Peters Township, USC clash in conference opener
Allegheny Six Conference action commences Sept. 27 and Upper St. Clair will have its hands full as the Panthers host Peters Township at 7 p.m.
Not only are the Indians the defending conference champions, they are the reigning WPIAL champions in Class 5A and returning PIAA runners-up.
Five games into the 2024 campaign, Peters Township continues to be the talk of the town. The Indians rank No. 1 in the WPIAL and in the state after winning their first four games in dominating fashion. They are racking up 36.7 points per game and allowing just six.
USC head coach Mike Junko also noted the Indians have won 20 of their last 21 games. “That is a great run,” he said.
He added, “Peters has earned its ranking on the field. Their defense is as good as it was last year, maybe better. Their offense is built around one of the best quarterbacks in the WPIAL. They have speed on the outside and do a great job of attacking defenses vertically and horizontally.”
In beating Trinity, 35-6, Peters Township exhibited all those aforementioned qualities.
Nolan DiLucia completed 11 of 22 aerials for 234 yards and two scoring strikes of 57 and 22 yards to Lucas Rost and Jeremy Poletti. DiLucia, who led the WPIAL last year with more than 3,000 yards passing and stood in at No. 3 after four games with 912 yards and seven scores, also tacked on a 9-yard TD run against the Hillers.
Cole Neupaver rushed for a 57-yard touchdown and Nick Courie closed out the scoring against Trinity with a 3-yard TD. Anthony Maiello converted six extra points.
DiLucia passed for 352 yards on 14 completions in a 38-0 win against West Allegheny on Sept. 23. He tossed TD aerials to Nick McCullough (67 and 36 yards), Lucas Rost (17) and Lucas Shanafelt (28).
On the year, DiLucia already has 1,261 passing yards and 11 scoring strikes. He also has 223 rushing yards and two more touchdowns.
Meanwhile, USC is ranked No. 3 in Class 5A behind the Indians and Pine-Richland, which played in back-to-back WPIAL championship games. The Panthers boast one of the highest-scoring offenses in the WPIAL with a 44.2-point average per game. They rolled up 62 in a rout of Hampton and picked up 31 in a victory against McKeesport to move to 5-0 on the season.
USC’s offense versus PT’s stout defense is one of the major keys to the game.
“We have to find a way to move the ball on offense and try to contain their offensive firepower,” Junko said. “Moving the ball offensively against the top-rated defense in the WPIAL is a big concern as is trying to contain their offense. They are so explosive and their quarterback has an excellent skill set.”
Against the Talbots, USC exhibited explosiveness and showcased a signal caller with a distinctive style.
Ethan Hellmann completed six of 10 aerials for 131 yards. He connected on scoring strikes of 27 and 19 yards to Bryce Jones and Michael Albert.
“Ethan has done a great job of managing the game and taking care of the football,” Junko said. “He is such an intelligent kid that has the respect of his coaches and teammates.
“Ethan is such a great competitor,” Junko continued. “It doesn’t matter if he is playing Turkey bowl in his backyard or under the Friday night lights, the kid just loves to play the game.”
Dante Coury and John Banbury have demonstrated a passion for running the football. Both submitted 100-yard rushing games against the Talbots. Each also scored two touchdowns. Coury also rushed for 176 yards in the 31-14 win against McKeesport.
Nolan DiLucia is one of Upper St. Clair’s primary concerns when the Panthers host the Indians and their versatile quarterback at 7 p.m. Sept. 27 in the Allegheny Six Conference opener.
“Both backs bring a unique skill set to the position,” Junko said. “Dante runs with great vision and speed. John has a knack for finishing runs and reading his blockers. They have both done a great job of taking on the first free defender and extending runs.
“The running back position was a question mark for us at the beginning of the season,” Junko continued. “Both backs have really stepped up for us.”
Because of the offensive line, USC’s rushing attack has flourished. In addition to Coury and Banbury, Nico D’Orazio and Josh Snyder (2) rushed for touchdowns against the Talbots. In addition to Princeton recruits, Albert and Nate Stohl, Mason Geyer, Bobby Fleckenstein and Reese Pirain have excelled on the O-line.
“Mason has solidified the center position. He does a great job of quarterbacking the O-line,” Junko said. “Bobby plays with an edge and has great feet for a tackle. Reese is a new starter for us and he has improved each week. He is really coming into his own.”
Since Junko took the helm in 2019, the Panthers are 2-3 against the Indians. Peters Township thumped USC, 31-0, last fall en route to its 15-1 record. Other than a 31-3 USC win in 2021, the other games have been decided by eight points or less.
“Both communities expect a physical battle every time our teams lock horns,” Junko said. “I don’t think this edition will be any different.
“Their kids play extremely hard on every play. It will take a great effort by our team to try and get a win against them.”
Other games
In Allegheny Six Conference action Sept. 27, South Fayette hosts Baldwin at 7 p.m. while Bethel Park entertains Moon.
The Lions made their way into the top 5 among WPIAL Class 5A programs thanks to a 4-0 start that included an impressive win at Elizabeth-Forward, 38-19.
Drew Welhorsky has moved into the ranks among the top quarterbacks in the league after his five-touchdown, 279-yard performance against the Warriors. He connected with Ben Cavenaugh (39 and 40 yards), Tyson Wright (20 yards), Ray Schuler (38 yards) and Alex Deanes (53 yards) for scoring strikes.
Luke Gillen kicked a 41-yard field goal along with five extra points to complete SF’s scoring.
After four games, Welhorsky ranked sixth in the WPIAL in passing. He has completed 54 of 77 aerials for eight touchdowns and 855 yards.
Baldwin is coming off a 21-13 loss to Chartiers Valley, a team which South Fayette shut out, 26-0, to start the season. The Highlanders were winless in their first four games.
In CV’s win against Baldwin, Tayshaun Lewis rolled up 165 yards rushing. He scored on 21- and 84-yard runs. Luke Miranda also ran for a touchdown on a 24-yard scamper. Patrik Jurisic kicked the extra points.
The Colts host Laurel Highlands at 7 p.m. in their Big Six Conference opener in Class 4A action.
Mt. Lebanon dropped to 0-4 overall after a 59-7 loss to Central Catholic. In the Quad County Conference loss, Patrick Smith passed for 174 yards on 16 completions. Noah Schaerli was the top target, pulling in five passes for 103 yards. The Smith-Schaerli connection accounted for the lone score (49 yards).
The Blue Devils will host Seneca Valley at 7 p.m.