The 2022 WPIAL football season is nearly upon us! Over the next few weeks we will be 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 3A will have one fewer team this cycle, dropping down to 19 schools. Both WPIAL finalists from last season (Central Valley and North Catholic) have moved up to 4A. In fact, Quaker Valley and Elizabeth Forward are the only current 3A teams to have played in a 3A Championship game in the six-classification era. Aliquippa, Central Valley, and North Catholic are in 4A while Beaver Falls and Derry are now in 2A. This also means there will be a new champion on the block as all six 3A titles since 2016 had been won by Ohio Valley schools (Beaver Falls, Quaker Valley, Aliquippa, and Central Valley). This has not just a local but a statewide impact as the WPIAL 3A Champion has played in all 6 State title games and won 5 of them. Once again, 12 3A teams will make the WPIAL playoffs with the top four seeds receiving byes. The eventual WPIAL Champions will enter the state playoffs at the semifinals.
This cycle’s alignment of the Allegheny Six Conference will look a bit different without North Catholic who won the last three conference titles. Playoff teams Freeport and East Allegheny return, joined by Knoch who moves down from 4A and Shady Side Academy who moves up from 2A. Valley and Deer Lakes round out the conference where the race for the four playoff spots should be wide open.
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.
Freeport
WPIAL ELO Rank (3A): 8
WPIAL ELO Rank (Overall): 56
2021 Results: 6-5, lost to Elizabeth Forward in the quarterfinals
The Yellow Jackets have made the playoffs in four of the last five seasons. Last year they topped Ambridge in the opening round to earn their first playoff victory since 2015. Dual-threat QB Ben Lane returns for his senior season in the hopes of leading Freeport to the conference title. Last year Lane threw for 464 yards and 3 TDs and ran for 556 yards and 9 scores. Tight end Shawn Stivenson (217 yards, 1 TD) was the Jackets leading receiver last season and returns for his junior year. Freeport deployed a rotation at running back around Lane last year. The most explosive of that group was Zach Clark (247 yards, 7 TDs) who returns for his senior year. Freeport had the 5th best defense in 3A last season and has a reputation for their hard-nosed tenacity.
Shady Side Academy
WPIAL ELO Rank (3A): 16
WPIAL ELO Rank (Overall): 75
2021 Results: 5-6, lost to Sto-Rox in the first round of the 2A playoffs
The Bulldogs moved up from 2A to 3A this cycle looking to continue their recent run of success. Shady Side has made the playoffs in 3 of the last 4 seasons. They have some familiarity with their new conference opponents after defeating Valley in non-conference play last year and formerly playing with some of them in the 4-classification alignment. The Bulldogs have a strong group of rising seniors which should keep them competitive. Max Wickland returns for his senior season at QB after throwing for 1129 yards and 11 TDs and running for 267 yards and 2 TDs. Leading receivers Joey Bellinotti (262 receiving yards, 204 rushing yards, 3 total TDs), Isaiah Grier (202 receiving yards, 199 rushing yards, 7 total TDs) and TE James Bernier (208 yards, 1 TD) all return for their senior seasons. Junior RB Eddie Debruce (205 yards, 2 TDs) averaged nearly 7 yards per carry and is the top returning rusher.
East Allegheny
WPIAL ELO Rank (3A): 11
WPIAL ELO Rank (Overall): 61
2021 Results: 5-6, lost to Central Valley in the quarterfinals
The Wildcats bounced back losing 5 of 6 games in the middle of their schedule to win their last two outings and make the playoffs. In the postseason, they dispatched Southmoreland for just their second playoff victory since 2000. Junior Mike Cahill was one of the top receivers on the team last year and will be asked to take on a larger role this season. East Allegheny was the second-highest scoring team in the conference last year and will need to keep up the scoring to contend with Freeport for the conference title.
Deer Lakes
WPIAL ELO Rank (3A): 15
WPIAL ELO Rank (Overall): 74
2021 Results: 4-6, missed playoffs on a tiebreaker
The Lancers have made the playoffs just twice in school history – in 2010 and 2015. Last year they put together a 3-game winning streak in the middle of the season that included a win over East Allegheny. However, a 28-24 loss to Burrell in Week 6 put them on the wrong end of a 3-way tie for the last playoff spot. Junior QB Derek Burk (1046 yards, 8 TDs) has been a starter since his freshman year and will look to take the next step this year. Fellow rising junior Ryan Cochran (332 yards, 2 TDs) was the Lancers leading receiver last year. Deer Lakes should be right in the mix for a playoff spot once again this year.
Knoch
WPIAL ELO Rank (3A): 5
WPIAL ELO Rank (Overall): 48
2021 Results: 2-8, missed playoffs in 4A
The Knights move down from 4A to 3A after winning just two total games over the last two seasons. After ekeing out a 1-point win over Indiana in Week 5, the Knights dropped their final four games, being shut out in two of them. To get into the mix this season, they will need to improve a defense that allowed 33 points per game, the second most in 4A. The move down in class should help as one of their two wins last year came over Deer Lakes. Carson Kosecki and Codi Mullen both return after finding the end zone once last year for a Knoch offense that averaged just 10 points per game.
Valley
WPIAL ELO Rank (3A): 19
WPIAL ELO Rank (Overall): 82
2021 Results: 2-8, missed playoffs
The biggest change at Valley will be a new face on the sidelines. Muzzy Colosimo resigned after an 8-year tenure that did not include a playoff berth. Valley alum Dave Heavner will look to lead the Vikings back to the playoffs. He has prior head coaching experience at Burrell and Kiski. Heavener will have a challenge of rebuilding a roster that was one of the smallest in 3A. Quarterback Dominick Simmons and running back Xavier Wilson both return for their senior seasons. Valley will need to improve offensively after being shut out 4 times and being held under 10 points in 7 games last year.
