Pioneers ride balanced attack to 53-12 win over Brownsville
West Greene quarterback Wes Whipkey (2) throws a 20-yard touchdown pass to Nathan Orndoff as Brownsville’s Landon Brown (20) applies pressure during Friday night’s game at Kennedy Field. Casey Miller (55) blocks for Whipkey, who threw three touchdown passes in the Pioneers’ 53-12 win. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
West Greene’s Nathan Orndoff (12) is tackled by Brownsville’s Thomas Baker (22) after pulling in a pass from quarterback Wes Whipkey during Friday night’s game at Kennedy Field. Orndoff caught two touchdown passes in the Pioneers’ 53-12 win. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
Brownsville running back Eric Allen (2) eyes up West Greene's Bryce Anderson (27) during Friday night's game at Kennedy Field. Allen scored both of the Falcons' touchdowns in a 53-12 loss to the Pioneers.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
West Greene quarterback Wes Whipkey (2) hands the ball off to Colin Brady (13) during Friday night’s game against Brownsville at Kennedy Field.
ROGERSVILLE — West Greene had arguably the best rushing attack in the WPIAL a year ago.
The Pioneers don’t have record-breaking running back Benjamin Jackson any more, the 2020 graduate having moved on to Army’s football team, so it’s turned to a more balanced attack this season.
That worked out well in a 53-12 non-conference victory over visiting Brownsville at Kennedy Field on Friday night.
Wes Whipkey threw three touchdown passes and Corey Wise made a triumphant return from a knee injury with two long scoring runs as West Greene improved to 2-3 overall on a night when playing a game at all was up in the air just a few days ago.
The Pioneers were originally scheduled to host Monessen and celebrate senior night and homecoming Friday night, but the Greyhounds wound up forfeiting their final three games due to a dwindling roster.
Athletic director Bill Simms found out Brownsville was suddenly off also with COVID-19 issues at Southmoreland forcing the Scotties to postpone their game Friday night as well. The Falcons, under first-year coach Ramont Small, agreed to come to West Greene for a non-conference match-up.
“We were on eggshells because we heard rumors that Monessen was going to forfeit,” Pioneers coach Brian Hanson said. “It’s hard to prepare for a team if you don’t know if you’re going to have a game or not. I’m glad it worked out and we got a game in.”
West Greene was able to honor seniors Wyatt Hoag, Brayden Mooney and Hayden Ross.
The Pioneers wasted little time taking control of the game against the Falcons (0-6), jumping out to a 20-0 lead in the first quarter as Whipkey threw touchdown passes of 30 yards to Dalton Lucey and 20 yards to Nathan Orndoff before Wise broke free for a 34-yard TD run.
West Greene extended its lead to 47-0 by halftime on a 2-yard scoring pass from Whipkey to Orndoff and touchdowns runs of 20 yards by freshman Colin Brady, 59 yards by Wise and 5 yards by freshman Seth Burns.
Whipkey was 5-for-5 passing for 79 yards. Orndoff had three receptions for 49 yards and two TDs and Lucey had a pair of catches for 30 yards and one score.
“I thought we played well,” Hanson said. “I know Brownsville is a little shorthanded. We’ve been shorthanded all season, too. I’ve seen glimpses of us improving. It was an overall good win, especially after last week, we took a bitter loss to Bentworth (48-40).”
Orndoff, a junior, moved over from his wide receiver position last year to play quarterback for West Greene during the latter part of the season, but is back at wide receiver in 2020.
“Nathan is an overall very good athlete,” Hanson said. “We knew he was going to be a weapon for us somewhere. We play him all over.”
Both of Brownsville’s touchdowns were scored by junior running back Eric Allen in the second half. Allen got the Falcons on the board with a 55-yard run in the third quarter and added a 31-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Johnny Lampe, brother of West Greene’s famed sister trio of senior Katie Lampe and graduated twins Madison and McKenna Lampe, made it three different freshmen with touchdown runs on the night as he capped the scoring with a 3-yard run. Lampe also had a 2-point conversion run in the first quarter.
“I think we have the potential to have a really good running game,” Hanson said. “It’s not like last year where you could put 10 in a box and we’re still going to run you over. We knew we were going to have to be more balanced coming into this year to have a good offense, and some guys have really stepped up. Wes Whipkey has done a nice job playing quarterback and has made some big plays for us. I think all of our skill guys can catch the ball pretty good.”
Hanson still sees the rushing attack as his team’s bread and butter, though, and was happy to have Wise, an all-conference player as a sophomore last year, back in the fold.
“It was nice to get Corey Wise out there again tonight,” Hanson said. “We didn’t have him in the Bentworth game because he got his knee banged up in the Carmichaels game. He’s a good player and a difference maker. We need him. He really balances out our run game. Brady is our speed guy. Corey’s got good speed, too, but he’s a bruiser. He can pound up in there and get yards between the tackles.”
Wise only had four carries but racked up 101 yards and two touchdowns. Lampe ran five times for 48 yards and Brady also rushed for 48 yards in 10 attempts.
Hanson sees an emerging star in Brady, who has rushed for a team-high 536 yards despite playing with an injury.
“He’s had a cast on ever since the first game of the season against Mapletown,” Hanson said. “Tonight was his first game without it.
“He’s got that breakaway speed. He had 22 carries for over 200 yards last week against Bentworth. In that regard he reminds you of Ben. When he gets out in the open he can take it all the way. He’s a freshman so he’s still raw but we’re excited about him.
“We think the sky’s the limit for him.”