WPIAL PREVIEW: Steve Richey Previews this weeks matchups
Tagged under: District 7, Gameday Hub, News
Steve Richey | September 11, 2020
6A Quad County Conference:
Canon-McMillan Big Macs (3-5, 3-8) at Central Catholic Vikings (7-1, 12-2) at Graham Field, Wilkinsburg: Canon-McMillan will look to make the playoffs for the third consecutive season after bowing out in the first round the previous two years. The Big Macs return several starters on both sides of the ball including leading rusher, Ryan Angott, who is back after rushing for 896 yards last year. Central Catholic enters the 2020 season as the defending WPIAL champion. They made it to the PIAA semifinals before losing to St. Joseph’s Prep. The Vikings do not return many starters on offense but will have 2,000+ yard rusher Eddy Tillman back. Central Catholic won this matchup 44-0 last year.
Hempfield Spartans (2-6, 4-6) at Norwin Knights (1-7, 2-8): A matchup of two teams that missed the playoffs last year. Hempfield was ravaged with injuries a season ago and will have a very inexperienced team this year. The Spartans will return Roman Pellis, a wide receiver that had 32 catches for 456 yards last season. Norwin was another team that dealt with multiple injuries last year, mainly on the lines. The Knights return their leading receiver from a year ago, tight end Tanner Krevokuch. Hempfield defeated Norwin 34-17 last year.
5A Allegheny Six Conference:
Bethel Park Blackhawks (5-2, 7-4) at Upper St Clair Panthers (4-3, 7-5): These two teams both made it to the WPIAL quarterfinals last year but appear to be headed in different directions this year. Bethel Park returns just one starter and that is sophomore linebacker Gavin Moul. Upper St Clair, on the otherhand, have 17 returning starters and obvious experience all over the field. Ethan Dahlem returns as a dual-threat quarterback after throwing for 2,219 yards and running for 952 yards last season. His favorite target, David Pantelis, also returns after amassing 1,154 yards. Bethel Park won last year’s meeting 14-13 in the final week.
West Allegheny Indians (2-5, 3-6) at Moon Tigers (6-1, 9-3): West Allegheny missed the 5A playoffs last season after reaching the title game in 2018. The Indians will have their second head coach in as many years but will have eight returning starters on both sides of the ball including 1,000-yard passer Gavin Miller and leading rusher Nico Flati. Moon also return eight starters on both sides of the ball from their conference championship team from last season. The Tigers were the 4-seed in the playoffs last season but were ousted by a Peters Township team they had beaten in the regular season. Like many other teams in the section, they return an excellent QB-WR combo in Ty McGowan and Dawson Snyder. The Tigers defeated the Indians 14-12 in the final week last year.
5A Big East Conference:
Connellsville Falcons (0-6, 2-8) at Woodland Hills Wolverines (1-6, 3-7): Connellsville began last year with a win and ended the year with a win but lost eight straight in the middle to derail their season. The Falcons had the third-worst defense in 5A at 37.8 points allowed per game. Ky’ron Craggette returns after rushing for 1,010 yards last year. Woodland Hills saw their playoff streak of 23 consecutive years come to an end last year, however they did finish the season 3-1 in their last four games. The Wolverines slide over to a new conference as they are aligned with teams more local. Woodland Hills should be very good on the lines and are expected to be a top defense in 5A.
Franklin Regional Panthers (3-3, 4-5) at Gateway Gators (5-1, 12-3): Franklin Regional entered the 5A playoffs as the 13-seed last year and were defeated 35-7 by Moon. The Panthers have seven starters back on both sides of the ball, which includes their starting quarterback and top four receivers. Gateway is the defending WPIAL champion, winning the title game 21-20 over Peters Township. They lost to the eventual champion in the PIAA semifinal round. The Gators have one of the best players in the nation in running back/defensive back Derrick Davis. Davis ran for 1,507 yards and scored 28 touchdowns last year. Gateway defeated Franklin Regional 31-0 last year.
Latrobe Wildcats (2-4, 5-6) at Penn-Trafford Warriors (6-0, 11-2): Latrobe qualified for the 5A playoffs last year as the fifth-place team in the conference. The Wildcats were the 14-seed and were trounced 56-17 by Penn Hills. Latrobe will have several returning starters but appear to be inexperienced at the skill positions. Penn-Trafford will have the most roster turnover in the section after making it to the 5A semifinals last year. The Warriors will move their top receiver, Ethan Carr, to the quarterback position this year. Penn-Trafford defeated Latrobe 39-7 last year.
