A-K Valley high school football matchups for 2025 Week 10

By: Bill Hartlep
Wednesday, October 29, 2025 | 6:30 PM

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Here’s a look at the don’t-miss matchups for Week 10 in the A-K Valley:

Class 5A

First round

11-Plum (5-5) at 6-Upper St. Clair (8-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Panther Stadium, Upper St. Clair

Last week: Plum 20, Penn Hills 14; Upper St. Clair 56, Baldwin 8

Playoff record: Plum 9-18; Upper St. Clair 49-35-2

WPIAL titles: Plum 1 (1983); Upper St. Clair 7 (2006, 1997, ‘92, ‘89, ‘88, ‘75, ‘74)

Last playoff appearance: Plum 2021; Upper St. Clair 2024

Winner plays: 3-Woodland Hills (8-2) in quarterfinals

• Plum is riding high after reaching the playoffs on the heels of the “Mustang Miracle” last Friday. Kicker Austin Kolankowski recovered a blocked field goal attempt and was assisted into the end zone by a swarm of teammates to give the Mustangs a 20-14 victory over Penn Hills. Plum finished fourth in the Northeast Conference at 2-3 and earned a wild-card bid into the playoffs. The Mustangs average 24.5 points while allowing 22.5. They have won three straight games after dropping four consecutive mid-season. QB John Nonnenberg has thrown for 1,300 yards and 12 touchdowns. His top targets are Niko Signor and Sloan Humphries, who have combined for nearly 900 yards. Elijah Jackson and C.J. Hart are a 1-2 punch in the backfield who have gained more than 1,000 combined yards and scored 12 touchdowns. Kolankowski has booted four field goals and scored a memorable TD. … Upper St. Clair finished third in the Allegheny Six with a 3-2 record. The Panthers’ offense averages 40.7 points, second most in Class 5A (Pine-Richland, 49.6). USC started 5-0 before a 24-20 loss to Peters Township. The Panthers also lost 20-13 to Moon in overtime in Week 8. QB Ethan Hellmann is one of the WPIAL’s top passers with nearly 2,200 yards and 30 touchdowns. His top targets are Nico D’Orazio (30 catches, 617 yards, 11 TDs) and Bryce Jones (25-506). Dante Coury carries the load in the backfield with more than 600 yards and 10 scores. … The two schools have met four times in the playoffs, with USC winning 16-6 in 1976, 49-0 in 2004 and 35-6 in 2006. Plum won a 1983 semifinal game 12-7. USC also has won three regular-season games vs. Plum. … USC has made the playoffs 42 times in the last 44 seasons, missing only 1999 and 2023. … Plum’s last playoff win was a 20-9 decision over McKeesport in 2020.

Class 3A

First round

9-Beaver (5-5) at 8-Freeport (7-3)

7 p.m. Friday, Freeport Area Athletic Stadium, Buffalo Township

Last week: Avonworth 49, Beaver 7; Imani Christian 53, Freeport 7

Playoff record: Beaver 25-28; Freeport 18-33

WPIAL titles: Beaver 2 (1982, 1981); Freeport 0

Last playoff appearance: Beaver 2024; Freeport 2024

Winner plays: 1-Avonworth (10-0) in quarterfinals

• Beaver has won three of its past five games and finished fourth in the Western Hills Conference at 3-3. The Bobcats averaged 30.1 points and allowed 33.5. The Bobcats feature a balanced offense, led by QB Travis Clear, who has passed for more than 1,600 yards and 11 touchdowns. Receiver Philip Marino Jr. has 38 catches for 833 yards and six scores. Running back Jonah Justice has run for more than 1,000 yards and scored 11 times. Kicker Ty Cosky is a reliable weapon with six field goals and 37 point-after touchdowns. … Freeport started the season 6-0 but lost three of its past four games. Losses to Highlands and Imani Christian dropped the Yellowjackets to third in the Allegheny Seven Conference at 4-2. The Freeport offense produced 35.6 points per game this season behind 700-yard passer Drew Ross and running back Amos Glenn, who has run for more than 1,000 yards and has 28 touchdowns. … The two schools have met twice in the playoffs, with Beaver winning the 1972 Class 2A finals at Pitt Stadium, 20-14, and a 1982 Class 2A semifinal 28-7. … Freeport is 3-0 in playoff games at its on-campus stadium.

