Westmoreland County high school football notebook: Top teams looking to shake off losses

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, September 19, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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A number of Westmoreland County teams are looking for a bounce-back week after losses last Friday, some of whom suffered their first setback of the season.

Southmoreland, for instance, was flying high after three straight high-scoring wins. The Scotties won their first three games by an average of 32 points.

But last week, Blackhawk (2-2) did most of the scoring in a 45-20 win over the host Scotties (3-1), who have one more nonconference game before next week’s Interstate Conference opener.

“We need to clean up the personal fouls. That is the first thing,” coach Tim Bukowski said. “But I also feel that sometimes a loss can bring the team back down to earth and realize you have to be ready to play every week.

“We will be ready to play this Friday.”

Other local teams looking to rebound include Latrobe, which found itself in a physical defensive struggle against Franklin Regional, falling 3-0 in Murrysville to move to 3-1.

The Wildcats haven’t started 4-0 since 2001.

Belle Vernon (1-1), which didn’t play a game until Week 2 because it scrimmaged in Week Zero and had its game at Aliquippa canceled by inclement weather, dropped a 28-7 decision to McKeesport.

It was the Leopards’ first double-digit loss since they fell to Aliquippa, 28-13, in the 2021 WPIAL 4A championship game.

Norwin (2-2) and Mt. Pleasant (2-2) also had some early-season rhythm halted. Norwin, which started 2-0 for the first time in a decade, was roughed up by Seneca Valley, 26-6, for its second straight loss.

Mt. Pleasant, which had won two in a row, fell to Ambridge, 28-10.

“We’re going back to the drawing board,” Norwin coach Mike Brown said. “These kids will fight. I know it.”

There are three area teams without a loss heading into Friday night: Greensburg Salem (4-0), Jeannette (4-0) and Monessen (4-0).

Dupill pushes ahead

Senior Kyle Dupill of Franklin Regional was asked earlier in the season if he was an underrated running back. If outsiders didn’t give him the respect that is given to other WPIAL running backs.

“I don’t really think about that much,” he said. “I just go out and play.”

And he produces, time and again.

The 5-foot-7, 180-pound Dupill ran for a season-high 169 yards in last week’s 3-0 win over No. 5 Latrobe. It was his 10th 100-yard game in two seasons as a full-time starter.

He has topped 100 yards in all four games this season. He had a 227-yard game last year against Plum.

He ran for 90 yards against North Hills when he was a sophomore.

“Kyle has a unique ability to see what is happening in front of him and where holes open up,” Panthers coach Lance Getsy said. “He also has great balance and is able to avoid big hits.”

Dupill has been as durable as he has been productive for the Panthers, averaging 6.1 yards per carry on 313 carries in 27 career games.

He had 1,175 yards and 14 touchdowns in that time.

So far this season, he is the second-leading rusher in the county with 572 yards and five TDs. His 92 carries are second in the WPIAL to South Park’s Eric Doerue, who has 104.

“People underestimate him,” Getsy said. “He is one of the best I have coached. He makes things happen.”

Rankings check

Norwin dropped one spot to No. 4 in the TribLive HSSN Class 6A rankings this week, while Hempfield was dropped from the top five in 6A and Latrobe fell out of the 5A top five.

Belle Vernon also fell on spot, from No. 4 to 5 in 4A.

Strong arm

Latrobe’s next matchup features one of the top passing teams in the WPIAL in Armstrong (2-2). The teams meet at 7 p.m. Friday in a Class 5A Big East matchup at Latrobe Memorial Stadium.

“We’re very concerned about their passing game,” Latrobe coach Ron Prady said. “They have a really good quarterback and some explosive receivers.”

Armstrong has been in some wild games. It edged Highlands, 38-37, in overtime, beat Hampton, 42-20, and lost to Canon-McMillan, 45-35.

River Hawks quarterback Jaydon Oliver has completed 57 of 98 passes for 838 yards and 10 touchdowns. He has four interceptions.

Receiver Kyan Kline is second in the WPIAL in receiving yards with 450 on 20 catches — a 22.5-yard average.

Reunion week

Hempfield will go against a coach who helped to put its no-huddle spread offense in place a few years ago.

Ryan Reitz, the Spartans’ former offensive coordinator, is now in the same position at Central Catholic. The Vikings visit Spartan Stadium on Friday night.

“I have a lot of respect for (Hempfield head coach Nick Keefer). He’s a very good offensive mind,” Reitz said. “And obviously Trevor (Petrillo) is coaching there, and we grew up in the same neighborhood and we shared a lot of special moments together at Jeannette. I coached with Trevor for nine years.”

Reitz also was the OC at Jeannette, where he coached for seven years. His father, Ray, is the former head coach of the Jayhawks. The father-son pair coached together at Hempfield; Ray was the defensive coordinator.

They also worked on the same staff at Latrobe from 2009-14 when Ray was the head coach there.

Point, counterpoint

Two county teams are among the top 10 highest-scoring teams in the WPIAL.

Monessen has a 49.3-point average, which ranks third, and Southmoreland’s 42.5 average is seventh.

The others are Bethel Park (51.8), Highlands (51.3), Upper St. Clair (47.5), Jefferson-Morgan (45.0), Clairton (42.5), Thomas Jefferson (42.0) and Imani Christian (41.8).

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

Tags: Franklin Regional, Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Jeannette, Latrobe, Monessen, Mt. Pleasant, Norwin, Southmoreland