Trib HSSN football players to watch for Week 9
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Thursday, October 24, 2019 | 5:36 PM
Gateway’s Tui Faumuina-Brown charges into the end zone for a touchdown against Franklin Regional during WPIAL football on Friday night, Oct. 4, 2019 at Gateway Senior High School in Monroeville.
West Mifflin’s Nakhi Johnson competes against Belle Vernon on Oct. 11, 2019, at Belle Vernon.
Central Valley’s Ameer Dudley carries past Thomas Jefferson’s Nathan Werderber during the second quarter of their game Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, in Center.
Mt. Lebanon’s Mason Ventrone makes a one-handed catch for a touchdown next to North Allegheny’s Percise Colon during the third quarter Friday, Sept. 20, 2019, in McCandless.
Here are four WPIAL football players to watch for during Week 9:
Tui Brown
Gateway, Sr., WR/LB
Brown (6-3, 200) caught three passes for 100 yards in last week’s 48-7 win over Connellsville. The Division I prospect will lead the No. 2 Gators (7-2, 4-1) into battle against host McKeesport (7-2, 4-1) in a Class 5A Big East Conference game Friday night. The winner clinches second place in the conference.
Ameer Dudley
Central Valley, Jr., QB/DB
Dudley (6-1, 180) threw for 293 yards and four touchdowns in leading No. 2 Central Valley (8-1, 6-0) to a 48-13 win over South Park last week. He will try and guide the Warriors’ offense past No. 1 Aliquippa (9-0, 6-0) at the Pit on Friday in a Class 3A Tri-County West showdown.
Nahki Johnson
West Mifflin, Jr., DE
Johnson (6-3, 225) recovered a blocked punt for a touchdown in West Mifflin’s 54-18 win over Ringgold last week. The Pitt recruit transferred to West Mifflin from Steel Valley in the offseason. He helped lead the Ironmen to a WPIAL title last season. The playoff-bound Titans (5-4, 4-2) will head to No. 1 Thomas Jefferson (9-0, 6-0) for a Class 4A Big Eight showdown on Friday night.
Mason Ventrone
Mt. Lebanon, Sr., RB/LB
Ventrone (6-0, 180) ran for 146 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries as No. 4 Mt. Lebanon beat Norwin, 45-16, last week. The Blue Devils (6-3, 5-2) will try and lock up third place in Class 6A on Friday night when they host No. 2 Central Catholic (8-1, 6-1). With a win and if North Allegheny beats Pine-Richland, the Blue Devils have a shot at second place and a bye in the opening round of the playoffs.
Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.
Tags: Central Valley, Gateway, Mt. lebanon, West Mifflin
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