Five things we learned from Week Zero
Each Monday we’ll look back at some of the highlights from the week that was in local high school football.
Waynesburg QB Crouse is a dual-threat: Teams that have Waynesburg upcoming on their schedule will certainly be circling quarterback Teagan Crouse as the main part of their defensive game plan.
Crouse accounted for five touchdowns in Waynesburg’s 50-6 victory over West Greene.
He’s now the full-time quarterback after playing wide receiver for the Raiders last year. He threw two touchdown passes and ran for three more, all of them in the first half. Crouse finished with 235 yards passing which ranks sixth in the WPIAL.
The final touchdown was the longest one, a 91-yard pass to Jack Ricciuti which put the game into mercy rule at 35-0.
Crouse, a junior, also had a 3-yard touchdown pass and scored on 13-, 28- and 9-yard runs.
Running backs post big numbers: For years local teams have had players that produced big rushing totals, and Bentworth’s Ben Hays and California’s Malachi Peak are off to strong start in contending for the WPIAL rushing title this season.
Hays ranked fifth in the WPIAL in rushing after Week Zero and Peak was tied for 10th.
Hays ran for 184 yards and had five touchdowns, one on a punt return, in Bentworth’s 47-6 drubbing of Brownsville.
Peak had 148 yards and a pair of scores in California’s 42-14 victory over Serra Catholic.
Taylor makes quick impact for Monessen: Tavian Taylor only had six carries in Monessen’s 44-0 win over Charleroi, but he scored on three of them.
A 50-percent touchdown ratio is pretty good to say the least.
Taylor, a senior, scored on a 44-yard run in the first quarter, a 22-yarder in the second and had a 26-yard touchdown in the fourth.
He finished the night with 111 yards and looks ready to step in as featured running back after last year’s starter TyVaughn Kershaw did not return to the team this season.
Another fun note from Monessen was Kayden Kolbeck scoring two rushing touchdowns and making a pair of extra points.
Don’t sleep on Avella: The Avella football team is not big in roster numbers, but the Eagles are heavy on experience and if they stay healthy, they could make some noise in the Class A Tri-County South Conference.
A total of 15 players with starting experience returned and it showed in their season opener, a 41-6 win over Mapletown.
Though Avella and Mapletown are both Tri-County South members, they’ve recently faced off in Week Zero prior to their official conference game later in the year.
Led by sophomore quarterback Chas Rush’s four touchdown passes, the Eagles built a big lead at halftime. Rush finished 6 for 9 passing with 132 yards and had an 84-yard rushing touchdown. He ranked fifth overall in the WPIAL in Week Zero in passing yards and he ran for 134 yards.
Senior Bryce Wright had a pair of scores and Noah Kimberland, a senior, caught two touchdowns.
The Eagles have an intriguing matchup this week at Carlynton, a playoff team in Class 2A last year.
South Fayette has a ground game: Those that have followed South Fayette know the talents of senior quarterback Drew Welhorsky. If the Lions can produce in the running game like they did in their 38-15 win over Chartiers Valley, they could have a very scary offense.
Bo Stover had three rushing touchdowns, and Aayden Wright had 101 yards and one touchdown. Welhorsky contributed on the ground too, with 89 yards and had 108 yards passing and a touchdown.
The Lions will try to keep it rolling this week at Shaler.