A-K Valley high school football matchups for 2024 Week 6

By: Bill Hartlep
Wednesday, October 2, 2024 | 6:28 PM

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Here’s a look at the don’t-miss matchups the A-K Valley in Week 6 of the 2024 season:

Class 5A Big East Conference

Kiski Area (1-5, 0-3) at Latrobe (4-2, 1-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Latrobe Memorial Stadium, Latrobe

Last week’s result: Franklin Regional 35, Kiski Area 30; Woodland Hills 30, Latrobe 20

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Led by quarterback Carson Heinle, Kiski Area gave first-place Franklin Regional all it could take last week. Heinle was 16 of 27 for 209 yards and two touchdowns and became the school’s all-time leading passer with 3,753 yards. He also ran for a score, while Andrew Finney and Aven Shirley caught scoring throws. … Latrobe dropped its first conference game of the season, again struggling to sustain and finish drives. The Wildcats did have a safety, and quarterback John Wetzel ran for two touchdowns, while Roman Agostoni kicked a 38-yard field goal. Wetzel ran 34 times for 218 yards. Latrobe has given up the fewest points in the conference (79). … Kiski Area holds a 31-10 lead against Latrobe in the all-time series that dates to 1962 when both were members of the original Foothills Conference. Latrobe’s only WPIAL title came against Kiski Area, 19-7, in 1968. It was the final WPIAL title game held at Forbes Field. The schools have played only once in the last six seasons, with the Cavaliers winning 35-27 in 2021.

Class 5A Northeast Conference

Plum (1-5, 1-1) at North Hills (5-1, 1-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Martorelli Stadium, Ross Township

Last week’s result: Pine-Richland 43, Plum 7; North Hills 48, Fox Chapel 7

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

The Mustangs will try to get back in win column after back-to-back losses to Pine-Richland and Penn-Trafford and stay in the playoff hunt with three Northeast Conference games remaining. RB Nick Odom led the Plum offense last week with 148 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries. Junior Antonio Hanzlik stepped in at quarterback and threw for 94 yards. … North Hills has been among the top teams in Class 5A this season and is averaging 25.3 ppg while allowing just 11.0. The Indians defense picked off three passes against Fox Chapel, including Julius Green’s 70-yard pick-6. … Plum is 2-3 vs. North Hills, winning in 1991 and 2015, and the Indians posted victories in 1990, 2014 and 2021.

Class 4A Greater Allegheny Conference

No. 5 Mars (2-4, 1-0) at Knoch (2-3, 1-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Knights Stadium, Saxonburg

Last week’s result: Mars 42, West Mifflin 14; Knoch 42, Indiana 13

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Knoch and Mars are tied atop the Greater Allegheny Conference with McKeesport after one week of conference play, though all three teams have just two overall wins this fall. … Mars has faced Class 5A Bethel Park and North Hills as well as two of the top contenders in 4A: Aliquippa and Montour. Nate Walker stepped in at QB last week for Luke Goodworth and threw for nearly 100 yards and a TD, and Eric Kasperowicz Jr. ran for 111 yards and three scores. … For Knoch, Codi Mullen threw for 182 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 103 yards and three TDs in last week’s win over Indiana. Sam Skura also had a 12-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Class 3A Allegheny 7 Conference

Freeport (4-2, 2-1) at Highlands (2-3, 1-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Golden Rams Stadium, Natrona Heights

Last week’s result: Freeport 48, Valley 20; Deer Lakes 27, Highlands 26

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Freeport is looking for a third straight victory after convincing conference wins over Burrell and Valley the past two weeks. Amos Glenn fronted the offense with 249 yards and six touchdowns last week, and he now has 771 yards and 11 TDs this season. Drew Ross has thrown for 661 yards and five scores. … Highlands has lost twice by one point this season. The Golden Rams have never had a season where they sustained more than a single one-point loss. Menage Lucas has passed for 721 yards and nine touchdowns and run for 723 yards and 11 scores. Montrell Johnson has been his top target with 307 yards and five TDs. … Highlands and Freeport have split four games, with Freeport winning in 2002 (first game at Golden Rams Stadium) and 2015, which ended a 14-game, regular season Highlands winning streak. Highlands posted victories in 2003 and 2014.

Class 2A Allegheny Conference

Apollo-Ridge (0-5, 0-2) at No. 5 Steel Valley (3-3, 1-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Campbell Field, Munhall

Last week’s result: OLSH 26, Apollo-Ridge 7; Steel Valley 49, Shady Side Academy 0

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Apollo-Ridge will try to get off the schneid this week against an explosive Ironmen offense. The Vikings struggled to stop OLSH QB Vann Kavals last week and will be tasked with shutting down the Barksdale brothers Friday. Apollo-Ridge QB Alex Clawson threw for 106 yards and a 26-yard touchdown to Gage Wingard last week. … Donald Barksdale ran for 259 yards and three scores, and Da’Ron Barksdale gained 127 yards and had two TDs in last week’s shutout win over Shady Side Academy. The Ironmen, who have losses to Clairton, Bishop Canevin and South Park, are averaging 21.6 points while allowing 15.5. … Apollo-Ridge is 1-6 vs. Steel Valley, with the Vikings’ victory coming in the covid-abbreviated 2020 season.

