Westmoreland County high school football notebook: Kickers step into spotlight

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, October 10, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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In what has been the year of the kicker in the WPIAL, local legs are getting into the act.

Eleven kickers from Westmoreland County have connected on field goals, with seven of the kicks sailing 35 or more yards through the uprights.

Southmoreland’s Jake Kaylor made a school-record 50-yard field goal, breaking a mark that had lasted just as many years.

Joey Bayne of Franklin Regional, who has 32 touchbacks on kickoffs, has four field goals, including one from 37 yards. His 22-yarder beat Latrobe in a 3-0 victory.

Mt. Pleasant’s Jarett Garn, who has made some big plays as a running back and pass catcher, has field goals of 37 and 39 yards.

“I think kickers are effective in high school games because it has gotten higher in level in recent years that a kicker is no longer looked at as just a way to put points on the board,” Kaylor said.

“They are critical to putting the defense in a better position by properly executing punts and kickoffs. If the game is close and you have a reliable kicker, that can win a game.”

Kaylor is 31 of 36 on extra points, 3 for 5 on field goals and is second on the Scotties in scoring with 46 points.

Austin Beck of Kiski Area (44 yards), Latrobe’s Roman Agostoni (38) and Jerry Davis of Greensburg Central Catholic (35) also have long field goals.

‘What he’d want’

Norwin alum Sean Bowen is an assistant coach at Cardinal Mooney in Youngstown, Ohio.

His father, former Hempfield head coach Rich Bowen, died Tuesday after a battle with cancer.

The family made sure the viewing and funeral did not interfere with Friday night football.

“My dad would not want it to get in the way of a game night,” Sean Bowen said. “I have a game Friday night. We play Warren Harding. So we’re all going back to our lives. That is what he would want us to do. He would want us to be at a football field. It’s the best way to honor him. It’s what he would want.”

Bowen’s viewing will be from 2-8 p.m. Monday at Snyder Funeral Home in Irwin. The funeral is 11 a.m. Tuesday at the same location.

A Bowen story

When Knoch made a run to the WPIAL Class 3A title game in 2011, then-coach Mike King credited an outsider for the Knights’ success: Rich Bowen.

Knoch went 12-1, falling to Montour in the final.

After the 2010 season, King said he was looking to make a change to his offense and heard about Bowen’s offensive prowess.

Bowen was an assistant at Waynesburg University and was in Saxonburg for a recruiting visit when King picked his brain.

Bowen gladly opened up, offering his expertise and helping King do a mass install of the no-huddle spread.

“In a very short period, I became very good friends with Rich,” King said. “Rich spent hours with our staff and me teaching us everything he knew so that we could go spread, no-huddle in ’11.

“Rich was instrumental in our run to Heinz Field. I texted and called him throughout the season, and he was always so gracious in getting back to me and helping me with the little bumps in the road.”

The 2011 Knoch team set a scoring record for points in a season (476).

Dupill, Whipple move up

Kyle Dupill of Franklin Regional is the No. 2-leading rusher in the WPIAL with 1,268 yards, and Tasso Whipple of Penn-Trafford, who had a 248-yard game last week, moved into the No. 4 spot with 1,161.

Six WPIAL backs have more than 1,000 yards.

John Jablonovsky of Ligonier Valley could be next in line for 1,000. He has 989.

Dupill also is second in carries with 175. Workhorse back Trey Coury of Burrell has 198 rushes, 53 of which came in last week’s game against Valley.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Burrell, Franklin Regional, Hempfield, Ligonier Valley, Monessen, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland