Sep 29, 2016 By Eleanor Bailey 14 min read

After going toe-to-toe with another of the top-ranked teams in 6A of the WPIAL, Bethel Park returns to Southeastern Conference action and battles Hempfield at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30 on the Hawks’ home turf.

While 2-0 in the league, the Hawks slipped to 2-2 overall after falling to Pine-Richland, 31-24, last week. The Rams are ranked No. 2 in the WPIAL. BP’s other loss was 21-14, to No. 3-ranked North Allegheny.

“We did the best we could,” said BP skipper Jeff Metheny. “But we’ve moved on. We don’t wallow in our sorrow. We are in a tough stretch,” he added, noting the Hawks will play Seneca Valley, another highly-regarded team from the Northern Conference, next week. “But we’ve got to concentrate on the conference games.”

And Hempfield is a critical contest. The Spartans are 2-1 in the league and 3-2 overall. They are tied for second place in the league with Mt. Lebanon, which they defeated, 41-38, and they are coming off a 38-35 loss to Peters Township.

The Indians’ upset did not surprise Metheny. “Peters Township is going to beat people,” he said and noted how BP escaped with a 28-7 win against those same Indians. “T.J. Plack is doing a nice job over there. This conference is harder than people realize.”

As a new opponent, Hempfield is certainly making it difficult for opponents. Metheny said his Hawks have not played the Spartans for a long time, and that had been during the playoffs.

The Spartans boast a talented quarterback in Justin Sliwoski. He threw for 364 yards in the loss to Peters Township. He is 75 of 147 for 1,199 yards. Hempfield also features Nick DiAndreth at wideout. He has 27 receptions for 426 yards this season.

“They have a lot of skill kids, and they score a lot of points,” said Metheny of the Spartans, who average 29 points a game but surrender 32.8. “They spread it out like everybody else tries to do and we have got to cover the creases. They are big up front, and they know what they are doing.”

So do the Hawks. They jumped to a 14-0 lead against Pine-Richland and led until surrendering 10 points late in the game. Vito Orsini kicked a 26-yard field goal and Phil Jurkovec rushed for a 3-yard TD to cap the win for the Rams.

Jurkovec, who is the WPIAL’s second-leading passer, rushed for 101 yards. He tossed a 25-yard TD pass.

Cole Rogers outdid Jurkovec in the air attack. He completed 15 of 26 passes for 191 yards. He rushed for a 3-yard score and tossed a 21-yard TD strike to Jeremy Wodarek in the first frame. He completed seven aerials to Zachary Taylor, who had 71 yards in receptions. John Doleno rushed for an 18-yard TD and Shawn Halligan kicked a 23-yard field goals for BP’s other scores.

“We played well,” said Metheny. “We did some good things and the kids did their part. Our guys got off the ball.

“Cole is running the offense well and our line protected well. We just need to get more consistent with the running game. Our defense did enough but we needed to sustain a drive and we didn’t do that and we didn’t punt well,” Metheny continued regarding the Pine-Richland game. “Plus, there is a reason why that kid is going to Notre Dame.”

Metheny also indicated that he was pleased with the performance of his offensive linemen. He cited Gavin Vargesko, Connor Wholey and Dan Kwiatkoski for their efforts. Kwiatkoski is the younger brother of Nick, who was selected in the fourth round of the NFL draft by the Chicago. The 23-year-old son of Frank and Pam Kwiatkoski recorded his first tackle in the Bears’ 31-17 loss to Dallas. Bethel Park will host Nick Kwiatkoski day on Oct. 21 when the Hawks host Altoona. The Bears play on Thursday Night Football Oct. 20 against the Green Bay Packers and do not resume action until Monday Night Football on Oct. 31 at home against the Minnesota Vikings.

“Nick’s indicated he wants to be here and is trying to come, but even if he can’t be here, we are still celebrating and recognizing him,” Metheny said. “He is a great example of ‘If you work hard, then you will make it.’ Nick has great character and good morals. He’s everything you want in a person and a player.”

Kwiatkoski played wide receiver and safety at Bethel Park before switching to linebacker and excelling at West Virginia University.

Lebo at NA

After putting together one of its best efforts of the season in beating Altoona, 49-14, Mt. Lebanon travels to Wexford and faces North Allegheny at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30 in a non-conference clash. Both teams are 3-2 overall.

“Obviously we want to win this game, but only because it is the next game on the schedule and they are very good,” said Lebo skipper Mike Melnyk. “We don’t really have time to worry about what conference they are in or what the game means, more than it is our next game and we need to be ready.”

The Blue Devils were well-prepared against the Mountain Lions as they mounted all 49 of their points in the first half of action. James Stocker tossed two TD passes of 25 and 35 yards to Edgar Parilla and Austin Graybill. Parilla returned a punt 60 yards for another score, while Emmanuel Komolafe rushed for scores of 23 and six yards. David Harvey and Anthony LaSota also ran for touchdowns, measuring two and seven yards.

