Trib HSSN Football Player of the Week for Oct. 6, 2024

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, October 6, 2024 | 8:01 PM

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Trib HSSN football player of the week: Tasso Whipple

School: Penn-Trafford

Class: Senior

Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 190 pounds

Position: Running back, linebacker

What coach says: “Tasso ran just as hard in the late fourth quarter as he did on his first carries,” Penn-Trafford coach John Ruane said about Whipple’s performance against Gateway in Week 6. “He’s got outstanding endurance.

“We never want to overwork anyone. That being said, he came off a four-game stretch of not having 15 carries, so I think we have been cautious with him.

“He is incredibly coachable. He does everything you ask and, more importantly, everything you don’t have to ask because he’s mature and does the right things on his own. His off-field leadership is more impressive than his on-field play.

“Tasso has put on weight and has increased his speed. I think his biggest improvement is actually on defense where we ask him to do a lot as an outside linebacker. He’s been just as good on that side of the ball this season.”

#Earned: In a key 5A Big East Conference battle of rivals, visiting Penn-Trafford jumped out early and picked up a big win that put the Warriors alone in third place behind Franklin Regional (which they host Friday) and Woodland Hills. Whipple led the offense with 249 yards rushing on 28 carries as Penn-Trafford defeated Gateway, 32-13. Despite averaging nearly 9 yards per carry, Whipple was held out of the end zone for only the second time this season, with the other being in a Week 3 loss to Woodland Hills. Whipple caught only one pass against the Gators but is second on the Warriors in receptions with 13.

Background: Whipple got a good taste of varsity football as a sophomore, finishing third on the Warriors in rushing with 386 yards on 68 carries. As a junior last fall, he led Penn-Trafford in rushing and scoring with 1,388 yards on 200 carries and 17 touchdowns. This season, he is fourth in the WPIAL with 1,161 yards on 128 carries eight touchdowns. Whipple is also a member of the Penn-Trafford wrestling team and reached the quarterfinals in the 2024 WPIAL Class 3A individual championships in the 189-pound bracket. Whipple started wrestling and playing football at the age of 5. He also played baseball before hanging up the spikes after eighth grade.

WPIAL Week Six Honorable Mentions:

Aaron Strader, Pine-Richland

A back-and-forth affair for first place in the 5A Northeast Conference went the way of host Pine-Richland over Penn Hills thanks to another strong night by their sophomore quarterback. Strader, whose brother Raion starred at Penn Hills from 2019-2023, completed 8 of 15 passes for 166 yards and touchdown tosses of 27 yards to junior wide receiver Jalen Neals and 21 yards to junior wide out Jay Timmons, plus he sealed the 6-0 start with a 34-yard game-clinching score as the Rams held off the Indians, 31-21.

Eric Kasperowicz, Mars

The once quarterback of the future for Mars is the running back of the present. Eric Kasperowicz was a freshman QB for Mars before a shoulder injury sidelined him, forcing him to move over in the offensive backfield. The coach’s son and junior rusher carried the ball 29 times and gained 306 yards, averaging a first down per carry (10.5 yards) while scoring four touchdowns on runs 9, 23, 21 and 12 yards as the Fightin’ Planets remain tied for first place with McKeesport following a win at Knoch, 42-7.

Trey Coury, Burrell

If you found a young man sleeping in a hot tub in the Lower Burrell area over the weekend, odds are pretty good you stumbled upon Coury. The sophomore is like the old Timex commercial: He takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Coury carried the ball a muscle-aching 53 times and gained 266 yards while scoring touchdowns on runs of 3 and 42 yards as the Buccaneers spotted host Valley six points before scoring the final 15 points in a 3A Allegheny 7 Conference win, 15-6.

2024 HSSN Players of the Week:

Week 5: Julian Dahlem, Upper St. Clair

Week 4: Matt Sieg, Fort Cherry

Week 3: Trey Hopper, Montour

Week 2: Tyler Eber, Thomas Jefferson

Week 1: Donald Barksdale, Steel Valley

Week Zero: Drew Welhorsky, South Fayette

Tags: Penn-Trafford