A-K Valley high school football matchups for 2023 Week 6

By: Bill Hartlep
Wednesday, October 4, 2023 | 6:53 PM

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Class 5A Northeast Conference

Fox Chapel (0-6, 0-2) at No. 2 Penn Hills (5-1, 2-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Yuhas-McGinley Stadium, Penn Hills

Last week: North Hills 50, Fox Chapel 0; Penn Hills 28, Bethel Park 12

Last year’s result: Penn Hills 29, Fox Chapel 0

Fox Chapel’s quest for its first victory will face a challenge against a WPIAL title contender. … The Foxes have yet to score against a conference opponent and have been shut out in three straight games. Joe Geller and Nathan Johnson combined to throw for 62 yards and a pair of interceptions last week, and the Foxes worked in nine ball-carriers to the offense. … Behind Pitt-bound quarterback Julian Dugger, Penn Hills has won back-to-back games since a 14-13 loss to Moon. Dugger threw for 136 yards and a TD last week and ran for two scores. The Indians’ defense allows 12.5 ppg. The Indians lead the all-time series 16-1. The Foxes’ victory was 22-14 in 1997.

Class 4A Greater Allegheny Conference

Mars (4-2, 2-0) at Kiski Area (2-4, 1-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Richard Dilts Stadium, Allegheny Township

Last week: Mars 48, Highlands 15; Kiski Area 28, Indiana 7

Last year’s result: Mars 47, Kiski Area 28

Mars’ offensive attack, which averages 38.66 points (third most in Class 4A behind Thomas Jefferson’s 40.0 and Aliquippa’s 38.79), will be a test for the Kiski Area defense, which has given up 28.33 ppg this season. … Mars is led by running back Evan Wright, who had 108 yards and two TDs last week, along with QB Luke Goodworth, who threw for 133 yards and two scores as part of a balanced attack. Gabe Hein is a reliable target who had four catches for 113 yards and two scores in Week 5. … Kiski Area is trying to build momentum after a convincing win last week. Carson Heinle threw for 194 yards and a TD, and Landon Kucic ran for 113 yards and three scores.

Class 3A Allegheny 6 Conference

Freeport (2-4, 0-1) at East Allegheny (4-2, 1-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Churchman Stadium, North Versailles

Last week: Shady Side Academy 31, Freeport 28; East Allegheny 42, Valley 12

Last year’s result: Freeport 35, East Allegheny 13

Freeport will try to slow down a red-hot Wildcats team that is riding a three-game winning streak where it has outscored opponents 125-32. … Drew Ross threw for 230 yards and two TDs for Freeport last week, but four interceptions were costly. The defense, including Isaac Woods, who returned an interception 40 yards for a TD in Week 5, will need to make an impact. … East Allegheny used big plays to take control against Valley last week, including Brennan Rutledge’s 60-yard punt return TD, Aumar Everett’s 65-yard kickoff return TD and Amir Rollins’ 65- and 45-yard TD runs. Michael Cahill also threw a 50-yard TD pass to Rutledge and a 75-yard TD pass to Steve Yusko.

No. 5 Knoch (5-1, 1-0) at Shady Side Academy (4-2, 1-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Michael J. Farrell Stadium, Fox Chapel Borough

Last week: Knoch 41, Deer Lakes 21; Shady Side Academy 31, Freeport 28

Last year’s result: Shady Side Academy 30, Knoch 12

Conference supremacy will be up for grabs among two contenders for the Allegheny 6 title. … After starting 4-0, Knoch was shut out by Elizabeth Forward but bounced back with a convincing win over Deer Lakes last week behind 98 rushing yards and three TDs from Ethan Alwine and Codi Mullen’s 186 passing yards and a score and 110 rushing yards and a score. With conference games remaining against Freeport, East Allegheny and Valley, Knoch is looking to maintain momentum. … Shady Side Academy is averaging 35.33 points, third most in Class 3A (Beaver, 38.16; Avonworth, 37.5). Carter Simko’s blocked punt return for a score was a key play last week. Devin Harris threw for 180 yards and two scores and has more than 1,000 yards this season.

Class 2A Allegheny Conference

Apollo-Ridge (1-5, 0-3) at Imani Christian (3-2, 1-1)

7 p.m. Friday, UPMC Graham Field, Wilkinsburg

Last week: Steel Valley 49, Apollo-Ridge 17; Imani Christian 35, Burrell 8

Last year’s result: Imani Christian 38, Apollo-Ridge 34

Apollo-Ridge is trying to snap a five-game losing streak, but the Saints and their 32.2 points-per-game average won’t make it easy. … Imani’s Dayshaun Burnett, a Division I prospect, threw a 70-yard TD pass and also ran for a TD last week. Gabriel Jenkins ran for 150 yards and two scores. … The Vikings are averaging 16.33 points and allowing 33.5. QB Karter Schrock has been a catalyst. Last week, he ran for 151 yards and a score, threw for 77 yards and also caught a 19-yard TD pass. This is the teams’ second meeting. Apollo-Ridge is at revamped Graham Field, where it was 4-0 vs. Wilkinsburg, winning in 1995, 2005, ’06 and ’13. The field is named after William Graham, principal or superintendent of Wilkinsburg for 39 years (1903-41).