5A Northeast Conference:
Fox Chapel Foxes (3-4, 4-7): at Pine-Richland Rams (7-1, 10-2): Fox Chapel earned the 5A Wild Card last season and were defeated by #1 seed Penn-Trafford 48-7 in the first round of the playoffs. The Foxes return their top receiver, Lorenzo Jenkins, but must replace their quarterback and top running back. Pine-Richland drops down from 6A where they were 39-5 over the past three seasons, reaching the final in all three. The Rams are stacked yet again as they return quarterback Cole Spencer, who threw for 2,994 yards and 36 touchdowns last season. Eli Jochem also returns after catching 71 passes for 1,065 yards.
Shaler Titans (3-4, 4-7) at North Hills Indians (5-2, 6-5): Shaler was the 15 seed in last year’s 5A playoffs and they gave #2 Gateway all they could handle in a 35-21 defeat. The Titans will be very experienced on the lines but will have some question marks at the skill positions. North Hills earned a home first round playoff game last year with their second-place finish in the conference, however they were defeated by #9 Upper St. Clair by a score of 34-16 in the first round. The Indians will once again be a run-heavy offense with two returning running backs that ran for over 400 yards last year in Curtis Foskey and Tyler Tomasic. North Hills defeated Shaler 19-12 last year.
4A Big Eight Conference:
Belle Vernon Leopards (6-1, 10-2) at McKeesport Tigers (4-2, 9-4): A massive first week at the top of the conference. Belle Vernon made a trip to the 4A championship game last year and only had two losses all year, both at the hands of 16-0 Thomas Jefferson by scores of 34-7 and 41-7. The Leopards have a tall task this season as they lost a lot of talent at the skill positions. Devin Whitlock will be looked upon to do a lot of them as well as their experienced lines. McKeesport moves down from 5A after being a semifinalist last year and losing to the eventual champion, Gateway, by a score of 14-7. The Tigers do lose their quarterback who accounted for 1,561 yards rushing and 33 touchdowns last year, but their wishbone offense style is tough to defend.
Ringgold Rams (1-6, 2-8) at Trinity Hillers (4-3, 4-5): Ringgold was one of the worst teams in 4A last year as they scored only 7.9 points per game on offense and allowed 41.1 per game on defense. Trinity returns a few key pieces on their offense as Micah Finley and Drew Cain return to the backfield. The Hillers also have a lot of experience and size on the offensive line. Trinity defeated Ringgold 35-7 last season.
Thomas Jefferson Jaguars (7-0, 16-0) at West Mifflin Titans (0-7, 0-11): Thomas Jefferson is the reigning WPIAL and PIAA champion. They averaged 46.2 points per game on offense while only allowing 4.3 per game. The Jaguars lose a lot of talent from that team, but wide receiver Ian Hansen is back after catching 36 passes for 738 yards and 10 touchdowns last year. West Mifflin was 4-3, 5-6 last season but had to forfeit their victories after the season due to using an illegible player. They were ousted 52-0 in the first round of the playoffs as the #7 seed and will be ineligible for the playoffs this season as part of their penalty. The Titans have two of the best linemen in the WPIAL in Nahki Johnson, a Pitt recruit, and J’Shawn Schofield, who is 6’2”, 285 pounds. Thomas Jefferson defeated West Mifflin 53-0 last year.
4A Greater Allegheny Conference:
Hampton Talbots (2-5, 2-8) at Mars Planets (4-3, 6-5): This game was a 5A conference game last season as Mars defeated Hampton 27-7 in a battle of two teams that have now made the move down to 4A. Hampton started the season 2-1 and 2-0 in the conference, however they would go on to lose their final seven games. The Talbots return starting quarterback, Matt DeMatteo, and his top target, Gage Galuska. Mars is slated by many to be at the top of this conference. The Planets were demolished 47-6 in the first round of the 5A playoffs as the 12-seed last season. They return one of the top rushers in the WPIAL as Teddy Ruffner is back after rushing for 1,919 yards and 26 touchdowns last year.
