Westmoreland County football notebook: Central Catholic QB set for Norwin homecoming

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, November 18, 2021 | 11:01 AM

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Payton Wehner hoped he could pilot Central Catholic back to the WPIAL finals so the Vikings could chase down a third straight Class 6A championship.

But the sophomore quarterback was hoping to play at Heinz Field.

“You know, when I heard it wasn’t going to be at Heinz, I was bummed because that would’ve been a very surreal moment,” Wehner said.

The next best site, at least for Wehner, might be Norwin Knights Stadium.

He lives in North Huntingdon and grew up playing youth football in the district.

Central Catholic (9-2) will take on Mt. Lebanon (11-0) at 7 p.m. Saturday at Norwin for the WPIAL title.

The other five WPIAL finals are at Heinz Field next Friday and Saturday.

“When I heard it was at Norwin, I was super excited that I would be able to come back to my hometown and play for a WPIAL championship,” Wehner said. “All of my family will be there and a lot of friends have texted me telling me they will be there. I know Central fans will show out as they always do. Many have told me it will be a packed house.”

Wehner has bittersweet memories of last year’s WPIAL final because he suffered an injury during a 38-24 win over North Allegheny at North Hills’ Martorelli Stadium.

Wehner was running the ball when he was hit and broke two bones in his right leg. He had offseason surgery and came back stronger.

He has led the offense all season and will look to contribute to a third straight title.

Wehner has completed 112 of 180 passes for 1,362 yards and 16 touchdowns. He has just two interceptions.

Fast start?

When Penn-Trafford played at Pine-Richland in last year’s WPIAL Class 5A semifinal, the Warriors scored first with an impressive opening drive that had efficiency and trickery.

Cade Yacamelli took a snap and handed off to quarterback Ethan Carr for a big gain. That set up some trickeration as Chase Vecchio took an end around, stopped and delivered a 7-yard strike to Carr, who looked more like the wideout he was recruited as than the starting quarterback.

Pine-Richland, though, rolled to a 49-14 win en route to WPIAL and PIAA titles.

Of that group of Warriors mentioned, only Yacamelli returned this season. He thinks another fast start is crucial for the second-seeded Warriors (9-2) to have a shot against the defensively sound Rams (7-4), the No. 3 seed.

“Momentum is huge in a game like this,” said Yacamelli, a Wisconsin commit who has rushed for 1,290 yards and 16 touchdowns this season. “Pine is very physical and strong like they were last year. As of right now, this is the game of the year because it’s the next game. We just have to execute as a team and keep climbing the ladder.”

‘The Play’

Belle Vernon quarterback Devin Whitlock had the play of the year in Westmoreland County when the Leopards played Thomas Jefferson in September. His dazzling, 40-yard touchdown run with 4.5 seconds remaining lifted Belle Vernon past their nemesis Jaguars, 28-21, at James Weir Stadium.

The run came on fourth-and-13 with overtime lurking.

People still talk about the play in Belle Vernon. Thomas Jefferson doesn’t ooh and aah over it but knows it can’t allow something similar Friday in the Class 4A semifinal at West Mifflin.

Whitlock, who ran for 163 yards and two touchdowns in the win, used two key blocks — from senior Cole Weightman and sophomore Jake Gedekoh — to springboard his way to the game-winner.

“It was one of the most clutch plays that I’ve ever seen,” Leopards coach Matt Humbert said. “I knew what play I was going to if we had to. It’s not in our wheelhouse just to drop back, chuck it up and throw Hail Mary balls. Not that we couldn’t do it. Just at the end of the day, I want the ball in Devin’s hands. There are times when if we sputter offensively, screw the game plan, get the ball to him, get him downhill, end of story.”

Said Thomas Jefferson coach Bill Cherpak: “You knew what was coming. We just couldn’t stop them.”

Humbert knows the Jaguars will be trying to limit Whitlock on Friday and nothing will come easy.

Belle Vernon hasn’t beaten Thomas Jefferson two times in a row since 2000. Since 2003, Thomas Jefferson is 20-3 against the Leopards.

“TJ will methodically be preparing (for Whitlock),” Humbert said. “It’s going to be a slugfest, no doubt about it.”

Recruiting

Belle Vernon senior outside linebacker Reiley Wiant will continue his playing career at Saint Vincent. Wiant (6-2, 200) has 28 tackles, including four for loss, for the Leopards.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Belle Vernon, Central Catholic, Penn-Trafford