A-K Valley don’t-miss football matchups for Week 9

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, October 24, 2018 | 6:06 PM

Class 5A Northern

Fox Chapel (2-7, 1-5) at Shaler (3-6, 2-4)

7 p.m. Friday at Lou Martig Field at Titans Stadium

Last week: Armstrong 41, Fox Chapel 14; North Hills 21, Shaler 7

Coaches: Tom Loughran, Fox Chapel; Jim Ryan, Shaler

Top players: Korey Simmons, Fox Chapel (Sr., 5-9, 168, WR/DB); Darin Mizgorski, Shaler (Jr., 6-2, 205, QB/DB)

Keep an eye on: Sam Brown, Fox Chapel (Jr., 6-1, 175, RB/DB)

Momentum: Despite their records in conference play, both Fox Chapel and Shaler still are alive for a WPIAL Class 5A playoff spot.

Four downs: 1. Brown paced Fox Chapel with a rushing touchdown and 12 tackles (nine solo) last week against Armstrong. 2. Shaler owns victories over Hampton and Armstrong in conference play. 3. Fox Chapel’s Shane Susnak threw for 132 yards last week, putting him over 1,000 for the season (1,128) to go along with eight touchdown passes. 4. Shaler is hoping to make the WPIAL playoffs for the first time since 2011.

Extra point: No team in the Northern Conference has been eliminated from playoff contention and a myriad of scenarios remain in Week 9. Only Penn Hills, Mars and North Hills have clinched.

Kiski Area (3-6, 2-4) at Armstrong (4-5, 2-4)

7 p.m. Friday at ESS/NexTier Stadium, Kittanning

Last week: Mars 38, Kiski Area 0; Armstrong 41, Fox Chapel 14

Coaches: Sam Albert, Kiski Area; Frank Fabian, Armstrong

Top players: Ryne Wallace, Kiski Area (Sr., 6-5, 205, QB); Jalen Price, Armstrong (Sr., 5-10, 195, QB/LB)

Keep an eye on: Dane Fitzsimmons, Kiski Area (Sr., 6-1, 200, TE/LB)

Momentum: Armstrong snapped a four-game losing streak in a big way with last Friday’s win over Fox Chapel.

Four downs: 1. Kiski Area hopes to snap a five-game losing streak. The Cavaliers have scored just six points the past three weeks. 2. Price was big for Armstrong last week as he rushed for 150 yards and four touchdowns on 29 carries and was 10 of 13 passing for 210 yards, a TD and two interceptions against Fox Chapel. 3. The Kiski Area defense sacked Mars quarterback Tyler Kowalkowski five times. 4. The River Hawks averaged 36 points in their four victories and are scoring 26.2 overall, third in the Northern Conference.

Extra point: No team in the Northern Conference has been eliminated from playoff contention and a myriad of scenarios remain in Week 9. Only Penn Hills, Mars and North Hills have clinched.

Class 3A Big East

Burrell (2-7, 2-5) at Derry (8-1, 6-1)

7 p.m. Friday at Trojan Stadium

Last week: Waynesburg 21, Burrell 20; Derry 37, Deer Lakes 0

Coaches: Shawn Liotta, Burrell; Tim Sweeney, Derry

Top players: Luke Kastelic, Burrell (Sr., 5-10, 180, RB/LB); Justin Flack, Derry (Sr., 5-9, 175, RB/DB)

Keep an eye on: Paul Koontz, Derry (So., 5-10, 155, QB)

Momentum: Derry has won three straight in its battle for the top spot in the Big East with North Catholic and Elizabeth Forward.

Four downs: 1. Flack, who scored eight touchdowns (six rushes, kickoff return, interception return) two weeks ago against Yough, has 25 total touchdowns on the season. 2. Burrell’s Seth Fishbach caught seven passes for 88 yards and a touchdown while going 2 for 2 passing with 52 yards and a touchdown against Waynesburg. 3. If Derry, North Catholic and Elizabeth Forward all win Friday, they would be declared conference co-champs, and tiebreaker points would be needed to determine first place. 4. Burrell has lost two in a row (Freeport and Waynesburg) since topping Mt. Pleasant in Week 6.

Extra point: Burrell and Derry last played in 1997 and have split four all-time meetings. The Trojans won in 1982 and 1983, while the Bucs won in 1996 and 1997.