Highlands Golden Rams (3-4, 3-7) at Knoch Knights: (4-3, 6-4): Highlands nearly snuck into the playoffs last year despite starting the season 0-4. The Golden Rams should be near the top of the conference as they return eight starters on both sides of the ball. Quarterback, Chandler Thimons, threw for 1,363 yards last year and leading rusher, Brock White, also returns after rushing for 809 yards. Knoch started last season 5-0 but stumbled down the stretch and lost to both Montour and New Castle, which turned out to be the tiebreaker for the final playoff spot. The Knights lost a 1,000-yard rusher to graduation and will also have to replace their quarterback. Knoch defeated Highlands 24-0 last year.
Indiana Little Indians (2-5, 2-8) at Armstrong Riverhawks (0-7, 1-8): Indiana only won one game last year (the other was by forfeit) as they had the second-worst defense in 4A at 43.9 points allowed per game. The Little Indians’ strength this year should their lines as they will be very young and inexperienced at the skill positions. Armstrong is another team that moves down from 5A, but they are riding an eight-game losing streak as their only victory last year was a 42-13 triumph over Indiana. Quarterback Cole Brown is one of only a few returning starters for the Riverhawks.
Plum Mustangs (1-5, 3-7) at Greensburg Salem Golden Lions: (5-2, 5-6): Plum is another team that is moving down from 5A and will have 17 returning starters. The Mustangs averaged 24.2 points on offense last year but had the worst defense in 5A at 38.8 points allowed per game. They return a ton of firepower on offense as both quarterbacks they used last year are back, in addition to their top two receivers and leading rusher. Greensburg Salem qualified for the 4A playoffs last year, were selected as the #5 seed, and were blown out 36-7 by Blackhawk. The Golden Lions return top rusher, Alex Briggs, and will have the experienced offensive line to create holes for him.
4A Parkway Conference:
Aliquippa Quips (6-1, 11-2) at New Castle Red Hurricane (4-3, 6-5): Aliquippa moves up from 3A after the PIAA forced them up with their competition formula. The Quips are a 1A-sized school but are still expected to compete for the conference championship. They lost in the 3A championship game by a score of 13-12 to Central Valley. Aliquippa returns Vaughn Morris after throwing for 1,173 yards and 18 touchdowns. Vernon Redd rushed for 716 yards and 14 touchdowns last year. New Castle entered as the #6 seed in the 4A playoffs last year and were defeated 49-6 by Belle Vernon. The Red Hurricane return Michael Wells, who threw for 1,450 yards and 13 touchdowns last year. His top target, Donny Cade, is also back after putting up 477 yards receiving last year.
Beaver Bobcats (1-6, 2-8) at Blackhawk Cougars (5-2, 7-5): Beaver suffered through one of their worst seasons in recent memory last year as injuries and inexperience plagued them. The Bobcats will get a few key pieces back in QB Brady Hansen and WR James Finch as they are both back after tearing their ACL’s before the start of 2019. Blackhawk only return three starters on both sides of the ball after their semifinal appearance last season. The Cougars defeated Beaver 38-12 in the final week last year.
Chartiers Valley Colts (0-7, 2-8) at Montour Spartans (4-3, 5-6): Chartiers Valley moves down from 5A and carries a seven-game losing streak with them as they started last year with a 2-1 record. The Colts return a few important pieces on offense in Anthony Mackey and Socrates Boulis. Montour qualified for the 4A playoffs last season and were promptly bounced by #1 seed Thomas Jefferson by a score of 49-7. The Spartans had a lot of close losses last year and return Luke Persinger at quarterback, who missed time with an injury last year.
3A Allegheny Seven Conference:
Burrell Buccaneers (4-4, 6-4) at Valley Vikings (0-6, 1-9): Burrell had a winning record last season for the first time since 2012. The Buccaneers lost a lot of skill-position talent from that team but do return QB Alex Arledge, who threw for 2,462 yards and 27 touchdowns last season. The other four starters that return on offense are all on the line. Valley will move up from 2A after going 1-9 last season. The Vikings do have 14 returning starters and only lost their final six games by an average margin of 9.8 points per game. Burrell defeated Valley by a score of 20-0 last year in a non-classification game.
Deer Lakes Lancers (3-5, 3-7) at Freeport Yellowjackets (3-5, 4-5): Deer Lakes had an extremely up-and-down season last year as they lost their first two games, won their next three games, and proceeded to lose their final five games to miss the playoffs. The Lancers lost almost all their skill position players from last year and will need a young core to mature quickly. Freeport missed the playoffs last year despite averaging 31.3 points per game offensively. The Yellowjackets only return two starters on each side of the ball and much like Deer Lakes, they will need the young guys to step up quickly. Freeport defeated Deer Lakes 40-21 last season.