“It was our most complete game in all three phases,” Melnyk said of the Altoona win. “There are things we can continue to improve on and we have got to continue to practice hard and work on ourselves so we can play with the best. I thought our offensive and defensive lines played well and opened holes and shut down the run for Altoona. We will continue to get better if we ignore the noise and go about our business on a daily basis.”

In facing North Allegheny, Melnyk expects a stiff challenge. The Tigers are ranked No. 3 in 6A of the WPIAL. They boast Etha Maenza at tailback. He rushed for over 100 yards in last week’s win over Butler, 49-7.

“NA is physical. They play with great intensity and have guys who can make plays if we let them,” Melnyk said. “They are well-coached and will present a great challenge.

“The key to the game will be us matching their physicality and intensity. It will have a playoff atmosphere next Friday night and a great mid-year test for us.”

Canon-Mac at Altoona

After a “disappointing” loss to Norwin, 40-6, Canon-McMillan looks to rebound in the Southeastern Conference when the Big Macs travel to Altoona Sept. 30. Both teams are 1-2 in the league and 2-3 overall.

“We had a good week of practice, but came out flat for some reason,” said Mike Evans of the Norwin contest. “It’s my responsibility to have the team ready to play.”

Evans assures his Big Macs will be ready for the Mountain Lions, even though the journey is long.

“I don’t think it’s an issue,” he said. “There is a lot being said about the travel, etc. I don’t get involved with it, because it is what it is. I know this: Altoona travels a lot more than we do. We have nothing to be upset about.”

More upsetting was the loss to Norwin. The Big Macs did not score until the Knights had 40 points, and the touchdown pass to Rahmiere Knight from Jordan Casteilli did not occur until the fourth frame. Knight had six receptions for 60 yards.

“Last year, we continued to improve through the season,” said Evans taking a moment to reflect on the midway point of the season. “It’s my job to make that happen. This past week was extremely disappointing. Give credit to Norwin though. They had a good plan and executed.”

Against Altoona, that’s the solution for the Big Macs.

“We believe that we have to believe in our program and execute our plan,” Evans said.

Norwin at PT

After upending Hempfield, Peters Township looks to win its second game in a row when the Indians host Norwin at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30. The Indians are 1-2 in the conference and 2-3 overall.

“Our goal, like many other programs is to go 1-0 each week,” said PT coach T.J. Plack. “We cannot look further than our next opponent.”

Regardless of opponent, Plack is formulating Peters Township football. It’s a process and doesn’t hinge on victories such as the one against Hempfield.

“We talk about building a culture of success at Peters Township, and how it doesn’t get tacked on as an afterthought after a big win,” Plack said. “The culture of this program will precede positive results. Winners always behave like winners, before they are winners.

“We have also talked about how our failures (Altoona, Bethel Park, etc) allow us to get better. All these things, acting like winners, doing the little things, accepting our failures, have allowed us to believe and play with a sense of purpose.”

Against the Spartans, Peters Township, indeed, played with purpose.

Jake Cortes completed 13 of 25 passes for 290 yards and three touchdowns of 52 yards to Alan Snyder and 34 and 65 yards to Josh Casili. Casili had 149 yards on five receptions. He also scored on a 79-yard run. T.J. Kpan also ran for a 14-yard touchdown.

Additionally, Aidan McCall did an outstanding job of covering Nick DiAndreth. “(DiAndreth) is their big-play wide receiver and Aidn did a great job on him all game,” Plack said. Plack also cited Tanner Scott, who kicked a 23-yard field goal. “Tanner was consistent with extra points, as well as the first-quarter field goal, which was much needed after the Altoona loss.”

Plack also noted the defense. “I thought for the majority of the game, our defense limited the big play. This was something we struggled with against Altoona. I was also proud of our team with how they handled the end of the game, they never put their heads down, fought together, and learned how to win.”

The victory proved pivotal in other regards, added Plack. “This win, fighting together until the end, leaving everything they have on the field, learning how to win in the fourth quarter, validates our belief system as a program,” he concluded.

USC at CV

Upper St. Clair continues to dominate 5-A football. In recording their first shutout of the season, 35-0, against Fox Chapel, the Panthers improved to 4-0 overall and lowered their points against average to 3.3 per game. That number puts the Panther defense at the top in the WPIAL.

Eli Grape spearheads that defense with 42 tackles, seven of them for losses. Matt Kissinger, Colin McLinden, Karl Flinter, Dom Cepullio, Dom Folino, Gabe Houy, Jack Burton and Tom Kyle also rank among the leaders on the defense with 10 more tackles. The unit has caused nine fumbles and intercepted four passes. Against the Foxes, Flinter turned a fumble into a 96-yard score, and Kissinger turned an interception into a 20-yard touchdown.

