Trib HSSN high school football team of the week for 2024 Week Zero

By: Don Rebel
Monday, August 26, 2024 | 6:14 PM

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Trib HSSN football team of the week: Blackhawk Cougars

Coach: Jake Wickline (1st season)

Record: 1-0

#Earned: Once a dominant program in the old Class 3A, it has been a struggle for Blackhawk to return to the glory days of the ’90s and early 2000s under Hall of Fame coach Joe Hamilton. With the program on its third coach in three years, the Jake Wickline era began Friday with a big-time exclamation point. Hosting defending WPIAL 2A champion Beaver Falls on opening night, the Cougars came out swinging and connecting, scoring 20 first-quarter points, then upping the lead by halftime to 43-0. The end result was a stunning whitewash as the Cougars blanked the Tigers, 57-0.

Statistical standouts: Senior quarterback Stephen Knally was near perfect in Week Zero, hitting on 10 of 12 passes for 176 yards and four touchdown tosses. Two of the scoring passes went to senior tight end Tyler “Chucky” Heckathorn, who had three receptions for 42 yards. Cougars sophomore running back Braydon McCarthy rushed for 132 yards and two touchdowns while also scoring on another scoring pass from Knally.

Last year: In 2021, Blackhawk finished the season 2-8. A year later, the Cougars won only four games but did qualify for the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs, losing to Armstrong in their postseason opener. Last year, the Cougars lost to Beaver Falls in Week Zero, 28-7, and then dropped their next eight games in a row before finishing the season with a Parkway Conference victory at New Castle, 20-14.

Remember when: Blackhawk has won four WPIAL football championships, winning them all in a six-year period in the 1990s, including three straight district titles. The program’s first crown came in 1991 when Blackhawk defeated Valley in the 3A finals, 23-13. The Cougars captured gold again in 1992 and ’93 with back-to-back championship game shutouts. The green and gold blanked Knoch in ’91, 20-0, then shut out McGuffey in ’93, 28-0. The fourth and final title came in 1996 with a victory over Belle Vernon, 24-6.

WPIAL Week Zero Honorable Mentions

New Castle Red Hurricane

Blackhawk wasn’t the only team that won one game in 2023, made a coaching change and then started the 2024 season with a victory. In his first game as Red Hurricanes coach, former Neshannock coach Fred Mozzocio led the ‘Canes to a wild win at home over District 10 General McLane. New Castle quarterback Kyrell Harris was 18 of 25 passing for 218 and had three touchdowns While Kaevon Gardner rushed for 173 yards and four touchdowns as the Red Hurricanes edged the Lancers, 49-47.

Hopewell Vikings

Like Blackhawk, Hopewell is another once-proud football program that has fallen on tough times. A year ago, the Vikings beat New Brighton in Week 1 for what turned out to be their only win of the season. However, a new season brings optimism for Hopewell as well as a 1-0 start. James Armstrong threw for two touchdowns and rushed for 107 yards and a score as the host Vikings defeated Riverside, 38-25.

Summit Academy Knights

Summit Academy is a school for court-adjudicated youths in rural Butler County that has tried to use sports to right the ship in the lives of young men. The football team was winless a year ago and had a 17-game losing streak coming into Saturday’s home game against Frazier. Trailing by two points in the fourth quarter, Demetrius Crosby scored on a 13-yard touchdown run, following a 69-yard scoring scamper in the second quarter, that proved to be the difference as the Knights edged the Commodores, 20-16, for some on-field positivity and the program’s first win since Sept. 9, 2022.

2023 HSSN Teams of the Week

Week 15 – Aliquipa Quips

Week 14 – North Allegheny Tigers

Week 13 – Belle Vernon Leopards

Week 12 – Avonworth Antelopes

Week 11 – Beaver Falls Tigers

Week 10 – Deer Lakes Lancers

Week 9 – South Side Rams

Week 8 – Central Valley Warriors

Week 7 – Mars Fightin’ Planets

Week 6 – Pine-Richland Rams

Week 5 – Moon Tigers

Week 4 – Thomas Jefferson Jaguars

Week 3 – Knoch Knights

Week 2 – Waynesburg Central Raiders

Week 1 – Aliquippa Quips

Week Zero – Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils

Tags: Blackhawk