North Catholic Trojans (8-0, 8-2) at Derry Area Trojans (7-1, 9-3): North Catholic won the conference last season and were the #3 seed in the 3A playoffs but were upset by #6 South Park in the first round by a score of 32-27. The Trojans will have to replace their starting quarterback but do return top receiver, Nick Maher, who had 853 yards and 12 touchdowns last year. Derry made it to the 3A semifinals last year before being blown out 42-7 by eventual PIAA runner-up Central Valley. The Trojans will have a new coach this year and will have to replace a lot of their all-conference players. North Catholic beat Derry 13-3 last year.
3A Interstate Conference:
Elizabeth Forward Warriors (6-2, 7-3) at Yough Cougars (1-7, 1-9): Elizabeth Forward returns seven starters on each side of the ball as they look to build upon their playoff appearance from a year ago. The Warriors allowed 12.3 points per game, which was tops in their conference, and return defensive end Chase Whatton, who has over 30 scholarship offers. Yough returns 16 starters from their 1-9 team, including quarterback Gamal Marballie, who threw for 1,334 yards and ran for 708 last season. The Cougars also return wide receiver CJ Waldier, who was the 2019 WPIAL runner-up in receptions with 72. They need to improve on defense where they allowed an average of 41.0 points per game. Elizabeth Forward defeated Yough 38-6 last season.
South Allegheny Gladiators (3-4, 4-6) at Mount Pleasant Vikings (4-4, 5-6): South Allegheny moves up from 2A after narrowly missing the playoffs last season. The Gladiators do return 15 players including some big playmakers in Antonio Epps and Jeff Jones. Epps rushed for 1,307 yards last season. Mount Pleasant qualified for the 3A playoffs least season and were defeated by #1 Central Valley 42-6 in the first round. The Vikings lost their two leading running backs from last year but do return quarterback Asher O’Connor, who threw for 719 yards last year.
South Park Eagles (4-3, 5-6) at Southmoreland Scotties (4-3, 5-6): South Park were surprise semi-finalists in 3A last year after defeating #3 seed North Catholic 32-27 in the first round. The Eagles lost 21-7 to WPIAL runner-up Aliquippa in the semifinal round. Nathan May returns after leading the team in receiving and being the second-leading rusher. Southmoreland moves up from 2A after qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 1979. The Scotties stay in the playoffs was short lived as they lost 41-0 in the first round to #2 Avonworth. They won their first five games but lost their final six games and have some holes to fill. Zach Cernuto does return after throwing for 1,792 yards and 15 touchdowns last year.
3A Northwestern Six Conference:
Central Valley Warriors (7-0, 13-2) at Hopewell Vikings (2-5, 2-8): Central Valley is looking to defend their WPIAL title after winning 13-12 over Aliquippa last season. They lost 21-14 in the PIAA final to Wyoming Area but return numerous key pieces and are expected to have another excellent season. The Warriors return QB Ameer Dudley who threw for 1,938 years and 23 touchdowns whil running for 555 yards and 10 touchdowns. Stephon Hall also returns after scoring 11 touchdowns a year ago. Hopewell will return seven starters on both sides of the ball as they look to close games better this season. The Vikings do return leading rusher, Micah Kimbrough, who will likely be under center this year. Central Valley defeated Hopewell 63-28 last season.
Keystone Oaks Golden Eagles (3-4, 6-4) at Ambridge Bridgers (0-7, 0-10): Keystone Oaks returns 15 starters total from last season’s team that missed the 3A playoffs by one game. Quarterback Logan Shrubb returns after throwing for 1,590 yards, rushing for 1,231 yards, and accounting for 28 total touchdowns. The Golden Eagles also return four starters in the trenches. Ambridge drops down to 3A after being the worst team on offense (4.7 points per game) and defense (44.3 points per game) in 4A last season. The Bridgers are 1-38 combined the last four seasons.
Quaker Valley Quakers (1-6, 2-7) at Avonworth Antelopes (6-0, 15-1): Quaker Valley returns 20 starters from last season’s team that allowed 40.0 points per game. Despite having 20 returning starters, the Quakers will only have three seniors on the roster. Avonworth is the defending 2A WPIAL champions after defeating Washington 28-6, but must now move up to 3A. The Antelopes lost 74-7 to Southern Columbia in the PIAA championship game. They lost a lot of their playmakers from last season but do return some quality depth that saw a lot of action last year.
