News, notes, scores, photos and videos from Week 8 of the high school football season.
Moon coach Ryan Linn nurtured quarterback Andrew Cross as a passer in each of his two previous seasons as the Tigers starter.
Cross, a Penn State baseball recruit, threw for 940 yards and 10 touchdowns during a breakout football campaign a year ago, but Linn said a new aspect of the senior’s game only started to truly emerge and pay dividends more recently.
“I think Andrew has really kind of come into his own here the last couple of weeks,” said Linn, now in his ninth season coaching the Tigers. “We’ve really started using his legs a lot more.”
On Friday night, Cross showed how his development as a dual-threat quarterback could potentially lead to a long postseason run for his team.
Although he completed 15 of 26 passes for 209 yards in Moon’s critical Class 5A Allegheny Six Conference showdown with Upper St. Clair, Cross broke a third-quarter scoreless tie with a 12-yard touchdown run before then scampering across the goal line from 1 yard out to hand the Tigers a thrilling 20-13 victory over the Panthers in double overtime at Moon High School Stadium.
“He made plays when we needed him at the end,” Linn said.
Cross’ game-winning touchdown came on a fourth-down play after Moon (6-3, 3-1) and Upper St. Clair (7-2, 2-2) traded field goals in the game’s first overtime.
Myles Turner then followed up Cross’ touchdown run by intercepting a quarterback Ethan Hellmann pass to seal the Tigers victory on the Panthers’ possession in the second overtime period.
“A ton of grit, a ton of determination, they just didn’t quit,” Linn said. “We had two games early on this year — the Penn-Trafford game we lost by one, and then the Seneca Valley game we kind of wilted in the second half — but Bethel [Park], early in conference place, we responded and got the win against them, and then tonight we kind of just kept battling and battling and found a way to get it done.”
After Moon took a 7-0 lead in the third quarter, Upper St. Clair scored 10 unanswered points to take its first lead of the contest following a 2-yard touchdown run by John Banbury and a 38-yard field goal by kicker Jacobo Echeverria-Lozano.
Tigers kicker Evan Senkevich would convert on a 28-yard field goal in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime. He would then tack on a 27-yard field goal after Echeverria-Lozano converted from 41 yards out in the first extra period.
Linn said the play of his defense, though, to hold the Panthers to just one touchdown proved to be the difference in the game. He added that linebacker Jared Moyer played particularly well, especially late in the game.
“Our down linemen were able to get pressure, and so we didn’t have to blitz a ton,” Linn said. “Then when we did blitz, we were able to get to Ethan, which I don’t think he’s gotten too much all year, so we kind of got him off his game a little bit.
“In the second half, Jared Moyer just made a couple big plays early on in the half, and then in overtime, he had a huge sack.”
Moon now sits alone behind Peters Township (9-0, 4-0) in second place in the conference.
Although the Tigers fell to the Indians, 21-10, two weeks ago, Linn said his team is playing with plenty of confidence heading in to the WPIAL playoffs.
“They can play with anybody,” Linn said. “They saw it against Peters, offensively we weren’t great, defensively we did our job, but I think tonight really showed them, hey, you can go out there and play with anybody if you guys play hard and put your mind to it.
“It should be a good bump moving forward.”
MESSINA LEADS ELIZABETH FORWARD TO ROUT OF SOUTHMORELAND
Senior quarterback Ryan Messina led Elizabeth Forward (8-1, 4-0) to at least a share of the Class 3A Interstate Conference championship by pushing the Warriors to a 42-0 rout of host Southmoreland (8-1, 3-1) at Russ Grimm Stadium. Messina rushed for 193 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries while also throwing for 160 yards against a Scotties defense that had allowed just 6.1 points per game going into the Friday night’s game.
