Alle-Kiski Valley high school football notebook: Final week has playoff implications galore

By: Michael Love
Saturday, October 21, 2023 | 8:25 PM

Playoff spots are coming down to the wire in the Class 3A Allegheny 6 Conference.

East Allegheny, which knocked off Knoch, 14-13, in overtime Friday, captured the conference title and improved to 4-0, 7-2 overall.

Even before the game, the Knights, based on their 3-0 conference record coming in, had secured a spot in the playoffs.

That leaves two spots to be had, and Deer Lakes took a big step forward with its wild 41-35 victory over Shady Side Academy (5-4, 2-2) on Friday behind 231 passing yards and three touchdowns from Derek Burk, two to Zach Grant and another to Wayne Love.

Zier Williams added two TD runs, and Burk had another as the Lancers improved to 2-2 in conference play.

Burk enters Week 9 with 4,922 career passing yards, 92 shy of the Alle-Kiski Valley record of 5,014 set by Highlands graduate Chandler Thimons last year.

Freeport (3-6, 1-3) stayed alive with its 27-0 victory over Valley (2-7, 0-4) and sets up next week’s big conference clash with Deer Lakes. The Vikings were eliminated from playoff contention with the loss.

The Yellowjackets got a touchdown pass from Drew Ross to Brady Sullivan, a Ross scoring run and TD rushes of 10 and 7 yards from Colton Otterman.

Shady Side can clinch a spot in the playoffs with a win Friday against East Allegheny. The winner of Deer Lakes and Freeport then would clinch the fourth-place position.

If the Bulldogs lose and the Lancers win, Freeport would be eliminated.

If all three teams finish 2-3 after Friday games, WPIAL tiebreaker points will determine which two of the three advance because each team will be 1-1 against the other two.

Highlands, Kiski Area still alive

The Golden Rams used a late defensive stand to preserve a 17-15 victory over Armstrong on Friday and remained alive for a WPIAL playoff berth from the Greater Allegheny Conference.

Highlands improved to 2-3 in conference play and forged a three-way tie for the fourth spot in the conference standings with the River Hawks and Kiski Area. Hampton suffered a loss to Mars to fall to third place at 3-2.

Aaron Randolph threw a touchdown pass to Jahmar Wright, Menage Lucas returned a fumble for a score, and Burton Babinsack booted a 27-yard field goal in the Golden Rams’ triumph.

The Cavaliers defeated Fox Chapel on Friday in nonconference action.

A lot is on the line Friday as Highlands hosts Hampton and Kiski Area welcomes Armstrong to Richard Dilts Stadium.

A loss by either the Golden Rams or the Cavaliers would eliminate them from playoff contention, so a win is a must. If both win, it would create a three-way tie for third with Hampton, and WPIAL tiebreaker points would come into play as each would be 1-1 against the other two.

Kiski qualifies with a win and a Highlands loss, whereas a Highlands win and a Kiski loss puts the Golden Rams in the postseason and in third place based on their wins over Hampton and Armstrong.

Plum snaps losing skid

The Mustangs started the season 2-0 with wins over Kiski Area and Fox Chapel, but victories were elusive from there as they dropped six games in a row and were 0-4 in Big East Conference play.

Plum held fourth-quarter leads in two of those games but were not able to hold on in heartbreaking setbacks to conference foes Norwin and Franklin Regional.

But that all changed for the better for the Mustangs on Friday at Hempfield in their conference finale.

Sean Franzi threw a touchdown pass to Darian Nelson, and Franzi added a 19-yard scoring run as Plum jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.

The Spartans counter-punched and tied the score 14-14, but the Mustangs had an answer. Franzi added another TD run, Nelson and TJ Futules hooked up on a scoring pass, Olivia Bigger booted a 28-yard field goal and Nelson caught his second TD pass from Franzi as Plum pulled away for a 38-20 victory.

Plum caps its season at home Friday on senior night against nonconference Indiana.

Blue Devils rally

Leechburg has lived on the edge of a lightning bolt the past two weeks.

The Blue Devils denied Riverview a late 2-point conversion last week and defeated the Raiders, 29-28, at Riverside Park in Oakmont.

Leechburg stepped away from Eastern Conference play Friday at Shenango, and the Wildcats seemed to have the game in control with a 26-7 lead in the third quarter.

But the Blue Devils roared back. Jayden Floyd, who found the end zone from 20 yards in the first quarter, helped lead the rally with TD runs of 15 and 3 yards.

Leechburg completed the come back when Floyd connected with Sebastian Mason on an 8-yard scoring pass with just over two minutes remaining. Ryan Shaw’s point-after kick was true, and the Blue Devils traveled home with a 27-26 victory.

Floyd finished the game with 138 passing yards and 134 more on the ground.

The Blue Devils found out they secured a spot in the WPIAL Class A playoffs with Riverview’s 21-14 loss at Greensburg Central Catholic.

Leechburg clinched a third straight winning season for the first time since Blue Devils teams did it four years in a row from 1978 to 1981.

Bucs make it three in a row

Burrell wasn’t able to secure a win Friday in its 29-22 Allegheny Conference loss to Derry in which the teams combined for 31 points in the fourth quarter.

Despite the setback, the Bucs clinched a spot in the WPIAL Class 2A playoffs when Apollo-Ridge, Ligonier Valley and Yough lost their games to fall to 1-5.

Burrell coach Shawn Liotta said that wasn’t the way he hoped his team would wrap up a spot in the postseason, but the Bucs, 4-5 overall and 3-3 in conference play, have qualified three years in a row for the first time in 21 years.

Burrell last made a playoff three-peat from 2000 to 2002. The Bucs won the 2002 Allegheny Conference (Class 2A) title and made it to the quarterfinals before falling to Beaver Area at Highlands.

Raiders eye win in finale

Riverview found itself on the outside looking in of the WPIAL Class A playoff picture after Friday’s loss to Greensburg Central Catholic.

The Raiders, who got another 100-plus yardage effort from senior running back Carlo Buzzatto (25 carries, 140 yards, TD), weren’t able to overcome the playoff-bound Centurions and fell to 1-4 in the Eastern Conference and 4-5 overall.

But Riverview still has a number of things to play for when it lines up against Springdale in the finale next week.

In addition to finishing the season strong and defeating their across-the-river rival, the Raiders are hoping to reach five wins and their first nonlosing season since 2010 when they went 6-4 overall. They started 5-2 that year and capped the season with a 20-7 victory over Serra Catholic.

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.