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First-year starter Jake Pugh has helped Thomas Jefferson to a 3-0 start by passing for 674 yards and accounting for 15 touchdowns.
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With Jake Pugh at QB, Thomas Jefferson doesn't skip a beat

Steph Chambers/Post-Gazette

With Jake Pugh at QB, Thomas Jefferson doesn't skip a beat

Thomas Jefferson went 16-0 on its way to a state championship last season, and its quarterback, Shane Stump, was named all-state and the co-Post-Gazette Player of the Year.

Needless to say, Stump’s successor, senior Jake Pugh, had some big shoes to fill and some lofty team goals to shoot for.

Well, Pugh is off to a good start. Tremendous, actually. In three games, all he has done is throw for 674 yards and account for 15 touchdowns (12 passing, 3 rushing) while leading the Jaguars, once again ranked No. 1 in WPIAL and PIAA Class 4A, to an impressive 3-0 start.

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Surprising? Not at all, said Thomas Jefferson coach Bill Cherpak. After all, this teen with loads of quarterback DNA has been patiently waiting for this opportunity for several years.

North Catholic’s Nicholas Maher tries to catch the ball for a touchdown while East Allegheny’s Praishaun Gainer tries to intercept during their game against North Catholic on Friday, September 25, 2020 at East Allegheny High School.
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“The thing with Jake is, he was sitting behind Shane for three years waiting his turn,” Cherpak said. “He probably could have started at most schools for a year or two. I’m not surprised by any of this. If he didn’t have Shane in front of him, he’d probably be a three-year starter.”

Pugh and Stump are good friends. Stump is now at Duquesne University. Pugh credited him for providing the blueprint needed to potentially lead Thomas Jefferson to more postseason trophies this fall.

“Having someone successful set the path was big,” said Pugh. “All I have to do is do what he did. It’s hard to follow that up, but it gives you the perfect example.”

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After a pair of blowout wins, Pugh (5 feet 10, 160 pounds) faced his first big test last week when the Jaguars hosted Belle Vernon in a rematch of last year’s WPIAL championship. Pugh’s stat line: 14 of 24 for 213 yards and three touchdowns, and three rushing touchdowns.

“He did make some mistakes,” said Cherpak, “but the thing with him is, when he makes a mistake, he doesn’t repeat it. He’s a very intelligent kid.”

Cherpak said Pugh has a quarterback’s mind, and when you look at Pugh’s family tree, that’s no surprise. His dad, B.J., was a quarterback at West Mifflin who Cherpak once coached against. His mom, Katie, is the sister of Luke Getsy, a former quarterback at Steel Valley, Pitt and Akron who now spends his days with Aaron Rodgers as quarterbacks coach of the Green Bay Packers. Pugh is also first cousins with Tyler Bradley, a former all-state quarterback at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. Bradley’s dad, Dan, is OLSH’s coach.

Pugh praised an offensive line that had to replace three starters and a group of pass catchers led by wide receiver Ian Hansen, a 5-7 speedster who plays much bigger than his height indicates. The two have already hooked up for five touchdowns.

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Upper St. Clair

Jamaal Brown. Remember the name. The Upper St. Clair running back-linebacker appears to be another potential Power Five recruit in what is looking like an excellent sophomore class around the WPIAL and City League.

Brown spent his freshman year playing at Winter Haven High School in Florida, so he’s not exactly a household name in these parts.

“No one here really knows about me,” he said.

That could soon change.

Brown (5-11, 195) has already earned a spot as the starting middle linebacker and in last week’s 52-44 win against Latrobe showed off his quick burst and shiftiness when he needed only five carries to rush for 155 yards and three touchdowns. He scored on runs of 44, 49 and 60 yards, and also had a 10-yard touchdown catch. He finished off one of the scores by knocking down a defender with a stiff-arm.

“I think he’s got a really bright feature,” Upper St. Clair coach Mike Junko said. “I’m really excited because he’s only a sophomore. He’s a kid who will certainly garner a lot of attention the next few years just based on what I’ve seen of him.”

So why is this kid from the Sunshine State now shining in Western Pa.? The connection to the area comes from Brown’s stepdad, Scott Provost, an 1983 Upper St. Clair graduate. Brown said the family decided to move back to where Provost grew up, so Brown, his mom and younger brother made the move in March.

Brown said that while he misses the Florida weather, the transition has been smooth. Hitting it off with his new teammates has been a big reason for that, he said. He quickly formed a bond with senior Jaden Keating, a starting safety and fellow running back. Keating used to live in South Florida, not far from where Brown resided before moving to Central Florida.

“That’s what’s unbelievable,” Junko said, laughing. “Here we are at USC with two Florida kids in the starting lineup. I’m not sure if that will ever happen again.”

Brown said he will likely also play basketball and run track at Upper St. Clair.

Aliquippa

Aliquppa’s Antonyo Anderson had a Darrelle Revis-like performance in a win against Quaker Valley when he scored three touchdowns three different ways in just one quarter. A junior, Anderson accounted for consecutive Aliquippa scores via a 60-yard punt return, 34-yard reception and 30-yard fumble recovery in the second quarter of the Quips’ 73-0 romp.

This and that

Moon, Woodland Hills, Thomas Jefferson, Plum and Aliquippa are the teams in the three largest classifications that have gotten off to 3-0 starts. Thomas Jefferson has accomplished that feat now five years in a row, while Moon is 3-0 for the first time since 2006. … Aliquippa has the No. 1 scoring offense in the WPIAL and Seneca Valley the No. 1 scoring defense. The Quips are averaging 53.7 points a game and the Raiders are surrendering 1.5 a game. … Central Catholic’s Brandon Jackson returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown against North Allegheny, making it three consecutive games that he has brought back a kick or punt for a score.

Brad Everett: beverett@post-gazette.com and Twitter: @BREAL412.

First Published: October 1, 2020, 1:00 p.m.

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First-year starter Jake Pugh has helped Thomas Jefferson to a 3-0 start by passing for 674 yards and accounting for 15 touchdowns.  (Steph Chambers/Post-Gazette)
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