Bethel Park hosts Upper St. Clair
Undefeated teams clash Oct. 11
Another Friday Night Lights, another critical clash for scholastic football teams. This time it’s Bethel Park hosting Upper St. Clair at 7 p.m. Oct. 11 in The Almanac Game of the Week.
Both teams sport undefeated records at 7-0 overall.
Physicality and closeness in score and proximity – the schools are separated by 2.5 miles and even family allegiances – play factors in the outcome.
“This is always one of the most physical games we play every year. It is usually decided by a fairly thin margin,” said USC head coach Mike Junko. “They have had some really good teams the past few years.”
Since taking the helm after Jim Render retired, Junko has compiled a 3-3 record against the Black Hawks. The biggest triumph came in the 2022 WPIAL Class 5A semifinals when the Panthers avenged a regular season loss that enabled BP to claim the conference championship. The toughest defeat occurred during last year’s 8-2 campaign when Bethel Park beat the Panthers, 22-10.
“Their coaching staff did a great job,” Junko said. “Losing that game ended up keeping us out of the playoffs.”
Ironically, both teams have achieved success, especially in the postseason, in part because of the Orie name. Brothers Mike, Pat, Kevin and Dan Orie played during Render’s reign, which resulted in a 406-141-6 record that included two state titles and five WPIAL championships. However, Mike’s son, Clancy, plays for the Black Hawks. The 6-3, 255-pound senior is committed to the United States Naval Academy. A two-way linemen, he had seven receptions for 102 yards and two touchdowns on offense and 27 tackles, 8 TFL, four sacks and nine quarterback hurries at the midway point in the season.
“The Orie family is well-known in Upper St. Clair,” said Junko, who played with Pat and Kevin when the Panthers won the 1989 WPIAL and PIAA crowns. “They produced tough and intelligent players that were loved by their teammates. Clancy is built in that mold. He has a knack for making plays and is so athletic. He is one of the premier linemen in the WPIAL.”
Bethel Park also boasts the best quarterback and running back in the district.
Tanner Pfeuffer leads the WPIAL in passing, having completed 91 of 137 aerials for 1,667 yards and 23 touchdowns. He has only thrown two interceptions.
During BP’s rout of Baldwin, 56-6, Pfeuffer capitalized on 11 of 18 attempts for 216 yards and five scoring strikes to Mitchell Paschl (7 and 15 yards), Jack Bruckner (28), Santino Nowozeniuk (45) and Randall Bergia (34).
In BP’s thrilling win against Moon, 45-36, Pfeuffer completed 20 of 30 aerials for 330 yards and scoring strikes to JaVaugh Moore (31 yards), Bruckner (33) and Paschl (45). He also scored on a 2-yard run to put the Hawks ahead for good in the game.
“It feels like this is the thirteenth time we have had to play this quarterback,” Junko said of Pfeuffer, a three-year starter. “He has great field vision and excellent arm strength. He has really improved his accuracy and the ability to attack the entire field. You can’t underestimate his athleticism and command of his offense.”
Meanwhile, Moore has dominated the rushing attack. He ranked second in the WPIAL with 1,251 yards on 135 carries, 22 yards behind Franklin Regional’s Kyle Dupill, who has 42 additional rushes.
Moore averages 9.3 yards a tote. Before scrambling for 114 yards and two touchdowns of 35 and 18 yards agains the Highlanders, Moore had back-to-back 200-yard plus rushing games in wins against Trinity, 49-7, and the Tigers. He has scored 21 touchdowns, five against the Hillers and three against Moon. He also had 5 receptions for 67 yards against the Tigers while Paschl pulled in seven for 114 yards.
“(Moore) combines strength, speed, and power to make opposing defenses look silly,” Junko said. Junko added of Moore and Pfeuffer, “It really is a situation where you have to pick your poison.”
With Pfeuffer, Moore and company, the Black Hawks have constructed the WPIAL’s top offense. They average 51 points per game while surrendering just 13.8.
“Bethel Park is an offensive juggernaut. Their ability to run and throw the ball is the best in the WPIAL,” Junko said. “They put a great deal of pressure on you to defend the entire field.
“Defensively they are much improved from last year,” he continued. “They have done a great job of shutting down opposing offenses.”
USC did exactly that in upsetting Peters Township, 21-7, in the conference opener. In recording the 100th win in program history, the Panthers relied on the ground attack – they did not complete a pass – and Julian Dahlem.
Dahlem rushed for 185 yards and two touchdown. He also had a Pick-6 for the other score. Jacobo Echiverria kicked the extra points.
The Panthers also outlasted South Fayette, 17-7, in another defensive standoff. Dalem scored twice and Echiverria kicked a field goal. The USC defense also picked off two passes and recovered a fumble on defense.
While the USC defensive coordinators found a way to stop the high-potent PT attack, which averages 32 points per game and featured junior signal caller Nolan DiLucia, who led the WPIAL last year in passing with more than 3,000 yards, as well as the Lions, who are led by Drew Welhorsky, the Panthers have their challenges against the Black Hawks in this Allegheny Six Conference showdown.
“We need to have a better offensive effort than what we put forward last year,” Junko said. “We really left our defense on the field entirely too long in that game.
“We have to find a way to slow down their running game and keep their wide receivers in check,” he added. “This game will have a huge impact on the playoffs,” Junko predicted. “So we need to bring our best on Friday night.”
SF AT PT
In another key Allegheny Six Conference contest, Peters Township hosts South Fayette at 7 p.m.
Both teams have one loss this season, both to Upper St. Clair.
The game features two of the best quarterbacks in the WPIAL, and both are juniors.
Nolan DiLucia was ranked No. 3 in the district in passing. He had 100 completions on 157 attempts for 1,586 yards and 12 touchdowns. In the loss to USC, DiLucia completed 13 of 24 passes for 161 yards and a 44-yard scoring strike to Eli Prado. He was 15 of 22 in a 23-14 win against Moon. His top targets were Prado (five receptions) and Nick McCullough (four catches).
McCullough scored on an 80-yard punt return. Nick Courie rushed for two scores. PT’s defense earned a safety.
Meanwhile, Drew Welhorsky had the Lions sporting a 6-0 record after shutting out Baldwin, 38-0. In the victory, he completed 9 of 11 passes for 156 yards and scoring strikes to Ben Cavenaugh (34 and 3 yards) and Aiden Martincic (32 yards). Welhorsky also rushed for 121 yards and two touchdowns, measuring 12 and 41 yards.
Luke Gillen kicked a 33-yard field goal and converted all the extra points against the Highlanders.
On the season, Welhorsky ranks seventh in the WPIAL in passing. He had completed 95 of 118 attempts for 1,401 yards. He had tossed 12 touchdowns. Welhorsky has also rushed for 703 yards on 118 carries.
While both teams feature high-powered offenses, they both boast two of the best defenses in the WPIAL. Both are allowing just nine points per game. Look for those units to play a factor in the outcome.