The Big East Conference had a massive change this offseason as Albert Gallatin left the WPIAL to play an independent schedule in football. The Colonials suffered through a winless season where they scored just 46 points in 10 games and gave up nearly 48 per game. Albert Gallatin’s enrollment moved them up from 4A to 5A this cycle, taking them away from traditional Fayette County rivals Laurel Highlands and Uniontown. The Colonials have not made the playoffs since 2005 and will play a number of out-of-state opponents this season. Of the seven remaining teams, 2017 WPIAL Champions Gateway features one of the top juniors in the entire state while Penn-Trafford returns a number of players from last year’s team that fell in an epic quarterfinal to Peters Twp. Latrobe reached the playoffs for the first time since 2009 last season.
The playoff format in 5A is mostly the same as last year. The playoffs will consist of 16 teams with the Championship Game played on Friday, November 22 at Norwin High School. The top 5 teams from each of the three conferences will make the playoffs. Additionally, one 6th place team will make the playoffs based on the Wild Card system. First and second place finishers will get a home game in the first round of the playoffs. The Wild Card system will also be used to determine which two third place teams get first round home games. With Albert Gallatin leaving the WPIAL, the Big East is short a team for Wild Card purposes, so Plum’s Week 9 game against Hempfield will count towards the Wild Card standings. All quarterfinal and semifinal games will be played at neutral sites. Be sure to check out our new WPIAL Football ELO Rankings and the rest of our WPIAL Previews. Teams are listed in their predicted order of finish.
Gateway
ELO Rating: 2399
5A Rank: 2
WPIAL Rank: 3
Twitter: @GatewayGatorsFB, @GHS_Gators, @GatewayGators20
Gateway won the 2017 WPIAL title and made it all the way to the State Championship Game, making them one of the favorites in 2018. The Gators lived up to form with the best offense (48 points per game) and defense (7 points allowed per game) in 5A. However, after an undefeated regular season they were upset by an outstanding defensive performance from West Allegheny in the WPIAL semifinals. Gateway has the one of the top juniors in the country in running back Derrick Davis who piled up 1205 rushing yards, 293 receiving yards, and 24 TDs last season. Davis has scholarship offers from numerous Big Ten and ACC schools including Pitt, Penn State, Michigan, Ohio St, and Clemson, along with Notre Dame, West Virginia, Texxas A&M and Kentucky.
The Gators will need to break in a new quarterback this season into an offense that has had one of the top passers in 5A each of the last two seasons. On the outside, most of the top receivers graduated which should create a bigger opportunity for junior WR Tui Brown, who has a handful of offers from MAC schools. In the backfield, senior Jaquan Thomas (412 yards, 6 TDs) and junior Chamor Price (290 yards, 9 TDs) only saw a handful of carries last year but both proved to be big play threats, averaging over 18 yards per carry. Davis will still be the lead back, but expect Gateway to find ways to get Thomas and Price involved in the offense. Despite graduating 15 seniors, this is still a team that is very capable of making a run at the WPIAL title.
Penn-Trafford
ELO Rating: 2328
5A Rank: 4
WPIAL Rank: 6
Twitter: @PTWarriors, @PT_SS_19
After dropping their first two games in 2018, the Warriors turned it around and rattled off 9 straight wins in which only 1 team scored more than 10 points against them. In an epic back-and-forth quarterfinal that was probably the 5A Game of the Year, the Warriors fell to Peters Twp 38-35. Dual-threat QB Gabe Dunlap returns for his senior year after throwing for 1306 yards amd 15 TDs and rushing for 971 yards and 12 TDs. Penn-Trafford also gets their leading rusher back in senior Caleb Lisbon (1329 rushing yards, 258 receiving yards, 19 total TDs) who has a handful of D1 offers. Dunlap will have a size advantage with 6’2″ Noah Allen and 6’3″ Ethan Carr as his starting receivers. Senior RB Sam Fanelli (263 yards, 5 TDs) also returns to a Penn-Trafford team looking to reach Heinz Field for the 3rd time in the last 6 seasons.