Offensively, the Panthers are just as potent. Against the Foxes, Jack Hansberry completed six passes for 106 yards and two scoring strikes of 56 and 20 yards to Cepullio. Hansberry has completed 23 of 45 passes this season for 355 yards and six scores. Cepullio (8), Jackson Geisler (6) and Kahil Jackson (5) are Hansberry’s top targets.

USC also boasts a stable of running backs. Blake Kadar, who rushed for a 2-yard TD against Fox Chapel, leads the ground attack with more than 300 yards on 55 carries for a 5.5-yard average. Colin McLinden and Thomas Vissman are also tailbacks that are averaging 8.2 and 7.9 yards per carry. Cepullio leads the way with an 18.5-yard average.

Cepullio also dominates special teams. He averages 34.2 yards per punt. Jeff Howard handles the kickoffs and has contriubted 19 extra points.

Meanwhile, the Colts slipped to 1-2 in the league and 2-3 overall after a 44-0 loss to Woodland Hills.

South Fayette at Blackhawk

After dominating Knoch, 49-14, the Lions travel to Blackhawk for a Northwest Nine Conference clash. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Sept. 30. South Fayette is undefeated at 5-0, while the Cougars are 2-1 in the league and 3-1 overall.

In the win against the Knights, Drew Saxton completed 17 of 22 aerials for 391 yards and six touchdowns. Mike Speca caught three aerials for 102 yards, including 70 on a touchdown grab. Speca also rushed for a 57-yard score. Noah Plach had six grabs for 104 yards. Cameron Garland hauled in 101 yards in receptions, 80 coming on a scoring strike. Dan Trimbur corralled TD passes of 10 and 26 yards while Don Beck and Joe Mowod each caught a TD aerial.

In the Cougars, the Lions face a formidable opponent. Blackhawk is 3-1 after beating Trinity, 28-21. Key players for the Cougars are quarterback Mike Savilsky, running back Kyle Peterson, wide out Tyler Hill, tight end Carl Jaszcar and lineman Chris Deluca.

According to head coach Joe Rossi, Blackhawk runs a full-spread offense that features many quarterback run plays and short passes.

“The offense will force many one-on-one tackling opportunities,” he added. “We will need to tackle well in the open field in order to be successful.”

The Cougars average 25 points per game, thus applying pressure to the Lions’ defense, which is allowing just 10.4 points per game.

“They pose a great challenge to our defense,” Rossi said of the Cougars.

Likewise, the Blackhawk defense will attempt to stymy the Lions, who are averaging 42.6 points per game.

“They try to stop the run with a tremendous front four. They have players with multiple sacks on the season,” Rossi said. “They are very athletic in the secondary. SO there will be a lot of one-on-one battles.”

KO at Shady Side

After a wild encounter with Beaver that resulted in a 77-49 loss, the Golden Eagles look to get back on the winning track when they visit Shady Side Academy for a 7 p.m. kickoff on Sept. 30. Keystone Oaks is 2-0 in the conference and 3-1 overall while SSA is winless on the season.

Despite the defeat, KO set new standards in the WPIAL. Alex Smith set a WPIAL single-game yardage record with 653. He passed for 450 yards and rushed for 203. Smith scored three touchdowns on runs of 8, 30 and 26 yards. He tossed TD strikes of 39, 21, 4 and 22 yards to Dylan Knorr, Nick Hrivnak (2) and Devin Thomas. Hrivnak caught 12 aerials for 244 yards and Knorr had five grabs for 95 yards.

Darius Wise was equal to Smith’s feats. He rushed for 403 yards and seven scores.

Apollo-Ridge at SLS

In other Allegheny Conference action, Seton-La Salle will host Apollo-Ridge at 7 p.m. Sept. 30 at Peters Township Stadium. Both teams are 2-1 in the division.

The Rebels improved to 3-1 overall with a 35-21 win against Serra Catholic. In the triumph, Lionel Deanes rolled up 241 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Nick Vari caught two scoring strikes of 21 yards from Matt Banbury.

Jeannette at Canevin

The Crusaders return to Eastern Conference action after blanking Riverview, 35-0, when they host league-leading Jeannette at 7 p.m. Sept. 30 at Dormont Stadium. Bishop Canevin is 2-1 in the league and 3-1 overall.

In the win against the Raiders, Maliek Hemingway rushed for 221 yards. He rambled for three scores of 48, 1 and 50 yards. Brian DeSchon and Austin Scott also ran for touchdowns. Jared Witwicki kicked the extra points.

C-H at Beth Center

The Buccaneers resume Century Conference play when they travel to Beth-Center for a 7 p.m. kickoff Sept. 30. Chartiers-Houston is 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the league after defeating Burgettstown, 7-6.

TJ Johnson rushed for a 1-yard touchdown and Joey Dunn kicked the decisive point in the fourth quarter to seal the win over the Blue Devils. A.J. Meyers’ 80-yard punt return set up the C-H score.