Peters Township hosts Upper St. Clair
Conference clash to be a fierce fight
When TJ Plack arrived at Peters Township, he noticed an oddity regarding the football program.
“Zero rivalries,” he said. “We were knocking on all doors to get one.”
While Canon-McMillan is a natural geographic adversary, Upper St. Clair has proved a bigger nemesis for the soccer and golf programs. That is until 7 p.m. Sept. 26 when the Indians host the Panthers in the Allegheny Six Conference opener at Confluence Financial Partners Stadium on the Peters Township Middle School campus.
Noting that USC has bigger rivalries with Mt. Lebanon and Bethel Park on the gridiron, Plack said that over the years the Panthers have become a “formidable opponent” for the Indians. “It’s a big game not just in the conference but in the WPIAL. It’s a big game for both programs and anybody who is looking to attend a high school football game this Friday night might see this game on the schedule and say ‘I want to see that game.’ Everybody, the kids and the communities, are up for this game.”
The contest certainly is a Clash of the Titans
USC has a storied history of seven WPIAL championships and two PIAA titles, but none since 2006. The Panthers though have 23 conference crowns, including last year’s banner, thanks to a 21-7 triumph against the Indians.
Meanwhile, the Indians avenged that defeat, posting a 7-3 win against USC and advancing to the WPIAL Class 5A championships. Peters Township has also been a WPIAL finalist in 2019, 2020 and 2023. The Indians won the WPIAL title in 2023 and reached the PIAA championship game that season, too.
“Peters has had a great run over the last few years and their team is probably the most talented group we have seen them put on the field,” Junko said.
Indeed, the Indians are a dominant power in 2025. They are positioned only behind Pine-Richland, which won last year’s WPIAL title, in both the district and state rankings.
“I don’t know if there is a team in the WPIAL that features as much legitimate Power 4 Division I talent as what Peters puts on the field,” said USC field general Mike Junko. “Those kids have made big plays in every game this year. Offensively they make plays on the ground and through the air. Defensively they are playing at a very high level right now. They have all-conference talent at almost every position.”
Villanova recruit Nolan DiLucia leads the charge. He’s a four-year starter in the defensive secondary and the operator of the offense.
In his first five games this fall, DiLucia has completed 66 of his 93 attempts for 1,119 yards and 10 scores. In a recent outing, a 31-12 triumph against Trinity, DiLucia completed nine aerials for 159 yards and two touchdowns – a 16-yard strike to Reston Lehman and a 44-yard bomb to Lucas Rost, who finished with seven receptions for 158 yards.
DiLucia, who ranks among the Top-20 passers in WPIAL history with more than 6,500 career yards, completed 13 of 24 passes for 202 yards and two scoring strikes of 15 yards to P.J. Luke and Lucas Shanafelt in a 28-0 win against West Allegheny last Friday.
“Nolan has gotten so much stronger and has demonstrated his intelligence this season because we have switched up what we do. Our pass concepts,” said Plack. “Nolan’s taken to it. He works through the progressions and knows where to go with the football.
“He’s a leader,” Plack continued. “He makes plays. In any game, particularly a big game, we need his legs as well as his arm.”
Junko agreed with that assessment of DiLucia.
“Peters has a Division I quarterback that is playing at a high level right now,” he said. “He can hurt you with his arm and his legs. We have to figure out a way to limit their ability to find explosive plays.”
So far this fall, the Indians have relied on Cole Neupaver’s legs to pick up rushing yardage. He rolled up 132 yards in the win against Trinity. He also scored a touchdown. Neupaver is the team’s leading rusher with 542 yards on 90 carries as well as leading scorer ahead with 54 points.
Defensively, the Indians have depended upon Lehman as well as Lucas Shanafelt, who had a Pick-6 against the Hillers. The outside linebackers anchor a defensive core that has recorded three shutouts, including last week’s 28-0 blanking of West-A. The Indians have allowed just 26 points so far this fall. Lehman is a Pitt commit while Shanafelt is a Stanford recruit.
Plack predicts the tandem will make a difference in the game against USC.
“We expect them to be disruptive. That’s what they do,” he said. “They are long, strong and athletic. We want them to play within themselves and expect them to make reads.”
One of PT’s focuses will be stopping the Panthers’ passing attack, which is led by Ethan Hellmann. A four-year starter, he ranks as the No. 1 quarterbacks in the WPIAL, having completed 68 of 90 attempts for 1,273 yards and 18 touchdowns. Hellmann threw five scoring strikes in consecutive wins against Franklin Regional and Hampton this season.
Nico D’Orazio and Bryce Jones have been the top targets with 16 and 13 receptions but Randy Yan, Drew Sanderson, Dante Coury, Evan Smirniw, Anthony Rozzo, John Banbury, Josh Snyder, Logan Lapinski, Max Nofi, Beck Shields and Luca Coury are in USC’s stable of receivers.
USC’s rushing attack is led by Dante Coury but Max Ligier and Luca Coury have pitched in as well. All three had rushing scores against Hampton.
Defensively the Panthers rank behind the Indians, allowing 7.4 points a game, and recording one shutout, although the first-team defense has been not been scored upon in two other outings.
In last week’s 17-14 win against McKeesport, Yan had an interception. Anthony Bunn recorded two sacks. Shields had a sack and tied Nevin Shegan-Si with a team-high seven tackles. Mason Geyer followed with six, five of them solo. Will Stohl and Ryan Robbins have developed well on both sides of the line.
“Upper St. Clair is a formidable opponent,” Plack said. “They are a well-coached team and although they lost a lot of players from last year, they had guys behind those starters who could play for other teams as most good programs do. They have good athletes on the line, nice running backs and a four-year starter at quarterback, too. Their goal is the same as ours. To get that W.”
According to both coaches, a win comes down to the “little things” and the contest will be a “hard-fought” encounter more like previous battles.
“Last year, USC relied on defense and a stout run game. They like to beat you up in the trenches, like you are in a phone booth, and we threw interceptions and made mistakes,” Plack said. “This year, they’ll utilize their athletes and try to move the ball but both defenses are stout and up for the challenge.
“In any big game, it comes down to the things like taking care of the football, limiting big plays, the hidden yardage on special teams.”
Plack noted that placekicker Jacobo Echeverria Lozano is a huge advantage for USC because “he kicks it into the end zone and you are starting at the 20-yard line every time. So special teams and limiting big plays will be the keys.”
Junko agrees the game will be a fierce fight.
“The hallmark of this game the last few years is just how physical the two teams play,” he said. “These games usually end up going to the more physical team. You really have to earn every yard on offense.”
Although they are the defending conference champions, the Panthers are hardly the favorite to repeat, let alone win this encounter.
“Coming into this season and losing so many starters, I don’t think we were too high on anyone’s ballot to be in the conference race,” Junko said. “So the challenge for our football team is great. Our goal is to continue to play disciplined opportunistic football.
“We have to continue to play complimentary football,” Junko continued. “We can be a pretty good football team when all three phases are doing their jobs. On offense we need a balanced attack that figures out a way to handle their attacking nature. The outcome of this game will go to the team that makes fewer mistakes.”