Nov 11, 2025 By Eleanor Bailey 6 min read

Ethan Hellmann cemented his name in the record book at Upper St. Clair .

During a 36-26 victory against Woodland Hills on Nov. 7 at the Wolvarena in Turtle Creek, the senior quarterback completed a 42-yard pass to Bryce Jones to become the all-time leading passer in school history.

Hellmann has passed for 5,478 yards and 68 touchdowns.

“”The achievement means a lot because playing high school football eventually comes to an end and after my career I want to be remembered,” Hellmann said. “So getting my name in the record book is definitely meaningful to me.”

Mac McArdle held the previous record. A four-year starter in the late 1990s, he passed for 5,334 yards.

Hellmann said he never considered the milestone until after his freshman year because then he realized he would have the opportunity to start for three more years.

“The record really didn’t register in my mind,” he added.

“That’s Ethan,” said USC coach Mike Junko. “It was great to see him get the record but he’s one of those kids that is more concerned with winning. I have heard some of our players bring (the record) up to him but his response is always the same. He doesn’t care if he throws for 10 yards in a game as long as we win.”

As a freshman quarterback, Hellmann helped the Panthers reach the WPIAL finals. USC lost to Pine-Richland, 34-3, in the Class 5 championship contest and finished 10-3 overall.

During that 2022 campaign, Hellmann completed 56 of 90 passes for 920 yards and nine scores while splitting time with Julian Dahlem, who made good on 63 of 100 aerials for 971 touchdowns.

As a sophomore, the Panthers finished 8-2 but did not earn a playoff berth.

In 2024, USC won the Allegheny Six Conference title and finished 11-1 after losing their lone game to Peters Township in the WPIAL semifinals.

During that season, Hellmann had passed for only 960 yards but was efficient, completing 56 of 101 attempts for 15 touchdowns and no interceptions while again sharing time with Dahlem, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards and 14 scores when USC ran its Wildcat offense.

After Dahlem matriculated to John Carroll University, Hellmann took over the reins full-time. This fall, he finished No. 2 in the WPIAL in passing, behind Joey Felistky of North Catholic, which competed in the Class 3A semifinals on Nov. 14 against Avonworth.

After the win over the Wolverines, which placed the Panthers in the Class 5A semifinals against undefeated Peters Township (11-0), Hellmann had passed for 2,480 yards. He had completed 155 of 227 attempts for 32 touchdowns against five interceptions.

“Ethan is an unselfish competitor that is loved by his coaches and teammates,” Junko said. “That will be his lasting legacy. Not the records that he has broken, but the young man that he has become,” he added. “He has meant a great deal to our program and I wouldn’t trade him for any other quarterback in the WPIAL.”

Hellmann wouldn’t trade the experience of playing with his brother, Van, for any milestone. From playing for championships, winning conference banners and passing for as many as five touchdowns to five different receivers in one game, Hellmann has achieved much but the highlight that stands out in his mind is a personal one. It occurred Oct. 20, 2023 in a double-overtime win against Moon, 43-42.

“This (record) definitely ranks high in my career but no highlight or achievement will ever be better than throwing my brother that game-winning pass,” he recalled.

While Hellmann completed 7 of 11 passes for 125 yards, he did not throw a single touchdown in the win against Woodland Hills.

Instead, the Panthers relied on their resilience, ground game and staunch defense for their 10th victory of the season.

USC fell behind, 14-0, eight minutes into the game but rebounded with a 10-yard TD run by Dante Coury and a 27-yard field goal from Jacobo Echeverria Lozano to pull within 14-10 at halftime.

After three rushing scores by John Banbury and a safety, USC forged ahead to stay, 33-20, outscoring Woodland Hills, 23-6, in the third quarter.

In between Wolverines scores, Echeverria Lozano kicked a 39-yard field goal to complete the Panther scoring.

Coury (101) and Banbury (142) rushed for 100 yards apiece. Nico D’Orazio tacked on eight yards to bring USC’s totals to 271 for the game.

“Those two kids (Coury and Banbury) have really come into their own as running backs,” Junko said. “We have used John more in the playoffs because we really feel that it keeps both guys fresh and he brings a different dimension to our run game. They both finish runs and they root for one another. They are unselfish and are a great compliment to our pass game which has been strong all season.”

On defense, Andrew Gaither and Caffery Duplessi picked off passes. Coury and Nevin Shegan-Si had sacks. Banbury led with six unassisted tackles while Coury and Shegan-Si each had seven total, four of them unassisted. Bryce Jones, Beck Shields and Mason Geyer also all had four unassisted tackles.

“I have to give our defense a lot of credit,” Junko said. “They made some great adjustments in the Woodland Hills game that really slowed their attack. John Banbury anchors that unit and we have gotten a lot of contributions from guys like Mason Geyer, Will Stohl, and Caffery Duplessis.”

Scoop Smith and Cam Walter were the big weapons for the Wolverines.

After a lateral from Carter Akins, Smith returned the opening kickoff for a 99-yard score. He finished with 55 yards rushing. He caught six passes for 92 yards and one touchdown.

“Scoop is a great player,” Junko said. “Probably the most dangerous kick returner I have ever coached against. He has a very bright future at the next level.”

Walter passed for 228 yards and two scores – 27 yards to Malik McCloud and 41 yards to Landon Akins.

All in all Junko was pleased with his team’s ability to bounce back and adjust.

“We had trouble with their size early in the game, but I think we got control of the line of scrimmage as the game went on,” Junko said. “We wore them down.

“We have fought in some close games this year,” he added. “Both of our losses were games that went down to the last play. Those difficult outcomes have shaped and molded this team into a group that believes they can win no matter the circumstance.

“Our kids believe in our culture and at the heart of that is playing for each other,” Junko continued. “They never fail to give their very best. As a coach, that makes you very proud.”