CHAMPIONSHIP FORECAST
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette scholastic sports staff breaks down all six classifications of the WPIAL playoffs that begin Friday night at sites throughout Western Pennsylvania
Class 6A
Top seeds:
1. North Allegheny 2 Pine-Richland
3. Mt. Lebanon
4. Central Catholic
The winner will be: Pine-Richland. Yes, the Rams were just defeated by North Allegheny on Friday and it’s hard to not pick North Allegheny. But those two teams are still pretty even. On a neutral field, it could be different. But Pine-Richland’s passing game will have to be a little more successful.
On the rise: Seneca Valley. The Raiders are 7-3 and hung tough with the top teams in 6A, losing to Central Catholic (20-14), North Allegheny (10-6) and PineRichland (21-7). Seneca Valley’s defense will keep the Raiders in the game against any opponent.
The scoop: With only six teams in this playoff field, North Allegheny and Pine-Richland get byes to the semifinals and will play at home in that round. … It’s hard not to see North Allegheny and Pine-Richland in the final. North Allegheny’s defense has been extremely impressive the last half of the season and the offense is good enough to win it all. … Central Catholic has played in a WPIAL title game six consecutive seasons. But Central Catholic’s offense must get to another level if the Vikings are to pull off an upset and get back to the final. … Canon-McMillan is in the playoffs for the first time since 2008, but the Big Macs haven’t won a playoff game since 2004.
Class 5A
Top seeds:
1. Gateway
2. Penn Hills
3. Peters Township
4. Mars
The winner will be: Gateway. The Gators will repeat. You have to like the Gateway offense, which averages 49 points and has a number of playmakers. But don’t overlook the defense, which might be the heart of this team. Gateway has allowed only 43 points, which ties Burgettstown for the lowest in the WPIAL.
On the rise: Penn-Trafford and Peters Township. After starting the season 0-2, Penn-Trafford has reeled off eight consecutive wins and not allowed more than 14 points in any of those games. Peters Township won a conference title for the first time since 1975, and the Indians offense has been impressive the last half of the season, especially sophomore quarterback Logan Pfeuffer.
The scoop: Many have been anticipating a Gateway-Penn Hills final. The Penn Hills offense is loaded with big-play masters, but running back Tank Smith gives the Indians a formidable ground game also. It has been 23 years since Penn Hills’ last title. … West Allegheny coach Bob Palko has won more championships (eight) than any coach in WPIAL history. Palko will be resigning at the end of the season. Can the Indians make one more playoff run under Palko? … Mars is an intriguing team. Its only loss was to Penn Hills and Mars has the leading rusher in 5A in Garrett Reinke.
Class 4A
Top seeds:
1. Thomas Jefferson
2. South Fayette
3. Belle Vernon
4. Blackhawk
The winner will be: Thomas Jefferson. The Jaguars seem to be everyone’s pick to give Bill Cherpak his eighth WPIAL title. Cherpak has said this has the potential to be one of his best teams. With a big line, a strong running game with Max Shaw and a top pass-catch combo with QB Shane Stump and WR Dan Deabner, TJ’s offense is extremely hard to stop.
On the rise: Belle Vernon. The Leopards were handled by Thomas Jefferson, 36-14, early in the season. In its other eight games, Belle Vernon has outscored opponents, 374-47. But they lost QB Jared Hartman to a knee injury a few weeks ago.
The scoop: Only eight teams in this bracket. South Fayette is a definite championship contender, and a possible semifinal game between South Fayette and Belle Vernon would certainly be interesting. … Beaver is a sleeper team. The Bobcats showed their potential, losing to Blackhawk by only 14-13 in the regular-season finale. … West Mifflin vs. Blackhawk is an excellent first-round game.
Class 3A
Top seeds:
1. Aliquippa
2. Derry
3. North Catholic
4. Beaver Falls
The winner will be: Aliquippa. The Quips lost to Central Valley Friday in what had to be one of the biggest regular-season upsets in years in the WPIAL. The Quips are still the team to beat, but the Central Valley game proves once again that no one is indeed unbeatable in high school football.
On the rise: Central Valley. You must now take notice of the Warriors after shocking the world by beating Aliquippa. A young, inexperienced team at the start of the season, Central Valley was 0-4, but has won five of six, with the only loss to Thomas Jefferson.
The scoop: Derry, North Catholic and Elizabeth Forward tied for first place in the Big East Conference. One of them might be good enough to go the final. Could Derry be the one? The Trojans have never made it to the championship since they became Derry Area. … Beaver Falls is a team to watch. The Tigers’ only losses are to Aliquippa and Blackhawk. … North Catholic’s defense is peaking, allowing only one touchdown in the past five games.
Class 2A
Top seeds:
1. Shady Side Academy 2. Burgettstown
3. Steel Valley
4. Charleroi
The winner will be: Steel Valley. It’s hard to go against Shady Side Academy, but not every No. 1 seed will win. Plus, Steel Valley is legitimate. The Ironmen have played for the past two WPIAL titles and the only loss this season is to Shady Side Academy, 56-26.
On the rise: Washington. The Little Prexies are defending WPIAL champions. Washington lost its second game to Charleroi, but has run off eight consecutive wins. But it’s Washington’s offense that is on the rise. Not the defense. The Little Prexies average 52 points a game, but have allowed 36, 35 and 36 points the past three games.
The scoop: Shady Side Academy will be tough to beat for one main reason: Skyy Moore. A senior QB who had more than 1,000 yards rushing and pass for the second-consecutive regular season, Moore is the type of player to carry a team. His athleticism, versatility, big-play ability and production make him a real candidate for WPIAL player of the year. … Mohawk could be a sleeper team. The Warriors won a conference title for only the second time in school history, but only got the No. 5 seed. … Burgettstown, which hasn’t played for a WPIAL title since 1944, is undefeated and got the No. 2 seed.
Class 1A
Top seeds:
1. Jeannette
2. Clairton
3. Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 4. West Greene
The winner will be: Jeannette. The Jayhawks have a star in QB Seth Howard, some other talent on offense and a defense that has not allowed more than two touchdowns in a game. Those are ingredients for a championship team.
On the rise: Rochester. The Rams were beaten soundly by Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, but finished 9-1. A possible semifinal matchup with Jeannette would be interesting.
The scoop: West Greene, Monessen and California finished tied for first in the TriCounty South Conference, and three tiebreakers did not break the deadlock. So in a coin flip Monday at the WPIAL offices, West Greene got the No. 1 seed from the conference and a home game. California and Monessen have road games. … Clairton lost to Jeannette Friday, but the Bears are still a team to watch and certainly capable of getting to the final for the ninth time in 11 seasons. … Can OLSH ride the passing of Tyler Bradley to the championship game? A Clairton-OLSH semifinal would be a terrific matchup.
— Post-Gazette staff