A-K Valley high school football matchups for 2026 Week 3

Here’s a look at the don’t-miss matchups for Week 3 in the A-K Valley:

Freedom (2-0) at Deer Lakes (0-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Lancer Stadium, West Deer

Last week: West Mifflin 35, Deer Lakes 0; Freedom 35, Quaker Valley 8

Deer Lakes will open the 53rd home football season at Lancers Stadium against a school it has never met. The Lancers are trying for their first win after being shut out at West Mifflin last week. QB Dante Mangieri threw for just 49 yards but connected with six different receivers. Evan Moore led the defense with an interception, but the unit struggled to stop West Mifflin RB Armand Hill, who had 203 yards and three scores. … Freedom is averaging 26.5 points while allowing just 7.5 after wins against South Side and Quaker Valley. Last week, Kaden Bailey rushed for 203 yards and three touchdowns on just eight carries, an average of 25.4 yards per touch. Karter Brown added 71 rushing yards and a score. Freedom’s big-play scores included runs of 76, 41, 62 and 92 yards.

Greensburg Salem (0-2) at Burrell (2-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Buccaneer Stadium, Lower Burrell

Last week: Indiana 42, Greensburg Salem 27; Burrell 27, South Park 26

This Westmoreland County clash is intriguing because of its quarterback matchup. … Greensburg Salem has put up 48 points in two games but has allowed 94. Last week, quarterback Brody Chismar threw for 323 yards and three touchdowns, but the Golden Lions gave up 330 rushing yards and five touchdowns to Indiana’s Charles Spells. Braydon Miller was another bright spot for Greensburg Salem as he had 11 receptions for 142 yards and a score. … Burrell again was led by quarterback Antonio Perkins, who ran for 110 yards and three touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with 2:35 left in the game. Perkins has rushed for 332 yards in two games for the Bucs. This is the first time the Bucs have started a season with two straight road wins since 2012. … The only game between the two schools was a tough one for Burrell. In 1991, the Bucs were playing shorthanded because of the flu bug spreading through the locker room that week. With Greensburg Salem leading 14-0 with 1:44 left in the third quarter, Burrell had so many players ill or injured that the game was terminated, and the Golden Lions received the win.

Highlands (2-0) at Beaver (0-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Pat Tarquinio Field, Beaver

Last week: Highlands 45, Kiski Area 22; Blackhawk 55, Beaver 40

Highlands is off to a strong start after dominant wins over Greensburg Salem and Kiski Area. The Golden Rams are third in the WPIAL with a 48.5 ppg average, trailing Pine-Richland (53.5) and Seton LaSalle (51.5). Running back Tevin Owen-Cratsenberg again carried the load last week with 284 yards and five touchdowns on 25 carries. He leads the WPIAL through two weeks with 531 yards and seven scores. … Beaver had its own statistical standout in last week’s loss to Blackhawk. QB Jaivin Peel completed 24 of 40 passes for 494 yards and five touchdowns. Brayden McCarthy caught 12 passes for 205 yards and three scores, and Ryan Prisuta had nine catches for 168 yards and a TD. … The Golden Rams have won all four previous games against the Bobcats in 1989-90 and 2018-19.

Kiski Area (0-2) at Armstrong (1-1)

7 p.m. Friday, NexTier Bank Athletic Complex at Armstrong Stadium, Manor Township

Last week: Highlands 45, Kiski Area 22; Armstrong 27, Hampton 20

Last year’s result: Kiski Area 27, Armstrong 25

Kiski Area is looking for its first win after lopsided losses to Gateway and Highlands. QB Landyn Artman threw for 243 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions last week. WR Daevion McNeil was the main recipient with five grabs for 197 yards and three scores. … Armstrong put its air attack on display last week as Jaydon Oliver completed 17 of 25 passes for 265 yards and a score. Theron Cupec and Quinn Olsen combined for 14 catches and more than 200 yards. … The former Big East Conference rivals are even at 4-4 in the series.

Knoch (2-0) at Ambridge (1-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Moe Rubenstein Stadium, Ambridge

Last week: Knoch 21, McGuffey 20; Uniontown 21, Ambridge 13

Knoch hits the road for the first time this season after starting 2-0. The Knights secured a thrilling win last week when Max Wiley sneaked in from a yard out in the final minute. The QB also threw for 200 yards and a score, and Ethan Rouleau ran 18 times for 107 yards and a score. Roman DeFelice caught four passes for 95 yards and a TD. … After beating Quaker Valley in Week 1, the Bridgers fell short against Uniontown last week. Shamar Underwood scored both touchdowns for Ambridge on runs of 3 and 67 yards. Ambridge is under the direction of first-year coach Dan Bradley, who has had previous stops at Sto-Rox, OLSH, Ellwood City and Ambridge from 2014-15. … The Knights have defeated the Bridgers in five of six previous encounters, the first being a 21-20 upset in the 1986 Class 3A playoffs.

