Westmoreland County high school football matchups for 2024 Week 1

By: Triblive And Bill Beckner Jr. And Paul Schofield
Wednesday, August 28, 2024 | 7:48 PM

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Here’s a look at the don’t-miss matchups for Westmoreland County in Week 1 of the 2024 season:

Nonconference

Apollo-Ridge (0-1) at Jeannette (1-0)

7 p.m. Friday, McKee Stadium, Jeannette

Last week’s result: Leechburg 19, Apollo-Ridge 14; Jeannette 28, Mt. Pleasant 27

Last year’s meeting: Did not play.

Apollo-Ridge was in the same position last week against Leechburg that Mt. Pleasant was in against Jeannette. It was in control in the fourth quarter but could not hold a lead. Leechburg scored twice in the fourth to defeat the Vikings, who were plagued by eight pre-snap penalties. Nathan Fryer and Taye Bradshaw had touchdowns in the loss. … Jeannette trailed in the second half 27-14, before rallying behind Kymone Brown and Jayce Powell. After forcing a turnover with 3:15 to go, Brown found Powell for a 74-yard touchdown on a screen pass, after the pair hooked up for a 56-yard score late in the third. Powell, a sophomore, caught six for 190 yards and three touchdowns, and also threw for a score. Brown shared snaps with Markus McGowan.

Belle Vernon (0-0) at 1-4A Aliquippa (0-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Heinz Field, Aliquippa

Last week’s result: Did not play.

Last year’s meeting: Did not play.

A matchup that fans have been waiting for since the schedules came out in June, it will be two-time 3A defending champion Belle Vernon visiting back-to-back-to-back 4A champ Aliquippa. The Quips beat Belle Vernon, 28-13, to win the 2021 title. Tikey Hayes, a Penn State commit, is one the state’s premier running backs. He ran for 2,137 yards and 26 touchdowns last season. … While a talented senior class turns over the keys, several key playmakers are back for the unranked Leopards, including Anthony Crews (WR/DB), Kole Doppelheuer (RB/LB) and Alonzo Wade (WR/DB). Also watch Deaubre Lightfoot (WR/DB).

East Allegheny (0-1) at Southmoreland (1-0)

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

Last week’s result: South Park 30, East Allegheny 16; Southmoreland 45, Valley 20

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

East Allegheny quarterback Cedric Mark completed 18 of 28 passes for 310 yards and two touchdowns. He hit seven different players, including Raemer Sims three times for 97 yards. The Wildcats defense allowed 376 yards rushing. … Southmoreland freshman quarterback Anthony Smith completed 7 of 13 passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns. Cam Phillips returned a kickoff for a touchdown and Jake Kaylor booted a 50-yard field goal, breaking the school record of 48 yards help by former Steelers kicker Dave Trout.

Franklin Regional (1-0) at Hempfield (0-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Bill Abraham Field at Spartans Stadium, Hempfield

Last week’s result: Franklin Regional 42, Plum 7; North Hills 22, Hempfield 0

Last year’s meeting: Franklin Regional 38, Hempfield 15

A pair of local schools always draw a crowd, although this year’s matchup is back to being nonconference after Hempfield moved back to 6A. Franklin Regional looked sharp in its opener with a balanced attack that saw Chase Lemke throw four scoring passes, and Kyle Dupill rush for 171 yards and two touchdowns. Elijah Bennett caught two TDs. The Panthers scored 21 in the first quarter. … Hempfield’s losing streak reached 10 games with a shutout loss at North Hills. The Spartans, though, only allowed three points in the second half. The team still is waiting on medical clearance for quarterback Dom Detruf, who has an heart condition and is undergoing numerous tests. Watch Brock Heisler up front for the Spartans.

Freeport (1-0) at Derry (0-1)

7 p.m. Friday, at Trojan Stadium, Derry

Last week’s result: Freeport 30, Indiana 7; Ligonier Valley 20, Derry 7

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Freeport quarterback Drew Ross rushed for a touchdown and hit Owen Wisniewski on a 31-yard scoring strike. Owen Neistein and Amos Glen scored on runs for the Yellowjackets. Damauri Robinson scored on a 41-yard run for Derry, but the Trojans’ offense had problems converting against Ligonier Valley. … The Trojans and Yellowjackets have met three times. Freeport won 34-14 in 2020 and Derry won 35-27 in 2019 and 19-13 in 2018.

Mt. Pleasant (0-1) at Greensburg Central Catholic (1-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Centurion Stadium, Carbon

Last week’s result: Jeannette 28, Mt. Pleasant 27; Greensburg Central Catholic 46, Shady Side Academy 40

Last year’s meeting: Greensburg Central Catholic 37, Mt. Pleasant 24

Mt. Pleasant looked to be in control late against Jeannette before the run-heavy Vikings allowed two long touchdown passes and were stunned by one point. Brody Hutter ran for 91 yards and two touchdowns, and Jarett Garn kicked two field goals, one from 37 yards. Both players had an interception. The Vikings used multiple rushers. … Standout quarterback Samir Crosby helped Greensburg Central Catholic rally from a 22-point deficit to top Shady Side Academy. The junior rushed for 341 yards and four touchdowns, and passed for 136 and two scores, both to Landon Honick. He ran for 262 yards after halftime. Last year against Mt. Pleasant, Crosby had seven receptions for 152 yards, threw for a score and intercepted two passes.

