McKeesport and Aliquippa Prepare for Epic Semifinal Rematch

Tagged under: District 7, News, Playoffs

Nate Grella | November 18, 2022

14 years. That’s how long it’s been since Aliquippa has not played in the WPIAL championship. Some semi-finals have been closer than others, but one thing has been set in stone every year for more than the last decade, write Aliquippa in pen at Heinz Field.

But like a new name change at the WPIAL host venue, there comes new hope that Aliquippa will be dethroned as the top team in 4A in the WPIAL. The challenger this season? A familiar face, the McKeesport Tigers.

In 2021, the Tigers and Quips met at Canon Mac Stadium on a frigid night. The Tigers went up 14-0, however the Quips battled back, tying up the game with over a minute left in the first half. The Tigers went up again with a pick 6, but the Quips once again responded to send the game into overtime. The Tigers went on defense first, stopping the Quips four straight times. On McKeesport’s following drive, a field goal attempt went wide right. In double OT, the Tigers fumbled, meaning any Quip score on the next attempt would win. A 6 yard bootleg pass from Quinten Goode to Jayce Williams sent the Tigers packing.

That matchup in 2021 came after nearly 60 years of not seeing each other, now the Tigers and Quips will face off for the second year in a row. The Tigers are coming off of a messy 21 point win over Armstrong, while Aliquippa handled Montour with the same deftness and efficiency they showed in the regular season.

The names are all back for the Quips, and they’re thinking about more than just a WPIAL championship after they’re run to win it all in 2021. Quentin Goode returns at QB. Tiqwai Hayes, who’s breakout semifinal against McKeesport a year ago catapulted the sophomore to talks of leaping to the division 1 level, returns. John Tracy returns as Robin to Hayes Batman. At skill positions it’s a who’s who of top WPIAL athletes. Nate Lindsay, Donovan Walker, Cameron Lindsay and Brandon Banks are all back and make life hectic for any quarterback or secondary.

In the trenches, the Quips are deadly. Neco Eberhardt, Naquan Crowder, and Jason McBride Jr. have all been starters for years, and make up one of the most deep and talented offensive and defensive lines in the region.

For McKeesport, a bit of a changing of the guard. Gone are Kanye Thompson and Caleb Reist and in their stead are even more versatile offensive weapons. Bobbie Boyd Jr. has arisen as one of the top talents in the WPIAL, and was a favorite to win the WPIAL player of the year until his injury mid-season. Next to him in the backfield is Jahmil Perryman, a converted RB to QB who hasn’t been afraid to show some arm talent throughout the season.

The storylines write themselves. One team, inevitable, the staple of consistency and determination in WPIAL football, looking to add one more year to a stadium ribbon being built in Aliquippa that’s already running out of room. The other, a team that watched on their couch as the confetti dropped at Hershey Park last November, wondering if that could have been them.

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