WPIAL Week Two Friday Night HighLights

By: Bruce Markey
Saturday, September 8, 2012 | 10:31 AM

Maybe some folks weren't ready for Primetime with conference action starting in Week One throughout the WPIAL. Maybe they are showing up a tad late for the 2012 drama playing out on a stage near you. Or maybe a fast start out of the gates continued in the second furlough. Whatever the case may be, here are the top performances from a wild second Friday in which some games ended lightning quick while other were just delayed by lightning.

Mack Leftwich – North Allegheny

Last year as a junior quarterback, Mack Leftwich was asked more times than not to just 'control' the game as North Allegheny would pound the ball down their opponents throats. So far early indications are this senior is bursting to chuck the pigskin all over the place. Mack delivered the knife once again by hitting on 9 of 14 passes for 298 yards and four touchdowns passes, plus he went old school with a scoring run to lead the Tigers to their second win of the season and first in the Northern Eight Conference with a 48-7 win over the host Fox Chapel Foxes.

Dorian Brown – Baldwin

Yes, it appears that the move to a new conference was not the proper tonic for Plum as they have been outscored 90-21 in their first two losses. but that does not take away from a huge night for Dorian Brown in his team home opener. The senior carried the ball 14 times and gained 167 yards with two long touchdown runs of 54 and 25 yards, plus he caught a 64-yard touchdown pass from Baldwin quarterback Douglas Altavilla as the Highlanders rolled to a 35-7 Class AAAA Southeastern Conference victory over the Mustangs.

Jim Wheeler – West Mifflin

Well you can call him Jim, or you can call him James, or you can call him Jimmy…bottom line though, no matter what you call him the West Mifflin running back, odds are pretty good you won't be able to stop him. Jim Wheeler kept the big wheels rolling all night long in rushing for 342 yards on 24 pounding carries while scoring on three long touchdown runs of 33, 75 and 69 yards in leading the Titans to an impressive 48-14 thumping of the host Belle Vernon Leopards in an early season Class AAA Big Nine Conference showdown.

Nico Lodovico – Franklin Regional

Franklin Regional was stunned in their season opener as they fell at home to Mars 21-17. Not looking for a repeat performance and a second straight loss in Murrysville, FR turned to their quarterback for success through the air. Nico Lodovico answered the call quite nicely thank you as he hit on 12 of 15 passes for 282 yards and two touchdown tosses to go along with a scoring run as the Panthers showed their true colors and rolled in a Class AAA Greater Allegheny Conference matchup 35-0 over the Indiana Little Indians.

Demetrius Lewis – Ringgold

After a humbling loss in their season opener to Thomas Jefferson, Ringgold returned home looking to get back on track in the Class AAA Big Nine Conference. The Week One misstep is now a distant memory thanks to the many successful steps taken by Demetrius Lewis, who rushed for 210 yards and scored on long touchdown runs of 17, 79 and 58 yards in helping the Rams even their record at 1-1 with a 48-27 triumph over the Laurel Highlands Mustangs.

Luke Brumbaugh – Seton-LaSalle & Brett Brumbaugh – South Fayette

The first family of WPIAL quarterbacks were very happy 'their boys' were shining bright on a cloudy eve in both Washington County and Allegheny County. Luke Brumbaugh hit on 15 of 24 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns as the Seton-LaSalle Rebels blanked the McGuffey Highlanders. Elsewhere in Class AA Century Conferencde play, younger brother Brett Brumbaugh was 12 of 24 passing for 253 yards and five touchdown tosses in leading the South Fayette Lions to a 53-0 whitewash of the Keystone Oaks Golden Eagles.

Tyler Mellors & John Anys – Mount Pleasant

A back and forth see-saw battle that was not decided until the final seconds was just what was expected from these two Class AA Interstate Conference foes who seem to go down to the wire more often than not. Visiting Mount Pleasant came away with the 'W' in large part to a pair of legs, first those of Tyler Mellors, who rushed for 268 yards and scored three touchdowns, then the leg of kicker John Anys who booted a 39-yard field goal with a half-minute remaining as the Vikings prevailed in a 30-28 win over the Greensburg Cemtral Catholic Centurions.  

Isiah Neely – Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

It took a week longer than they had hoped, but once again Isiah helped lead Our Lady of the Sacred Heart to the promise land of the schools first Class A Big Seven Conference victory. Isiah Neely that is, rushed for 310 yards while scoring five of his teams six touchdowns and going over the 3,000 career rushing yards milestone as the OLSH Chargers evened their record at 1-1 with a 42-26 shootout victory over the Western Beaver Golden Beavers.

Jesse Zelonka – Apollo-Ridge

When the Pittsburgh Pirates hit an extra base hit this season, they flash the 'Z' sign to help celebrate. You'd have a lot of numb arms today if Apollo-Ridge fans flashed the 'Z' for every yard thrown by quarterback Jesse Zelonka. The 'Z' man hit on 9 of 15 passes for 272 yards with four touchdown passes (3 to Tre Tipton) along with a touchdown run in leading the Vikings to a 41-0 rout of the Wilkinsburg Tigers in a Class A Eastern Conference matchup.

Tyler and Logan Bowman – Jefferson-Morgan

One Jefferson-Morgan Bowman may have been more than host Bentworth could handle, but  a pair of Bowman's may have sealed the deal in this Class A Tri-County South Conference contest. Quarterback Tyler Bowman hit on 3 of 4 passes for 131 yards, with all three of the completions going for touchdowns (two on tosses of 64 and 25 yards to Logan Bowman) while Tyler added scoring runs of 75 and 99 yards as the Rockets improved to 2-0 with a 45-21 victory over the Bearcats.

Special HighLight – New Castle Red Hurricane Football

Congrats to New Castle High School on their 700th career victory. becoming the first WPIAL school to reach that milestone and only the fourth school in Pennsylvania to hit that plateau in a 48-14 victory over the Riverside Panthers.