No. 3 North Catholic (8-1, 6-1) at Deer Lakes (3-5, 3-4)

7 p.m. Friday at Lancers Stadium

Last week: North Catholic 41, Yough 0; Derry 37, Deer Lakes 0

Coaches: Pat O’Shea, North Catholic; Tim Burk, Deer Lakes

Top players: Nikhai Hill-Green, North Catholic (Jr., 6-2, 215, WR/LB); Aris Hasley, Deer Lakes (Jr., 5-10, 175, QB/DB)

Keep an eye on: Zack Rocco, North Catholic (Jr., 6-3, 215, QB/DB)

Momentum: North Catholic has won four straight in its battle for the top spot in the Big East with Derry and Elizabeth Forward.

Four downs: 1. North Catholic has pitched three straight shutouts and has surrendered 47 total points in its eight victories. 2. Deer Lakes was denied the end zone the past two weeks after its close loss to Freeport on Oct. 5. 3. If Derry, North Catholic and Elizabeth Forward all win Friday, they would be declared conference tri-champs, and tiebreaker points would be needed to determine first place. 4. Deer Lakes is hoping to get healthier for Friday after missing four starters last week because of injury.

Extra point: North Catholic last played at Deer Lakes in the quarterfinals of the 2015 WPIAL Class A playoffs. The Trojans beat Bishop Canevin 49-20.

Class A Eastern

Leechburg (4-5, 1-4) at Springdale (1-7, 0-5)

7 p.m. Friday at Veterans Memorial Field, Springdale

Last week: Leechburg 28, Bentworth 0; Clairton 43, Springdale 7

Coaches: Mark George, Leechburg; Seth Napierkowski, Springdale

Top players: Jake Blumer, Leechburg (Jr., 6-2, 190, RB/LB); Christian Vokes, Springdale (Jr., 5-9, 150, WR/CB)

Keep an eye on: Dylan Cook, Leechburg (So., 6-1, 160, QB/DB)

Momentum: After beating Bentworth last Friday, Leechburg has four victories in a season for the first time since 2000.

Four downs: 1. The last time Leechburg won five games in a season was 1991 when the Blue Devils went 5-4-1. They have not been at .500 or better since. 2. Vokes, back on the field for Springdale after missing multiple games with injury, scored Springdale’s lone touchdown last week against Class A No. 2 Clairton. 3. Bret Kardos paced the Leechburg rushing attack against Bentworth with 158 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. 4. Springdale is averaging 5.1 points a game, second lowest in Class A to Mapletown (4.2).

Extra point: Springdale leads the all-time series 42-33. It is the oldest current A-K Valley rivalry (1932). The Dynamos have won 19 of the past 20 meetings. Leechburg won 19-13 in 2014.

Nonconference

Apollo-Ridge (2-7) at Class 2A No. 4 Charleroi (7-1)

7 p.m. Friday at Charleroi Stadium

Last week: Freedom 42, Apollo-Ridge 7; Charleroi 57, Brownsville 0

Coaches: John Skiba, Apollo-Ridge; Lance Getsy, Charleroi

Top players: Logan Harmon, Apollo-Ridge (So., 5-8, 205, RB/LB); Geno Pellegrini, Charleroi (Sr., 6-0, 175, QB/DB)

Keep an eye on: Dakota Romantino, Charleroi (Sr., 5-10, 165, WR/CB)

Four downs: 1. Pellegrini has thrown for 1,362 yards and 24 touchdowns against just three interceptions in eight games. 2. Apollo-Ridge has suffered six straight losses since a 28-18 victory over Carlynton in Week 2. 3. Getsy, in his first year as head coach of the Cougars, is the brother of former Pitt and Akron quarterback and current Mississippi State assistant Luke Getsy. 4. Harmon returned against Freedom after missing four games because of injury and rushed for 51 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries.

Extra point: Charleroi will finish as a co-champion of the Class 2A Century Conference with a 6-1 record. The winner of McGuffey (5-1) and Washington (5-1) on Friday will join the Cougars at the top of the conference.

Freeport (5-3) at Knoch (4-5)

7 p.m. Friday at Knoch Knight Stadium

On the air: 680 AM; TribHSSN.triblive.com

Last week: Freeport 41, Mt. Pleasant 7; Knoch 41, Trinity 14

Coaches: John Gaillot, Freeport; Frank Whalen, Knoch

Top players: Austin Romanchak, Freeport (Sr., 5-9, 160, QB/DB); Chase Mullen, Knoch (Sr., 5-10, 160, QB/CB)

Keep an eye on: Isiah Bauman, Freeport (Jr., 6-0, 170, WR/DB)

Momentum: Freeport has won five straight since an 0-3 start. Knoch has won two in a row after a two-game losing streak.