Class A Eastern Conference

Brentwood (3-3, 2-1) at Riverview (2-2, 1-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Riverside Park, Oakmont

Last week’s result: Brentwood 41, Frazier 18; Greensburg Central Catholic 45, Riverview 14

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Eastern Conference newcomer Brentwood got a key victory over Frazier last week behind QB Cedric Davis, who threw for nearly 200 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 58 yards and a score. RB Zach Vickless ran for 61 yards and two TDs. … Landon Johnson and Alex Schultheis had the lone scores for the Raiders last week against Greensburg Central Catholic. The Raiders face a key stretch of games that includes Frazier, Clairton and Jeannette to end the season. … Riverview and Brentwood are evenly matched with the all-time series standing at 10-10-1. The 8-8 tie came in 1980. The Raiders first played Brentwood in their inaugural 1971 season. The teams last played in 2009, with Brentwood winning 12-6.

No. 2 Clairton (6-0, 3-0) vs. Springdale (0-5, 0-3)

7 p.m. Friday, Buccaneer Stadium, Lower Burrell

Last week’s result: Clairton 43, Jeannette 0; Leechburg 54, Springdale 0

Last year’s meeting: Clairton 65, Springdale 17

Clairton’s dominance continued last week as the Bears remained unbeaten. They average 45.5 points while allowing a WPIAL-low 1.1. They have yet to allow an offensive touchdown to the opposition. Offensively, QB Jeff Thompson has thrown for 1,036 yards and 14 scores. Drahcir Jones has run for nearly 600 yards and 10 touchdowns. … Springdale is averaging 1.2 points while allowing 48.2. … Clairton leads the all-time series against Springdale, 32-3. The last Dynamos win was in the 2007 WPIAL semifinals, 22-21, on a 2-point conversion with time nearly expired.

Leechburg (6-0, 3-0) at Frazier (1-5, 0-3)

7 p.m. Friday, Frazier Stadium, Perryopolis

Last week’s result: Leechburg 54, Springdale 0; Brentwood 41, Frazier 18

Last year’s meeting: Leechburg 59, Frazier 8

Leechburg will try to go to 7-0 for the first time since 1980. Quarterback Jayden Floyd has thrown for 631 yards and seven scores and also run for 859 yards and 20 touchdowns. Jake Cummings and Tim Andrasy have added six touchdowns apiece, and kicker Mason Scitticatt has been a reliable point producer with 30 extra points. … Frazier’s lone win was a 36-0 nonconference triumph over Mapletown in Week 1. The Commodores have been outscored 144-42 in three Eastern Conference games. QB Brady Secrest has thrown for 623 yards and eight touchdowns, and Derek Diamond has run for 531 yards and five scores. … The teams have split their six meetings.

Nonconference

No. 5 Beaver (4-2) at No. 2 Deer Lakes (6-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Lancer Stadium, West Deer

Last week’s result: Beaver 49, McGuffey 0; Deer Lakes 27, Highlands 26

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Deer Lakes is 6-0 for the first time in program history. The Lancers are averaging 33.1 ppg while holding opponents to 20.5. RB Zier Williams ran for 145 yards and three scores last week and has run for more than 800 yards this season and scored 14 times. … Beaver ranks 11th in WPIAL football victories with a record of 679-424-55 (.616) since inaugurating the sport in 1899. Quay Cain ran for 196 yards and two touchdowns on just seven carries against McGuffey. … The Lancers defeated the Bobcats, 14-13, in 1997 but lost in 2000 and in WPIAL playoff games that took place in 2010 (34-21) and 2022 (17-3).

Franklin Regional (5-1) at Fox Chapel (1-4)

7 p.m. Friday, Burke Stadium, Fox Chapel

Last week’s result: Franklin Regional 35, Kiski Area 30; Pine-Richland 71, Fox Chapel 0

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Franklin Regional rallied from a 17-0 deficit to edge Kiski Area last week. Quarterback Chase Lemke completed 6 of 8 passes for 167 yards and three touchdowns. Kyle Dupill rushed for 217 yards and a score. … Fox Chapel had a tough game against top-ranked Pine-Richland. The Foxes had minus-77 yards of total offense. … Franklin Regional holds a 11-9-1 lead in the all-time series with a scoreless tie coming in 1985. The series dates to 1980.

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Beaver, Brentwood, Clairton, Deer Lakes, Fox Chapel, Frazier, Freeport, Highlands, Kiski Area, Knoch, Leechburg, Mars, North Hills, Plum, Riverview, Springdale, Steel Valley