Westmoreland County don’t miss high school football matchups for 2022 Week 7

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, October 12, 2022 | 12:01 AM

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Class 5A Big East

Plum (3-4, 1-2) at Penn-Trafford (4-3, 1-2)

7:30 p.m. Friday, Warrior Stadium, Harrison City

Plum dropped its third straight game, falling 20-6 at South Fayette. The Mustangs scored first on a short touchdown pass from Sean Franzi to Jerome Brazell but gave up 20 unanswered points. Franzi was 15 of 28 for 145 yards in the loss. Eryck Moore has been a key running back for the Mustangs with more than 800 yards and nine touchdowns. … Penn-Trafford fell a game below .500 in the all-time series against rival Gateway as the Gators won 21-10. Carmen Metcalf caught an 11-yard scoring pass from Conlan Green in the fourth quarter, but by then it was too late for a comeback. Logan Swartz kicked a 25-yard field goal in the loss, the Warriors’ second in three weeks. Greene threw for 176 yards and a touchdown but had an interception returned 60 yards by Remy Bose for a TD.

Class 4A Big 7

Latrobe (4-3, 2-2) at Connellsville (2-5, 1-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Connellsville Stadium, Connellsville

Latrobe (2-2) can clinch a playoff berth with a win on the road. The Wildcats are coming off a 42-0 win against Ringgold. The Falcons (1-3) are also in the playoff hunt, but they need a win to stay alive. They are coming off a loss to McKeesport, 48-0. … Wildcats H-back Corey Boerio ran for one touchdown and caught a 3-yard score from John Wetzel. Running back Robert Fulton rushed for 85 yards and a score, and Wetzel completed 5 of 8 passes for 116 yards. The conference-leading Tigers limited Connellsville’s offense to 66 yards. Bruce Giles and Jayden McBride have each scored three touchdowns this season for the young Falcons.

Class 3A Interstate

Greensburg Salem (3-4, 0-2) at Southmoreland (3-4, 1-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Russ Grimm Field, Alverton

Hoping to get dual-threat quarterback Cody Rubrecht back this week, Greensburg Salem will try to break a three-game losing streak. Rubrecht has 806 yards rushing. The Golden Lions fell to No. 3 Belle Vernon last week 51-7 with Rubrecht on the shelf. Kai Brunot opened the scoring with a 54-yard interception return touchdown before Belle Vernon ripped off 51 straight points. Brunot, Rashad Canady and Evan Hughes carried the ball last week behind sophomore quarterback Peyton Chismar. … Southmoreland had one of its most productive and balanced offensive outputs of the season in a 36-6 victory over South Allegheny. Kadin Keefer was 13 of 17 for 206 yards and four touchdowns, including three to Ty Keffer, who had eight catches for 165 yards. Tray Wetsel ran for a career-high 124 yards on 19 carries. The 6-foot-4 Keffer had an 89-yard scoring reception. Both teams have a Dave Keefer on the coaching staff.

Mt. Pleasant (4-3, 1-1) at 3-Belle Vernon (4-2, 2-0)

7 p.m. Friday, James Weir Stadium, Rostraver

Belle Vernon allowed the opening score against Greensburg Salem and then rolled to a 51-7 victory. Mt. Pleasant fell at Elizabeth Forward, 42-14, as it had trouble slowing down the Warriors’ passing attack. … The game features two outstanding running backs: Belle Vernon junior Quinton Martin and Mt. Pleasant senior Robbie Labuda. Martin rushed for 129 yards and two touchdowns at Greensburg Salem. Jake Gedekoh scored three touchdowns, including a 12-yard interception return. Mt. Pleasant got a 38-yard touchdown pass from Cole Chatfield to Labuda and a 1-yard run by Tyler Reese, who replaced Chatfield after an injury.

Class 2A Allegheny

Apollo-Ridge (3-4, 1-3) at Yough (2-5, 1-3)

7 p.m. Friday, Cougar Mountain Stadium, Herminie

Despite scoring 20 points in the first quarter, Apollo-Ridge fell short in a shootout against Imani Christian, 38-34. Dom Curci ran for 117 yards and scored two touchdowns, one on a 65-yard kick return, in the setback, the Vikings’ fourth loss in five weeks. Gage Johnston threw for 203 yards and three touchdowns, but the Vikings gave up a pair of 50-plus-yard scoring plays through the air and more than 350 passing yards. … Yough stayed with No. 2 Serra Catholic for more than two quarters, taking a 14-7 deficit into halftime before falling 28-14. Cole Keller hauled in a 48-yard TD pass from Gavin Roebuck, and JJ Waller had a short TD run for the Cougars, who have not topped 14 points in a game all season. They have dropped three straight after winning two in a row.

