Westmoreland high school football notebook: Injuries pile up for Hempfield ahead of must-win game

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, October 11, 2025 | 1:57 PM

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Hempfield’s injury list is growing, along with a sense of urgency.

The Spartans saw three linemen and a receiver/defensive back leave the field and not return in Friday night’s flat 47-8 loss to Seneca Valley.

Linemen Jake Wiederstein (arm), Brock Heisler (hand) and Noah Helfrich (shoulder) and receiver Nick Marquis (back) went down with injuries for Hempfield (4-4, 1-4).

Heisler could have a fractured hand, coach Nick Keefer said. He said he hopes the Harvard commit can play with a cast next week.

Wiederstein, a three-year starter at center, does not have a fracture and could return next week.

The others could miss time.

The Spartans face a must-win game at Mt. Lebanon to have a shot at the WPIAL Class 6A playoffs.

Tight end Andrew Jones also has missed three games with a lower body injury.

“Nobody is going to feel sorry for us,” Keefer said. “We have to play with who we have and get ready for (Mt. Lebanon) and Tim Tebow at quarterback.”

Keefer is referring to 6-foot-3, 220-pound Blue Devils QB Patrick Smith.

“Our goals are still attainable,” Keefer said. “What we want to achieve is still out there. We can’t feel sorry for ourselves.”

The top four teams in 6A make the playoffs. Right now, Central Catholic (7-1, 4-0) is in first place, North Allegheny (7-1, 4-1) is second, Norwin (5-3, 2-2) and Canon-McMillan (4-4, 2-2) are third, Seneca Valley (3-5, 1-3) and Mt. Lebanon (1-7, 1-3) are fourth and Hempfield is fifth.

Piper OK

Derry junior lineman Aiden Piper was carted off the field Friday with a back injury and taken by ambulance to Forbes Hospital in Monroeville.

Piper had full movement in his limbs but reported back and neck pain, so he was transported as a precaution.

Trojans coach Mike Arone said Saturday the 6-foot-4, 300-pound Piper does not have any fractures and is expected to be all right.

“He should be OK,” Arone said.

Great Scotties

Southmoreland kept its record unblemished with another victory, 14-0 over Mt. Pleasant, before a standing-room-only crowd at Russ Grimm Field.

Look for ticket sales to skyrocket again next week.

The Scotties (8-0, 3-0) face an even greater challenge with co-frontrunner Elizabeth Forward (7-1, 3-0) coming to Alverton.

The game will decide the Interstate Conference championship.

Elizabeth Forward coach John DeMarco is a former Southmoreland assistant.

The Scotties have tied their best start in program history.

The last time they were 8-0 was 1964. The team never has gone 9-0.

Trojan horse

Derry threw itself into the playoff conversation in the Class 3A Interstate Conference with a 43-28 win over Greensburg Salem.

The Trojans (4-4, 1-2) ended a three-game losing skid and moved into fourth place behind Southmoreland, Elizabeth Forward and Mt. Pleasant.

The top three teams and three wild cards from three conferences make the playoffs.

Max Doherty and the Trojans’ wrecking-ball line continued to push teams around. Doherty ran for 125 yards and four touchdowns in the win.

The Trojans also showed they can throw the football: Anthony Sacco was 4 of 7 for 162 yards and two scores, both to Karsen Weiers, who caught three receptions for 142 yards.

Offer for Crosby

Greensburg Central Catholic standout Samir Crosby added his 11th NCAA Division I scholarship offer as North Carolina A&T reached out.

Crosby said he has planned visits and has details to iron out but is closer to a decision.

He is getting recruited mainly as a wide receiver, but schools also are looking at him as a defensive back.

Crosby plans to visit Georgetown next weekend.

He ran for two touchdowns and threw for two more Friday in a 52-14 win over Springdale.

Lightfoot out

If Belle Vernon makes a playoff push, it will be without senior Deaubre Lightfoot.

The running back and defensive back is done for the season with a torn ACL. A wide receiver last year, Lightfoot had 21 yards on six carries in six games.

On to the next

Week 8 will bring a lot of teams closer to a playoff spot.

Local matchups to watch include Mt. Pleasant at Derry and Yough at Greensburg Salem in the 3A Interstate. The former matchup carries plenty of playoff weight.

The other 6A matchup is Canon-McMillan at Norwin.

The 5A Big East has Armstrong at Penn-Trafford, Franklin Regional at Woodland Hills and Gateway at Latrobe.

Other local games include Ringgold at Belle Vernon (4A Big Six), Ligonier Valley at Steel Valley (2A Allegheny), Bishop Canevin at Monessen (A Black Hills) and Frazier at Greensburg Central Catholic and Jeannette at Springdale (Eastern A).

Extra points

Ben Grabowski of Penn-Trafford was the leading rusher in Westmoreland County on Friday night, and he gained his 172 yards on just four carries, three that went for touchdowns. … Jack Miller of Penn-Trafford made field goals of 47 and 37 yards. … Jerry Davis returned from injury for Greensburg Central Catholic and caught a scoring pass and kicked a 29-yard field goal and six extra points. … Before kickoff Friday, Hempfield gave quarterback Dom Detruf a game ball for achieving program all-time passing records for yards and touchdowns. Former record holder Justin Sliwoski presented the ball to Detruf. … Kymon’e Brown of Jeannette combined for 277 yards and two TDs in a 23-18 win over Brentwood. … A player named Derry had a career game against Derry. Greensburg Salem’s LeTrey Derry returned a kickoff 87 yards and a touchdown and rushed for two other scores. … Penn-Trafford senior Nico Casciato, a wide receiver and defensive back, received a Division II scholarship offer from West Liberty.

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

Tags: Derry Area, Greensburg C.C., Hempfield, Jeannette, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland