Friday Night HighLights – Week Four

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, September 25, 2017 | 7:27 PM

Week Three saw a record setting rushing performance and several stunners around the WPIAL Friday night high school football buffet. While there were no major upsets in Week Four, there were plenty of close games expected to be runaways and blowouts that were expected to be tight in a different version of eyebrow-raising. But while there were no shockers or record setting performances, these young men were shining bright as the middle third of the district regular season began.

Phil Jurkovec – Pine-Richland

With future head coach Brian Kelly of Notre Dame in attendance and facing an unbeaten foe that was ranked #3 and on the road, Pine-Richland stud quarterback Phil Jurkovec showed no signs of nervousness as he dissected Bethel Park. Jurkovec hit on 19 of 23 passes for 355 yards and two touchdown tosses, plus he rushed for three scores…all in the first half as the Rams destroyed the host Black Hawks 54-20 in a Class 6-A Non-Conference destruction.

Layton Jordan and John Harper – McKeesport

McKeesport was stunned in their Week One season opener by Franklin Regional. But since then, the 5-A runners-up from 2016 have righted the ship and continue to post impressive wins, the latest coming thanks to the dynamic ground duo of Layton Jordan who rushed for 282 yards and three long touchdown runs of 75, 61 and 76 yards while teammate John Harper also eclipsed 200 yards on the ground (202) while scoring two long touchdowns of 56 and 81 yards as the Tigers clawed their way past the host Plum Mustangs 48-14 in a Big East Conference contest.

Tom Sheehy – Mars

99 percent of the time, the HighLights feature players who put up dominant numbers on offense. Time now for the 1 percent for an out of this world performance on defense. Tom Sheehy was asked by his Dad before the game to delieve two interceptions. Like any good son does, he doubled the request and picked off FOUR Highlands passes that played a big part in stopping drives and providing good field position for the Fightin’ Planets in a 21-10 victory over the Golden Rams that has Mars orbiting in playoff position in the Class 4-A Northwest Nine Conference.

Drew Saxton – South Fayette

That wacky Joe Rossi. The South Fayette head coach knows how to tie a pretty bow around each additional victory as the green machine climbs the ladder for most consecutive wins in the regular season. Last week they scored 51 points for the teams 51st consecutive regular season win, so this week they tied Braddock for second place on the all time list by scoring…you got it, 52 points with stud quarterback Drew Sexton hitting on 12 of 19 passes for 270 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Lions 52-14 drubbing of the host Knoch Knights in a Class 4-A Northwest Nine Conference game.

Joey Koroly – Trinity

It was a record breaking night for Joe Koroly of Trinity in a Class 4-A Non-Conference Friday fray. Koroly ran for 358 yards, which is a new school single game rushing record breaking the old mark of 341 yards set by Bill Burns in 1992, plus he scored four touchdowns on the ground and added a scoring reception which led to him setting the schools all-time career touchdown mark as the Hillers pounded the host Blackhawk Cougars 62-34.

Zachary Benedek – Elizabeth Forward

It has been a while since you could say Elizabeth Forward was alone in first place in their conference this last into the season. EF can do some bragging and chest pumping following a huge Class 3-A Interstate Conference win in which quarterback Zachary Benedek went wild, hitting on 14 of 19 passes for 357 yards five touchdown passes to go along with a scoring run in the Warriors 56-21 beating of the visiting McGuffey Highlanders.

Deontae Ross – Valley

Even though Valley at Deer Lakes was an Allegheny Conference tilt between winless teams, it is only Week Four and there is time to dig yourself out of an early hole, even in the not so even playoff playing field of Class 3-A where every conference loss stings. Deontae Ross bought into the ‘never say never’ mentality as he rushed for 286 yards and scored on runs of 18 and 6 yards in the third quarter to lift the Vikings to a 26-20 decision over the Lancers.

Dustin Shoaf – Yough

Even though Waynesburg at Yough was an Interstate Conference contest between teams in search of their first victories, it is only Week Four and there is time to dig yourself out of an early hole, even in the not so even playoff playing field of Class 3-A where every conference loss stings (hey, it was still applicable). Dustin Shoaf helped put the green and orange in the win column as he rushed for 277 yards and scored all three of his teams touchdowns in the Cougars 21-6 triumph over the Raiders.

Tre-Sean Howard – Clairton

On the brink of so many upsets last week, it brought back memories of September 20th, 2013 when Monessen went to Clairton and upset the five-time defending champions 42-24 that ended the record 66-game winning streak. Tre-Sean Howard made sure history would not repeat itself at Neal Brown Stadium as he ran for 259 yards and scored three touchdowns as the Bears cruised to a 52-13 victory over the Greyhounds in a 1-A Non-Conference game.

Ryhan Culberson – Fort Cherry

In a Class 1-A Non-Conference dandy of a game, Ryhan Culberson of Fort Cherry did it all for the visitors. Culberson tosses a 13-yard touchdown pass, returned a punt 70 yards for a special team splash play and did most of his damage on the ground with 224 yards rushing and four more scores on the ground, including a 45-yard touchdown gallop with only 40 seconds left that was the difference in the Rangers 42-35 win over the Shenango Wildcats.

Tags: Clairton, Elizabeth Forward, Fort Cherry, McKeesport, Valley, Yough