The 2022 WPIAL football season is nearly upon us! Over the last few weeks we have been working our way through previewing all 17 conferences in preparation for kickoff on August 26. We are also thrilled to announce that the WPIAL Blitz Show will be back on the YouTube airwaves this season. Follow the Sports Stream Premium channel with new shows dropping each Tuesday during the season!
This year, our WPIAL coverage is proudly presented by Sports Solutions Marketing. The Sports Solutions network provides pay per view hosting and broadcasting for high school sporting events. More information is available via EasternPAFootball.com.
The 2022 season is a realignment year in Pennsylvania. New classification and conference alignments were announced back in the spring. Class 1A was the only one in the WPIAL to increase in size. In total, six teams were added to bring the total to 30 1A teams. With that many teams, it also meant the addition of a fourth conference to the alignment. This cycle, 16 teams will make the 1A playoffs with four from each conference qualifying. The eventual WPIAL Champions will enter the state playoffs at the semifinals.
The Big Seven Conference produced three semifinalists last year and two the year before. Rochester was the only team to reach the semis in both seasons. Two of the others – OLSH and Cornell – have moved to the new Black Hills Conference. Joining them in transferring to the new conference are Burgettstown and Fort Cherry. In replacement come three teams moving down from 2A. Laurel, who won their conference title and reached the quarterfinals last year, joins the Big Seven. Another 2A quarterfinalist in South Side Beaver joins the Big Seven. Summit Academy rounds out the new-look Big Seven, where the top four teams will make the playoffs.
Be sure to keep tabs on our WPIAL Standings Page throughout the season and follow our WPIAL Twitter account @WPIAL_Blitz. Teams are listed in their predicted order of finish.
Rochester
WPIAL ELO Rank (1A): 6
WPIAL ELO Rank (Overall): 91
2021 Results: 9-3, lost to OLSH in semis
The Rams returned to the semifinals last season for the fourth time in the last six years. However, injuries eventually caught up with them and they fell to conference foe OLSH. Rochester was unbeaten last year when scoring at least 27 points but in all of their losses were held under 14 points. Parker Lyons returns at QB after missing the season with injury. Lyons threw for nearly 300 yards and 4 TDs as a sophomore in 2020 Rochester’s run-heavy offense. In the backfield, sophomore Antonio Martin should take on a bigger role after running for 412 yards and 2 TDs last year. Top receiver Jerome Mullins (259 yards, 5 TDs) also returns for a Rochester team that had just 7 seniors graduate. Rochester has the talent to not only contend for the conference title but to make a run at a WPIAL title this season.
Laurel
WPIAL ELO Rank (1A): 1
WPIAL ELO Rank (Overall): 63
2021 Results: 11-1, lost to Serra Catholic in 2A quarterfinals
The Spartans went unbeaten in the regular season last year, capturing the 2A Midwestern Conference title. They ran into the buzzsaw of Serra Catholic’s defense in the quarterfinals, losing a tightly faught 6-0 game. Laurel had two 1000-yard rushers last year but both graduated. The top returning back is Landon Smith (259 yards, 4 TDs) who averaged an incredible 10 yards per carry. Chase Tinstman threw a few passes in backup QB duty and figures to take over in a dual-threat role after running for 199 yards and 5 TDs last year. With moving down to 1A, Laurel should remain competitive and the Spartans return a number of starting linemen to clear the way for the running game.
South Side Beaver
WPIAL ELO Rank (1A): 2
WPIAL ELO Rank (Overall): 69
2021 Results: 8-4, lost to Steel Valley in 2A quarterfinals
The Rams move down from 2A to 1A this cycle, looking to build on their quarterfinal appearance. After a 3-3 start to 2021, they closed out the season on a 4-game winning streak and knocked off Ligonier Valley in the opening round of the playoffs. Brody Almashy started at quarterback last year as a sophomore, throwing for 839 yards and 6 TDs and running for 286 yards and a score. Leading offensive playmaker Parker Statler led the team in rushing (895 yards), receiving (399 yards), and scoring (20 total TDs) last year as a junior. South Side has other playmakers returning, including junior RB Ryan Navarra (191 yards, 3 TDs) who averaged 7 yards per carry.
Shenango
WPIAL ELO Rank (1A): 12
WPIAL ELO Rank (Overall): 101
2021 Results: 4-7, lost to Bishop Canevin in quarterfinals
The Wildcats had an up-and-down season in 2021. After an 0-4 start they won their next three games, including a 14-7 victory over eventual WPIAL runners up OLSH. Shenango dropped their last two outings but still made the playoffs where they handled Carmichaels in the opening round before falling to Bishop Canevin in the quarterfinals. Leading rusher CJ Miller (1013 yards, 10 TDs) returns for his senior season to lead the Wildcats on both sides of the ball. Miller will be joined in the backfield by Hunter Lively (578 yards, 4 TDs). Rising junior Sam Myers started last season at QB before a mid-season injury brought on freshman Sam Patton who threw for 638 yards and 7 TDs over the second half of the year. Lineman Kyle Lenhart has committed to James Madison.
Northgate
WPIAL ELO Rank (1A): 30
WPIAL ELO Rank (Overall): 119
2021 Results: 3-7, missed playoffs
The Flames entered 2021 with the longest losing streak in the WPIAL but quickly put an end to it with a Week 0 victory over Carlynton. Northgate went on to also top Union and 1A runners up OLSH while being competitive in a number of other games. Three of their seven losses were by just one score and with several returning starters the arrow is pointing in the right direction for the Flames. Dual-threat QB Austin Mitchell threw for 1405 yards and 12 TDs and also led the team in rushing with 528 yards and 5 TDs. Second-leading receiver Manny Clark (518 yards, 9 TDs) averaged nearly 20 yards per catch and returns for his senior season as the big play guy on the outside. Joining Mitchell in the backfield are Jordan Smalley (182 yards, 2 TDs) and Jaden Mitchell (177 yards) who split carries last season. All in all, Northgate should continue to be competitive this season as they build towards challenging for a playoff spot.
Union
WPIAL ELO Rank (1A): 22
WPIAL ELO Rank (Overall): 109
2021 Results: 4-6, missed playoffs
The 2021 season could not have started better for the Scotties. They topped two 2A teams from Lawrence County (Mohawk and Ellwood City) then started conference play with a win over presumed favorites Rochester. But the wheels fell off the wagon and Union dropped their next 5 games – all of them by 12 points of fewer. They rebounded to beat Shenango to close out the season but missed the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Union had 8 seniors graduate from a team with one of the smallest rosters in the WPIAL. They will look to a strong class of rising juniors to take the helm this season, led by RB Mike Gunn who scored 3 TDs last year. One of the biggest changes at Union will be the replacement of Lawrence County Hall of Fame coach Stacy Robinson. The Scotties will now be led by former Mt. Lebanon defensive coordinator Kim Diebala.
Summit Academy
WPIAL ELO Rank (1A): 23
WPIAL ELO Rank (Overall): 112
2021 Results: 0-10 in 2A
Summit Academy moved down from 2A to 1A this season, which is a much better fit for their program. Summit is a school for adjudicated youth in Butler county and experiences complete roster turnover every season. Coach John McCloud has focused on using the game of football to teach life lessons to kids who are only on his roster for one season before they leave the school. Summit went winless last season after opting out of the 2020 campaign. They have made the playoffs twice in school history, most recently in 2017.
