The final week of the WPIAL football regular season has arrived. There are 15 playoff spots left to be decided this week. There are two true “Casket Matches” where the winner goes to the playoffs and the loser goes home. Additionally, there are 10 games that will decide conference titles. You can check out our Playoff Scenarios article for a full breakdown of what is in play for this week. Additionally, check out this week’s edition of the WPIAL Blitz Show where we discussed all of the conference standings and playoff races.
This year, our WPIAL coverage is proudly presented by GoMVB Sports and Sports Solutions Marketing. High school athletes should check out GoMVB Sports – SSM for tips on how to beef up their social media presence to attract college coaches and college recruiters. The Sports Solutions network provides pay per view hosting and broadcasting for high school sporting events. More information is available via EasternPAFootball.com.
Our friends at KDKA Radio are now the official flagship station of the WPIAL. You can listen to their Game of the Week on the Audacy App or on the radio at 100.1 FM and 1020 AM. This week’s KDKA Game of the Week features West Allegheny taking on Montour in a Parkway Conference showdown. Last week I was fortunate enough to appear on the KDKA postgame show with Paul Alexander, which was an amazing experience. You can check out the postgame show from the time the game concludes until 11pm.
I will once again be doing a pregame spot on WMBS Radio. You can listen to the show here, starting at 6pm on Friday. This weekend, WMBS will be broadcasting Laurel Highlands taking on Connellsville. Both teams have been eliminated from playoff contention and are looking to close out the season on a high note and claim a victory over Fayette County rivals.
Be sure to keep tabs on our WPIAL Standings Page for updated standings and follow our WPIAL Twitter account @WPIAL_Blitz and check out our WPIAL Blitz Facebook Page.
6A Games of the Week
Mt. Lebanon (1-2, 5-4) at Canon-McMillan (1-2, 5-4)
The four playoff spots in 6A were decided last week when Seneca Valley lost to conference champs Central Catholic. North Allegheny is locked in as the #2 seed and these two teams will both make the playoffs thanks to wins over Seneca Valley. This game will decide the first round matchups. The winner of this game will get the #3 seed and face North Allegheny and the loser will have to play Central Catholic. Mt. Lebanon’s offense is built around their running game and the duo of Fred LaSota (589 yards, 6 TDs) and Pat Smith (290 yards, 1 TD). Michael Malone (543 yards, 7 TDs) hasn’t thrown the ball much this year but has hit big plays through the air to Noah Schaerli (320 yards, 3 TDs) and Ezra Heidenreich (159 yards, 2 TDs). Mt. Lebanon’s defense is anchored by service academy commits DL Connor Young and LB Beckham Dee. Canon-McMillan has a balanced offensive attack led by Mike Evans (792 yards, 2 TDs). Evans has spread the ball around between Zyan Howard (300 yards, 1 TD) and Jayden Baxter (205 yards, 1 TD). Most of the Big Macs scoring has come from their ground game and dynamic back Zach Welsh who has run for 1165 yards and 12 TDs and added 125 receiving yards. Evans and Geno Calgaro have both scored 3 rushing TDs to complement Welsh. Keep an eye out for Delaware-commit Kaeden Singleton who is an absolute game-wrecker on the defensive side of the ball.
5A Games of the Week
Bethel Park (3-1, 4-5) at Peters Twp (4-0, 9-0)
Both of these teams have clinched playoff spots in a tight 5A field. The winner of this game will claim the Allegheny Six conference title. Peters Twp is in the conversation for the #1 overall seed in the 5A playoffs. Even if Bethel Park loses, they would still have enough Gardner Points to get one of the 5A Wild Cards should they finish third. Bethel Park has a talented quarterback in Tanner Pfeuffer (1561 yards, 16 TDs) who has a slew of playmakers around him. Ryan Petras (385 rushing yards, 539 receiving yards, 11 total TDs) has been an all around threat that the Black Hawks use in a variety of ways. Leading rusher Ja Vaughn Moore (839 yards, 7 TDs) dominated last week’s game against South Fayette while David Dennison (358 yards, 6 TDs) has been a short-yardage back. On the outside Pfeuffer’s favorite targets have been Jack Bruckner (453 yards, 4 TDs) and Mitchell Paschl (319 yars, 2 TDs). Until their victory over Canon-McMillan last week, Peters Twp’s defense had produced more points than they allowed. On the offensive side of the ball, dual-threat quarterback Nolan DiLucia (1621 yards, 17 TDs, 300 yards 4 TDs) has been the catalyst of the Indians attack. Vinny Sarcone (521 yards, 14 TDs), and Preston Blair (305 yards, 4 TDs) have led the way on the ground. DiLucia has spread the ball around between Nick McCullough (421 yards, 5 TDs), Carter Shanafelt (414 yards, 6 TDs + 2 return TDs), Ethan Wertman (272 yards, 1 TD) and Nate Miller (259 yards, 1 TD).
