Westmoreland County high school football matchups for 2024 Week 7

By: Bill Beckner Jr. And Paul Schofield
Wednesday, October 9, 2024 | 7:24 PM

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Here’s a look at the don’t-miss matchups for Westmoreland County in Week 7 of the 2024 season:

Class 6A

No. 1 Central Catholic (5-2, 3-0) at Norwin (2-5, 0-3)

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

Last week’s results: Central Catholic 56, Shaler 7; Hempfield 34, Norwin 28

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Central Catholic has strung together five consecutive victories, including three within the conference. The high-scoring Vikings try to keep it going against the struggling Knights, who have dropped five consecutive games after opening the season with two wins. … Central Catholic quarterback Jy’Aire Walls has thrown for 1,334 yards and 14 touchdowns. He’s also scored six touchdowns. Xavier Thomas has 15 catches for 233 yards and five touchdowns. … Norwin quarterback Tristyn Tavares rushed for a touchdown and threw for another in the Knights’ loss at Hempfield. The Knights spotted the Spartans a 21-0 lead in the first quarter but put together a strong comeback in the second half. Jake Knight is Norwin’s top receiver with 17 catches for 281 yards.

No. 3 Hempfield (3-4, 2-2) at No. 4 Seneca Valley (2-4, 2-1)

7 p.m. Friday, NexTier Stadium, Harmony

Last week’s results: Hempfield 34, Norwin 28; Seneca Valley 31, Canon-McMillan 30

Last year’s meeting: Seneca Valley 42, Hempfield 13

These teams are looking to clinch a berth in the WPIAL playoffs with a victory. Both teams are coming off exciting wins. Hempfield has won two consecutive games. Quarterback Dom Detruf rushed for a score and threw a touchdown pass against Norwin. He has thrown for 938 yards and eight touchdowns. Jack Kopas has 21 catches for 222 yards and two touchdowns. … The Raiders rallied from a 27-10 deficit in the third quarter and won the game on a 39-yard touchdown pass to Brayden Wise from Andrew Loebig. Chase Mazanek rushed for 156 yards, and Cayden Parker 118 for the Raiders in the win.

Class 4A Big Six Conference

Laurel Highlands (4-2, 1-1) at Belle Vernon (2-3, 1-1)

7 p.m. Friday, James Weir Stadium, Belle Vernon

Last week’s results: Laurel Highlands 21, Ringgold 6; Belle Vernon 68, Chartiers Valley 21

Last year’s meeting: Belle Vernon 40, Laurel Highlands 0

Laurel Highlands made it three wins in four games with a home victory over Ringgold. Noah Lion threw two touchdown passes, and Antwan Black rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. … Belle Vernon erupted for a school-record 68 points to flatten Chartiers Valley, which beat Laurel Highlands, 42-14. The Leopards scored 33 points in the first quarter and 53 in the first half. Anthony Crews scored twice, Kole Doppelheuer rushed for 126 yards and two scores and Deaubre Lightfoot returned from injury and returned a punt 60 yards for a score.

Class 3A Interstate Conference

Greensburg Salem (4-3, 0-2) at Derry (3-4, 0-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Trojan Stadium, Derry

Last week’s results: Mt. Pleasant 28, Greensburg Salem 21; Elizabeth Forward 56, Derry 14

Last year’s meeting: Derry 26, Greensburg Salem 21

This matchup could carry weight in the playoff race. The top three teams in each Class 3A conference and three wild-card teams will qualify. Greensburg Salem and Derry are tied for fourth. … Greensburg Salem has lost three straight after a 4-0 start. Last week, Brody Chismar went 19 of 24 for 186 yards and three touchdowns. … Derry gave up 42 first-half points last week. Max Doherty scored two touchdowns.

Southmoreland (6-1, 2-0) at Mt. Pleasant (4-3, 2-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Viking Stadium, Mt. Pleasant

Last week’s results: Southmoreland 53, Yough 34; Mt. Pleasant 28, Greensburg Salem 21

Last year’s meeting: Southmoreland 40, Mt. Pleasant 3

Southmoreland continued to motor ahead with its highest scoring output of the season against Yough. The Scotties trailed 28-21 before erupting for 32 points in the fourth quarter. Cam Phillips ran for 131 yards and three touchdowns, and Anthony Smith threw for 215 and three TDs. Ethan Shawley scored twice in the fourth. … Mt. Pleasant didn’t score until the fourth quarter, but the Vikings put up 28 in the final frame to edge Greensburg Salem. Garrett Eicher caught a touchdown pass and returned a kickoff 90 yards.

