waynesburg Central (3-3, 1-1) in Century Conference play. Richard Littlejohn caught five passes for 118 yards and a touchdown and added a TD on a 57-yard punt return while Logan King rushed for 152 yards.

Ellwood City 33, New Brighton 0 — Elijah Palmer-McCane rushed for 191 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 2 Ellwood City (5-0, 3-0) over New Brighton (3-3, 1-2) in a Midwestern Athletic Conference contest. DaiLonn Currie added two touchdown catches from Chris Smiley.

Freedom 20, Beaver Falls 0 — Isaiah Leasha threw for a touchdown and ran for two more as Freedom (2-2, 1-2) shut out Beaver Falls (0-6, 0-3) in the Midwestern Athletic Conference.

Mohawk 41, Union 14 — Sam List ran for 158 yards and two touchdowns and Cash Stratton added 103 rushing yards and two TDs as Mohawk (3-2, 2-1) beat Union (0-5, 0-3) in Midwestern Athletic Conference play. Bobby Fadden tossed for 125 yards and a touchdown in the win.

Western Beaver 21, Riverside 10 — Braeden Mayo ran for two first-half touchdowns as Western Beaver (4-1, 3-0) beat Riverside (3-3, 2-1) in a Midwestern Athletic Conference game.

Class A

Laurel 7, Northgate 0 — Luca Santini hit Kolton Carlson with an 8-yard scoring pass in the second quarter for the game’s only touchdown as Laurel (2-4, 2-0) shut out Northgate (2-4, 0-3) in Big 7 Conference play. Santini threw for 126 yards. Sonteon Layne paced Northgate’s offense with 100 passing yards and 103 rushing yards.

Neshannock 43, Shenango 14 — Justin Edworthy ran for 124 yards and two touchdowns as No. 5 Neshannock (4-1, 2-0) defeated Shenango (1-3, 1-2) in a Big 7 Conference game. Jino Mazzocio hit Anthony Eakin with two touchdown passes for Neshannock while A.J. Ferilla rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown for Shenango.

Rochester 42, Summit Academy 7 — Rochester (1-4, 1-2) scored 36 points in the first half in its Big 7 Conference win over Summit Academy (1-4, 0-2).

Bishop Canevin 70, Chartiers-Houston 0 — Kole Olszewski threw for 265 yards and four touchdowns as No. 4 Bishop Canevin (4-1, 2-0) shut out Chartiers-Houston (3-3, 1-2) in Black Hills Conference play. Damar Olds caught five passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns for Bishop Canevin while Jayden Lindsey, Ka’Vere Holeman and Henry Barbisch all scored two touchdowns.

Cornell 38, Serra Catholic 6 — Walter Clarit returned the opening kickoff 55 yards for a touchdown and rushed for 119 yards and two TDs to lead Cornell (5-1, 2-1) to the Black Hills Conference win against Serra Catholic (1-5, 0-2).

Fort Cherry 42, Burgettstown 0 — Matt Sieg threw for 168 yards and three touchdowns and ran for two TDs to lead top-ranked Fort Cherry (6-0, 3-0) over Burgettstown (1-4, 0-3) in the Black Hills Conference. Eli Salvini added 103 rushing yards and one touchdown.

Brentwood 41, Frazier 18 — Cedric Davis threw for 197 yards and three touchdowns and added a rushing TD as Brentwood (3-3, 2-1) beat Frazier (1-5, 0-3) in the Eastern Conference. Daysaun Spencer caught three passes for 103 yards and a touchdown in the win.

Leechburg 54, Springdale 0 — Jayden Floyd threw for 177 yards and three touchdowns and ran for two more to lead Leechburg (6-0, 3-0) to the Eastern Conference win against Springdale (0-5, 0-3). Tim Andrasy added three rushing touchdowns for Leechburg, which led 40-0 at halftime. Jake Cummings caught nine passes for 130 yards and two TDs.

Avella 28, Beth-Center 16 — Charles Rush ran for 277 yards and two touchdowns to lead Avella (2-4, 1-2) to the Tri-County South win over Beth-Center (0-5, 0-3). Jonah Sussman tossed for 122 yards and a touchdown for Beth-Center.

Bentworth 33, Carmichaels 15 — Ben Hays rushed for 253 yards and three touchdowns to lead Bentworth (4-2, 2-1) to the Tri-County South win against Carmichaels (2-2, 1-2). Cannon Bupka ran for 126 yards and a touchdown for Carmichaels, which jumped to a 15-0 first-quarter lead before Preston Jaquay’s 60-yard kickoff return for a touchdown started Bentworth’s run of five straight TDs.

California 58, Mapletown 0 — In the Tri-County South, Lee Qualk rushed for 150 yards and three touchdowns as California (4-2, 3-0) downed Mapletown (1-5, 0-3). California’s defense scored three times — twice on fumble returns by Christian Ross and once on a 94-yard interception return by Adin Keyes.

Jefferson-Morgan 42, West Greene 7 — Houston Guseman threw for 167 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 148 yards and two TDs to lead Jefferson-Morgan (6-0, 3-0) to the Tri-County South win over West Greene (2-4, 2-1). John Woodward added 120 rushing yards and two touchdowns while teammate Deakyn Dehoet caught nine passes for 137 yards and a touchdown.

Nonconference

Butler 31, Connellsville 0 – Alec Teff threw for 189 yards and three touchdowns as Butler (3-3) beat Connellsville (1-5) in nonconference play.

Imani Christian 48, North Catholic 28 – Gabriel Jenkins ran for 119 yards and three touchdowns, and Dayshawn Burnett ran for two scores as Class 3A No. 1 Imani Christian (6-0) won a nonconference game over North Catholic (3-3). Tom Arth threw for 374 yards and three scores for North Catholic.

North Hills 24, Norwin 7 — Kelly McCarthy threw first-half touchdown passes to Josiah Mathis and Johnell Edison and Julius Green returned an interception for a score in the second half to lead North Hills (5-1) to a nonconference win over Norwin (2-4).

Penn-Trafford 34, Plum 10 — In nonconference play, Tasso Whipple ran for 163 yards and three touchdowns to lead Penn-Trafford (4-2) to the win against Plum (1-5). Johnny Lovre threw for 155 yards a touchdown for Penn-Trafford. Nick Odom paced Plum’s offense with 148 rushing yards and a touchdown.

South Park 37, Washington 0 — Robert Lenzi threw for 116 yards and two touchdowns as Class 2A No. 3 South Park (5-1) scored 29 points in the second quarter on the way to defeating Washington (3-3) in a nonconference game.

Uniontown 49, Brownsville 28 — In a nonconference game, Uniontown (3-3) defeated Brownsville (0-4).

City League

University Prep 70, Brashear 0 — University Prep (2-3, 2-0) downed Brashear (0-6, 0-3) in City League play.

Wheeling Central Catholic 41, Perry 12 — In a nonconference game, Wheeling Central Catholic (3-2) defeated Perry (0-4).

Windber 49, Carrick 6 — Windber (4-2) scored 28 points in the first quarter on its way to beating Carrick (1-4) in a nonconference game.

More Football

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WPIAL Class 5A championship game by the numbers: Pine-Richland 20, Peters Township 9
WPIAL Class 3A championship game by the numbers: Avonworth 17, Central Valley 0
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