Five up, five down.
And just like that, it’s a wrap on the first half of the high school football season.
It has been a fun opening month in which we have witnessed fantastic finishes, wild shootouts, spectacular performances and some kickers with booming legs whom the Steelers might want to reach out to should Chris Boswell ever go down with an injury.
Being that we are at the halfway point of the regular season, it’s the perfect time to hand out some midseason awards. Congrats to all the winners, but a heads-up to them to not get too comfortable because this thing isn’t over yet. And no, these awards don’t have any monetary value and won’t earn anyone money, a plaque or even a certificate. Remember, we’re on strike, and I’m not getting paid to write this column (or any story).
Without further ado …
Top player — Alex Tatsch, Latrobe. Call him “Alexander the Great,” as this Alex has been great while leading Latrobe to a 4-1 start. The Penn State linebacker recruit has looked like a man amongst boys at times, racking up 40 tackles, including 11 for loss, in addition to two forced fumbles, a sack and an interception. He has also shined as a running back, ranking among the WPIAL leaders with 716 yards on 56 carries (12.7 yards a tote) while pacing the Wildcats in receiving (eight catches for 143 yards) and touchdowns (nine). But his biggest goal now is trying to help Latrobe earn a playoff spot and maybe even the Class 5A Big East Conference title.
Top newcomer — Trey Hopper, Montour. Few players in the WPIAL have had bigger shoes to fill than Hopper, who took over as quarterback following what was a monster 2023 season by Jake “Big Bad” Wolfe. Montour returned several top skill players, but the Spartans reaching their full potential and making it back to the WPIAL Class 4A semifinals or beyond was largely dependent on the play of Hopper, who has shined. Hopper, whose first name is actually Dennis, has been a menace for opposing defenses to try to slow down. Hopper leads Class 4A with 1,066 yards passing and has tossed eight touchdown passes for the unbeaten Spartans.
Breakout player — JaVaughn Moore, Bethel Park. With Tanner Pfeuffer at quarterback and Mitchell Paschl and Jack Bruckner at receiver, we knew Bethel Park would have an excellent passing attack. But it’s what Moore has done running the ball that has given the 5-0 Black Hawks the most potent offense in the WPIAL (51.2 ppg). It took Moore only five games to match his rushing total from all of last season (936 yards), which ranks second in the WPIAL. He’s averaging 9.8 yards a carry to go along with 16 touchdowns. His 195-yard, three-touchdown performance in just two quarters against Mars was one of the top performances of the season.
Comeback player — Vann Kavals, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. It’s difficult to rebound from one major injury, let alone two, but that’s what Kavals has done in what has been a terrific — and inspiring — senior season. Kavals sustained season-ending injuries early on in both his sophomore (torn ACL) and junior years (broken femur), yet still pulled in some Division I offers before committing to Akron in July. A 6-foot-5, 235-pound defensive end, Kavals has collected 12 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries and 9 pass deflections. And as a quarterback, he has thrown for 716 yards and seven touchdowns, while running for 184 yards and two touchdowns.
Best coaching job — Dan Bradley, Ellwood City. It’s a tale as old as time. No matter the sport and no matter how much a program has struggled, Dan Bradley is going to turn that team into a winner. Bradley, a longtime football and basketball coach, last season took over an Ellwood City program that was riding a 25-game losing streak. And after going 5-6 and leading the Wolverines to the playoffs in his first season, all Bradley has done this year is guide them to their first 4-0 start in 27 years. The football success comes on the heels of Bradley guiding the Ellwood City basketball team to the WPIAL quarterfinals in his first season as coach.
Biggest surprise — South Allegheny. “When a team that doesn’t know how to win wins, it’s a shocking feeling. It’s just new.” That’s what South Allegheny star running back Cameron Epps had to say about the Gladiators’ 3-0 start, their first since the year “Rocky” won the Academy Award for Best Picture (1977). This is a team that was a punching bag when it went 1-9 each of the past two seasons. But second-year coach Brian Hanson has done an outstanding job, as have one of the best collections of skill talent in Class 2A. Now 4-1, South Allegheny is the third-ranked team in the class, and standouts like Ryan Cortes and Drew Cook could lead the team to a deep playoff run.
Best gameday experience — Cornell. I’ve been to four stadiums thus far. It’s always special going back to my alma mater (West Mifflin), Mars had an elite student section (an awesome new mascot, too), and Avonworth, with its great crowds and plethora of food offerings, is an awesome place to watch a game. But my favorite was Cornell, where I watched a game for the first time. Grass field, old bleachers, great vibe … small school football at its best. And to top it off there was haluski at the concession stand, which is always a treat. Proceeds of sales went to the school’s upcoming Spanish Club trip to Costa Rica, which I might have fully funded myself.
Biggest jagoff — Mother Nature. I thought we were cool. But Mother Nature, this season you’ve been a real mmm … jerk. We know she’s going to wreak havoc on the spring sports season. That’s a given and now somewhat tolerated. But considering football games can be played in rain and snow, it’s hard to screw things up too much. Well, Mother Nature was in a salty mood early on this season, her one-two punch of thunder and lightning affecting many games two Fridays in a row. Some games were suspended and some others ended early. And her nasty attitude caused one team, West Allegheny, to not complete its first game until Week 3!
Second-half sleeper — McKeesport. At 1-4, McKeesport is off to its worst start in more than two decades. It’s a surprise considering the Tigers won a conference title and reached the WPIAL Class 4A title game just a season ago. But if you’re a Tigers fan, there’s no need to hit the panic button just yet. The schedule has been absolutely brutal, with the Port suffering losses to a quartet of teams that are a combined 19-1. The Tigers lost to an Ohio team in double overtime, to Thomas Jefferson in overtime, and two Class 5A powers Peters Township and Upper St. Clair. With the schedule now easing up, don’t count out Kemon Spell and company from making a run.
Bold prediction for the second half — A team currently with a losing record will make it to the WPIAL championship game. Consider this a friendly reminder that the season is a marathon, not a sprint. Just last season, Beaver Falls rallied from a 2-3 start to win the WPIAL Class 2A championship. We could see something similar happen this season (not with Beaver Falls, which is 0-5 and has scored 20 total points), but with another WPIAL team that for the time being owns a losing record. Among the top rebound candidates are McKeesport (1-4), Steel Valley (2-3), Belle Vernon (1-2), Gateway (2-3) and Norwin (2-3).
Brad is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at beverett@unionprogress.com.