Westmoreland County don’t miss high school football matchups for 2022 Week 10

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, November 2, 2022 | 7:09 PM

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Class 5A

7-Penn-Trafford (6-4) at 2- Pine-Richland (7-3)

7 p.m. Friday at Pine-Richland Stadium, Gibsonia

Winner plays: Winner of 6-Woodland Hills (5-5) at 3-Franklin Regional (6-3) in semifinals at 7 p.m. Nov. 11

The reigning WPIAL and PIAA Class 5A champions rallied to defeat Franklin Regional, 28-21, to qualify for the playoffs. Pine-Richland is one of the hottest teams coming into the playoffs with six consecutive victories, including a 47-0 smashing of North Hills. Pine-Richland was WPIAL and PIAA 5A champion in 2020. Penn-Trafford defeated Pine-Richland, 24-6, in the 2021 semifinals. Pine-Richland won in 2020, 49-14. … Quarterback/wide receiver Tommy Kalkstein keyed the P-T win over Franklin Regional. He and running back Owen Demari ran the ball successfully on the tying fourth-quarter touchdown drive. He also intercepted a pass to end a Franklin Regional drive late. Quarterback Conlan Greene ran for two touchdowns and threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Carmen Metcalfe. Since losing to Class 6A Seneca Valley, the Rams have defeated six opponents by 10 points or more, including Class 6A No. 1 North Allegheny, 28-17. Quarterback Ryan Palmieri has completed 40 of 57 passes for 467 yards and three touchdowns. He has rushed for 1,014 yards and 13 touchdowns, and running back Ethan Pillar has rushed for 747 yards and 10 scores.

6-Woodland Hills (5-5) at 3-Franklin Regional (6-3)

7 p.m. Friday at Franklin Regional Panthers Stadium, Murrysville

Winner plays: Winner of 7-Penn-Trafford (6-4) at 2-Pine-Richland (7-3) in semifinals at 7 p.m. Nov. 11

Woodland Hills jumbled the Class 5A bracket with a 7-3 victory against Penn Hills. The Wolverines’ win put them in the playoffs and knocked out Peters Township and Penn Hills. Even though Franklin Regional dropped a 28-21 overtime game to Penn-Trafford, the Panthers were seeded No. 3 as the Big East Conference champion. … Quarterback Cam Walter has completed 77 of 168 passes for 829 yards for Woodland Hills. Brandon Jones is the leading rusher with 509 yards, but Frank Keyes scored the winning touchdown against Penn Hills. Franklin Regional quarterback Roman Sarnic threw a 68-yard touchdown pass to Ayden Hudock and rushed for two scores in the loss to Penn-Trafford. Linebacker Owen Sinclair had a huge game that included an interception.

Class 3A

Southmoreland (4-6) at West Mifflin (5-5)

7 p.m. Friday, Titan Stadium, West Mifflin

Winner plays: 4-Freeport (9-1) at 7 p.m. Nov. 11 in quarterfinals at Freeport Athletic Complex, Buffalo Township

Southmoreland secured its second straight playoff berth for the first time in school history. The Scotties, who are seeking their first playoff win, finished fourth in the Interstate Conference, losing their final two games to Belle Vernon (48-0) and Mt. Pleasant (42-17). Kadin Keefer threw two touchdown passes last week against Mt. Pleasant, but he was intercepted four times. Big-play receiver Ty Keffer leads the WPIAL with 62 receptions for 870 yards and 15 touchdowns. The Scotties have had issues slowing down the run. … West Mifflin tied for second in the Western Hills Conference but ended up fourth via a tiebreaker. The Titans had a three-game winning streak snapped with a 21-14 loss to South Park. The Titans had won five of six before the defeat that saw Rich Fix catch touchdown passes of 58 and 13 yards from Shai Newby, who threw for 136 yards. Newby also ran for 100 yards. The Titans last made the playoffs in 2019. Their last playoff win came in 2016 (19-0 over Belle Vernon).

Class 2A

10-Western Beaver (7-3) vs. 7-Ligonier Valley (7-3)

7 p.m. Friday at Offutt Field, Greensburg

Winner plays: 2-Beaver Falls (9-1) in quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Nov. 11 at Geneva College

Western Beaver is coming off losses to Mohawk, 22-8, and Beaver Falls, 42-8. Its only other loss was to Neshannock, 48-20. Ligonier Valley finished the season with wins over Imani Christian, 42-7, and Derry, 51-7. The Rams are 5-0 away from their home field, Weller Field. Western Beaver defeated Ligonier Valley, 14-3, during the 2019 season. … The Golden Beavers are led by quarterback Xander LeFebvre, who has completed 53 of 108 passes for 992 yards and 12 touchdowns, and running back Tyson Florence, who has rushed for 1,042 yards and 16 touchdowns. Wide receiver Dorian McGhee has 16 catches for 503 yards and seven touchdowns. Ligonier Valley uses a Wing-T offense. Quarterback Broderick Schreyer has completed 50 of 92 passes for 759 yards and 12 touchdowns. Haden Sierocky has rushed for 1,031 yards and 12 touchdowns, John Jablunovsky has gained 697 yards and scored nine touchdowns, and Nick Lonas has gained 373 yards. Sierocky has 28 catches for 378 yards and seven touchdowns.

