Trib HSSN high school football don’t-miss matchups for Week 2

By: Bill Hartlep
Thursday, September 5, 2019 | 7:16 PM

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Class 6A

North Allegheny (2-0, 1-0) at Central Catholic (2-0, 1-0)

7:30 p.m. Friday, Titans Stadium, Glenshaw

On the air: TribHSSN.triblive.com; 1020 AM

Coaches: Art Walker, North Allegheny; Terry Totten, Central Catholic

Players to watch: Percise Colon, North Allegheny (Sr., 5-6, 165, RB); Dom Pieto, Central Catholic (Sr., 6-0, 195, QB)

Last week: North Allegheny 42, Norwin 0; Central Catholic 10, Seneca Valley 7

Four downs: 1. North Allegheny has been dominant in its first two wins, outscoring Friendship Collegiate Academy and Norwin by a combined score of 63-0. 2. The Tigers have been precise in their running game, led by Percise Colon, who rushed for 122 yards with a 4-yard touchdown run last week in the win over Norwin. 3. Central Catholic came back to edge Seneca Valley in a 6A opener. Dom Pieto scored on a 2-yard run, then the Vikings defense stopped Seneca Valley 2 yards short of the end zone as time expired to hold on to the win. 4. Vikings quarterback Dom Pieto leads the team with four touchdowns as Central Catholic has outscored its opponents 52-14 in its first two wins.

Extra point: With two strong defenses, not many points are expected in this showdown being played at the home of the Shaler Titans. NA won at home a year ago 27-3.

Class 5A Allegheny Eight

Baldwin (1-1, 0-0) at Upper St. Clair (1-1, 0-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Upper St. Clair Stadium

On the air: TribHSSN.TribLive.com

Coaches: Loran Cooley, Baldwin; Mike Junko, Upper St. Clair

Players to watch: Angelo Priore, Baldwin (Sr., 5-11, 220, RB); Ethan Dahlem, Upper St. Clair (Jr., 5-10, 173, QB)

Last week: Baldwin 42, Butler 21; Peters Township 29, Upper St. Clair 21

Four downs: 1. This is the Class 5A Allegheny Eight Conference opener for Baldwin, which split its first two non-conference games. 2. Highlanders running back Angelo Priore ran wild in a 21-point win at Butler last week, rushing for 236 yards and four touchdowns, including scoring runs of 80 and 70 yards. 3. Upper St. Clair lost its conference opener last week at Peters Township in what is believed to be the first loss ever by the Panthers to the Indians. 4. This is the home opener for first year coach Mike Junko, who hopes Panthers quarterback Ethan Dahlem can have another big game. Last week, he was 15 of 24 for 284 yards and three touchdowns in the loss at Peters.

Extra point: After beating Baldwin by a combined score of 85-15 in 2016 and 2017, Upper St. Clair escaped last year with a 28-21 triumph.

Class 4A Big Eight

West Mifflin (1-1, 1-0) at Trinity (0-1, 0-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Hiller Stadium

Coaches: Rod Steele, West Mifflin; Jon Miller, Trinity

Players to watch: Nahki Johnson, West Mifflin (Jr., 6-3, 220, DE,TE); Talon Cain, Trinity (Sr., 5-8, 175, RB)

Last week: West Mifflin 44, Indiana 0; Greensburg Salem 19, Trinity 13 in overtime

Four downs: 1. After losing to Mars in Week Zero, West Mifflin opened up Class 4A Big Eight Conference play with a rout of Indiana for the first victory for Titans new coach Rod Steele. 2. Jacob Davis rushed for 131 yards and scored three touchdowns for the Titans while quarterback Jaylen Dukes connected on 7 of 16 passes for 142 yards and three touchdown tosses. 3. Trinity opened its season and Big Eight Conference play with a tough home loss in overtime. Trent Patrick of Greensburg Salem scored the only points of the extra session after a scoreless second half. 4. The Hillers’ two touchdowns were scored on runs of 23 yards by Talon Cain and 2 yards by Micah Finley.