Derry (0-7, 0-4) at Imani Christian (3-4, 1-3)

7 p.m. Friday, Graham Field, Wilkinsburg

Playing No. 1 Steel Valley is no easy task for any team, let alone Derry, which only trailed 7-0 after the first quarter before the Ironmen rolled to a 49-0 shutout. Steel Valley scored on a 75-yard kickoff return, a long pass and four runs, two of which went for 59 and 63 yards. Derry has been outscored 269-69 and has given up 49 in three straight games. … Imani Christian snapped a three-game losing streak with a 38-34 victory at Apollo-Ridge. Dayshaun Burnett completed 24 of 39 passes for 357 yards and two touchdowns, including strikes of 51 and 66 yards. David Davis ran for two scores. The Saints are allowing 35.6 points per game.

Serra Catholic (6-1, 4-0) at Ligonier Valley (5-2, 3-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Weller Field, Ligonier

Serra is coming off a 28-14 victory against Yough. The Eagles have won six consecutive games after opening the season with a loss to North Catholic. Ligonier Valley picked up two big road wins after losing to Steel Valley. The Rams defeated Burrell, 29-15, last week. This game could decide the conference title. Serra still must play Steel Valley. … Amire Spencer had 10 catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns against Yough. He has 41 catches for 978 yards and 12 touchdowns this season. DaiQuan Chatfield returned an interception 72 yards to open the scoring. Serra uses senior Elijah Ward and sophomore Quadir Stribling at quarterback. Stribling was 10 for 10 for 134 yards. Ligonier Valley’s Haden Sierocky scored three touchdowns, including a clinching 56-yard run in the fourth quarter. Sierocky rushed for 171 yards and also intercepted a pass. Sierocky has rushed for 722 yards and nine touchdowns. Nick Lonas opened the scoring for the Rams. Ligonier Valley didn’t allow Burrell to score in the second half.

Class A Eastern

Jeannette (2-5, 2-1) at Greensburg Central Catholic (5-2, 3-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Centurion Stadium, Carbon

A rivalry game that may not be what it used to be, Jeannette-GCC still draws interest. Amari Mack (WR/DB), Jaydin Canady (WR/DB), Ryan Kimmel (OL/LB) and Samir Crosby (WR/DB) are from Jeannette. The Centurions, led by steady-as-he-goes quarterback Tyree Turner, played a rare Thursday night game last week and handled Frazier, 47-0, as the Centurions scored on all five of their first-half possessions. Da’sjon Cragette ran for 98 yards and two touchdowns, Crosby had three TDs and Mack and Nate Dlugos had a score apiece. Last year, GCC broke a seven-game losing streak against the Jayhawks with a 49-3 win at McKee Stadium as Canady ran for 191 yards and three TDs and also returned a punt for a score. It was GCC’s first win at Jeannette since 2009. Jeannette had minus-16 yards in the loss. … Jeannette stayed with Leechburg early before the visiting Blue Devils rolled to a 58-21 win. Leechburg scored 21 points in the second quarter and 27 in the fourth. Jeremiah Williamson caught a 29-yard touchdown from Payton Molter, Noah Sanders had a TD run and Lonnie Greene pulled in a 47-yard strike from Molter for the Jayhawks’ scoring. Jeannette is scoring 26.7 points and allowing 27.3.

Class A Tri-County South

Jefferson-Morgan (4-3, 2-2) at Monessen (4-3, 3-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Memorial Stadium, Monessen

The race in the conference can become a little clearer after Week 6. Mapletown (4-0) sits atop of the conference after Monessen (3-1) was upset by Carmichaels (3-1), 40-36. Jefferson-Morgan (2-2) needs a win to keep its playoff hopes alive after losing to Mapletown, 49-12. … JM quarterback Cole Jones completed 8 of 18 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown to Jase Bedillion, and John Woodward scored on a 12-yard run. Jones has thrown for more than 750 yards this season. Tyvaughn Kershaw rushed for 181 yards and two touchdowns, and Daevon Burke rushed for 69 yards and scored three touchdowns, including an 85-yard kickoff return. The Greyhounds allowed four touchdown passes in the loss.

Nonconference

North Allegheny (6-1) at Norwin (1-6)

7 p.m. Friday, Norwin Stadium, North Huntingdon

The Tigers, ranked first in Class 6A, are coming off an impressive 20-6 win over reigning WPIAL and PIAA champion Mt. Lebanon. Norwin dropped a 35-0 conference game to Franklin Regional. … The Tigers got touchdown runs from Logan Kushner and Khiryn Boyd and a defensive score by Jack Yatchenko. Kushner has thrown 11 touchdown passes. Andrew Gavlik is the leading rusher. Norwin put junior Jackson Pons in as Wildcat quarterback, and he rushed for 101 yards. Pons is the team’s leading receiver with 21 catches. He also had an interception against Franklin Regional.

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

Tags: Belle Vernon, Connellsville, Jefferson-Morgan, Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Monessen, Mt. Pleasant, North Allegheny, Norwin, Serra Catholic