A-K Valley high school football notes: Several teams bounce back with wins

By: Michael Love
Saturday, September 24, 2022 | 6:17 PM

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It was bounce-back Friday for a number of Alle-Kiski Valley teams.

The Burrell run game again was the featured attraction as it helped the Bucs roll past Yough, 42-6, and rebound from last week’s 38-20 loss to Serra Catholic.

All 64 plays Burrell ran against the Cougars were of the running variety and totaled 402 yards. Devin Beattie (16 carries, 121 yards, 2 TDs), Mason Jones (16-83), Chase Fenner (13-40, TD), and Tristan Brothers (7-95, TD) were among those at the heart of the ground attack.

Freeport, which has battled through a number of injuries to key players, fell from the ranks of the unbeaten against Armstrong last week.

But Friday, the Yellowjackets made their mark, jumping out to a 21-0 lead at halftime and finishing off a 24-6 victory over Mt. Pleasant. Senior quarterback Gavin Croney threw a touchdown and ran for another, Cyp Sellinger returned a fumble for a score, and Isaac Wetzel connected on a 25-yard field goal.

Apollo-Ridge, which started 2-0 before back-to-back losses to Deer Lakes and Ligonier Valley, got back on track Friday with a 49-14 win over Derry. The Vikings collected 324 yards rushing on 33 carries (9.8 average). Senior Gage Johnston threw for 109 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the victory.

Riverview rebounded from last week’s 54-0 loss to Clairton with an 18-6 triumph over Frazier. Rio Stotts, Carlo Buzzatto and Landon Johnson combined for 184 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 37 carries. Buzzatto also was a force on defense with a team-best nine tackles.

Deer Lakes (2-3) won its second of the season and recovered from a loss to Greensburg-Salem with a 9-0 shutout of Southmoreland. Sophomore Zier Williams scored on a 1-yard run, and senior Mason Metzler put the game on ice with a 24-yard field goal with 58 seconds left.

Valley breaks through

After four tough losses to start the season, the Vikings were on the other side of fortune Friday with a 20-13 victory over WPIAL independent Uniontown.

“It wasn’t easy, but the guys came together and got it done,” said Dave Heavner, who also recorded his first win as Valley head coach. “If ever a team deserved a win, it was them for all the hard work they put in to get over the hump. Hopefully, we built some momentum going into the start of conference play.”

Senior Dallas Price scored on a 73-yard run, fellow senior Xavier Wilson had a 3-yard rushing TD and junior Darnell Coaston returned a kickoff for a score.

Highlands continues to roll

The Golden Rams again used all three phases to remain the All-Kiski Valley’s only unbeaten team.

In a 31-0 victory at Indiana, Highlands’ second shutout of the season, Luke Bombalski collected 126 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Aaran Randolph added 90 yards on the ground, including a 46-yard touchdown out of the wildcat, and he returned an interception 34 yards for a score.

Burton Babinsack converted four extra points and booted a 30-yard field goal.

The defense smothered Indiana’s offense, as Daniel Long, Nick McQuade and Landan Signorella recorded 10 tackles each.

Highlands is 5-0 for the first time since 2015.

The Golden Rams will take on an improved Mars team under coach Eric Kasperowicz this week. The Planets are 4-1 overall after routing Moon, 51-7, on Friday.

Highlands won last year’s meeting, 22-7.

Plum clamps down

The Mustangs surrendered several big plays to Gateway in the first half of their Big East Conference matchup Friday. But in the second half, the Plum defense delivered as it attempted to rally from a 28-7 halftime deficit.

The Mustangs held the Gators offense to just 49 yards of total offense over the final 24 minutes. Plum forced a turnover on downs and two punts.

Special teams got into the act, blocking a field goal after the defense made a stand near the goal line, and the Mustangs recovered a pair of squib kickoffs.

Plum came back to make it 28-26 with two minutes left, but a 2-point conversion pass by quarterback Sean Franzi was intercepted.

Curci among WPIAL leaders

Apollo-Ridge senior 230-pound tailback Nick Curci collected the sixth-most rushing yards Friday with 171 yards on 17 carries, a 10.1 average, and two touchdowns in an Allegheny Conference win over Derry.

Curci has logged 95 carries through five games for 810 yards, an average of 162 yards a game. He has multi-touchdown efforts in four of the five games.

He hopes to have similar positive results this week as Apollo-Ridge goes on the road to face undefeated Steel Valley (4-0, 2-0) in conference play.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.