Penn-Trafford (3-1, 4-5) at Franklin Regional (3-1, 6-3)
A playoff spot is on the line in the Big East Conference. The winner of this game will finish second in the conference and get into the postseason. The loser will finish third and be eligible for the Wild Card. Given the lack of Gardner Points, the loser needs to hope for a close game to potentially top the third place team from the Northeast Conference in Tiebreaker Points. Penn-Trafford is a run-heavy offense led by the duo of Tasso Whipple (1179 rushing yards, 260 receiving yards, 12 TDs) and Ben Grabowski (627 yards, 10 TDs). When the Warriors do take to the air, Jonny Lovre (1061 yards, 6 TDs) has found a reliable receiver in Carmen Metcalfe (478 yards, 2 TDs). On the other side, Franklin Regional has a balanced offensive attack. Leading rusher Kyle Dupill (1129 yards, 15 TDs) has been the focal point of the ground game while quarterback Chase Lemke (1112 yards, 13 TDs) has done damage with his arm. Explosive receiver Ayden Hudock (699 yards, 11 TDs) has accounted for more than half of the Panthers receiving yards. Last year, Penn-Trafford beat conference champions Franklin Regional in the final week of the season to get into the playoffs. This year, both teams have their playoff hopes on the line.
Woodland Hills (3-1, 6-3) at Penn Hills (4-0, 7-2)
The Northeast Conference title is on the line as these old Quad East rivals face off. Last year, Woody High topped Penn Hills by 2 points to knock the Indians out of the playoffs. Penn Hills has bounced back from that disappointment to be the only Northeastern team to clinch a playoff spot so far. Woodland Hills has a wide range of potential outcomes from being conference champions with a win to potentially being out of the playoffs with a loss. Woodland Hills has a talented group of young skill position players along with one of the best lines in 5A. Sophomore QB Cam Walter (1554 yards, 18 TDs) and fellow sophomore WR Scoop Smith (807 yards, 15 TDs) have combined to be one of the most dangerous tandems in the WPIAL. Smith is among the Top 5 in the WPIAL in both receptions and receiving yards. On the ground, the Wolverines have leaned on Zykir Moore (535 yards, 10 TDs) to run behind their massive line. Penn Hills has clinched a playoff spot thanks to the play of Pitt-commit Julian Dugger (1320 passing yards, 14 TDs, 500 rushing yards, 7 TDs). Dugger has spread the ball around between Cam Thomas (432 yards, 6 TDs), Martel Palmer (319 yards, 5 TDs) and Naytel Mitchell (210 yards, 2 TDs). On the ground, Amir Key (516 yards, 7 TDs) has been a workhorse for the Indians.
Pine-Richland (3-1, 6-3) at North Hills (2-2, 4-5)
A playoff spot is on the line in the North Hills on Friday night. Pine-Richland has found something with their wildcat offense led by Ethan Pillar (1190 yards, 15 TDs). North Hills needs a win to have any hope at making the playoffs while Pine-Richland does have paths forward to potentially make the playoffs if they lose by 7 points or less. Kanan Huffman (429 yards, 3 TDs) started the year at quarterback but with the move to Pillar as a wildcat quarterback hasn’t played as much the last few weeks. Freshman Aaron Strader (216 passing yards, 2 TDs, 474 rushing yards, 3 TDs) has emerged as a dual-threat option. While Pine-Richland has shifted to a run-heavy attack, their top receivers have been Bryce O’Brien (300 yards, 2 TDs) and Vasilios Balouris (234 yards, 1 TD). North Hills has reinvented their offense from a run-heavy approach to a more open passing attack in the last few years. Connor Davis (1148 yards, 14 TDs) has spread the ball around to Josiah Mathis (402 yards, 4 TDs), Johnell Edison (164 yards, 2 TDs), and Logan Johnson (158 yards, 2 TDs). Out of the backfield, Jack Martin (301 yards, 2 TDs) has seen most of the work while Julius Green has over 300 yards of total offense between rushing and receiving and scored twice.