MONTOUR SURGES PAST ALIQUIPPA
Montour used a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns Friday night to surge past Aliquippa, 34-20, and remain in a first-place tie with New Castle and West Allegheny atop the Class 4A Parkway Conference standings. Sophomore Spartans (6-2, 3-1) quarterback Brandon Bennett completed 5 of 8 passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 95 yards and an additional score on 10 carries against the Quips (5-3, 2-2), who were playing without starting quarterback Marques Council.
LAUREL TAKES CONTROL OF FIRST PLACE WITH STATEMENT WIN
Laurel (8-1, 5-0) now controls its own destiny and sits alone in first place in the Class 1A Big 7 Conference following a commanding 45-7 victory Friday night over South Side Beaver (7-2, 4-1). Quarterback Luca Santini threw for 153 yards and three touchdowns for Laurel, while running back Kolton Carlson carried the football 12 times for 128 yards and a score.
LUCA NEAL LEADS AVONWORTH TO WIN OVER NORTH CATHOLIC
Avonworth standout Luca Neal rushed for three consecutive first-half touchdowns to open the Antelopes’ Class 3A Western Hills Conference showdown with North Catholic Friday night en route to his team earning a 42-10 victory. Neal — who found pay dirt on runs of 51, 5 and 89 yards in the first half — ultimately rushed for 223 yards on just 10 carries, while also catching six passes for 139 yards and another score. Workhorse running back Dimitri Velisaris rushed for 148 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries for Avonworth (9-0, 5-0), while quarterback Carson Bellinger chipped in 166 yards and a score through the air. Trojans (6-3, 3-2) quarterback Joey Felitsky also threw for 191 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. The Antelopes earned at least a share of a conference title with the win.
APOLLO-RIDGE HOLDS OFF SOUTH PARK FOR WIN
Quarterback Alexander Clawson completed 6 of 8 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns, while Jaden McCray caught three passes for 113 yards and a score to lead Apollo-Ridge (6-3, 4-1) to a 45-34 victory over South Park (4-5, 1-4) Friday night in a Class 2A Allegheny Conference clash. Quarterback Robert Lenzi threw for 187 yards and a touchdown, while running back Quintin Napper rushed for 153 yards and two scores for the Eagles. With the win, Apollo-Ridge now trails only South Allegheny (9-0, 5-0) — which blew out Sto-Rox, 64-14, Friday night — in the conference standings.
PUP BITES
- Running back Kemon Spell rushed for 110 yards and three touchdowns on just six carries, while quarterback Matt Miller threw for 129 yards and another three scores to lead McKeesport (6-3, 4-0) to a 74-6 victory over Indiana (3-6, 1-3) Friday night. The Tigers set a single-game scoring record with the Class 4A Greater Allegheny Conference road victory.
- Aidan Gaydosz completed 10 of 15 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns, while Mason Holler rushed for 111 yards and another score to lead Riverside (5-4, 4-2) to a 21-18 Class 2A Midwestern Conference victory over Beaver Falls (4-5, 4-2) Friday night. The victory keeps Riverside in the hunt for a conference championship with Western Beaver (8-1, 5-1).
- Pine-Richland quarterback Aaron “Oobi” Strader threw for 223 yards and three touchdowns as the Class 5A Rams dominated Class 6A North Allegheny, 67-0, Friday night in a non-conference game. Wide receiver Jay Timmons returned to action and caught seven passes for 148 yards and three touchdowns for Pine-Richland (8-1, 4-0) against the Tigers (7-2, 4-1).
THREE STARS
***— Tristyn Tavares, Norwin. The quarterback completed 14 of 23 passes for 118 yards while also rushing for 126 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Knights (6-3, 3-0) to a 24-21 victory over Canon-McMillan (4-5, 2-1) Friday night. Norwin kicker Tristian Josephic made a 29-yard field goal with 21 seconds left in regulation to put his team in third place in the Class 6A Quad County Conference
**— David Dennison, Bethel Park. The running back accounted for all five of his team’s touchdowns to push the Black Hawks (6-3, 2-2) past South Fayette, 33-16, Friday night in a Class 5A Allegheny Six Conference contest. Dennison carried the football 41 times for 244 yards and four second-half touchdowns, while also adding a 13-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Evan Devine in the second quarter against the Lions (5-4, 1-3).