2A Allegheny Conference:
Ligonier Valley Rams (12-1) at Apollo-Ridge Vikings (4-2, 7-4): Ligonier Valley makes the move to the WPIAL after spending the last 50 years playing in district six. The Rams had 16 players graduate last year, those seniors went 51-4 over four seasons. Apollo-Ridge was the second-place team in their section last year and earned the #7 seed before losing in the first round, 35-21, to New Brighton. The Vikings return 17 players on offense and defense. They should have a lot of offensive firepower as they return quarterback Jake Fello, who threw for 1,110 yards, running back Logan Harmon, who ran for 1,415 yards, and wide receiver Klay Fitzroy, who caught 33 passes for 621 yards.
Steel Valley Ironmen (3-3, 4-5) at Serra Catholic Eagles (4-3, 6-5): Steel Valley lost their first three games last year and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2013. The Ironmen return NiJhay Burt, who led the team with 730 yards rushing. Ronnell Lawrence returns under center after throwing for 272 yards last season. Serra Catholic qualified for the playoffs last year and earned the 13th seed before losing to #4 Neshannock by a score of 31-13. The Eagles return 17 starters including quarterback Max Rocco, who threw for 1,078 yards last year.
2A Century Conference:
Beth-Center Bulldogs (0-7, 1-9) at Waynesburg Raiders (0-7, 2-8): Beth-Center had a rare season to forget last year as injuries depleted their lineup, ending their bid for a 17th consecutive playoff appearance. Quarterback Colby Kuhns returns following an ACL injury in game two of the season after he had thrown for 287 and four touchdowns in the opener. Waynesburg welcomes the drop from 3A to 2A after dealing with Beaver County teams the past two seasons. The Raiders will have no easy task in this conference, however quarterback Darnell Johnson returns after throwing for 473 yards and rushing for 689 yards last year.
Charleroi Cougars (5-2, 7-3) at Frazier Commodores (2-5, 3-7): Charleroi qualified for the playoffs, received the #9 seed, and lost to #8 Freedom 21-14 in the first round. The Cougars will have to replace a lot of their offensive talent, but their line play should allow the skill players some time to make plays and gain experience. Frazier started last season 0-6 but a 3-1 finish has them carrying some excitement into this season. The Commodores return 10 starters on offense and eight on defense. Charleroi defeated Frazier 45-6 last year.
Washington Little Prexies (7-0, 13-1) at McGuffey Highlanders (6-1, 9-3): This game is likely for the conference title. Washington earned the #1 seed last season and made it to the WPIAL championship game before losing 28-6 to PIAA runner-up Avonworth. The Little Prexies must replace a lot of seniors that had a four-year record of 47-5. McGuffey return 17 starters on both sides of the ball and expectations are high. The Highlanders earned the 6th seed last year and defeated South Side 54-23 in the first round before losing 41-27 to #14 seed Riverisde. McKinley Whipkey returns after leading the team with 817 yards rushing. Washington defeated McGuffey 36-14 last year.
2A Midwestern Conference:
Beaver Falls Tigers (5-2, 8-3) at Riverside Panthers (4-3, 8-4): Beaver Falls drops down from 3A after making the playoffs last year as the #5 seed. The Tigers have extremely high aspirations this year as they return talent on both sides. Josh Hough (1,273 yards) and Shileak Livingston (1,107 yards) come back to create one of the best, if not the best, backfield duo in the WPIAL. Riverside was the Cinderella story of the 2A playoffs last year as they entered as the 14th seed, defeated 3rd seed Burgettstown 42-35, and defeated 6th seed McGuffey 41-27 before losing the eventual WPIAL champion Avonworth 41-14. The Panthers lost a lot of production to graduation but do return running back Hunter Nulph, who ran for 1,311 yards last year.
Laurel Spartans (5-2, 7-3) at Neshannock Lancers (6-1, 9-3): Laurel moves up to 2A after narrowly missing the 1A playoffs the last two seasons. The lines should be the strength of the Spartans, but they also return Luke McCoy, who ran for over 1,000 yards as a freshman but missed most of last year with a knee injury. Neshannock won the conference championship last year, earned the #4 seed, and defeated Serra Catholic 31-13 in the first round before losing 20-0 to #5 Brentwood. The Lancers return their entire offensive line from a season ago.