4A Games of the Week
McKeesport (5-0, 8-1) at Thomas Jefferson (4-1, 8-1)
The Big Seven Conference title will once again come down to the Week 9 showdown between the Tigers and Jaguars. This game also has seeding implications as the winner likely gets a first round bye in the 4A playoffs. McKeesport’s triple option attack has a plethora of playmakers. Anthony Boyd (868 yards, 11 TDs) led the way for much of the year, but over the last two weeks the Tigers have found a power back in Keith Spell (353 yards, 5 TDs). Freshman speedster Kemon Spell (314 yards, 8 TDs) has also been a factor. For the first time in a while, McKeesport has a quarterback in Garrett Tarker who has more passing yards (577 passing yards, 7 TDs) than rushing yards (185 rushing yards, 6 TDs), a rarity in their Triple-option attack. Tarker has benefitted from throwing to Dominique Cochran (222 yards, 3 TDs). On the other side, Thomas Jefferson has a pass-oriented offense and has outscored opponents 132-0 over the last two weeks. The Jaguars have used both Brody Evans (946 yards, 9 TDs) and Luke Kosko (818 yards, 7 TDs) at quarterback this season. Regardless of who is under center, receivers Sean Sullivan (691 yards, 8 TDs) and Jason Salman (613 yards, 9 TDs) have thrived in the passing game. On the ground, Elias Lippincott (415 yards, 11 TDs) is a strong runner who is tough to bring down.
Mars (5-0, 7-2) at North Catholic (4-1, 5-4)
In typical Greater Allegheny Conference fashion, there is plenty of craziness in the middle of the pack, but these two have separated themselves at the top and will face off for the conference title. Mars has reinvented their offense under head coach Eric Kasperowicz. The Planets have gone from a run-heavy attack to a downfield passing game on the arm of Luke Goodworth (1632 yards, 17 TDs). Mars has an electric sophomore receiver in Gabe Hein (774 yards, 9 TDs) and Aiden Alessio (389 yards, 2 TDs) has been a factor in the passing game as well. The Planets have not forgotten how to run the ball as Evan Wright (1356 yards, 26 TDs) has been the bellcow. On the other side, North Catholic narrowly missed the playoffs last year in their first year in 4A and has now returned to the postseason. Their offense revolves around speedy senior RB Jack Fennell (1176 yards, 21 TDs). When the Trojans do take to the air, Jason Siket (690 yards, 7 TDs) has been able to find success throwing to Penn State-commit TE Brady O’Hara (273 yards, 2 TDs). North Catholic has some dudes in the trenches and will need to control the line of scrimmage and the clock if they are going to slow down Mars’ high-flying offensive attack.
Aliquippa (6-0, 8-0) at Central Valley (5-1, 7-2)
Another year, another Aliquippa-Central Valley showdown for the Parkway Conference title. These Beaver County rivals are only 6 miles apart and have a lot of history, including facing off in the WPIAL Championship Game last year. Aliquippa head coach Mike Warfield was formerly an assistant at Central Valley. The Quips are once again loaded with talent, starting with Quentin Goode (1280 yards, 17 TDs) who recently broke the school’s all-time passing record. Penn State-commit Tikey Hayes (1045 yards, 15 TDs) leads a stacked Aliquippa backfield where Cam Lindsey (227 yards, 3 TDs) who has committed to Pitt as a linebacker, has also seen some work. Last week, it was John Tracy who stole the show, scoring 5 TDs in 5 different ways (rushing, receiving, kick return, punt return, and fumble return). On the outside, Yale-commit Brandon Banks (451 yards, 5 TDs), DeMarkus Walker (199 yards, 3 TDs), and Arison Walker (178 yards, 2 TDs) make for a dynamic trio of receivers and defensive backs who are capable of scoring any time they touch the ball in any phase of the game. Central Valley’s offense has centered around their running game with a slew of capable ball-carriers. Dual-threat quarterback Steven Rutherford has thrown for1102 yards and 8 TDs while running for 372 yards and 8 TDs. The Warriors will rotate through numerous backs who are all capable of breaking off big plays at any time. Jance Henry (860 yards, 12 TDs), T. Mason Dixon (692 yards, 12 TDs), and Brandon Singleton (481 yards, 4 TDs) will all see their fair share of carries. When Central Valley does take to the air, Rutherford’s favorite targets have been Quinn Connolly (231 yards, 2 TDs) and Kole Hiltz (212 yards).
