Through the years: Huge crowd watched unbeaten Kiski Area, Hempfield meet in 1971

By: George Guido
Thursday, October 21, 2021 | 10:01 AM

Each week throughout the high school football season, the Valley News Dispatch will take a look back at the games, players and events that are part of local scholastic history.

In what has been called the largest crowd ever at Davis Field, some 9,500 fans watched the battle of unbeatens as Kiski Area prevailed over Hempfield, 13-8, in 1971. Joe Stone and Mike Hansen scored the Cavaliers’ touchdowns to extend Kiski Area’s Foothills Conference winning streak to 32.

75 years ago

• More than 9,000 fans jammed Scott Stadium to watch Ken High rout North Braddock Scott, 33-6. Vince Pisano ran for two touchdowns, and Thomas Ciancutti’s interception set up the fifth Red Raiders touchdown.

• East Deer stayed undefeated with a 27-6 win over Plum. Cal Grossi ran for two TDs and threw to Paul Crowley for another.

60 years ago

• Har-Brack held on to defeat Ken High, 20-19. Tom Branch scored a Ken High touchdown with 44 seconds left, but the PAT attempt went under the crossbar.

• Apollo turned back rival Elders Ridge, 33-19, at Owens Field behind three Ralph Mellinger touchdowns.

50 years ago

• Ford City’s Marvin Russell scored four touchdowns as the Sabers knocked off Deer Lakes, 38-22. Russell would continue his standout career at Notre Dame, playing on the 1973 national championship team.

40 years ago

• An early snowfall at Lt. J.C. Stone Field wasn’t enough to stop Knoch from remaining in the playoff race with a 7-0 victory over North Catholic. Todd Durand’s 4-yard touchdown run was enough for the Knights.

• Deer Lakes won its first game of the season, 14-13, over Pine-Richland on an 81-yard touchdown pass from Brad Gentile to Jim Bentley and a PAT by Todd Cavenaugh.

25 years ago

• Casey Crytzer ran for 103 yards and two touchdowns as Freeport secured its first playoff berth in four seasons with a 21-7 victory over Ford City.

• Fox Chapel nabbed its first playoff berth in 11 years with a 33-14 victory over Gateway behind two Ron Valenty touchdowns.

10 years ago

• Burrell clinched a Class AA playoff berth with a 42-0 victory over Deer Lakes. Cole Bush ran for 159 yards and four TDs.

• Chris Liberto and Sean Dugan ran for a pair of TDs each as Springdale blasted Leechburg, 45-18.

Five years ago

• Leechburg stopped a Brownsville 2-point conversion attempt to record a 35-34 victory, the first of the season for the Blue Devils.

• Apollo-Ridge secured its fifth straight WPIAL berth with a 35-12 win over Valley behind five Kyle Fitzroy TD passes.