Yough (2-5,0-2) at Elizabeth Forward (4-3, 2-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Warrior Stadium, Elizabeth

Last week’s results: Southmoreland 53, Yough 34; Elizabeth Forward 56, Derry 14

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Yough has been a hard-luck team this season. It had both Mt. Pleasant and Southmoreland on the ropes before falling. Now it faces the red-hot Warriors. Cougars quarterback Raidon Kuroda continues to play well. He rushed for 120 yards and three touchdowns and threw touchdown passes to Jaiden Dixon-Brentzel and Aidan Shaffer against the Scotties. The Cougars allowed 32 points in the fourth quarter. … The Warriors raced out to a 35-0 lead in the first half at Derry. Charlie Nigut scored on runs of 65, 20 and 66 yards. He also caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Messina, who tossed three touchdowns. The Warriors have won three consecutive games.

Class 2A Allegheny Conference

Ligonier Valley (3-4, 1-2) at No. 3 South Park (6-1, 3-0)

7 p.m. Friday, South Park Eagles Stadium, South Park

Last week’s results: Ligonier Valley 20, Charleroi 14; South Park 41, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 13

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

This is the first meeting between the schools. The Rams used a late fourth-quarter touchdown by John Jablunovsky to defeat Charleroi in a nonconference game. Jablunovsky rushed for 184 yards and two scores, and Bryce Vida rushed for 104 and a score. … The Eagles are flying high in first place in the conference and look to clinch the title with a win. Erie Doerue rushed for 188 yards and scored on runs of 2, 40 and 48 yards against OLSH. The Eagles didn’t complete a pass in five attempts.

Class A Black Hills Conference

Burgettstown (1-5, 0-3) at No. 5 Monessen (6-1, 2-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Memorial Stadium, Monessen

Last week’s results: Monessen 14, Chartiers-Houston 7; Neshannock 35, Burgettstown 0

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Burgettstown is having a tough time finding the end zone this season. It has only scored 36 points. Kicker Colton County has booted two field goals and scored a touchdown. The Blue Devils haven’t scored in eight consecutive quarters. … TyVaughn Kershaw has scored 21 touchdowns for Monessen and has rushed for 969 yards. Both of Monessen’s touchdowns against Chartiers-Houston came through the air. Kayden Kolbeck caught a 67-yard pass from Dennis Hawkins and Kershaw fired a 27-yard touchdown to Hawkins.

Class A Eastern Conference

Greensburg Central Catholic (4-2, 3-1) at Springdale (0-6, 0-4)

7 p.m. Friday, Buccaneer Stadium, Lower Burrell

Last week’s results: Greensburg Central Catholic 44, Jeannette 27; Clairton 70, Springdale 0

Last year’s meeting: Greensburg Central Catholic 60, Springdale 14

Samir Crosby accounted for 301 yards and five touchdowns to lead GCC to a win over rival Jeannette. The Centurions moved into a tie for second with Brentwood. Jackson McMullen had two touchdown catches and Jerry Davis returned a kickoff 65 yards for a score. … Springdale, struggling with low roster numbers (18) under first-year coach Chad Walsh, has been outscored 311-6.

Jeannette (4-3, 1-3) at Brentwood (4-3, 3-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Brentwood Park, Brentwood

Last week’s results: Greensburg Central Catholic 44, Jeannette 27; Brentwood 42, Riverview 35

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Jeannette hopes to end a three-game slide and get into playoff contention. The top three teams in each Class A conference and four wild cards qualify. Jeannette is tied for fifth. Kymone Brown had 209 yards rushing and two touchdowns and also threw for two scores in the loss to GCC. Noah Sunder caught two scoring passes from Brown. … Brentwood will try to extend its winning streak to three after it edged Riverview in a shootout. Cedric Davis threw for 249 yards and four touchdowns, and Forrest Betz caught nine for 178 and all four scores.

Nonconference

Latrobe (4-3, 1-3) at No. 1 Pine-Richland (6-0, 4-0)

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

Last week’s results: Kiski Area 36, Latrobe 13; Pine-Richland 31, Penn Hills 21

Last year’s meeting: Did not play

Latrobe is down four starters, including standout running back and linebacker Alex Tatsch, who is done for the season after having shoulder surgery. The Penn State commit missed the last two-plus games. The Wildcats have lost three of four. John Wetzel ran for 169 yards, including a 63-yard score, last week. … Pine-Richland, the top-ranked team in 5A, is averaging 38.5 points. Aaron Strader threw for 166 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a score against Penn Hills. Grant Argiro kicked five field goals in a game this year for a PIAA single-game record.

Tags: Belle Vernon, Brentwood, Burgettstown, Central Catholic, Derry Area, Elizabeth Forward, Greensburg C.C., Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Jeannette, Latrobe, Laurel Highlands, Ligonier Valley, Monessen, Mt. Pleasant, Norwin, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, South Park, Southmoreland, Springdale, Yough