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Aug 30, 2024 By Rob Burchianti 3 min read

There will be plenty for fans to take in at Bill Power Stadium tonight when the Red Raiders host Perry Traditional Academy in their high school football home opener.

Then the actual game will actually begin.

The pregame festivities include the introduction of the Uniontown Area High School Academics, Arts and Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2024, which includes former Red Raiders football coach John Fortugna and football player Kevin “Age” McLee, basketball players Greg Gabriel and Dana Vaughns, basketball coach Bob Genevese and the Uniontown 2001 and 1951 football teams.

Also being inducted will be actress, television host and film producer Caitlin O’Connor along with Arnold Amber, Bert Sesler, Dr. Nicole Dice, Chuck Haines, Dr. Rebecca Maddas, Charles Castor and Daniel Coffman.

Uniontown also will hold the dedication and renaming of the high school football locker room after the late Harry Fee as the Harry Fee Red Raiders Locker Room. Fee was a former player, booster and a well-known lifelong Uniontown fan.

With all the hoopla going on before the game, Red Raiders coach Keith Jeffries is hoping his team can put on a winning performance after falling in its opener at Laurel Highlands last Friday.

“We’re hoping to bounce back from last week and have a great showing for the Hall of Fame game and hope we represent the tradition of the past teams in a positive way,” Jeffries said.

This will be Perry’s season opener.

Tonight’s slate, all with 7 p.m. kickoffs, has 13 non-conference games including 15 of the 16 local teams with Brownsville on a bye week.

The most intriguing matchup has Belle Vernon at Aliquippa. Both teams won PIAA championships last year, the Leopards in Class 3A and the Quips in Class 4A. Belle Vernon has been bumped up to Class 4A this season so a potential WPIAL playoff meeting could loom down the road.

Leopards coach Matt Humbert realizes what his team is going up against.

“Aliquippa is a team that live up to what is advertised. Chock full of Division-I talent and playmakers across the board,” Humbert said. “They don’t really have any deficiencies, and their playmaker capability is as good as you’re going to see. Can’t overstress the weaponry and firepower that they have.

“With that being said, they’re still the Aliquippa of the past with a big, physical line on both sides of the ball, like to move people.”

Tonight will be the season opener for both squads.

The Mustangs will try to ride the momentum of the opening win over Uniontown into a game at Ambridge. The Bridgers are coming off a 30-14 home win over Western Beaver.

There are two meetings of local teams with Frazier hosting Mapletown and Waynesburg Central hosting Jefferson-Morgan. The Maples, Raiders and Rockets each opened their season with Week Zero wins while the Commodores suffered a one-point loss at Summit Academy.

Also playing at home will be Connellsville (vs. Meadville), Albert Gallatin (vs. Carrick), and Southmoreland (vs. East Allegheny). The Falcons and Colonials fell last week but the Scotties rolled to a 45-20 win over visiting Valley.

Carmichaels and Beth-Center, who both, along with Belle Vernon, opted to play scrimmages during Week Zero, open their seasons on the road with the Bulldogs at Leechburg and the Mikes at Sto-Rox.

Also on the road will be California (at Cornell), Mount Pleasant (at Greensburg Central Catholic) and West Greene (at Monessen).

The Trojans are coming off an impressive 62-26 home win over Serra Catholic while the Vikings and Pioneers both suffered losses in their season openers.