WPIAL Saturday’s Scholastic Starz – Week Three

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, September 20, 2015 | 10:11 AM

An early homecoming game expanded the schedule of Saturday afternoon games to four to close out Week Three. When all was said and done on the third Saturday of the season, two teams remained undefeated, two teams picked up their first victory of the season and while four teams remain winless, one continues a losing streak that is inching close to four straight years. Here are the players who shined bright on an afternoon that went from sunny to stormy in the blink of an eye.

Jo-El Shaw – Woodland Hills

Playing in the large shadow of Woodland Hills running back mate and Penn State recruit Miles Sanders, Jo-El Shaw is racking up the kilometers and starting to make a name for himself. Shaw carried the ball only seven times but gouged the Shaler defense for 147 yards and three touchdown runs of 22, 71 and 11 yards as the Wolverines improved to 3-0 and will move to #1 in Quad-A after a 59-21 thumping of the host Titans in a Class AAAA Non-Conference homecoming contest.

Noah Hanna & Max Garda – Burrell

After losing their first two games of the season, Burrell turned to a nice one-two combination of Noah Hanna and Max Garda that let to a victory via knockout. Garda hit on 4 of 11 passes for 121 yards and also gained 74 yards on 11 carries and scoring three touchdowns from 2, 26 and 41 yards while Hanna rushed for 160 yards and added scoring runs of 4 and 7 yards as the Buccaneers tasted victory for the first time with a 42-6 Class AA Allegheny Conference rout of the host Summit Academy Knights.

Ben Sowinski & Ethan McFarland – Springdale

Ben Sowinski enjoyed a big season opener in leading Springdale to a Week One win while it was Ethan McFarland’s turn to shine on a Week Two victory. So it was only fair that the two shared the spotlight at historic Graham Field in Wilkisburg on both sides of the ball in Week Three. The two combined for three rushing scores while Sowinski had a pick-six of 45 yards and McFarland returned a fumbled punt snap 15 yards for a score as the Dynamos whacked the host Tigers 50-12 in a Class A Eastern Conference tilt.

T.J. Johnston – Chartiers-Houston

Chartiers-Houston was in search of a victory of any sorts as we hit the one-third mark of the regular season and their remedy was a trek from Washington to Beaver County. Quarterback T.J. Johnston connected on 8 of 10 passes for 111 yards and tossed four touchdowns on passes of 39, 56, 44 and 25 yards all in the first three quarters of the Buccaneers first win of the season, a 47-6 pasting of the host Western Beaver Golden Beavers in a Class A Non-Conference matchup.

Tags: Burrell, Chartiers-Houston, Western Beaver