Class A

Jeannette (3-7) vs. Bishop Canevin (9-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Peters Township High School, McMurray

Winner plays: Winner of 9-Clairton (5-5) at 8-Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (8-2) in quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Nov. 11

A WPIAL champion just two years ago, Jeannette is back in the WPIAL postseason after a rare miss last season. The Jayhawks, despite being competitive in several games while battling low roster numbers, have the worst record of any playoff team after finishing fourth in the Eastern Conference. The conference usually produces several high seeds, but the WPIAL made Greensburg Central Catholic the No. 3 seed, Clairton the No. 9 and Leechburg No. 13. Jeannette scored 60 points against Frazier and 35 against Springdale, so the offense has been productive at times, but they also were shut out by GCC and Clairton. Payton Molter and Noah Sanders are a formidable QB-WR connection. … Top-seeded Bishop Canevin is chasing a repeat after the Crusaders topped OLSH, 42-7, to win the WPIAL title last season. Last week, the Crusaders blanked Carlynton, 49-0, as Marquis Carter ran for 111 yards and a touchdown, and Xavier Nelson caught four passes for 102 yards. Nelson has 32 catches for 1,001 yards and 14 TDs. Jason Cross, the all-time leading passer in program history, had a 68-yard interception return for a touchdown and a 20-yard TD run. Bishop Canevin has allowed 72 points all season and has four shutouts.

Rochester (5-4) vs. Greensburg C.C. (8-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Spartan Stadium, Hempfield High School, Greensburg

Winner plays: Winner of 11-Monessen (6-4) at 6-Fort Cherry (7-3) in quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Nov. 11

Rochester, a perennial playoff contender, came in fourth in the Big 7 Conference behind Laurel, South Side and Union. The Rams have been a sound defensive team, allowing 15 points per game. Leading rusher Antonio Laure (830 yards) had a short touchdown run last week. Jerome Mullins is the top receiver with 24 catches. Parker Lyons and Jayden Norman have seen time at quarterback. … A conference champion again for the first time since 2010, Greensburg Central Catholic is averaging 44.4 points, the third most in Class A. The Centurions capped the outright conference title last week with a 48-21 win over Leechburg. Da’sjon Craggette ran for 157 yards and two touchdowns, and Amari Mack added 112 yards on just three carries, and two scores. Jaydin Canady and Nate Dlugos had TD catches from Tyree Turner, who has passed for 19 TDs and more than 1,400 yards. Craggette has more than 1,000 yards rushing. Freshman Samir Crosby is another two-way playmaker. He has eight interceptions and 11 touchdowns. The Centurions have not won a playoff game since 2011. GCC lost to OLSH in the first round last year at Hempfield.

11-Monessen (6-4) at 6-Fort Cherry (7-3)

7 p.m. Friday at Jim Garry Stadium, McDonald

Winner plays: Winner of 14-Rochester (6-4) at 3-Greensburg Central Catholic (8-2) in quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Nov. 11

The Greyhounds ended the season by routing Beth-Center, 44-22. The Greyhounds had a four-game winning streak after opening the season with losses to Washington and Cornell. The Rangers enter the playoffs riding a four-game winning streak. They defeated Burgettstown, 48-34, to end the season. Both teams lost to Carmichaels: Fort Cherry fell 29-26, and Monessen lost 40-36. … Monessen has one of the best freshman in the WPIAL in Tyvaughn Kershaw, who has rushed for 1,213 yards and 15 touchdowns in seven games. He also has a punt return for a score and has completed 2 of 3 passes for 60 yards and two scores. Daevon Burke has 18 touchdowns: 11 rushing, five kickoff returns and two punt returns. Fort Cherry quarterback Matt Sieg, another of the top freshmen in the WPIAL, has completed 72 of 133 passes for 1,039 yards and nine touchdowns. He also has rushed for 1,504 yards and 26 touchdowns. Shane Cornali (28 catches, 440 yards) and Braydon Cook (20 catches, 377 yards) are the leading receivers. Ethan Faletto has rushed for 600 yards and Nate Heirendt 573 yards.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Bishop Canevin, Fort Cherry, Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Jeannette, Ligonier Valley, Monessen, Penn-Trafford, Pine-Richland, Rochester, Southmoreland, West Mifflin, Western Beaver, Woodland Hills