South Hills football notebook: Brentwood defense comes through in opener

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, August 31, 2018 | 10:46 PM

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Week Zero football highlights from the South Hills:

• Brentwood’s football team defeated Brownsville Road-rival Carrick, 35-7, in its season opener at Brentwoood Stadium.

The Spartans were sparked defensively by the one-two punch of juniors Luke Bauer (5-10, 200), at tackle, and Aidan Davis (5-8, 150), at linebacker.

“The defense played well as a unit,” said Greg Perdziola, Brentwood’s defensive coordinator. “We tackled well.

Luke Bauer was outstanding. He had three sacks in the first half. Aidan Davis also had a very good game at linebacker.”

Brentwood junior QB John Milcic completed 6 of 13 passes for 98 yards, with one touchdown and one interception, in his varsity debut.

Milcic also ran for 49 yards and two scores for the Spartans, who were led on the ground by junior RB Ian Thomas, with 66 yards and two scores on nine carries.

Sophomore Aiden Wardzinski had four receptions for 80 yards, while senior Drew Wilson and junior Eddie Gomez caught one pass apiece. Wilson, on a 15-yard touchdown pass, and Gomez, who was 5 for 5 on PAT kicks, rounded out the Spartans’ scoring.

• Baldwin defeated Fox Chapel by a similar score, cruising to a 34-7 victory at Baldwin Stadium.

The Fighting Highlanders outgained the visitors in total offense 421-112, and secured a 24-7 edge in first downs.

Defensively, Baldwin’s catalyst was Jaqwon Parker, an athletic senior end who led the team with nine tackles, including six solo stops, and two sacks. Parker was credited with four tackles-for-losses and one quarterback hurry.

Other leading tacklers for the purple-and-white included junior DB Jarren Kelly, sophomore DE Dorien Ford, junior LB Matt Bauman, senior DB Naseer Penn, senior LB Tyler Gurchak, senior DT Noah Bartic, senior LB Connor Sidoruk and senior DT Elyon Phiri.

Baldwin’s defensive line was anchored by Parker (6-0, 260), Ford (6-5, 270), Bartic (5-11, 260) and Phiri (6-0, 250).

Offensively, the team’s leading rushers were juniors Angelo Priore, who racked up 102 yards including a 57-yard TD dash in the first quarter, and Zach Pettit, who finished with 90 yards on 16 carries. Priore averaged 14.6 yards per rushing attempt.

Junior QB Mason Stahl (7-59), sophomore RB Luke Loeffert (9-56) and freshman RB Kam Allen (5-32) combined for another 167 yards, plus one score by Loeffert.

Five players had receptions for the Fighting Highlanders.

Penn, sophomore WR Connor Lavelle and senior WR Dre Howell reeled in two apiece; Sidoruk and Pettit both had one. Penn and Lavelle nabbed TD tosses.

• Baldwin was one of five teams in the Class 5A Allegheny 8 Conference that were victorious in Week Zero.

Chartiers Valley blanked Ringgold, 48-0; Moon ran past Montour, 32-6; Peters Township socked West Toronto Prep, 43-7; and Upper St. Clair edged South Fayette, 34-33.

Woodland Hills dropped a 20-7 decision to Woodrow Wilson from Washington D.C.

Bethel Park and West Allegheny were idle.

• Seton LaSalle freshman RB Gabe Finale logged a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the Rebels’ 56-19 nonconference loss to McNeilly Road-rival Keystone Oaks.

Wideouts James Yanders, a junior, and Alex Jones, a freshman, tacked on a pair of 49-yard TD receptions off passes from junior QB Max Schipani and sophomore QB Joey Ranft, respectively.

• Seton LaSalle was the only Class 2A Three Rivers Conference team to lose in Week Zero.

Along with Brentwood’s win over Carrick, Carlynton rolled by Bishop Canevin, 34-7; Fort Cherry defeated Chartiers-Houston, 20-13; Serra Catholic thumped Yough, 44-25; South Allegheny hammered Frazier, 41-14; and South Side edged Sto-Rox, 28-26.

Burgettstown was idle.

• Thomas Jefferson’s season-opening opponent, Ringgold, dropped a 48-0 Week Zero decision at Chartiers Valley.

TJ is a member of the Class 4A Big 8 Conference. Five conference squads lost games in Week Zero.

Along with CV’s shutout against Ringgold, Hempfield defeated Greensburg Salem, 27-24; Armstrong clipped Indiana, 26-20; Washington belted Laurel Highlands, 59-25; and Mars nipped West Mifflin, 7-6.

TJ, Belle Vernon and Trinity were idle.

• A total of 97 WPIAL teams played in Week Zero contests this year; 23 squads participated in scrimmages.

Ray Fisher is a freelance writer.

Tags: Baldwin, Brentwood, Thomas Jefferson