A-K Valley high school football matchups for 2025 Week 4

By: Bill Hartlep
Wednesday, September 17, 2025 | 6:13 PM

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Here’s a look at the don’t-miss matchups for Week 4 in the A-K Valley:

Class 5A Big East Conference

Kiski Area (1-3, 0-1) at Penn-Trafford (3-1, 0-1)

7:30 p.m. Friday, Warrior Stadium, Harrison City

Last week: Gateway 34, Kiski Area 31; Woodland Hills 49, Penn-Trafford 21

Last year’s meeting: Penn-Trafford 33, Kiski Area 7

Both teams are looking for bounce-back wins after losses in their conference openers. … Cavaliers quarterback Landyn Artman completed 10 of 24 passes for 170 yards and four touchdowns last week. He also rushed for 74 yards. This will be Kiski’s fourth straight road game. … The Warriors allowed two kickoff returns and an interception return for scores. Sophomore running back Cody Yacamelli rushed for 145 yards and had an 80-yard touchdown run. Running back Ben Grabowski returned to action and ran for 68 yards and a score. … Penn-Trafford leads the all-time series 6-1. Kiski’s lone win was in 2002.

Class 5A Northeast Conference

North Hills (0-4, 0-1) at Fox Chapel (2-2, 0-1)

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

Last week: Pine-Richland 48, North Hills 6; Penn Hills 49, Fox Chapel 14

Last year’s meeting: North Hills 48, Fox Chapel 7

North Hills is looking to get on track in Northeast Conference play. The Indians are averaging 12.2 points and allowing 31.7. North Hills used three quarterbacks last week. WR Eldwin Williams had two catches for 57 yards. … Fox Chapel’s hopes of a three-game winning streak were dashed by Penn Hills on Friday. QB Joe Geller was held to 66 passing yards but ran for 107 on 18 carries. … North Hills has a 23-5-1 lead in the all-time series vs. Fox Chapel, including an 8-8 tie in 1970. The last Foxes win came in 1978.

Plum (2-2, 0-1) at No. 1 Pine-Richland (3-1, 1-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Pine-Richland Stadium, Gibsonia

Last week: Shaler 27, Plum 20; Pine-Richland 48, North Hills 6

Last year’s meeting: Pine-Richland 43, Plum 7

Plum’s defense will be tested this week against one of the WPIAL’s top offensive attacks. The Mustangs allow 24.0 ppg, but the Rams average 38.7. Plum will counter with QB John Nonnenberg, who threw for 267 yards and two interceptions last week, as well as RB C.J. Hart, who ran for 130 yards and two scores. … Pine-Richland relies on QB Aaron “Oobi” Strader, who threw for 321 yards and three scores, and RB Maclane Miller, who ran for 73 yards and two touchdowns a week ago. … Plum and Pine-Richland have played just three times since 1968, with the Rams winning all three. Pine-Richland leads 6-4 in the series that dates to 1959.

Class 3A Allegheny 7 Conference

East Allegheny (0-4, 0-1) at Deer Lakes (1-3, 0-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Lancer Stadium, West Deer

Last week: Highlands 42, East Allegheny 15; Freeport 58, Deer Lakes 7

Last year’s meeting: Deer Lakes 47, East Allegheny 35

East Allegheny is seeking its first victory but will need to perform better defensively. The Wildcats allow 46.0 ppg. QB Cedric Mack leads the East Allegheny attack. He threw for 226 yards and two scores last Friday. … Deer Lakes will try to rebound from its conference-opening loss and will try to avoid its first four-game losing streak in three years. QB Luca Mangieri caught a 78-yard pass from Dom Sciubba for the Lancers’ lone score last week. … East Allegheny holds an 8-5 lead in the all-time series.

Freeport (4-0, 1-0) at Burrell (1-3, 0-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Buccaneer Stadium, Lower Burrell

Last week: Freeport 58, Deer Lakes 7; Derry 13, Burrell 7

Last year’s meeting: Freeport 42, Burrell 0

Freeport sent a message to its conference foes with last week’s dominant performance, which included two interception returns for scores by Danny King, a blocked punt return TD by Bryson Paga and a punt return score by Amos Glenn. Glenn also ran for 126 yards and two scores. Freeport is attempting to go 5-0 for the first time since 1990. … Burrell opens conference play looking to get its offense going behind QB Antonio Perkins, who threw for 77 yards and ran for 56 last week. … Freeport has a 26-15 lead in the all-time series against Burrell. The last Bucs win was a 36-35 overtime decision in 2019. … Freeport coach John Gaillot, in his 18th season, has a record of 106-68 (.609 pct.). He is tied with Johnny Karrs (Arnold, Vandergrift, Freeport, Har-Brack) for 11th on the all-time list of A-K Valley career coaching victories.

