WPIAL Week Four Friday Night HighLights

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, September 22, 2012 | 9:36 AM

On a night lacking a lot of marque punch with only one game involving Top 10 teams going head-to-head, five teams rose from the deck to turn an 0-3 record to a 1-3 mark with their first taste of victory in 2012. We salute those five along with the other top performances from the Fourth Friday of the high school football season in District 7.

Forrest Barnes – Seneca Valley

Three simple words helped Seneca Valley bounce back in a big way from their first loss of the season last week – Run Forest, Run! talented running back Forrest Barnes had a HUGE night, rushing for 305 yards on only 16 carries (yes math wizards, that's an average of just over 19 yards per carry), plus he scored SIX touchdown on runs of 5, 10, 23, 31, 50, 55 and oh yeah, 96 yards to lead the Raiders to third third win in four games, a 64-14 Class AAAA non-conference rout of the Connellsville Falcons.

Thomas Woodson – Gateway

There are plenty of surprises going on this season around the WPIAL…Gateway being 4-0 and in first place in the Class AAAA Foothills Conference is not one of them. At home in Monroeville, quarterback Thomas Woodson enjoyed a rather large night, hitting on 13 of 21 passes for 337 yards (yes math wizards, that's an average of just under 26 yards a completion) and three touchdowns as the Gators cruised to a 42-7 victory over the Altoona Mountain Lions.

Nicholas Armendola and Casey Rebosky – Norwin

When that one big haymaker has not been landed over a frustrating first three weeks of the season, sometimes it makes sense to change things up and lean on a one-two punch combination. Nicholas Armendola rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown while teammate Casey Rebosky gained 108 yards on the ground with two touchdowns as the Norwin Knights won their frist game of the season, a 27-14 Foothills Conference victory over the Latrobe Wildcats.

Ryan Mihelic – Montour

Lou Cerro has been going with a three-man rotation for Montour. No, not on their baseball team, but under center at the quarterback position. He's been hoping somebody would step up and take control of the position. Well, you don't get any better than perfect. Ryan Mihelic was just that, completing all 11 passes he attempted for 151 yards and two touchdowns as the Spartans remained undefeated in a 33-14 Class AAA Parkway Conference triumph over the host New Castle Red Hurricane.

Dequan West – Indiana

In a season that was going south quickly through the first third of the campaign, Indiana coaches decided the best thing for their winless team was for the the young men to head 'west'.  Dequan West rushed for 166 yards and scored on touchdown jaunts of 3 and 56 yards, PLUS he tossed a touchdown pass of 20-yards to teammate Riley Stapleton in leading the Little Indians to their first victory in a 28-7 win over the host Derry Trojans in a Class AAA Greater Allegheny Conference tilt.

Anthony Bianco – Hampton

Some coaches will experiment when it comes to mid-season non-conference game or possibly rest key players that are banged up. Hampton's Anthony Bianco used a Class AAA non-conference stage to put on his own version of Run Wild, Run Free. Bianco carried the ball 21 times and gained 265 yards while scoring three long touchdowns on runs of 56, 85 and 16 yards in leading the Talbots to their third win in four games, a 34-11 corralling of the visiting Laurel Highlands Mustangs. 

Demetrius Louis – Ringgold

Ringgold's Demetrius Louis carried the ball only 12 times Friday…but you'll excuse him if he spends a few extra hours in the hot tub this weekend. Louis made the most of those carries, rushing for 261 yards (yes math wizards, that's an average of 21.75 yards per carry…YIKES) and scored three touchdowns on runs of 1, 50 and 83 yards in guiding the Rams to their third win in four games, a 30-13 win over the host Uniontown Red Raiders in a Class AAA Big Nine Conference fray.

Cody Keenan – Deer Lakes

Just as Deer Lakes was sliding to the bottom of the standings with a big ole' 0-3 thump, they took advantage of Freaky Friday in the Class AA Allegheny Conference and picked up their first win of the 2012 season to keep alive postseason dreams in a jumbled section. Thanks in part to Cody Keenan, who rushed for 141 yards and scored on a 17-yard scoring run to help the Lancers come from behind to register a 23-22 thriller over the visiting East Allegheny Wildcats. 

Bobby Gould – Riverside

After three weeks in which Riverside dug themselves a big 0-3 hole while being outscored 166-20, they finally struck 'gold' with a victory in Week Four. Bobby Gould  rushed for 136 yards and scores the games final touchdown on a 60-yard jaunt to help the Panthers register their first win with a solid 27-0 whitewash of the Mohawk Warriors that leaves them in a four way tie with Mohawk, Freedom and New Brighton for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Class AA Midwestern Conference.

Freddy McKessick – Carlynton

Well, sometimes teams have to fight, scratch and claw their way to their first win over the season once the losses start to build. Then in the complete other direction is how Carlynton scored their first victory of the season in Week Four…with a big old EXCLAMATION POINT! Freddy McKessick had a big hand in the big night for the Cougars as he rushed for 145 yards and scored two touchdowns, including a 95-yard burst to the end zone in a 65-8 whacking of the host Serra Catholic Eagles in Class A Black Hills Conference play.

Tags: Carlynton, Deer Lakes, Gateway, Hampton, Indiana