Friday night in Western Pennsylvania was a thriller, with storylines as intense as the rivalry on the field. Let’s get into it.
Central Catholic’s Revenge Tour
In the rematch of last year’s WPIAL finals, Central Catholic flipped the script and avenged their loss to North Allegheny, walking away with a 30-20 victory. The game’s turning point? A pick-6 by Bradley Gompers that put Central Catholic in the driver’s seat. NA had their moments but couldn’t get past a hungry Central squad. Gompers’ heroics were the dagger in what was a heated clash, proving that revenge is a dish best served under the stadium lights. This win sets the tone for Central Catholic as they inch closer to playoff territory, showing they’ve learned from past mistakes.
Upper St. Clair Ends Peters Township’s Winning Streak
Upper St. Clair decided it was time to rain on Peters Township’s parade, snapping their five-game winning streak with a gritty 24-21 victory. In a game where every yard felt like a battle, USC’s Julian Dahlem took charge. His third-quarter touchdown and USC’s staunch defense kept Peters Township at bay. Mickey Vaccarello and his crew couldn’t find enough late-game magic, and USC left the field with momentum—and bragging rights.
Woodland Hills Rallies Past Latrobe
In a battle of Class 5A Big East powers, Woodland Hills pulled off a thrilling 30-20 comeback win over Latrobe. Mikail Connor was a one-man wrecking crew, rushing for 117 yards and three touchdowns, including the go-ahead score late in the fourth quarter. With Latrobe leading 20-17 with just over 10 minutes left, Woodland Hills engineered an 81-yard drive, capped off by Connor’s 3-yard run. Cam Walter’s 34-yard pass to Amere Brown set up the score, but it was Jayden Estes who delivered the final blow, sealing the win with a 52-yard pick-six.
Latrobe’s John Wetzel was a bright spot in the loss, rushing for a staggering 221 yards and two touchdowns. But the Wildcats couldn’t hold off the late surge from the Wolverines, who now sit pretty in the Big East standings.
Penn Hills Dominates Shaler
The Indians are on a roll, winning their third straight and blanking Shaler 41-0. Penn Hills stayed unbeaten in the Northeast Conference behind a balanced attack. Naytel Mitchell rushed for 103 yards and scored two touchdowns, while Devin Harris lit up the air with 184 yards and a TD pass. The defense was suffocating, forcing three turnovers and holding Shaler to just 179 total yards.
Gateway’s Air Raid Torches Armstrong
Gateway put on a clinic in their 48-20 demolition of Armstrong. Quarterback Elvis Koutsakis was unstoppable, throwing for 377 yards and five touchdowns. His favorite target? Shawn Moorefield Jr., who hauled in 12 catches for 181 yards and a touchdown. Gateway raced to a 20-0 lead and never looked back, moving to 2-1 in Big East play.
Other 5A Action:
- Penn-Trafford 34, Plum 10: Tasso Whipple ran wild for 163 yards and three touchdowns as Penn-Trafford cruised past Plum in nonconference play.
- South Fayette 38, Baldwin 0: Drew Welhorsky threw for 156 yards and two touchdowns while adding another 121 on the ground as the undefeated Lions rolled over Baldwin.
- North Hills 24, Norwin 7: Kelly McCarthy threw two touchdown passes to lead North Hills to a comfortable win over Norwin.
Mt. Lebanon Finally Gets a Win
In Class 6A, Mt. Lebanon snagged their first win of the season, routing Seneca Valley 32-8 behind Patrick Smith’s four rushing touchdowns. The Blue Devils had been winless through five games but broke through in convincing fashion, taking a 19-0 lead at halftime and never looking back.
Overtime Thriller for Hempfield
It was pure drama in the Quad County Conference as Hempfield rallied to beat Canon-McMillan 33-27 in overtime. Hempfield’s Jack Kopas recovered a fumble in the end zone with 47 seconds left to force OT, and Dominic Detruf found Aidan Stinebiser for the game-winning touchdown in the extra period. Canon-McMillan led at halftime but couldn’t finish the job, dropping to 1-1 in conference play.
City League Blowout: University Prep 70, Brashear 0
It wasn’t even close in City League action as University Prep dismantled Brashear 70-0. Xair Stevenson and Amir Pollard had the highlight reels buzzing, each with long touchdown returns. Stevenson opened the game with an 85-yard kickoff return and Pollard added scores on an 85-yard run and a 37-yard punt return. By halftime, it was already 54-0. In Madden that’s about the time that you rage quit.
