WPIAL Saturday’s Scholastic Starz for Week Eight

By: Bruce Markey
Sunday, October 20, 2013 | 7:15 AM

Only three games were on the docket on the third Saturday of October, but all had some sort of playoff implication…one team trying to clinch a spot, one team trying to control its own destiny and a playoff bound team trying to improve seeding. Here are the three players that shined in those games despite the gray, chilly and damp conditions.

Jesse Zelonka – Apollo-Ridge

Apollo-Ridge had already clinched a playoff spot, they know they will open up the postseason on the road and they had little to play for except momentum heading into a Week 9 battle for third place game against West Shamokin, however nobody seemed to pass that word along to Jesse Zelonka. The talented signal caller did it all, hitting on 7 of 14 passes for 117 yards and a touchdown, plus he rushed for 236 yards, including a 92-yard touchdown run as the Vikings cruised to a 41-16 Class A Eastern Conference rout of the host Riverview Raiders.

Hunter Roknich – Western Beaver

It sprinkled just enough early Saturday to leave the natural surface at Western Beaver High School a little slippery as players from both teams had trouble finding their footing at times. But the slick surface didn't seem to slow down WB quarterback Hunter Roknich, who rushed for 109 yards and a 41-yard touchdown scamper in which he added the two-point conversion run, plus he broke a 7-7 tie right before halftime with a 28-yard touchdown pass to Steve Robison with no time left on the clock that was a dagger to visiting Shenango in the Golden Beavers 28-14 victory over the Wildcats to clinch a playoff spot in the Class A Big 7 Conference.

Bill Madeja – Brentwood

The final game of Week 8 in the WPIAL allowed Brentwood's Bill Madeja to showcase his 'big play' skills in Primetime at Dormont Stadium. Not only did Madeja get on done of offense where he caught a pair of touchdown passes of 32 yards and 19 yards from quarterback Connor McWilliams, but he also  came up large on defense when he returned an interception 65 yards for a score as the Spartans cruised past the host Bishop Canevin Crusaders 42-6 that allows Brentwood to control its own playoff destiny in the Class A Black Hills Conference heading into the final week of the regular season. 

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Brentwood, Western Beaver