A-K Valley high school football matchups for 2024 Week 2

By: Bill Hartlep
Wednesday, September 4, 2024 | 8:15 PM

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Here’s a look at the don’t-miss matchups for the A-K Valley in Week 2 of the 2024 season:

Nonconference

Burrell (0-2) at Mt. Pleasant (1-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Mt. Pleasant Area Stadium, Mt. Pleasant

Last week’s results: Shady Side Academy 42, Burrell 7; Mt. Pleasant 36, Greensburg C.C. 35 (2OT)

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Burrell kept pace with Shady Side in the first quarter before the Bulldogs erupted for 20 points in the second and cruised past the Buccaneers, who have two touchdowns in as many games. Trey Coury had a rushing touchdown last week. … Mt. Pleasant rebounded from a one-point loss with a one-point win, taking host Greensburg Central Catholic to overtime before coming away with a thrilling win. Steve Predajna caught a touchdown pass in the second overtime, then ran in the 2-point conversion for the win. The Vikings have a potent rushing attack and use multiple backs.

Deer Lakes (2-0) at Derry (1-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Trojans Stadium, Derry

Last week’s results: Deer Lakes 35, South Park 22; Derry 21, Freeport 7

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Deer Lakes is off to a good start after rallying to defeat South Park last week. Zier Williams rushed for 118 yards and scored three touchdowns, and quarterback Jake Fleisher ran 38 yards for a score and threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Maddox Sudayu. The Lancers’ defense allowed 389 yards on the ground to the Eagles. … Derry rebounded from a Week Zero loss to Ligonier Valley with a solid win against Freeport. Damauri Robinson rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns, and quarterback Anthony Sacco tossed a 33-yard touchdown to Max Doperak. … Derry has won three of the four meetings. Deer Lakes’ win came in 2021.

Gateway (0-2) at Plum (0-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Mustangs Stadium, Plum

Last week’s results: North Allegheny 42, Gateway 7; Latrobe 32, Plum 18

Last year’s meeting: Gateway 49, Plum 14

Gateway got off to an 0-3 start last season before winning four straight games, including beating Plum in a Big East Conference clash. The Gators are led by QB Elvis Koutsakis, who threw for 145 yards and a TD against North Allegheny last week. The Gators open conference play at Kiski Area next week. … Plum’s T.J. Futules threw for a touchdown and ran for another last week against Latrobe, combining for more than 220 total yards. Darian Nelson caught five passes for 114 yards and a TD. Plum opens Northeast Conference play against Shaler next week.

Greensburg C.C. (1-1) at Apollo-Ridge (0-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Owens Field, Apollo

Last week’s results: Mt. Pleasant 35, Greensburg Central Catholic 34 (2OT); Jeannette 42, Apollo-Ridge 28

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

GCC’s Samir Crosby continued to be the toughest player on the field to tackle as he passed for 218 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 124 yards and two scores in the double-overtime loss to Mt. Pleasant. Landon Honick is one of his top targets. He caught six receptions for 129 yards and a TD last week. GCC is scoring an average of 40 points but allowing 38. … Apollo-Ridge rallied for 21 points in the fourth quarter, but the Vikings already had dug themselves in too deep of a hole to come back against Jeannette. Alexander Clawson was 20 of 33 for 240 yards and three touchdowns, and Corey Mackintosh rushed for 109 yards in the loss.

Hempfield (0-2) at Kiski Area (1-1)

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

Last week’s results: Franklin Regional 49, Hempfield 26; Norwin 33, Kiski Area 21

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Despite some punch from its offense sparked by the return of quarterback Dom Detruf, Hempfield dropped its 11th straight game as Franklin Regional rolled up 49 points. Detruf passed for 302 yards and three touchdowns, including a 65-yard bomb to Nick Marquis on his second completion, but the Spartans gave away four turnovers and a long kickoff return touchdown to deflate some positives. … Kiski Area gave up 20 second-quarter points to Norwin after scoring first, but could not rally in the second half. Carson Heinle, a big-play quarterback, was 13 of 17 for 236 yards and two touchdowns and did not throw an interception. Wideout Aven Shirley caught six receptions for 128 yards and two scores. Veteran coach Sam Albert has had various stops, including Butler, Valley, Freeport and Highlands.

Highlands (1-1) at New Castle (2-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Taggart Stadium, New Castle

Last week’s results: Highlands 53, Elizabeth Forward 52 (3OT); New Castle 42, Hopewell 19

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Highlands has played a pair of overtime games through two weeks, falling 38-37 to Armstrong in Week Zero before edging out Elizabeth Forward in triple OT last Friday on Menage Lucas’ 2-point conversion run. Lucas threw for 122 yards and a touchdown and also ran for 171 yards and three scores. Darius Cherry added 126 rushing yards and three TDs. The Golden Rams begin Allegheny 7 Conference play next week against East Allegheny. … New Castle already has surpassed last year’s win total (1-9). The Red Hurricanes are among the WPIAL’s highest scoring teams (45.5 ppg) through the season’s first two weeks. QB Kyrell Harris threw for 218 yards and two scores and also ran for a TD last week, and Nate McKnight caught five passes for 181 yards and two scores.