Hampton (3-2, 3-6) at Highlands (2-3, 5-4)
The Greater Allegheny Conference (or “GACrazy” as we have called it) has four teams vying for the last two playoff spots. Hampton will clinch a playoff spot with a win. Highlands needs a win and Kiski loss to secure a playoff spot. If Highlands and Kiski both win, those two will finish in a 3-way tie for Hampton which will come down to Tiebreaker Points. Both teams will focus on establishing the run and this game will likely be won in the trenches. Brock Borgo (983 rushing yards, 332 receiving yards, 8 total TDs) is the focal point of Hampton’s offense. The Talbots don’t throw much, but QB Porter Kelly (684 yards, 8 TDs) has a reliable target in Willy Haselrig (417 yards, 3 TDs). Highlands has overcome some injuries to star players and fought their way back into the playoff race. Both Aaran Randolph (688 rushing yards, 7 TDs, 274 passing yards, 2 TDs) and Menage Lucas (298 rushing yards, 4 TDs, 217 passing yards, 1 TD) have spent time at quarterback this year. As you can see from their stats, Highlands offense is built more around running the ball than throwing the ball, regardless of which player is at quarterback. Leading rusher Luke Bombalski (788 yards, 10 TDs) joins the tandem of dual-threat quarterbacks in the backfield.
Armstrong (2-3, 5-4) at Kiski (2-3, 4-5)
This is the second game with playoff implications in the Greater Allegheny Conference. The winner of this game will clinch a playoff spot if Highlands loses to Hampton. If Highlands wins, Armstrong is eliminated regardless of the result of this game. A Kiski loss would put Hampton into the playoffs. If Kiski and Highlands both win, those two will finish in a 3-way tie with Hampton that will come down to Tiebreaker Points. Armstrong has battled through numerous injuries at the quarterback position this year. After starter Colt Sprankle went down, Jaydon Oliver (1095 yards, 8 TDs) took the helm. Last week, second-leading receiver Kyan Kline (527 receiving yards, 9 TDs) moved to quarterback and threw for 101 yards and 2 TDs. Ian Olsen (840 yards, 8 TDs) leads the receiving corps while Alex Patton (601 yards, 6 TDs) has shouldered the load out of the backfield. Kiski’s resurgence has been led by QB Carson Heinle (1348 passing yards, 15 TDs, 190 rushing yards, 4 TDs) who recently broke the school’s all-time passing record. Heinle has spread the ball around between Isaiah Gonzales (497 yards, 5 TDs), Andrew Finney (337 yards, 4 TDs), and Terry Martin (269 yards, 3 TDs). Landon Kucic (509 yards, 9 TDs) joins Heinle in the backfield and leads the Cavaliers rushing attack.
Ambridge (1-5, 2-7) at Chartiers Valley (2-4, 2-7)
The final playoff spot in the Parkway Conference comes down to these two schools. This is not a true win-and-get-in-lose-and-you’re-out Casket Match because of Ambridge’s loss to New Castle last week. Despite that win, New Castle can not get into the playoffs in any tiebreaking scenario. Chartiers Valley will get in with a win OR if New Castle beats Blackhawk. Ambridge needs to beat Chartiers Valley and have New Castle lose to Blackhawk in order to get into the playoffs. Ambridge’s running game has been led by Grant Uvodich (3 TDs) and Carlito Chandler (2 TDs). On the other side, Austin Efthimiades (5 TDs) leads the Char Valley ground game and Tyler Glover (4 TDs) has been the Colts leading receiver.