McKeesport
ELO Rating: 2267
5A Rank: 6
WPIAL Rank: 10
Twitter: @mck_athletics, @McKeesportArea, @jungle2k19
McKeesport’s triple-option wishbone offense rolled the Tigers to their 6th straight quarterfinals last season before they ultimately fell to 5A Champions Penn Hills. The Tigers graduated 22 seniors from last year’s team, including their top 3 rushers. Their top returning skill position player is WR Deamontae Diggs who racked up 424 yards and 4 TDs on a team that didn’t pass very often. Diggs has offers from MAC schools and should get more D1 attention this season. For a team that averages less than 5 pass attempts per game, finding capable backs is the highest priority for McKeesport. They have traditionally been able to do so, and senior Devari Robinson (443 yards, 10 TDs) should step into the primary role this season. Look for senior fullbacks Taiveon Baker and Tyron Adams-Wagner to also see increased playing time. The name to remember is junior Terrance Glenn, who averaged 20 yards per carry and scored twice on just 6 carries last season. McKeesport should once again be right in the thick of the playoff hunt in the Big East Conference.
Franklin Regional
ELO Rating: 2197
5A Rank: 9
WPIAL Rank: 16
Twitter: @FRPantherSports, @FRGameday, @FRPantherFB, @frpit2019
After a 5-0 start to 2018, the Panthers came back down to earth once the calendar flipped to October, losing 3 of their last 4 games. They did pound Bethel Park in the opening round of the playoffs but then were bounced by Gateway in the quarterfinals. Trevor Brncic should step into the starting quarterback role this season after seeing some spot duty last year. Leading rusher Zac Gordon (545 yards, 6 TDs) returns for his senior season and should be able to take some of the weight off Brncic. Junior RB Brandon Zanotto (371 yards, 3 TDs) should also see an increased role this season. Look for FB Justin Johns (who has an offer from Air Force) to also become a bigger part of the attack. Unfortunately the Panthers top 4 receivers all graduated, but this team still has enough talent to compete for a playoff spot.
Latrobe
ELO Rating: 2079
5A Rank: 13
WPIAL Rank: 22
Twitter: @LATROBEFOOTBALL, @GLSDupdates, @GDen2019
The Wildcats reached the playoffs last season, breaking an 8-year postseason drought. After a dismal 1-6 start, Latrobe bounced back to win their last 3 games. The Wildcats should be able to carry that momentum into this season with returning starters in the backfield. QB Branden Crosby threw for 967 yards and 8 TDs last season and returns for his senior year. The running back tandem of AJ Rock (643 yards, 3 TDs) and Logan Gustafson (279 yards, 4 TDs) also returns. Latrobe will need to break in some new receivers on the outside, but has the talent in the backfield to lean on their ground game.
Connellsville
ELO Rating: 1915
5A Rank: 23
WPIAL Rank: 39
Twitter: @ConnellsvilleFB, @CASD_Athletics, @cville_crazies
Connellsville started and ended their 2018 season with wins over Fayette County foes Uniontown and Albert Gallatin, but won just 1 other game in between. The Falcons are looking for their first playoff appearance since 2014, but if they want to get there will need to improve a defense that allowed 42 points per game last season, the second-most in 5A. Senior QB Josh Maher is the focal point of the offense and threw for 1368 yards and 10 TDs last year and added another 207 yards and 3 scores on the ground. The good news for Connellsville is that Maher’s top receiver Jalen Rogers (681 yards, 7 TDs) also returns for his senior season.
Plum
ELO Rating: 1973
5A Rank: 21
WPIAL Rank: 34
Twitter: @PlumFootball, @rollstangs
The Mustangs’ lone conference win last year came over Albert Gallatin who have left the WPIAL this season. Plum had issues on both sides of the ball last season, allowing 38 points per game (the third highest mark in 5A) and scoring just 12 points per game (the second-lowest in 5A). There is room to build here as the two focal points of the offense are rising juniors. Billy Guzzi led the team in rushing with 543 yards and 1 TD and Max Matolcsy was the leading receiver with 367 yards and 6 TDs. Fellow junior receiver Reed Martin had 185 yards and 3 TDs). With this strong crop of juniors, 2019 may be a building block season that launches the Mustangs into playoff contention in 2020.
