Alle-Kiski Valley high school football notebook: Plum finally gets in win column

By: Michael Love
Saturday, September 14, 2024 | 7:53 PM

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Last year, Shaler spoiled Plum’s 2-0 start by handing the Mustangs a 28-14 nonconference loss in Week 2.

When the offseason alignments came out and Plum and Shaler both were placed in the Class 5A Northeast Conference, the Mustangs knew they had a guaranteed chance to avenge the setback.

The Mustangs also came into Friday’s matchup with the Titans at Mustangs Stadium hoping to get on track after three losses to start this season, including a tough 22-15 defeat at the hands of Gateway on Sept. 6 when the Gators rallied for the winning score with less than two minutes remaining.

But with the help of several key players on both sides of the football, Plum was able to taste victory for the first time in 2024.

Senior Nick Odom carried the ball 21 times for 123 yards and two touchdowns.

His runs of 18 and 8 yards helped Plum build a 14-7 lead in the first quarter.

Olivia Bigger booted a 28-yard field goal in the second quarter, and senior Darian Nelson added some insurance for the Mustangs with a 3-yard run in the fourth.

Plum was balanced offensively, something coach Matt Morgan has said is key to his team’s success.

The Mustangs threw for 157 yards and ran for 149.

Plum will attempt to make it two wins in a row as it continues conference play at home Friday against Pine-Richland (3-0, 1-0).

Making its point(s)

Highlands’ 64 points in its victory Friday over East Allegheny was the second-highest single-game total in the WPIAL for Week 3.

Only California’s 72 in its win over Bentworth stood taller.

The Golden Rams now own the highest per-game total in the WPIAL at 51.3 a game.

Highlands (2-1) tallied 37 points in a Week Zero overtime setback to Armstrong and needed all 53 points in a wild 53-52, three-overtime triumph at home against Elizabeth Forward one week later.

The Golden Rams didn’t miss a beat Friday despite an unplanned week off when their Week 2 matchup with New Castle was canceled because of bad weather.

Quarterback Menage Lucas again reached the 100-100 club against East Allegheny as he threw for 125 yards and three touchdowns and added 141 yards and three scores on 12 carries.

Darius Cherry contributed to the potent rushing attack with 133 yards and a score on 13 carries.

Montrell Johnson caught two of Lucas’ TD tosses, and Cherry hauled in the other.

Not to be outdone, Tevin Owen Cratsenberg took an interception back 15 yards for a score. It was his first pick of the season.

Highlands will test its mettle Friday as it pays a visit to undefeated Imani Christian (4-0, 1-0). Kickoff at Graham Field in Wilkinsburg is set for 7 p.m.

The Saints rolled past Valley, 46-0, on Friday and are averaging 41.7 points, so the scoreboard Friday could get quite a workout.

Lancers to strive for 5

Deer Lakes hit two significant marks in its 28-21 win Friday against rival Freeport at Lancers Stadium.

The Lancers won their second in a row over the Yellowjackets for the second time in program history. The other time Deer Lakes went back-to-back with wins over Freeport was in 1993 and ’94.

The Lancers also improved to 4-0 for just the second time. The other time that happened, in 2015, they beat West Shamokin, Valley, South Allegheny and Shady Side Academy.

Tim Burk, who had a happy birthday celebration Friday, hopes his Lancers can avoid a similar fate to what happened to the 2015 team in their fifth game — a 33-7 loss to Highlands.

Deer Lakes visits East Allegheny on Friday, and the Wildcats will be gunning for an upset to get into the win column for the first time.

The Lancers used a defensive stand late in Friday’s victory over Freeport as the Yellowjackets attempted to rally all the way back from a 21-0 deficit.

Tailback Zier Williams tallied the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter. Williams has carried 85 times for 423 yards and eight touchdowns through four games.

What a rush

Leechburg’s running trio of senior Jake Cummings, junior Tim Andrasy, and senior Jayden Floyd combined to collect 258 yards on 34 carries in Friday’s convincing 43-14 victory over rival Riverview in the Eastern Conference opener for both teams.

Floyd, who had 151 of those yards and five touchdowns on 13 carries, was quick to credit an improving offensive line for opening up holes and maintaining blocks so the running attack could make an impact.

The Blue Devils led by 22 at halftime en route to a perfect record after four games that hadn’t happened in the Leechburg football program since 1981.

That year, Leechburg beat Shady Side Academy, Mars, Ford City, Apollo-Ridge and Richland (before it added Pine) to start 5-0 before falling to Avonworth, 22-7, in Game 6. The Blue Devils finished the season 7-3 and didn’t make the WPIAL playoffs.

In 2021, the Blue Devils’ first trip to the WPIAL playoffs since 1988, they started out 3-0 with wins over Jefferson-Morgan, Summit Academy and Brentwood before falling at Clairton, 48-27, in Game 4.

Leechburg finished 2022 with a 7-4 record and a return to the WPIAL postseason. The Blue Devils lost their opener to Apollo-Ridge before consecutive shutout wins over Summit, Brentwood and Springdale.

Last year was a carbon copy with the Blue Devils winning three in a row after falling to Apollo-Ridge in Week Zero.

Leechburg will attempt to go 5-0 on Friday as it visits Jeannette (4-0, 1-0) 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.

Tags: Deer Lakes, Highlands, Leechburg, Plum