Mars defensive end Mitchell Wright (88) tries to bring down a West Mifflin ball carrier during the Planets' 28-6 win in the season-opener Friday. Mars will take on Moon in a key early season test for both teams Friday.
Freeport gets first action of 2019; other key games on tap
FREEPORT — From playing a scrimmage to playing a WPIAL Class 3A finalist.
That's the jump Freeport will make when the Yellowjackets travel to Derry for a 7 p.m. kickoff Friday night.
The host Trojans are coming off a 20-14 loss to Latrobe in their opener. Freeport scrimmaged Riverside after scrimmaging Apollo-Ridge the previous week.
“We wanted that Riverside scrimmage to be a Week Zero game,” Freeport coach John Gaillot said. “Riverside didn't want to do it. We played two 15-minute quarters instead.
“I feel like our guys are ready to go.”
The Yellowjackets dropped a 19-13 decision to Derry in their opener last year. The Trojans went on to finish 11-2, losing to Aliquippa in the WPIAL 3A title game. The all-time series between the teams is 3-3.
Graduated is standout Derry running back Justin Flack, who rushed for 1,334 yards last season and scored 38 touchdowns in his career.
“He's gone, but they still have a back (Justin Huss) who placed in the 100 meters at the state track meet last year,” Gaillot said. “That kid's got breakaway speed.
“Coach (Tim) Sweeney is an outstanding coach. He game-plans very well and we have to be wary of that.”
Derry may depend more on quarterback Paul Koontz, a junior who threw for 613 yards and 11 touchdowns as a sophomore starter last year.
Freeport will have a different look itself this year. Garret Schaffhauser has shifted to quarterback from tight end. Ricky Hunter is the featured tailback while Luke Miller, Brodey Woods, Isiah Bauman and Josh Bollinger are the prime receivers.
“Garret is more of a passer, but he can run the ball effectively as well,” Gaillot said. “He's not as fast as Austin (Romanchak, last year's QB), but he'll run over people.
“Ricky has come along very well in our scrimmages. If we have a surprise player in camp that way, he's it.”
The Cougars are coming off a 10-2 season, their best record in a decade. ... Second-year coach Zack Hayward is only returning 10 starters — five on each side of the ball — from that team.Blackhawk is coming off a 32-15 loss to Central Valley while Knoch shut out Hampton, 24-0. ... The Knights forced fumbles on three of the Talbots' first five offensive plays. ... Knights QB Kam Grassi threw only two passes against Hampton, but rushed for 42 yards and 2 TDs. ... Knoch RB Matt Goodlin rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown.Blackhawk RB Marquise Watson-Trent scored both Cougar touchdowns last week ... 6-foot-4 receiver Ryan Heckathorn caught just five passes last year, but four were for touchdowns. ... Watson-Trent and RB Josh Butcher combined for 1,285 yards rushing in 2018. ... Blackhawk has won five of its seven games played against Knoch, including a 48-12 decision last year.
Both teams opened the season last week with a non-conference victory. Mars defeated West Mifflin 28-6 while Moon defeated Montour 14-10.The Planets received 195 rushing yards and three TDs from junior fullback Teddy Ruffner. ... Mars used two quarterbacks in the game. Sophomore Quinn Fuller started and attempted the Planets' lone pass of the game while senior Drew Schlegel also played. Both are expected to see time this week.Moon's defense registered 11 sacks last week, including four from sophomore Ben Bladel. ... Moon's two TDs both came on the ground, one from FB Dylan Sleva and the other from QB Dante Clay.Mars defeated Moon last year, 23-13. The Tigers missed the WPIAL playoffs last year with a 2-8 record.
While Burrell defeated Valley last week, 20-0, Friday's game will be North Catholic's 2019 debut.North Catholic returns senior QB Zack Rocco, who led the Trojans to the WPIAL semifinals last season by passing for 1,964 yds. and 26 TDs and adding almost 500 rushing yds. and 11 TDs. ...North lost star TE/LB Nikhai Hill-Green, who transferred to a school in Maryland.Burrell had notable performances in all three phases of offense last week. QB Alex Arledge passed for 206 yds., Seth Fischbach caught passes worth 109 yds. and Mike Scherer rushed for 124.Burrell has missed the WPIAL playoffs six straight years. The Bucs were 2-8 in 2018.The Trojans won last year's meeting against the Bucs, 41-7.
As if Clarion needed any help, the co-op with Clarion-Limestone has brought the Bobcats District 9 record-breaker Austin Newcomb, who rushed for 187 yards in just 11 carries in a season-opening 70-6 win over Punxsutawney. ... Newcomb piled up a district-record 2,627 yards last season at Clarion-Limestone.Moniteau will have to find a way to slow down Newcomb. That's easier said than done as Clarion has other weapons as well in quarterback Cal German and wide receiver Ethan Burford.The Warriors are coming off a forgettable opener in which they fell behind against Kane 39-9 at the half in a 46-19 loss. ... The bright spot for Moniteau was the play of Ethan McDeavitt. The senior intended to only kick for the Warriors this season, but saw his role expanded. He booted two field goals and also caught a touchdown pass from Brady Thompson.Last year, Moniteau lost to the Bobcats 31-14 in the opener, but avenged that loss with a 20-14 victory in the playoffs.
Junior Logan Harmon rushed for 180 yards on 24 carries in a season-opening 28-12 victory of Leechburg. ... Junior quarterback Jake Fello added 53 yards rushing and 62 yards passing.Summit Academy got off to a rough start, falling behind 48-0 against Western Beaver before finding some life in the fourth quarter with two touchdowns. ... Raymond Cutler and Paul Hines each found the end zone on runs for the Knights.
Union/ACV fell at Coudersport last week, 30-8. Sheffield lost 40-0 at Smethport.Falcon Knights' QB Luke Bowser threw for his team's lone TD, a 6-yd. strike to Tanner Merwin. ... Bowser completed 14-of-24 passing for 117 yards, the TD and one INT. ... Merwin caught six passes for 66 yds. and teammate Caden Rainey six for 48 yds. ... The Falcon Knights' running game went backward, with minus-5 yards on 11 carries. ... Merwin also played well defensively, registering 10 tackles and an INT and Eli Penny sacked the quarterback twice.Sheffield enters the game attempting to break a 20-game losing streak.