No. 2 Imani Christian (4-0, 1-0) at Highlands (2-2, 1-0)

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

Last week: Imani Christian 72, Valley 0; Highlands 42, East Allegheny 15

Last year’s meetings: Imani Christian 12, Highlands 10; Imani Christian 31, Highlands 17 (playoffs)

Imani Christian is the WPIAL’s third-highest scoring team at 47.5 ppg. The Saints allow 3.7 ppg. QB Gabe Jenkins and RB/DB David Davis, both Penn State commits, returned punts for touchdowns last week. Jenkins threw for 110 yards and three scores. … Highlands opened Allegheny 7 play with a convincing win last week. Jahmar Wright returned a kickoff 96 yards for a score, and Tevin Owen-Cratsenberg ran for 50 yards and three touchdowns. … Highlands played Imani Christian twice last season in the only meetings between the two schools, losing a regular-season game to the Saints, 12-10, then returning to UPMC Graham Field in Wilkinsburg for a 31-17 setback in the Class 3A quarterfinals.

Class 2A Allegheny Conference

Shady Side Academy (3-0, 1-0) at Apollo-Ridge (2-2, 0-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Owens Field, Apollo

Last week: Shady Side Academy 42, Ligonier Valley 6; Apollo-Ridge 42, Carlynton 0

Last year’s meeting: Shady Side Academy 40, Apollo-Ridge 32

A week after having to postpone a game against Clairton because of a lack of healthy players, Shady Side Academy was dominant in a victory over Ligonier Valley. Javon Johnston threw touchdown passes to Cam Mallory, Nico Grzymkowski and Darius Gainey. … The Vikings will begin conference play after shutting out Carlynton. Jaden McCray ran for 89 yards and scored three touchdowns, and QB Chris Daily threw for 181 yards and two scores. … Apollo-Ridge and Shady Side have one of the area’s most competitive rivalries with the Bulldogs holding a 12-11 series advantage.

Class A Eastern Conference

Riverview (2-2, 0-1) at Springdale (0-3, 0-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Springdale High School Athletic Field, Springdale

Last week: Leechburg 27, Riverview 18; Brentwood 42, Springdale 0

Last year’s meeting: Riverview 41, Springdale 0

Riverview started strong at 2-0, outscoring Beth-Center and Valley by a combined 69-19. The Raiders, however, are looking to bounce back after two straight defeats. Kaden Levy led the way for the Raiders last week with five carries for 100 yards and two touchdowns. … Springdale’s defense, which is allowing nearly 40 ppg, will be tested by the balanced Raiders offense. The Dynamos will counter offensively with a backfield of Corey Brooks, Will Fowler and Zach Parison. … Riverview has a 27-17 lead in the all-time series against rival Springdale, though the Dynamos won 10 of 11 games from 2007-17.

Nonconference

New Castle (3-1) at Knoch (0-4)

7 p.m. Friday, Knights Stadium, Saxonburg

Last week: New Castle 53, Yough 0; Montour 41, Knoch 8

Last year’s meeting: New Castle 42, Knoch 32

New Castle has posted back to back shutouts over Highlands and Yough and also opened with a 12-0 win over Penn Hills. The Red Hurricanes are led by Kai Cox, who returned two punts for touchdowns last week. QB Marino Graham had long touchdown runs of 79 and 51 yards. … Knoch struggled to slow Montour last week and dropped its fourth straight game. Keegan Orris caught a 16-yard TD for the Knights. … New Castle leads the all-time series 2-6. The Knights won a 2007 opening-round playoff game, 42-24.

Quaker Valley (2-2) at Valley (0-4)

7 p.m. Friday, Memorial Stadium, New Kensington

Last week: North Catholic 49, Quaker Valley 0; Imani Christian 72, Valley 0

Last year’s meeting: Quaker Valley 34, Valley 14

Quaker Valley, which started 2-0, is looking to bounce back after back-to-back losses by a combined score of 91-7. QB Atticus Barr leads the Quakers on offense but was held to 38 passing yards last week. … Valley suffered its third shutout of the season last week against powerhouse Imani Christian. The Vikings allowed a fumble return and two punt return touchdowns. Ten Vikings had carries out of the backfield. … Valley and Quaker Valley played last year for the first time.

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, Deer Lakes, East Allegheny, Fox Chapel, Freeport, Highlands, Imani Christian, Kiski Area, Knoch, New Castle, North Hills, Pine-Richland, Plum, Quaker Valley, Riverview, Shady Side Academy, Springdale, Valley