Leechburg (0-2) at Beth-Center (2-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Beth-Center Stadium, Fredericktown

Last week: Cornell 21, Leechburg 9; Beth-Center 48, Riverview 32

Last year’s result: Leechburg 58, Beth-Center 6

Leechburg will try to get its first victory with a trip to Washington County. Nick Hilty scored on a 1-yard run, and Jaxon Vargo booted a 25-yard field goal for the Blue Devils last week. The Blue Devils open Eastern Conference play next week against Riverview. … Beth-Center stayed unbeaten with a win Saturday at Riverside Park. QB Chase Bebout threw for 165 yards and three scores, and DeSean Whipkey and Enzo Brown combined for 139 yards and five scores on the ground. The Beth-Center defense also came through with four interceptions.

Plum (2-0) at Fox Chapel (1-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Burke Stadium, Fox Chapel

Last week: Plum 42, Franklin Regional 20; Shaler 24, Fox Chapel 10

Last year’s result: Plum 35, Fox Chapel 0

Plum is among the highest scoring teams in the WPIAL after back-to-back blowout wins over Baldwin and Franklin Regional. WR Semaj Robinson starred last week with three catches for 176 yards and scores from 84, 40 and 52 yards. QB John Nonnenberg completed 14 of 23 passes for 282 yards and four scores. … The Foxes fell short last week after a Week 1 win over Allderdice. Chase Henderson scored on a 5-yard run, and Sharif Zureikat booted a 39-yard field goal for the Foxes. … Plum leads the all-time series with former Northeast Conference rival Fox Chapel, 18-14-1, with the 3-3 tie coming in 1980. The schools first met in 1961, Fox Chapel’s inaugural season, with Plum taking home a 7-0 victory. It was the final football game played at Aspinwall Stadium, located on the western side of the Highland Park Bridge, a facility now used for youth baseball.

Riverview (0-2) at Class 2A No. 5 Riverside (2-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Riverside High Stadium, Ellwood City

Last week: Beth-Center 48, Riverview 32; Riverside 26, South Side 0

Riverview will make its first trip to Beaver County since losing a 2016 playoff game at Rochester. This will be the first meeting between the schools. The Raiders will try to get a win before starting Eastern Conference play next week. Last week, Lukas Duncan ran for 113 yards and a score, and Connor Kmetz threw two TD passes. Miles Duncan returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown. … Riverside has pitched two shutouts this season, the only team in the WPIAL to not allow a point yet. RB Mason Holler ran for 195 yards and a score on 17 carries last week. He also caught a 43-yard TD pass. Alex Sprankle ran for two touchdowns.

Union (0-2) at Springdale (1-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Springdale High School Athletic Field, Springdale

Last week: New Brighton 42, Union 21; Springdale 14, Summit Academy 6

Springdale got its 100th anniversary season off to a good start with a 14-6 win at Summit Academy, ending a 25-game losing streak. Now, the Dynamos open their home season against Union. Springdale beat Union, 20-14, in the 1973 Class 2A title game. The uniqueness of that game? It is, to date, the only WPIAL title game ever played at Thomas Jefferson’s Jaguar Stadium. The Scotties lead the all-time series 7-5-1. Another oddity is the 7-7 game in 2002, called because of weather conditions in the second half, the last time an A-K Valley team played to a tie. … In last week’s victory, Will Fowler had 19 carries for 121 yards. Jackson Williams threw for 103 yards, including a 25-yard TD to Jack Swickrath. … Union is allowing an average of 38.5 ppg this season. The Scotties are looking to bounce back after a loss to New Brighton before beginning Big 7 Conference play against South Side next week. QB Stephen Lane, WR Zion Waters and RB Gianni Million lead the Scotties.

Valley (1-1) at Quaker Valley (0-2)

7 p.m. Friday, Chuck Knox Stadium, Leetsdale

Last week: Ringgold 53, Valley 7; Freedom 35, Quaker Valley 8

Last year’s result: Quaker Valley 29, Valley 20

After snapping a 25-game losing streak in Week 1, Valley dropped a decision to visiting Ringgold last week. Skyler Lincoln found Davell McWright on an 82-yard TD pass for the Vikings’ lone score. Lincoln threw for 122 yards. … Quaker Valley is looking for its first win after falling to Ambridge and Freedom in the first two weeks. RB Nathan Miller had 66 yards and a TD last week. Quentin Henderson added 99 yards on 16 carries for the Quakers.