Knoch (1-1) at Fox Chapel (1-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Burke Stadium, Fox Chapel

Last week’s results: Knoch 28, North Catholic 17; Fox Chapel 38, Baldwin 7

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Knoch bounced back from a 42-7 loss to Kiski Area with a strong performance last Friday against North Catholic. Codi Mullen starred with two rushing touchdowns and a receiving TD from Colt Sprankle. Mullen caught four passes for 79 yards and ran for 33 yards on five carries. … Fox Chapel is riding high after snapping a 22-game losing streak last Friday. Harran Zureikat booted three field goals, and Joe Geller (2), Victor Nernberg and Max Melocchi ran for touchdowns. Nernberg accumulated 122 rushing yards on seven carries. Defensively, the Foxes have held teams to 13.5 ppg.

Leechburg (2-0) at Serra Catholic (0-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Serra Catholic High School Stadium, McKeesport

Last week’s results: Leechburg 42, Beth-Center 8; Clairton 43, Serra Catholic 0

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Jayden Floyd put his dual-threat skills to use in last week’s win over Beth-Center. He completed 13 of 17 passes for 176 yards and three scores and also ran seven times for 126 yards and two TDs. Tim Andrasy added 153 rushing yards and a touchdown. Leechburg holds an 11-8 lead in the all-time series against Serra Catholic, including a 33-15 win in their last meeting in 2015. … Serra Catholic has been outscored 105-26 this season. The Eagles allowed California’s Lee Qualk to run for 383 yards and six touchdowns in Week Zero. Offensively, Serra QB Quadir Stribling completed 8 of 22 passes for 105 yards, and De’reon Washington had five catches for 83 yards.

Springdale (0-1) at Avella (0-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Avella Football Field, Avella

Last week’s results: Chartiers-Houston 52, Springdale 0; Carlynton 21, Avella 0

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Springdale struggled to get going in its season opener last week. The Dynamos were playing with fewer than 20 healthy players after having to cancel their Week Zero game while short-handed. The Bucs jumped out to an 18-0 lead in the first quarter and pulled ahead 38-0 at halftime. The Dynamos are looking to snap an eight-game losing streak. … Avella also was shut out last week and lost 20-6 to Mapletown in Week Zero. QB Chaz Rush threw for 51 yards and three interceptions, and Broden Hamm ran for 55 yards for the Eagles.

Valley (0-2) at Greensburg Salem (2-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Offutt Field, Greensburg

Last week’s results: Riverview 38, Valley 36; Greensburg Salem 43, Ligonier Valley 14

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

These squads have not played since 1990, when the game ended in a 6-6, lightning-shortened stalemate. Greensburg Salem leads the all-time series 5-3-3. … Against Riverview last week, Valley scored six touchdowns to the Raiders’ five but failed on conversion attempts. Nicholas Heakins scored three touchdowns, including a 99-yard kickoff return. He rushed for 140 yards. Quarterback Mason Simmons completed 4 of 6 passes for 143 yards and two scores, and Zayaan Farron caught six passes for 139 yards. … For Greensburg Salem, Kai Brunot rushed for 153 yards and a touchdown, and Max Topper scored on a 70-yard pass and 25-yard interception return to pace the Golden Lions to the school’s 713th victory. The Chismar brothers — Peyton and Brody — combined to complete 5 of 12 passes for 116 yards and two scores.

Cornell (2-0) at Riverview (1-0)

Noon Saturday, Riverside Park, Oakmont

Last week’s results: Cornell 27, California 3; Riverview 38, Valley 36

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

It will be the Raiders vs. the Raiders on Saturday in Oakmont. The schools have met just twice in the past, but the results were significant. Both schools came on the scene in 1971, and their first game was against each other as Cornell prevailed 30-8. In 1983, Riverview’s season was thought to be over until it was discovered that Clairton had used an ineligible player. Clairton’s forfeits elevated Riverview to a second-place playoff position and a game at 10-0 Cornell. Riverview pulled off a 12-0 upset. … Cornell leaned on running back Walter Clarit last week when he ran for 139 yards and a touchdown, as well as Khylil Johnson, who returned a punt 35 yards for a TD and also scored on a 14-yard run. … Connor Kmetz threw for 125 yards and three touchdowns, and Alex Schultheis had five catches for 121 yards and a score for Riverview last Friday.

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.