Four downs: 1. Freeport is the only team in the WPIAL to enter Week 9 not having previously played a nonconference game. The Yellowjackets didn’t take part in Week Zero before playing eight Big East Conference opponents. 2. Knoch is still alive for a playoff berth in the Class 4A Northwest Eight Conference, but it has to play cheerleader and hope Montour loses and New Castle to bring fourth-place tiebreaker points into play. 3. The Yellowjackets’ win last Friday over Mt. Pleasant clinched a 28th postseason berth, the most ever by an Alle-Kiski Valley team. 4. Knights quarterback Chase Mullen threw a touchdown and ran for three others in last Friday’s triumph over Trinity.

Extra point: Freeport and Knoch, schools separated by nine miles, meet on the football field for the first time since 2005. The Yellowjackets won in 2004, and the Knights returned the favor in 2005.

Hempfield (2-7) at Plum (2-7)

7 p.m. Friday at Mustangs Stadium, Plum

Last week: Hempfield 31, Butler 14; Belle Vernon 48, Plum 0

Coaches: Rich Bowen, Hempfield; Matt Morgan, Plum

Top players: Blake Remaley, Hempfield (Jr., 6-2, 215, QB/DB); Seth Norcutt, Plum (Sr., 6-3, 210, TE/LB)

Keep an eye on: Nathan Roby, Hempfield (Jr., 5-7, 160, RB/DB)

Momentum: Hempfield’s win over Butler last Friday snapped a seven-game losing streak.

Four downs: 1. A pair of sophomores, Max Matolcsy and Preston Sunday, led Plum last Friday with 10 tackles apiece. Norcutt added eight stops. 2. Hempfield’s Remaley has thrown for 1,187 yards and seven touchdowns against seven interceptions this season. 3. Plum has scored 22 total points in its seven losses. 4. Roby scored two rushing touchdowns last week against Butler, doubling his season total to four. He leads the team with 494 yards on 81 carries.

Extra point: Hempfield and Plum meet for the first time since 2015 when both were members of the Foothills Conference in the former WPIAL Quad-A. The Mustangs beat the Spartans that year 38-17.

Latrobe (3-6) at Highlands (2-7)

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

On the air: 97.3 FM, 1480 AM; TribHSSN.triblive.com

Last week: Latrobe 48, Albert Gallatin 0; New Castle 38, Highlands 14

Coaches: Jason Marucco, Latrobe; Dom Girardi, Highlands

Top players: Zakh Williams, Latrobe (Sr., 5-9, 170, RB/WR/DB); Seth Cohen, Highlands (Sr., 6-2, 190, QB/DB)

Keep an eye on: Noah Gillette, Highlands (Sr., 5-8, 180, RB/LB)

Momentum: Latrobe is riding a two-game winning streak. Its wins over Plum and Albert Gallatin secured a WPIAL Class 5A playoff spot.

Four downs: 1. Cohen needs just 36 yards to become the first player in Alle-Kiski Valley history to pass for 4,000 yards in a career. 2. Williams leads Latrobe with 12 total touchdowns. He has 652 combined yards rushing and receiving. 3. Gillette leads the Golden Rams in tackles with 108. He also has a team-best seven sacks and has recovered three fumbles. 4. Latrobe is locked into fifth place in the Big East while the four teams above them jockey for position with Week 9 conference games.

Extra point: Highlands and Latrobe last played in 1984. The Wildcats won a 1983 meeting 14-7, while the Golden Rams were victorious 17-6 in 1984.

Riverview (2-6) at Sto-Rox (5-4)

7 p.m. Friday at Sto-Rox High School

Last week: Jeannette 43, Riverview 0; Laurel 51, Sto-Rox 26

Coaches: Todd Massack, Riverview; LaRoi Johnson, Sto-Rox

Top players: JD Sykes, Riverview (Sr., 5-8, 165, RB/LB); Eric Wilson, Sto-Rox (Jr., 6-3, 180, QB)

Keep an eye on: Vincent Eggleton, Sto-Rox (Sr., 6-0, 205, RB/LB)

Momentum: Four of Sto-Rox’s five victories this season came by way of a shutout.

Four downs: 1. Wilson threw for 445 yards against Laurel, giving him 4,367 for his career. 2. The Raiders faced Jeannette, the top-ranked team in Class A, without five starters. 3. Sto-Rox’s loss to Laurel eliminated it from playoff contention in Class A. 4. Riverview has been shut out four times this season.

Extra point: This is the first meeting between the Sto-Rox and Riverview football teams.

Michael Love is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Michael at 412-388-5825, mlove@tribweb.com or via Twitter @MLove_Trib.

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Armstrong, Burrell, Charleroi, Deer Lakes, Derry Area, Fox Chapel, Freeport, Hempfield, Highlands, Kiski School, Knoch, Leechburg, Plum, Shaler, Springdale