Hempfield hopes to build off wild win in matchup with rival Norwin

By: Paul Schofield
Wednesday, October 2, 2024 | 6:23 PM

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Just when you think you’ve seen everything in high school football, a crazy play will occur to decide the outcome of a game.

Some examples of teams snatching victories from the jaws of defeat that involve Westmoreland County schools include:

• In 1977, Belle Vernon’s Calvin Wargo had his field goal attempt at the end of the first half blocked by a Brownsville defensive lineman. The ball bounced into his hands, and he stood there as the Brownsville players ran past him and headed to the locker room. Wargo waited for the visitors to pass him and ran into the end zone for a touchdown.

• In 1984, Southmoreland had just taken a 9-7 lead on Latrobe with a field goal with 10 seconds left. The Scotties squibbed the kickoff, and Tom Cawoski scooped up the ball and proceeded to run through and bounce off the entire Scotties coverage team for a 68-yard score. Latrobe offensive coordinator Robert D. “Bo” Ruffner said all 11 players on Southmoreland’s special teams’ unit hit him.

• In 1988, Greensburg Salem’s Jason Howard scored on the final play of the game when he knocked the ball out of the hands of the Southmoreland punter, who had stopped running around when the horn went off, thinking the game was over. Howard picked up the ball and raced 15 yards for the winning score.

• In 1992, Latrobe was losing 20-19 to Erie McDowell with a minute and a half left when linebacker Bob Baum swiped the ball from the McDowell fullback and raced 50 yards for the winning touchdown.

Hempfield had its bizarre moment last week at Canon-McMillan.

Faced with fourth-and-goal from the Canon-McMillan 31 with 47 seconds left, Hempfield quarterback Dominic Detruf attempted a Hail Mary pass into the end zone.

A Canon-McMillan defensive back intercepted the pass, took two steps, dropped the ball in the end zone and went to celebrate with his teammates. Unfortunately for him, the play was still alive, and an alert Jack Kopas pounced on the ball for a tying touchdown.

Hempfield won the game 33-27 in overtime when Detruf connected on a 10-yard score to Aidan Stinebiser.

“It was crazy,” Hempfield coach Nick Keefer said. “This team never quit and played to the end. I was proud of how they never lost faith.

“They believed the entire game we were going to win, even when there was 47 seconds left. We kept fighting, and we made enough plays to win the game.”

Now the Spartans (2-4, 1-2) host conference rival Norwin (2-4, 0-2) and former coach Mike Brown at Bill Abraham Field at Spartan Stadium.

“It was a huge win for the program,” Keefer said. “It wasn’t perfect, but a win is a win, and we’ll take it now.”

Hempfield scored two other defensive touchdowns: a Reddick Katchur 54-yard interception return and an Andrew Jones 50-yard fumble return. Detruf completed 19 of 34 passes for 155 yards and Stinebiser rushed for 126 yards and a score.

All that added up to a victory that puts Hempfield in a good spot heading down the stretch, because the Spartans already have played North Allegheny and Central Catholic.

Now Hempfield hopes to use the momentum against a beat-up Norwin squad. The teams will be battling Canon-McMillan, Mt. Lebanon and Seneca Valley for the final two playoff spots heading down the stretch.

The Knights have dropped four consecutive games after opening the season with wins against Penn-Trafford and Kiski Area.

There is a decent chance that junior quarterback Tristyn Tavares will miss his second consecutive game with a knee injury he sustained against North Allegheny.

Brown said Tavares wants to play no matter what, but the Norwin second-year coach is being cautious.

“We’re hoping to get him back soon, but we’re not going to jeopardize his future,” Brown said. “We’re confident in our backup Josh (Lenart). He is coming back from an injury, and he got some action last week against North Hills. We are pretty banged up.”

Norwin probably will turn to its ground attack and rely on its experienced line and trio of running backs: Jackson Huss, Jake Sincak and Giovanni Rothrauff.

“We’re focused on starting faster,” Brown said. “We’ve been starting in a hole, and it’s tough to come back from that. We are treating this like it’s the start of our playoffs. We need a win in the conference.”

Brown, who coached Hempfield in 2021 and 2022, said he had never before seen an ending like Hempfield’s last week.

“They had played a heck of a game,” Brown said, “They played to the end. They were aggressive and played great. We’ll have our hands full.”

One area Brown and his staff harped on during the offseason was better tackling. The Knights showed that early but had a tough game in a Week 2 loss to Latrobe when they allowed 450 yards on the ground.

Keefer said he is preparing his defense for Tavares and Norwin’s best effort.

“There are no easy weeks on our schedule,” Keefer said. “Every week is a heavyweight bout. They are big up front, and they have athletic running backs who hit the hole and play hard.

“They also have an all-conference quarterback who could potentially be banged up. We are anticipating him playing. They’re a great football team and are well coached. It should be an exciting game and big for both communities.”

Keefer just hopes last week’s win is the boost the team needs during the second half of the season, while Norwin is just looking for a spark.

All-time series

Hempfield leads, 37-25-4

2023: Norwin, 47-21

2022: Hempfield, 34-7

2021: Norwin, 27-7

2020: Hempfield, 28-14

2019: Hempfield, 34-7

2018: Norwin, 28-20

2017: Norwin, 24-14

2016: Hempfield, 29-22

2015: Hempfield, 35-34

2014: Norwin, 21-0

2013: Hempfield, 31-7

2012: Hempfield, 42-8

2011: Hempfield, 29-14

2010: Norwin, 40-35

2009: Norwin, 34-14

2008: Hempfield, 16-14

2007: Norwin, 17-10

2006: Norwin, 24-14

2005: Norwin, 24-23

2004: Norwin, 14-7

2003: Hempfield, 17-14

2002: Norwin, 7-0

2001: Hempfield, 34-13

2000:

1999: Norwin, 17-0

1998: Hempfield, 28-12

1997: Hempfield, 51-14

1996: Hempfield, 21-20

1995: Hempfield, 24-22

1994: Hempfield, 21-13

1993: Norwin, 28-13

1992: Hempfield, 27-6

1991: Hempfield, 17-14

1990: Norwin, 21-20

1989: Hempfield, 28-13

1988: Tie, 14-14

1987: Norwin, 43-30

1986: Hempfield, 28-19

1985: Hempfield, 16-6

1984: Hempfield, 16-0

1983: Tie, 6-6

1982: Hempfield, 41-6

1981: Hempfield, 30-6

1980: Norwin, 17-12

1979: Hempfield, 26-0

1978: Hempfield, 9-2

1977: Norwin, 8-6

1976: Norwin,47-13

1975: Tie, 19-19

1974: Norwin, 6-0

1973: Norwin, 8-0

1972: Norwin, 15-14

1971: Hempfield, 46-0

1970: Hempfield, 21-6

1969: Hempfield, 36-7

1968: Hempfield, 28-0

1967: Hempfield, 40-0

1966: Hempfield, 25-14

1965: Hempfield, 27-12

1964: Hempfield, 21-7

1963: Norwin 19-14

1962: Tie, 14-14

1961: Hempfield, 33-14

1960: Norwin, 14-13

1959: Norwin, 7-0

1958: Hempfield, 47-0

1957: Hempfield, 34-6

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Hempfield, Norwin