Mohawk Warriors (1-6, 2-8) at Ellwood City Wolverines (0-7, 0-10): Two of the worst teams in 2A last year will square off in this matchup. Mohawk enter this game on a two-game winning streak after starting last season by losing their first eight. The Warriors return a trio of running backs who combined for 1,193 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. Ellwood City was shut out in six games last season and allowed an average of 37.8 points per game on defense. The Wolverines return 19 starters total and will have the same head coach in back-to-back seasons for the first time in five years. Mohawk defeated Ellwood City 17-13 last year.
New Brighton Lions (5-2, 8-4) at Freedom Bulldogs (5-2, 8-4): These two teams both made it to the 2A quarterfinals last season. New Brighton was the 9 seed and defeated #8 Apollo-Ridge 35-21 before losing to #2 Avonworth 38-13. The Lions return a myriad of starters including their top two rushers from a year ago in NyaSanu Greene and Kei’Ondre Abercrombie. Freedom was the 7 seed and defeated #10 Charleroi 21-14 before losing to #1 Washington 28-0. The Bulldogs return 17 starters including quarterback Cole Beck (1,167 yards and 15 touchdowns) and running back Brett Boyd (659 yards and seven touchdowns). Freedom defeated New Brighton 24-21 last season.
2A Three Rivers Conference:
Seton LaSalle Rebels (2-5, 2-7) at Brentwood Spartans (6-1, 10-3): Seton-LaSalle struggled offensively last season and only averaged 14.3 points per game. The Rebels only return nine starters combined which includes leading rusher, Gabe Finale, who ran for 489 yards last year. Brentwood is coming off a semifinal appearance in the 2A playoffs last year. The Spartans had the best defense in 2A, allowing 10.5 points per game. Aiden Wardzinski is back after rushing for 1,034 yards, catching 52 passes for 695 yards, and scoring 14 total touchdowns. Brentwood beat Seton LaSalle 34-23 last year.
Sto-Rox Vikings (6-1, 11-2) at Carlynton Cougars (2-5, 3-7): Sto-Rox makes the jump up from 1A after losing in the championship game a year ago. It won’t be an easy transition for the Vikings as they lost Eric Wilson to graduation. Wilson was only the ninth quarterback in WPIAL history to throw for more than 7,000 yards. Zay Davis returns after rushing for 716 yards and catching 32 passes for 338 yards as a freshman. Carlynton won their first two games last season only to lose their next seven. The Cougars will be extremely young again and will rely on their experienced lines to allow other positions to catch up to speed.
Western Beaver Golden Beavers (4-3, 7-3) at South Side Rams (4-3, 5-6): Western Beaver defeated three playoff teams last season but missed out on playoffs due to losing a tiebreaker with Riverside. The Golden Beavers return 19 starters and have a new head coach in Ryan Matsook, who led Beaver Falls to a PIAA title in 2016. They have talent all over the field and will look to challenge for the conference championship. South Side were blown out as the 11 seed in the 2A playoffs, losing 54-23 to #6 McGuffey. The Rams return eight starters on each side of the ball with a lot of young skill players lining up behind an experienced line. These two teams met in a non-conference game last season in which Western Beaver defeated South Side 30-28.
1A Big Seven Conference:
Fort Cherry Rangers (0-7, 0-10) at Burgettstown Blue Devils (7-0, 9-1): Fort Cherry welcomes a move down from 2A where they scored the fewest points in the WPIAL last year at an average of 2.8 points per game. The Rangers do return 16 starters including the leading rusher from last season, Chase Belsterling. Burgettstown will also make the move down to 1A after bowing out of the first round of the 2A playoffs when they were upset 42-35 as the #3 seed by #14 Riverside. The Blue Devils only allowed 11.2 points per game last season and will look to the defense to keep them in games early as graduation hit the offense hard. Burgettstown defeated Fort Cherry 42-0 last year.
OLSH Chargers (5-2, 7-4) at Cornell Raiders (6-1, 9-2): OLSH graduates only three players from last years playoff appearance that saw them lose 41-0 in the first round to #1 seed Clairton. The Chargers should be explosive offensively as they return quarterback Jaymar Pearson who threw for 1,074, ran for 738 yards, and accounted for 26 touchdowns. The offensive line returns four starters. Cornell earned the #4 seed last season and defeated #5 California 32-27 before losing 39-0 to WPIAL champion Clairton. The Raiders lost a lot of talent from that team and will look for a youth movement this season. Cornell defeated OLSH 22-14 last year.
