POWER SHIFT COULD BE COMING IN CLASS 4A
TJ is coming off undefeated season, but repeating as WPIAL champ won’t be easy
Thomas Jefferson has ruled over Class 4A ever since joining the classification in 2016, but it could be time for a changing of the guard this fall.
Legendary coach Bill Cherpak and his staff must find a way to replace eight starters on both offense and defense from last year’s state championship run, including three Post- Gazette Fabulous 22 selections in Shane Stump, Dan Deabner and Logan Danielson. He has already acknowledged that the accomplishments of the 2019 Jaguars will likely never be matched.
“The thing I’m most concerned about right now is leadership,” Cherpak said. “That’s something we’re kind of struggling with right now, in terms of those natural leaders. Because we’re going to have new starters at so many positions, where that usually just comes with the job, and you don’t know who it’s going to be.”
In order to be the best, though, someone has to beat the best first. And until that happens, Thomas Jefferson is the top dog in Class 4A in the Post- Gazette’s preseason football poll.
Making a sixth consecutive trip to the WPIAL championship game will be no easy task for the No. 1 Jaguars, let alone putting together another unbeaten season. In fact, most of Thomas Jefferson’s toughest competition will come from within its own conference.
No. 2 Belle Vernon finished 10- 2 in 2019 and made its first WPIAL title game appearance in 20 years, but both of the Leopards’ defeats came at the hands of the rival Jaguars. Like Thomas Jefferson, Belle Vernon must replace a threeyear starting quarterback in Jared Hartman as well as its primary skill players, but that doesn’t mean the cupboard is bare going into 2020 for coach Matt Humbert.
Devin Whitlock had a big junior year for the Leopards in 2019, tallying 798 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns as a change- of- pace back. This year, though, Whitlock is the favorite to take over for Hartman under center.
No. 3 McKeesport will also call the Big Eight Conference home in 2020 after dropping down from Class 5A, where the Tigers reached the WPIAL semifinals in 2019 before losing to eventual WPIAL champion Gateway.
The Tigers will have plenty of new faces stepping into key roles on offense and defense this year. Coach Matt Miller said Assad Robinson is expected to take on a lead role in the backfield after rushing for 225 yards and five scores in limited action in 2019.
No. 4 Mars is another program with a proud tradition dropping down from Class 5A, having reached the playoffs in 14 consecutive seasons.
The Planets lost all- state lineman Michael Carmody, who is now at Notre Dame, but speedy running back Teddy Ruffner returns after a monster junior season in which he led all of Class 5A with 1,919 rushing yards. He also finished third in Class 5A and tied for eighth in the WPIAL with 26 touchdowns.
No. 5 Aliquippa is moving up in classification yet again as it attempts to reach the WPIAL championship game for the 13th year in a row. After a heart- wrenching, 13- 12 overtime defeat to Central Valley in last year’s Class 3A title game, the PIAA’s recently enacted competition formula is forcing Aliquippa — a Class 1A- size school based on enrollment — to compete in Class 4A for the next twoyear cycle.
Quips coach Mike Warfield isn’t in favor of the decision, but he said any excuses attributed to the step up in competition will not be tolerated.
“That doesn’t work in Aliquippa,” Warfield said. “Moral victories aren’t acceptable. Nothing changed relative to going out there every day and working as hard as you can. Whatever happens after that, we have no control over.”
As for teams on the outside of the preseason top five looking in, several have a chance to make some noise this year.
Blackhawk posted a combined 17- 5 record under coach Zack Hayward the past two seasons while reaching the WPIAL semifinals both times. New Castle is always a playoff contender under coach Joe Cowart, and West Mifflin is looking to make a big jump in year two under coach Rod Steele with star defensive end and Pitt recruit Nahki Johnson leading the charge.
Meanwhile, perhaps the most exciting player to watch in Class 4A this season will be Laurel Highlands sophomore Rodney Gallagher, who tallied 883 yards from scrimmage with 10 touchdowns as a freshman. Although the two- sport star became the first freshman ever selected to the PostGazette Fab 5 after leading the Mustangs to a WPIAL Class 5A title in basketball, many believe football is where Gallagher’s future lies.
“You see him pushing guys to get better, more guys wanting to come out and be there every day,” said Laurel Highlands coach Rich Kolesar. “He’s a great leader, a great motivator, and he cares about our school. I think that’s the coolest thing is he wants to do all of this at Laurel Highlands and make us successful, and he’s off to a great start.”