*— Tyler Eber, Thomas Jefferson. Coach Bill Cherpak’s workhorse running back did nothing less than carry the Jaguars (7-2, 3-1) to a critical 45-6 victory over Chartiers Valley (6-3, 2-2) Friday night, rushing for 326 yards and four touchdowns on 40 carries in the Class 4A Big Six Conference showdown.
SIGHTS AND SOUNDS
SCOREBOARD
WPIAL CLASS 6A
Quad-County Conference
Central Catholic 48, Seneca Valley 6
Mt. Lebanon 28, Hempfield 6
Norwin 24, Canon-McMillan 21
WPIAL CLASS 5A
Allegheny Six Conference
Bethel Park 33, South Fayette 16
Moon 20, Upper St. Clair 13, 2OT
Peters Township 61, Baldwin 0
Big East Conference
Gateway 27, Latrobe 24
Penn-Trafford 42, Armstrong 7
Woodland Hills 55, Franklin Regional 7
Northeast Conference
North Hills 17, Penn Hills 6
Shaler 35, Fox Chapel 14
WPIAL CLASS 4A
Big Six Conference
Belle Vernon 48, Ringgold 6
Thomas Jefferson 45, Chartiers Valley 6
Trinity 48, Laurel Highlands 0
Greater Allegheny Conference
Mars 49, Hampton 10
McKeesport 76, Indiana 6
West Mifflin 41, Knoch 16
Parkway Conference
Montour 34, Aliquippa 20
New Castle 56, Ambridge 7
West Allegheny 40, Blackhawk 10
WPIAL CLASS 3A
Allegheny 7 Conference
Deer Lakes 29, Valley 14
Freeport 49, East Allegheny 19
Imani Christian 53, Burrell 7
Interstate Conference
Derry 33, Mount Pleasant 13
Elizabeth Forward 42, Southmoreland 0
Greensburg Salem 41, Yough 7
Western Hills Conference
Avonworth 42, North Catholic 10
Beaver 35, Quaker Valley 13
Central Valley 23, Hopewell 7
WPIAL CLASS 2A
Allegheny Conference
Apollo-Ridge 45, South Park 34
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 18, Shady Side Academy 8
Steel Valley 49, Ligonier Valley 0
Century Conference
Seton LaSalle 55, Keystone Oaks 0
Washington 62, Carlynton 0
Waynesburg 47, Charleroi 12
Midwestern Conference
Ellwood City 41, Union 6
Mohawk 29, Freedom 0
Riverside 21, Beaver Falls 18
Western Beaver 20, New Brighton 14
WPIAL CLASS 1A
Big 7 Conference
Rochester 44, Northgate 14
South Side 45, Laurel 7
Black Hills Conference
Bishop Canevin 44, Monessen 7
Serra Catholic 29, Burgettstown 0
Chartiers-Houston 27, Cornell 26
Eastern Conference
Frazier 35, Greensburg Central Catholic 33
Leechburg 48, Brentwood 41
Jeannette 50, Springdale 8
Tri-County South Conference
Bentworth 42, Mapletown 0
California 38, Beth-Center 3
Carmichaels 28, West Greene 14
Jefferson-Morgan 47, Avella 6
CITY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Semifinals
University Prep 63, Brashear 6
NON-CONFERENCE
Albert Gallatin 63, Brownsville 21
Connellsville 56, Uniontown 12
Fort Cherry 42, Shenango 0
Highlands 38, McGuffey 12
Pine-Richland 67, North Allegheny 0
Plum 29, Kiski Area 12
South Allegheny 64, Sto-Rox 14
Wheeling Park, W.Va. 20, Butler 13
John is a copy editor and page designer at the Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at jsanta@unionprogress.com.