Rochester Rams (2-5, 3-7) at Northgate Flames (0-7, 0-9): Rochester suffered through a rare down season as they had a lot of roster turnover prior to last year. The Rams return 18 starters this year and are riding a three-game winning streak into the 2020 season, even though the teams they beat were a combined 5-24. Northgate enters 2020 on a 24-game losing streak but they do return 20 starters. The Flames gave up the most points in the WPIAL last season at a whopping 51.1 points per game. Rochester defeated Northgate 50-16 last season.
Union Scotties (3-4, 3-7) at Shenango Wildcats (3-4, 6-4): Union returns seven starters on both sides of the ball including 6’4”, 295-pound lineman Aaron Gunn, who committed to Louisville. The Scotties will be thin at the skill positions and need to improve on a defense that allowed 31.6 points per game last year. Shenango moves down from 2A after missing the playoffs by one game last season. The Wildcats return their leading rusher from a year ago in Reis Watkins, who ran for 1,269 yards. Watkins will now play quarterback as a fill-in for an injury to the starter. Shenango defeated Union 24-13 in a non-classification matchup last year.
1A Eastern Conference:
Clairton Bears (6-0, 11-3) at Jeannette Jayhawks (5-1, 9-2): Another huge game right out of the gate as this one appears it will be for the conference championship. Clairton is the reigning WPIAL champion in 1A after defeating Sto-Rox 41-10 at Heinz Field. The Bears lost 13-10 in the PIAA semifinal game to eventual champion Farrell. They graduated only four seniors and have their backfield duo back in Isaiah Berry (1,042 yards and 15 touchdowns) and Dontae Sanders (553 yards, 13 touchdowns). Jeannette lost in the first round of the playoffs last year by a score of 15-6 to #3 seed Sto-Rox. The Jayhawks boasted the best defense in 1A, only allowing 8.4 points per game. They return quarterback, James Sanders, who threw for 1,357 yards and 16 touchdowns last year. Clairton won last year’s matchup 26-7.
Greensburg CC Centurions (4-2, 7-4) at Leechburg Blue Devils (3-3, 5-5): Greensburg Central Catholic are coming off a wild card playoff birth where they lost in the first round 36-0 to #2 seed West Greene. The Centurions return starting quarterback, David Altimore, who threw for 1,118 yards and 14 touchdowns last year. Many skill players graduated but they should have one of the biggest lines in 1A. Leechburg will be very young this year as the roster only has three seniors. Dylan Cook is one of those seniors and he returns after throwing for 949 yards last year. The Blue Devils narrowly missed the playoffs last year as the 42-41 triple overtime loss to GCC did them in.
Imani Christian Saints (0-6, 0-10) at Bishop Canevin Crusaders (1-6, 1-9): Imani Christian and Bishop Canevin were two of the worst teams in 1A last season. The Saints were outscored by an average of 38.6 – 7.2, while the Crusaders were outscored 37.0 – 7.2. Imani Christian had an extremely young team last season and only graduated two players. Bishop Canevin was also very young last year and have 20 returning starters as they make the move to a new conference.
Riverview Raiders (1-5, 2-7) at Springdale Dynamos (2-4, 6-4): Riverview has a new head coach and they fewest players returning in the conference. The Raiders were bad on both sides of the ball last year, averaging 9.7 points scored per game while allowing 37.9 per game. Springdale has some pieces back that might help them get by the teams that finished above them last year. Springdale defeated Riverview 33-0 last year.
1A Tri-County South Conference:
Avella Eagles (0-7, 1-9) at Monessen Greyhounds (4-3, 4-6): Avella is riding an eight-game losing streak as they averaged 8.4 points scored per game last season. The Eagles have one of the smallest enrollments in 1A but do return 18 starters on both sides of the ball. Monessen graduated a lot of players from last years’ team as they return the second-fewest starters. The Greyhounds should be strong in the trenches. Monessen defeated Avella 48-14 last year.
California Trojans (6-1, 7-4) at Bentworth Bearcats (2-5, 2-8): California earned the #5 seed last year and lost in the first round to #4 Cornell by a score of 32-27. The Trojans return only two starters on each side of the ball but one of them is running back Damani Stafford who will transition to quarterback this year. Bentworth was one of the worst defensive teams last season as they allowed 49.9 points per game. The Bearcats return 18 starters total including all five offensive lineman, leading rusher Trent Cavanagh (711 yards), and leading receiver Owen Petrisek (637 yards). California defeated Bentworth 67-34 last year.
