Westmoreland high school football notebook: Hempfield QB Detruf gets win for late father

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, August 23, 2025 | 3:40 PM

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With each completion and big gain, Dom Detruf could picture his dad smiling. He could feel it.

Hempfield’s senior quarterback played with poise and purpose in Friday night’s season opener at Spartan Stadium, a 28-23 win over North Hills.

Detruf completed 14 of 17 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns nearly one month after the death of his father, T.J. Detruf, a Penn-Trafford coach and former Jeannette quarterback.

Dom Detruf said he is “beyond motivated” to play for his dad, for whom he changed his jersey number this season: No. 18.

T.J. Detruf wore that number at Jeannette and Bethany.

“All I had going through my mind all night is, what he would do or what he would say?” Dom Detruf said. “And that helped us get the win tonight.”

Detruf said his father might have critiqued an interception that went for a pick-6 but would have been pleased with the win.

“He’s happy despite the turnover because I had fun with my guys tonight,” Dom Detruf said. “That’s always what he wanted.”

Hempfield running back Aidan Stinebiser, who lost his father in May 2024, rushed for 130 yards and scored two touchdowns in the Week Zero triumph.

Stinebiser, Nick Marquis and Jack Kopas had TD catches.

Hempfield coach Nick Keefer said the Spartans, who piled up 367 yards, and their quarterback played inspired football.

“He led us with poise, kept plays alive and made the big throws and runs whenever we needed them,” Keefer said. “The team rallied around him and he delivered in every way. I’m equally proud of Aidan Stinebiser. He stepped up huge for us in both the run game and the passing game. Both of those young men played with heavy hearts, and to see the way they competed and lifted this team was truly special.”

Said Dom Detruf: “This whole season is for (T.J. Detruf) and Stiney’s dad. They will help us get through it.”

T.J. Detruf was a junior high coach at Penn-Trafford. The Warriors held a moment of silence before Friday’s 34-31 win over Norwin for Detruf and sold T-shirts as part of a fundraiser for his family.

Warriors coach John Ruane said Detruf would have appreciated the win, although he would have been at Hempfield to watch his son play.

“He was all about the kids having character and no one taking plays off,” Ruane said. “He would be excited about this win.”

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Tatsch out for Latrobe

Latrobe standout senior Andy Tatsch did not play in Friday night’s football opener against Connellsville and could be sidelined for an extended period.

Tatsch, a Lehigh commit who plays wide receiver and defensive back, injured his hip in last week’s scrimmage against Penn Hills. He was on crutches Friday.

Latrobe lost to Connellsville, 28-13.

“He’s supposed to be evaluated this week to hopefully get a timetable,” Latrobe coach Tom McIntyre said. “It’s a huge loss for us in so many ways.”

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Tavares shines

Norwin senior quarterback Tristyn Tavares had one of the best performances of Week Zero, but the Knights fell short against rival Penn-Trafford, 34-31.

Tavares ran for 203 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries, including a 46-yard scoring burst that cut the lead to 34-31 with 5 minutes, 23 seconds to play in the fourth.

His short rush on first-and-goal from the 2 with 1:22 left was met with controversy when the ball came out and Penn-Trafford recovered. Norwin thought he was down at the goal line before the ball came out. Some of the Knights, including coach Mike Brown, thought Tavares scored on the play, which would have given the Knights the lead.

Tavares also passed for 133 yards and a score but was intercepted twice.

Norwin outgained the Warriors, 468-351, with a forceful rushing attack.

Giovanni Rothrauff rushed for 116 yards in the loss, which saw Norwin give away five turnovers.

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Cramping up

Penn-Trafford had several stoppages in the opener because of players cramping.

While many teams deal with that issue early in the season, the delays helped to slow Norwin’s no-huddle offense, which snaps the ball rapidly.

“It’s Week (Zero), and it’s tough to prepare for their (fast) tempo and rhythm,” Ruane said. “We had guys cramping. Fortunately, we had enough depth to pull through. We had guys playing through pain.

“Norwin made some halftime adjustments.”

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Sic ’em, Scotties

Southmoreland had a glowing debut for new coach Dustin Shoaf, posting a 40-0 victory at Valley.

The Scotties held the Vikings, coached by former Southmoreland coach Mark Adams, to minus-17 yards and swarmed the ball, recording two safeties, one each in the third and fourth quarters.

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QBs win

Of the seven first-year starting quarterbacks in Westmoreland County, five won their opening game.

• Senior Nate Desmond of Penn-Trafford was 4 of 8 for 96 yards and a touchdown in a 34-31 win over Norwin.

• Junior Dawson Wolfe of Southmoreland, who took over after standout sophomore Anthony Smith transferred to Seton LaSalle, was 9 of 14 for 123 yards and two touchdowns in a 40-0 win over Valley.

• Junior Dane Firmstone hit a big pass — 70 yards to Tristan Wtorkiewicz — then scored on a short run to give Mt. Pleasant its first lead with 3:15 left in a 29-23 win over Jeannette. The Vikings rallied from a 23-0 deficit, and the win avenged last year’s 28-27 loss to the Jayhawks, who scored with three minutes left to take the lead.

• Aidam Shaffer of Yough, a converted receiver, ran for three touchdowns, including a 10-yard run with 57 seconds left, in a 21-14 win over Brentwood.

• Junior Kier Payne completed 6 of 10 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown in his first start as Monessen’s quarterback. The Greyhounds beat Charleroi, 44-0. Payne replaced junior Dennis Hawkins, who transferred to Ringgold.

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On to next week

Week 1 isn’t short on strong matchups. Four games will feature all-Westmoreland County matchups: Greensburg Central Catholic (0-1) at Mt. Pleasant (1-0), Greensburg Salem (0-1) at Ligonier Valley (0-1), Hempfield (1-0) at Franklin Regional (0-1) and Kiski Area (1-0) at Norwin (0-1).

Other top games include Aliquippa at Belle Vernon, Latrobe (0-1) at Plum (1-0) and Penn-Trafford (1-0) at Mt. Lebanon (0-1).

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