Burrell (3-3, 2-1) at Ligonier Valley (2-4, 1-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Weller Field, Ligonier

Last week: Imani Christian 35, Burrell 8; Yough 21, Ligonier Valley 0

Last year’s result: Ligonier Valley 29, Burrell 15

Burrell had a three-game winning streak halted to fall back to .500. The Bucs did not score until the fourth quarter against Imani Christian. … Ligonier Valley is on a two-game slide. The Rams have been shut out in back-to-back games, the first time that has happened since 2006. … This will be the Rams’ fifth home game of the season.

Class A Eastern Conference

No. 4 Clairton (4-2, 3-0) at Springdale (1-5, 0-2)

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

Last week: Clairton 40, Greensburg C.C. 28; Union 54, Springdale 7

Last year’s result: Clairton 67, Springdale 0

Springdale’s defense has allowed 162 points in losses to Leechburg, Greensburg Central Catholic and Union the past three weeks and will need to be much better against the Bears, who average 25.83 points. … After a 0-2 start against top-flight opponents, Clairton has hit its stride with four straight wins. Last week, Mike Wright threw for 141 yards and two scores, and Drahcir Jones ran for 286 yards and four touchdowns. Clairton leads all-time series 31-3. … The Dynamos weren’t able to keep up with Union last week but had some offensive highlights, including Chase Weihrauch, who threw for 64 yards and a TD and also was the team’s leading rusher.

Jeannette (5-1, 2-0) at Leechburg (4-2, 2-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Veterans Memorial Stadium, Leechburg

Last week: Jeannette 42, Riverview 22; Leechburg 59, Frazier 8

Last year’s result: Leechburg 58, Jeannette 21

Perhaps the hottest team in the conference, Jeannette has four straight wins and is making big plays with Payton Molter, Noah Sanders, Kymone Brown and others. Molter threw three TDs to Brown in back-to-back games. … The Jayhawks are averaging 40.5 points during the win streak. … Leechburg tied a season-high with 59 points last week as the Blue Devils rebounded from a 42-14 loss to Clairton. Jayden Floyd leads the rushing attack.

Nonconference

Plum (2-4) at South Fayette (2-4)

7 p.m. Friday, South Fayette Stadium, South Fayette

Last week: Franklin Regional 45, Plum 26; Moon 24, South Fayette 3

Last year’s result: South Fayette 20, Plum 6

Both teams are looking to bounce back after disappointing losses last week with some key conference matchups on tap. … Plum’s Sean Franzi threw for 243 yards and three TDs and ran for a score in last week’s loss. Darian Nelson caught four passes for 174 yards and a TD. … South Fayette is led by the tandem of QB Nico Lamonde (77-106, 786 yards, five TDs) and RB Nate Deanes (73-443 yards, seven TDs). Michael Gimigliano has been the top target in the passing game with 23 catches for 320 yards.

Class 5A No. 4 Woodland Hills (4-2) at Highlands (4-2)

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

Last week: Woodland Hills 56, Shaler 14; Mars 48, Highlands 15

Last year’s result: Highlands 38, Woodland Hills 23

Highlands will close the season with three Greater Allegheny matchups, so building momentum this week would be beneficial. … Woodland Hills has been on a roll since losing to Penn-Trafford, 28-26, in Week 2. The Wolverines have won three straight games, outscoring opponents 107-57 in that span. Scoop Smith has stepped into the spotlight. He had a 99-yard kickoff return TD last week, along with a 64-TD reception. He caught four passes for 125 yards in the win. … Highlands allowed two kickoff returns for scores last week. The offense was paced by RB Luke Bombalski, who ran for 114 yards and a score.

Riverview (3-3) at Summit Academy (0-6)

12:30 p.m. Saturday, Steve Sherer Field, Herman

Last week: Jeannette 42, Riverview 22; South Side 56, Summit Academy 7

Last year’s result: Riverview 40, Summit Academy 12

Riverview will try to take advantage of a Summit Academy defense that allows 45.83 ppg. … Riverview fell behind by five scores last week before Carlo Buzzato scored on a pair of TD runs. He finished with 120 rushing yards. Alex Schultheis caught two passes for 103 yards and a score. … Kye’mre Robinson returned a kickoff 87 yards for a TD last week to give Summit Academy a first-quarter spark. Andrew DeArmitt and Jamari Manning each ran for around 50 yards in the loss.

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Burrell, Clairton, East Allegheny, Fox Chapel, Freeport, Highlands, Imani Christian, Kiski Area, Knoch, Leechburg, Mars, Penn Hills, Plum, Riverview, Shady Side Academy, South Fayette, Springdale, Summit Academy, Woodland Hills