Mt. Lebanon (0-1) at Penn-Trafford (0-1)

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

Last week’s result: Upper St. Clair 42, Mt. Lebanon 22; Norwin 26, Penn-Trafford 14

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

This is the fourth meeting between the teams. Penn-Trafford won the last meeting, 34-17, at Mt. Lebanon in 2011. Mt. Lebanon won the first meeting at home, 53-8, in 1977 and the second meeting in 2010 at Penn-Trafford, 43-18. … Both teams are coming off Week Zero losses. Mt. Lebanon quarterback Pat Smith completed 19 of 25 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 63 yards on 19 carries. … Tasso Whipple rushed for 174 yards and two touchdowns for the Warriors. PT quarterback Jonny Lovre completed 10 of 19 passes for 117 yards.

3-6A Norwin (1-0) at Kiski Area (0-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Richard J. Dilts Stadium, Allegheny Township

Last week’s result: Norwin 26, Penn-Trafford 14; Kiski Area 42, Knoch 7

Last year’s meeting: Did not play.

A season-opening win has Norwin playing with confidence and a No. 3 ranking in the largest classification. The Knights defeated rival Penn-Trafford for their first season-opening win in six seasons. It was the 400th win in school history. They trailed 14-6 in the third quarter before scoring 20 straight points, including an 80-yard scoring pass from Tristyn Tavares to Jake Knight. Tavares’ 6-yard TD run gave them the lead. Norwin’s last 2-0 start was in 2014. … Kiski Area put up 35 first-half points to rout Knoch. Aven Shirley opened the scoring with an 80-yard kick return score, and Landon Kucic scored on a 72-yard burst. Kucic ran for 182 yards and four touchdowns. The Cavaliers did surrender 230 yards through the air.

Plum (0-1) at Latrobe (1-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Latrobe Memorial Stadium, Latrobe

Last week’s result: Franklin Regional 42, Plum 7; Latrobe 41, Connellsville 0

Last year’s meeting: Did not play.

Plum got off to a slow start and never recovered against bordering rival Franklin Regional, an opponent to which it has lost six straight times. The Mustangs gave up four touchdown passes and over 200 rushing yards in the opener. They did score on their first play of the second half, on a touchdown pass from John Nonnenberg to Sloan Humphries. Olivia Bigger, the team’s female kicker, made the extra point. … Latrobe had the look of a 5A contender in the opener, steamrolling Connellsville behind its usual suspects. John Wetzel (QB/S), a Marshall commit, had a pick-6 on the first play from scrimmage, and Penn State linebacker recruit Alex Tatsch scored two rushing touchdowns before Brady Prohovic added a third to make it 28-0 at the half. … Plum leads the all-time series, 9-7. The teams have not met since 2019.

West Greene (0-1) at Monessen (1-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Memorial Stadium, Monessen

Last week’s result: Waynesburg 42, West Greene 7; Monessen 59, Charleroi 12

Last year’s meeting: West Greene 41, Monessen 32

These former Tri-County South Conference rivals collide in a nonconference battle. … West Greene tries to rebound after a tough opening loss to neighboring Waynesburg. West Greene lost a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in Billy Whitlatch and Colin Brady. Second-year coach Beau Jackson is planning to rotate Patrick Durbin and Jackson Grimes there. Lane Allison returns at quarterback where he passed for 984 yards and 16 touchdowns. … TyVaughn Kershaw rushed for 169 yards and five touchdowns in the season opener. He returned two kickoffs for scores. … Quarterback Dennis Hawkins completed 10 of 11 passes for 176 yards and three scores.

Yough (1-0) at Charleroi (0-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Cougar Stadium, Charleroi

Last week’s result: Yough 40, Brentwood 0; Monessen 59, Charleroi 12

Last year’s meeting: Yough 20, Charleroi 14

It’s the battle of the Cougars. Yough opened the season by blanking Brentwood. Quarterback Raidon Kuroda threw three touchdown passes and rushed for two others. He completed 9 of 15 for 165 yards and rushed for 105 yards on 18 carries. Aidan Thornton rushed for 110 yards and a score, while Aidan Shaffer caught three passes for 108 yards and two scores. … Charleroi quarterback Jackson Keranko completed 15 of 29 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns. Daniel Nusida had eight catches for 103 yards and Noah Pletcher had three catches for 59 yards.

Tags: Aliquippa, Belle Vernon, Charleroi, Derry Area, East Allegheny, Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Hempfield, Jeannette, Latrobe, Monessen, Mt. lebanon, Mt. Pleasant, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland, West Greene, Yough