Extra point: West Mifflin has won four straight games against Trinity by a combined score of 130-53 including a 47-0 Titans whitewash a year ago.

Class 3A Tri-County West

Central Valley (1-0, 2-0) at Beaver Falls (1-0, 2-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Reeves Field at Geneva College

On the air: TribHSSN.triblive.com; 1230 AM, 99.3 FM, 92.1 FM

Coaches: Mark Lyons, Central Valley; Nick Nardone, Beaver Falls

Players to watch: Ameer Dudley, Central Valley (Jr., 6-1, 178, QB); Chasae Thorton, Beaver Falls (Jr., 6-4, 210, QB)

Last week: Central Valley 55, Quaker Valley 0; Beaver Falls 34, South Park 7

Four downs: 1. Central Valley has flexed its muscles early with back to back wins over Blackhawk and Quaker Valley by a combined score of 87-15. 2. In the Warriors’ destruction of Quaker Valley, quarterback Ameer Dudley hit on 10 of 13 passes for 244 yards with three touchdowns passes and a scoring run. 3. Beaver Falls has muscles too. It has outscored Ellwood City and South Park by a combined 82-7 to set up this early season Class 3A Tri-County West Conference battle. 4. Chasae Thorton threw for 150 yards and two touchdowns for the Tigers, who also got a pair of touchdowns each from Josh Hough and Shileak Livingston.

Extra point: Beaver Falls has a 2-1 lead since the two schools became conference foes in 2016. Despite splitting the last two years, neither game has been close with the Warriors winning by 40 points two years ago and the Tigers prevailing by 34 last season.

Class 2A Allegheny

Avonworth (2-0, 1-0) at Steel Valley (0-1, 0-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Campbell Stadium, Munhall

Coaches: Duke Johncour, Avonworth; Ray Braszo, Steel Valley

Players to watch: Park Penrod, Avonworth (Sr., 6-3, 181, QB/LB); Trevon Epps, Steel Valley (Sr., 6-0, 235, OL/DL)

Last week: Avonworth 47, Valley 14; East Allegheny 35, Steel Valley 0

Four downs: 1. Avonworth kicked off the Allegheny Conference schedule with a dominating effort against Valley. Penrod threw for 167 yards and four touchdowns. Jax Miller was his top target with 13 catches for 98 yards and three scores. 2. Steel Valley fell behind by two scores early in the first quarter last week and was unable to recover. 3. The Ironmen returned just three starters on both sides of the ball and are under the guidance of a new head coach in Braszo. 4. The Lopes have outscored opponents 68-21 through two games.

Extra point: Steel Valley won this matchup a year ago 31-24 and went on to finish 12-2 with a WPIAL championship.

Class A Tri-County South

Chartiers-Houston (2-0, 1-0) at West Greene (2-0, 1-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Kennedy Field, Center Township

On the air: TribHSSN.triblive.com

Coaches: Terry Fetsko, Chartiers-Houston; Brian Hanson, West Greene

Players to watch: Ben Jackson (Sr., 6-1, 205, RB); Anthony Lento, Bentworth (Sr., 5-11, 175, QB/DB)

Last week: West Greene 82, Bentworth 14; Chartiers-Houston 40, Jefferson-Morgan 0

Four downs: 1. West Greene has outscored its two opponents 143-34 this season. 2. Chartiers-Houston has yet to allow a point after defeating Fort Cherry, 23-0, in Week Zero and Jefferson-Morgan by 40 points last week. 3. Jackson has been a scoring machine for the Pioneers. After rushing for 26 scores a year ago, he already has 11 touchdowns this season. 4. Sam DeWalt has rushed for nearly 200 yards this season for the Bucs.

Extra point: West Greene defeated Chartiers-Houston, 41-0, last season and went on to tie for the Tri-County South title.

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: Avonworth, Baldwin, Beaver Falls, Central Catholic, Central Valley, Chartiers-Houston, North Allegheny, Steel Valley, Trinity, Upper St. Clair, West Greene, West Mifflin