Contrasting Plum, Kiski Area set to kick off season by renewing rivalry
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Wednesday, August 24, 2022 | 6:29 PM
Plum head coach Matt Morgan watches practice on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022, in Plum.
Domanick Simmons and his Kiski Area teammates dropped to Class 4A this season.
Kiski Area coach Sam Albert watches the action at the Larry Sellitto Memorial 7-on-7 passing tournament Thursday, July 21, 2022 at Greater Latrobe High School.
Two schools that are in contrast to each other will open the season Friday.
Plum will return an experienced team, while Kiski Area has plenty of key players to replace due to graduation.
“They had a pretty good senior-led team last year; I know they’re replacing a lot,” Plum coach Matt Morgan said. “It’s a similar situation to what we were in last year. We had gone to the semifinals and just had a handful of returners coming back.”
Last season, Kiski Area started out at 5-0; Plum 0-5.
The Mustangs rebounded enough to make the playoffs, dropping a 14-13 heartbreaker to then-undefeated Hampton in the opening round.
The two schools are also going in opposite directions in enrollment classes. Plum is back in Class 5A for the next two seasons while Kiski Area has dropped to 4A.
The Cavaliers finished 6-4 last season, barely missing the playoffs after close losses to North Hills and Pine-Richland.
Coach Sam Albert is in the process of replacing numerous starters, including last year’s top passer (Logan Johnson), top rusher (C.J. Hepler), receiver (Calvin Heinle) and all-state tackle Brandon Lawhorn Moore, now playing at Miami (Ohio).
“We graduated a great class, now we have lots of holes to fill,” Albert said. “That’s what exhibition games are for.”
The two schools haven’t played since 2017.
Plum senior tight end/outside linebacker Kaden Thomas is anxious to play a geographic rival to start his school’s 83rd football season.
“I’m excited to start off against Kiski,” Thomas said. “I remember a few years ago when I played for PMFA (youth league) the game we clinched the playoffs was against Kiski Valley. We haven’t had a chance to play them since, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Plum scrimmaged North Hills Saturday.
“We had our ups and downs; we did well at first, then they scored on us pretty quickly,” Morgan said. “Our guys responded to a little adversity. They’re always a physical football team. I and the staff were very pleased with where we were at the end of the scrimmage.”
“They’re good. We watched them against North Hills, and Plum has one of the better running backs we’ve seen in a while,” Albert said of Mustangs senior Eryck Moore.
Moore has rushed for more than 1,000 yards each of the last two seasons.
Promising sophomore Darrin Nelson, a two-way player last season, was slowed by a shoulder injury in preseason camp, but appears ready to suit up against the Cavaliers Friday at Mustangs Stadium.
“There’s a few kinks we have to work out,” Thomas said. “We still have a couple younger guys in the mix who are still trying to get their feet underneath them.”
Kiski Area senior Lebryn Smith will be a player to watch at both quarterback and defensive back.
This also starts what is Kiski Area’s 60th anniversary season. The school opened in 1962 with a 1-8-1 record.
Cavaliers vs. Mustangs
Kiski Area has a 17-15-1 lead against Plum in the all-time series between the two schools. Here are results of the last 10 games:
2017, Plum 9, Kiski Area 6
2016, Kiski Area 28, Plum 7
2015, Kiski Area 23, Plum 14
2014, Plum 65, Kiski Area 0
2011, Kiski Area 20, Plum 0
2010, Plum 23, Kiski Area 14
2009, Plum 28, Kiski Area 21
2008, Kiski Area 35, Plum 0
2007, Kiski Area 28, Plum 17
2006, Kiski Area 14, Plum 9
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