High school notebook: Yough’s Shoaf in elite company after record-breaking performance

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, October 21, 2017 | 7:54 PM

Yough football coach Scott Wood predicted a few weeks ago that Cougars' junior running back Dustin Shoaf had the potential to break the school's single-game rushing record.

“It's just a matter of time,” Wood said. “The kid has the talent and is one of the most underrated players around.”

On Friday night, Shoaf showed everyone what his coach was talking about. He ran for 428 yards on 43 carries in a wild, 49-38 win over Southmoreland at Russ Grimm Field in Alverton.

The mark broke Ben Hoffer's mark of 401 yards set in 2008. Hoffer's record, which came on just 20 carries, also was against Southmoreland.

Shoaf, who scored five touchdowns, flirted with the Westmoreland County single-game mark, as well. Hempfield's Matt Steve ran for 446 yards in 1999.

“The offensive line was the impressive part,” Wood said. “The holes they opened up for him made it happen. Dustin is so patient when he has the ball in his hands, and he believes in his line. Dustin made some very impressive cut backs. Once he gets through the first level, anything is possible.”

Shoaf's mark is among the top 10-best in WPIAL history.

The WPIAL single-game record was broken by Mapletown's Dylan Rush earlier this season when he ran for 524 yards. The record has fallen in three straight years.

Last year, Armstrong's Zane Dudek ran for 492 yards to break the mark of 460 set by Apollo-Ridge's Duane Brown in 2015.

Shoaf had 203 yards by halftime Friday. He also threw a touchdown pass.

“Big shout out to my O-line and the rest of the team … tonight!,” Shoaf tweeted Friday. “One team, one dream.”

And Yough was without two injured starting linemen, seniors Scott Houseman and Levi Graft.

“(Shoaf) is one of the best in the conference, if not the WPIAL,” Southmoreland coach Mark Adams said.

Gang Green

Belle Vernon boys soccer had a highlight-filled and record-setting regular season, and the Leopards have postseason accolades because of it.

Four players were named to the Section 3-AAA Finest Fifteen. They are junior forward Markello Apodiakos, senior midfielder Jackson Guess, junior midfielder Hunter Martin and sophomore goalkeeper Cam Guess.

Apodiakos was named section player of the year for the second straight season. He scored 32 goals and upped his career point total to 79. Both are school records. The Leopards posted 10 shutouts, including eight in a row in one stretch.

Jackson Guess broke the school record for assists in a season, with 28. Cam Guess broke the program record for goals-against average in a season at 0.38.

Jackson honored

Franklin Regional junior Palmer Jackson has put together a strong fall golf season, but the Western Pennsylvania Golf Association recognized what he accomplished over the summer.

Jackson was named the WPGA Player Junior of the Year after contending in just about every event he entered. He won the Pennsylvania Junior Championship and C.R. Miller Match Play Invitational, was runner-up at the Western Pennsylvania Junior and in the Williamson Cup and finished tied for eighth in the state amateur.

Jackson and Latrobe junior Brady Pevarnik were the youngest players selected to play in the annual Palmer Cup matches.

Jackson joins elite company. Other award winners were Nathan Smith (Men's division) and Sean Knapp (Senior). Knapp had a seismic summer, winning the U.S. Senior Amateur. Smith was the WPGA's top player for the ninth time.

Greensburg's Dave DeNezza was the WPGA Super-Senior Series champion.

PIAA golf

The PIAA golf championships will begin Monday in York. The individual championships for boys and girls will be played Monday and Tuesday over 36 holes, and the team finals will be Wednesday.

The tournaments are played annually at Heritage Hills Resort.

Local players in the field include Franklin Regional's Jackson (Class 3A) and Greensburg Central Catholic junior Abby Zambruno (Class 2A), and the GCC girls team.

Volleyball playoffs

The WPIAL will meet Monday to draw up the girls volleyball playoff brackets. Tournaments are expected to begin Tuesday and culminate with the championship matches Nov. 4.

Westmoreland teams set to begin the postseason include Norwin, Penn-Trafford and Hempfield in Class 4A; Greensburg Salem and Yough in 3A; Southmoreland and Derry in 2A; and Greensburg Central Catholic in Class A.

Fenton watch

Latrobe basketball player Reed Fenton is expected to have a big junior season this winter. PA Preps lists Fenton as one of the top returning guards in the state. The 6-foot-3 guard recently made an unofficial visit to Princeton, where he had his photo taken with legendary Tigers coach Pete Carril.

Another Latrobe player to watch in recruiting is 6-3 junior swingman Bryce Butler.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.

Tags: Belle Vernon, Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Hempfield Area, Latrobe, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Yough