Jefferson-Morgan Rockets (3-4, 3-7) at Carmichaels Mighty Mikes (3-4, 4-5): Jefferson-Morgan gave up 37.7 points per game last year but do return 16 starters on both sides. The Rockets should be set up offensively with Jonathan Wolfe, who ran for 1,012 yards last season and quarterback Cole Jones, who threw for 779 yards in his freshman season. Carmichaels returns to the TCS as they make the move down from 2A. The Mighty Mikes won their final three games after losing five in a row. They return 16 players on both sides of the ball and will welcome the drop to 1A.
Mapletown Maples (1-6, 2-8) at West Greene Pioneers (7-0, 10-2): Mapletown picked up two victories last season, both against the last place team, Avella. The Maples return a lot of players including leading rusher/receiver Landan Stevenson (987 yards rushing/15 touchdowns, 370 yards receiving/3 touchdowns). West Greene made it to the 1A semifinals last season before falling to Sto-Rox 24-7 after defeating Greensburg CC 36-0 in the first round. The Pioneers will have to replace Ben Jackson, who rushed for a WPIAL record 3,076 yards last year and second-most 50 touchdowns. They won’t be able to do it with one person but seem to have more depth this year.
Non-Conference:
Baldwin Highlanders (5-6) at Hollidaysburg Tigers (6-5): Baldwin moves up to 6A after making the 5A playoffs last season as the #11 seed and losing in the first round to #6 McKeesport by a score of 21-20. The Highlanders are very experienced on the lines and will have heavily recruited 6’4”, 295 Dorien Ford there to anchor them. Hollidaysburg were champions in 5A in district 6 but lost in their PIAA first round playoff game to Oil City by a score of 9-7. The Tigers return Bryce Martellacci who threw for 657 yards last year, ran for 544, and had 263 receiving yards as well. Baldwin needed a game this week after Mount Lebanon’s season was delayed due to COVID-19.
East Allegheny Wildcats (7-4) at Brownsville Falcons (2-8): East Allegheny makes the move from 2A to 3A this year. They were the 12 seed in last year’s playoffs and lost in the first round 29-19 to #5 seed Brentwood. The Wildcats return quarterback Johnny DiNapoli who threw for 1,728 yards as a freshman, which is believed to be a WPIAL record. Brownsville also moves up from 2A to 3A, this coming off a year that they allowed 42.2 points per game, which was worst in 2A. The Falcons do return 18 starters and will have all of their starters back on the offensive line.
Laurel Highlands Mustangs (3-7) at Albert Gallatin Colonials (5-3): Laurel Highlands has one of the most exciting players in the WPIAL in Rodney Gallagher. Gallagher caught 25 passes for 491 and ran the ball 36 times for 392 yards and scored 10 total touchdowns as a freshman. The Mustangs did allow 34.9 points per game last year and will need to get that fixed to make strides. Albert Gallatin left the WPIAL last season and played an independent schedule and saw major improvement after winning a total of six games in the previous nine seasons combined. The Colonials have good skill players back and look to have an even better season.
Penn Hills Indians (10-2) at North Allegheny Tigers (10-2): These two teams had their first week matchups postponed with Kiski Area and Seneca Valley, respectively, after those schools had their seasons delayed due to COVID-19. Penn Hills will have a challenge for the conference championship with newcomer Pine-Richland. The Indians have Dontae Pollard returning after having 32 catches for 526 yards and seven touchdowns a year ago. North Allegheny only returns seven starters total on both sides of the ball. Khalil Dinkins and Nathan Hoke are both looking to lead a Tigers defense that allowed 16.5 points per game last year.
South Fayette Lions (10-2) at Dover (OH) Crimson Tornadoes (7-4): South Fayette was another team scrambling for a game this week as their matchup with Peters Township was postponed due to COVID-19 concerns at PT. South Fayette returns a myriad of skill players as they make the move from 4A to 5A. The Lions will put their 64 consecutive conference winning streak to the test this year. Naman Alemada threw for 3,004 yards and 32 touchdowns a year ago and his top three receivers are back in: Charley Rossi, Ryan McGuire, and Joey Audia. Dover has already played two games this season and currently sit at 1-1 and are coming off a 28-7 loss at Steubenville.
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