12-Burrell (4-6) at 5-North Catholic (7-3)

7 p.m. Friday, J.C. Stone Field, North Park

Last week: Burrell 48, Deer Lakes 41; North Catholic 44, Hopewell 36

Playoff record: Burrell 16-17; North Catholic 29-26

WPIAL titles: Burrell 4 (1995, ‘86, ‘68, ‘67); North Catholic 1 (2013)

Last playoff appearance: Burrell 2023; North Catholic 2024

Winner plays: 4-Elizabeth Forward (9-1) in quarterfinals

• Burrell earned a wild-card berth into the Class 3A playoffs on the heels of a Week 9 victory over Deer Lakes. The Bucs rebounded to win 48-41 following losses to Highlands and Imani Christian and finished 3-3 in the Allegheny Seven Conference. Burrell is led by sophomore QB Antonio Perkins, who has thrown for 736 yards and rushed for 1,652 and 25 touchdowns. He needs 142 yards to match the school’s single-season record of 1,794, set by Cole Bush in 2012. Running back Trey Coury has added 683 yards and five scores. Burrell has averaged 22.1 points per game while allowing 34.4. … North Catholic features one of the WPIAL’s highest-scoring offenses at 44 ppg. Trojans QB Joey Felitsky was a finalist for the Willie Thrower Award last season and is the first QB to lead the WPIAL in regular-season passing two consecutive seasons since Penn-Trafford’s Jeff Palladino did it in 1988-89. This season, he has thrown for 2,437 yards and 33 touchdowns with eight interceptions. His top target is Preston Simko (31 catches, 769 yards, 16 TDs). Logan Schade has rushed for nearly 800 yards and 14 scores. … North Catholic has won one WPIAL title (2013) and seven Pittsburgh Area Catholic League titles before joining the WPIAL in 1975. … The two schools have never met in the playoffs, but North Catholic leads the all-time series 9-3. The last Burrell win was 28-7 in 2003.

11-Derry (6-4) at 6-Highlands (7-4)

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

Last week: Derry 47, Yough 20; Highlands 45, Valley 0

Playoff record: Derry 5-14; Highlands 11-25

WPIAL titles: Derry 0; Highlands 0

Last playoff appearance: Derry 2023; Highlands 2024

Winner plays: 3-Central Valley (6-4) in quarterfinals

• Derry takes a three-game winning streak into the postseason. The Trojans, who last made the playoffs in 2023 (in Class 2A), are seeking their first postseason win since 2019. A big line has propelled the running game, while the passing attack has been more present of late. Max Doherty has rushed for 1,215 yards and 17 touchdowns. Dylan Pitzer (6-7, 273 pounds) and Aiden Piper (6-4, 300) are key blockers up front. Watch Max Doperak at receiver and defensive back. He also kicks for the Trojans. … Highlands has won five in a row heading into the tournament. Tevin Owen-Cratsenberg, the brother of former Highlands standout Allen Cratsenberg, has been a force offensively. He ran for 130 yards last week as the Golden Rams locked up a home playoff game. He has 1,434 yards and 24 touchdowns. Jamarkus Parker has passed for 1,093 yards. The Golden Rams, coached by alum and former UConn quarterback Matt Bonislawski, beat Southmoreland, 56-20, in the first round last year before falling to Imani Christian, 31-17, in the quarterfinals. … The two schools have never met in the playoffs. Highlands leads the all-time series 11-3.

