Five things we learned from Week 7 of WPIAL football season

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, October 14, 2017 | 7:18 PM

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Turnovers will hurt any team, even a dominant WPIAL title favorite.

Friday night was proof. Top-ranked Thomas Jefferson lost the football four times, two fumbles and two interceptions that led to a 21-17 victory for No. 3 Belle Vernon. A year ago, TJ won this Big Nine matchup 55-0, but turnovers often are an equalizer.

“In a game like this, and I just told the kids, you can't give up easy scores,” TJ coach Bill Cherpak said, “or give them the ball at the 10.”

The Jaguars had outscored teams 297-20 before Friday and were clear favorites to defend their WPIAL Class 4A title. South Fayette (8-0) now jumps to No. 1 in the rankings, and No. 2 Belle Vernon (8-0) has the inside track for the Big Nine title.

But the Jaguars still could celebrate at Heinz Field in November, if they avoid more nights like this.

Three of the four turnovers came at costly times Friday. TJ sophomore quarterback Shane Stump threw an interception on the team's opening drive, and running back Justin Vigna later was stripped deep in his own end. The third turnover was an intercepted heave before halftime, but the fourth was a fumbled pitch after Belle Vernon took the lead in the second half.

“Any time we got momentum, they came back and something happened,” Cherpak said. “We had a penalty or a turnover, whatever it was. We just kept taking it away from ourselves, but they made plays.”

Quips ‘D' allows TD

Quaker Valley proved Aliquippa's stingy defense can be scored upon. But it's not easy. And it probably won't happen often.

QV quarterback Ricky Guss connected with wideout Isaiah McNair on a 29-yard touchdown pass just after halftime, the first offensive touchdown allowed by the Quips this season. Aliquippa's defense had completed 30 quarters without one.

“When they scored, it was shocking for our fans and us because we have that mindset at the beginning of the game that we do not let any team score no matter what,” Aliquippa senior Avante McKenzie said. “But at the end of the day, it's about who finished the game.”

Top-ranked Aliquippa won 22-7.

Before Friday, the only points allowed by Aliquippa this season were a field goal and pick-six interception. After Quaker Valley's touchdown Friday, the Quakers' final six drives ended with three interceptions, two failed fourth-down conversions and a punt.

Double whammy

Waynesburg lost a game and also its coach.

According to reports, Waynesburg coach Russ Moore resigned Saturday, a day after his team lost to Bentworth, 28-27, in double overtime on a botched extra-point snap. The loss dropped the Raiders to 1-6 overall, 1-5 in the Interstate Conference. Moore could not be reached.

He had led the Waynesburg program since 2012, his second stint with the team. During his first stint, the Raiders won the WPIAL Class 2A title in 1999. But over the past six seasons, the team went 13-42 under Moore and reached the playoffs just once. That includes a 2-23 record in the last three years.

Cal lifts conference's image with win

The Tri-County South's reputation could be on the rise.

Combined, conference teams went 2-18 in the first round of the WPIAL Class A playoffs since 2012. But conference leader California looks like a title contender after Friday night's 38-6 victory over Rochester, which leads the usually stronger Big Seven Conference.

California also owns a nonconference victory over No. 3 Imani Christian, 41-26. The Trojans are 8-0 for the first time since winning the WPIAL Class 2A title in 1949. Jelani Stafford rushed for 129 yards and three touchdowns Friday, and Colin Phillips totaled 155 yards and another score.

Tri-County South teams went winless in the playoffs from 2012-14, but there's been improvement. Frazier reached the WPIAL semifinals in 2015, and Beth-Center reached the quarterfinals last year.

As it stands now, California could draw the No. 2 seed when the WPIAL football committee drafts the playoff brackets in about two weeks. Tri-County South champion Carmichaels was seeded sixth last year, behind two second-place teams from other conferences and Bishop Canevin, a third-place team.

CWNC finds quick success

Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic has experienced as much turnover since last season as almost anyone in the WPIAL. Pat O'Shea replaced Jason Gildon as coach, and gone from the roster are a number of Steelers sons who transferred elsewhere.

Yet, CWNC lead the Class 2A Midwestern Conference after Friday's 29-28 victory over Riverside. After a 13-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown run by Joe Meinert, quarterback Zach Rocco connected with Meinert for a 2-point pass and the lead.

Meinert rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. But the offensive catalyst is Rocco, a sophomore who completed 14 of 21 attempts for 226 yards and three touchdowns.

CWNC (6-2, 5-0) sits alone atop the conference standings with Riverside (5-2, 5-1) second.

Chris Harlan is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at charlan@tribweb.com or via Twitter @CHarlan_Trib.

Tags: Aliquippa, Belle Vernon, California, Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic, North Catholic, Thomas Jefferson, Waynesburg, Waynesburg Central