Class 2A

First round

10-Riverside (5-5) at 7-Apollo-Ridge (7-3)

7 p.m. Friday, Owens Field, Apollo

Last week: Mohawk 35, Riverside 24; Apollo-Ridge 28, Ligonier Valley 14

Playoff record: Riverside 23-20; Apollo-Ridge 4-17

WPIAL titles: Riverside 1 (1985); Apollo-Ridge 0

Last playoff appearance: Riverside 2024; Apollo-Ridge 2022

Winner plays: 2-Western Beaver (9-1) in quarterfinals

• Riverside tied for third in the Midwestern Athletic Conference at 4-3. After being shut out in two of its first three games, the Panthers scored key wins over Union, New Brighton, Freedom and Beaver Falls. Quarterback Aidan Gaydosz has thrown for nearly 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns. Running back Mason Hallar surpassed 1,000 rushing yards and has scored 13 times. Receiver Hunter Garcia has 36 catches for 537 yards and three scores. Riverside averages 20 ppg and allows 29.8. … Apollo-Ridge has made quite a comeback after struggling the past two seasons. The Vikings were 3-7 (2-5 in conference) in 2023 and 1-8 (1-5) last season. Apollo-Ridge tied South Allegheny and Steel Valley for the Class 2A Allegheny Conference title at 5-1 and was the third seed from the conference based on tiebreakers. After a 1-2 start, Apollo-Ridge won four straight games and six of its past seven. The Vikings average 24 ppg and allow 20.9. Quarterback Alex Clawson has thrown for 1,335 yards and 11 touchdowns. Jaden McCray has been on the receiving end of 39 passes for 1,085 yards and 14 scores. Clawson, Zac Myers and Preston Clemens split the bulk of the carries and have combined for 769 yards. … The two schools have never met in the playoffs, but Apollo-Ridge has a 4-1 lead in the regular-season series. The Vikings are 1-6 in the WPIAL playoffs vs. teams from Beaver County, defeating Beaver Falls, 58-40, in 2014.

Class A

First round

9-Neshannock (7-3) at 8-Leechburg (7-3)

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

Last week: Laurel 14, Neshannock 7; Greensburg C.C. 36, Leechburg 7

Playoff record: Neshannock 13-15; Leechburg 5-7

WPIAL titles: Neshannock 0; Leechburg 3 (1966, ‘65, ‘53)

Last playoff appearance: Neshannock 2024; Leechburg 2024

Winner plays: Winner of 1-Fort Cherry (10-0)/16-Avella (6-4) in quarterfinals

• Neshannock is in the playoffs for the 12th time in the last 14 seasons, including the past five. The Lancers finished third in the Class A Big 7 Conference at 4-2, though they lost two of their past three games to South Side and Laurel. They started the season 5-1. The Lancers have a balanced, dynamic offense that averaged 32.7 points. QB Jino Mozzocio has thrown for more than 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns. Anthony Eakin leads the ball carriers with 800 yards and 14 scores, but Mozzocio, Justin Edworthy and Joseph DiMuccio also see a heavy workload. Sammy Flora and Ethan Beamon are top pass-catchers. … Leechburg is in the WPIAL playoffs for a school record fifth straight season. The Blue Devils finished second in the Eastern Conference at 5-2. They started the season 5-1 and got a forfeit win over Springdale. They suffered losses to Clairton (48-0) and Greensburg Central Catholic (36-7) in two of the past three weeks. Leechburg’s offense runs through running back Tim Andrasy, who was second in the WPIAL with 1,687 yards and scored 24 touchdowns. Nick Hilty is a reliable rusher and pass-catcher with seven scores. QB Jaxson Vargo proved be a talented dual-threat in his first year as the starter. … Leechburg won a 1978 playoff game over Neshannock, 7-0 in overtime. The Blue Devils are also 5-3 in regular-season games against the Lancers. … This will be the third playoff game Leechburg has hosted in the last five seasons, defeating California in 2021 and losing to Cornell last season.

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, Beaver, Burrell, Freeport, Highlands, Leechburg, Neshannock, North Catholic, Plum, Riverside, Upper St. Clair