3A Games of the Week
Elizabeth Forward (4-0, 9-0) at Belle Vernon (4-0, 7-1)
For the second year in a row, the Warriors and Leopards will face off with the conference title on the line. Elizabeth Forward is one of seven remaining undefeated teams in the WPIAL and the winner of this game will almost certainly get the #1 overall seed in the 3A playoffs. The Warriors are led by strong-armed quarterback Ryan Messina (1364 yards, 13 TDs) who has a talented playmaker in Isaiah Turner (640 yards, 7 TDs) on the outside. Charlie Nigut has been an all-around offensive weapon, leading the Warriors in rushing (625 yards), second in receiving (330 yards) and is the team’s leading scorer (19 total TDs, including returns). Jace Brown (454 yards, 6 TDs) joins Nigut in the backfield as part of Elizabeth Forward’s multi-faceted rushing attack. Penn State-commit Quinton Martin leads the Leopards in rushing (604 yards), receiving (324 yards), and scoring (16 total TDs). Belle Vernon has used Martin in a rotation this season to keep him fresh for the playoffs. Kole Doppelheuer (427 yards, 8 TDs) and Jake Gedekoh (278 yards, 5 TDs) have also seen significant work in the running game. Eastern Michigan-commit Braden Laux (837 yards, 9 TDs) has played solid at quarterback, though sat out last week as Curtis Wade (223 yards, 3 TDs) saw action. Anthony Crews (225 rushing yards, 267 receiving yards, 6 total TDs) has been a big play threat, averaging about 17 yards per touch.
Freeport (1-3, 3-6) at Deer Lakes (2-2, 6-3)
Only two playoff spots in 3A have yet to be decided. Shady Side Academy and Deer Lakes have the inside tracks but Freeport still has a path forward. Shady Side will clinch if they can beat conference champions East Allegheny OR if Freeport loses. Deer Lakes gets into the playoffs for the second straight year with a win over Freeport. In order for the Yellow Jackets to make the playoffs, they need to beat Deer Lakes and have Shady Side lose to East Allegheny. The three teams would then go to a three-way tie which would be settled by Tiebreaker Points. Freeport has relied on QB Drew Ross (1003 yards, 11 TDs) and the passing game this season. Ross’ favorite targets have been Brady Sullivan (340 yards, 6 TDs) and Cyp Selinger (168 yards 3 TDs). On the ground, Colton Otterman (328 yards, 3 TDs) has led the way for the Yellow Jackets. Deer Lakes has a senior quarterback in Derek Burk (1591 passing yards, 20 TDs, 385 rushing yards, 4 TDs) who is the son of head coach Tim Burk and has led the Lancers on their best run in school history. With the trio of receivers in Wayne Love (576 yards, 5 TDs), Zach Grant (402 yards, 5 TDs), and Ryan Cochran (336 yards, 2 TDs), Burk has plenty of options in the passing game. Zier Williams (904 yards, 9 TDs) has been the lead back in Deer Lakes’ ground attack and his running ability has kept defenses off balance all season.
2A Games of the Week
Serra Catholic (4-1, 4-4) at Steel Valley (6-0, 7-1)
After a slow start to the season, Serra Catholic has rebounded to earn a showdown with Steel Valley for the Allegheny Conference title. Serra’s offense is built around their passing game. Quadir Stribling (2076 yards, 24 TDs) is one of the top passers in the WPIAL. The Eagles have a bona fide star in WR De’reon Washington (799 yards, 14 TDs) and plenty of other talent at receiver including Jesere Young (455 yards, 5 TDs), and Chris Warren (379 yards, 4 TDs). On the ground, Mason Jones (406 yards, 5 TDs) and Isaiah Petty (345 yards, 5 TDs) have been a solid tandem. Steel Valley’s offense is almost entirely built around their ground game. Donald Barksdale has led the way with 1253 yards and 22 TDs. Tyson Barron took over at quarterback mid-season and has expanded the offense, throwing for 320 yards and 3 TDs in 3 starts. The beneficiaries have been Del Shields (207 receiving yards, 204 rushing yards, 3 total TDs) and Tyrell Breland (141 yards). These two teams have faced off with the conference title on the line in three straight seasons with Steel Valley claiming the prior two matchups. This is also a matchup of the last two WPIAL Champions.
Washington (4-1, 8-1) at McGuffey (5-0, 7-2)
The Century Conference title will be decided between Washington County rivals. Wash High had a brief hiccup last week with a loss to Keystone Oaks (for the second straight year). Adding fuel to the fire of this game is that a few players transferred from Washington to McGuffey prior to this season. Washington has a balanced offensive attack between QB Tristan Reed (1022 yards, 11 TDs) throwing and Eddie Lewis (930 yards, 14 TDs) running. The Little Prexies have a talented group of receivers that Reed has spread the ball between in Ruben Gordon (391 yards, 9 total TDs), Zxavian Willis (304 yards, 8 total TDs), and Elijah Thomas (220 yards, 1 TD). Both Gordon and Willis have been dangerous returners. McGuffey runs a triple-option offense centered around dual-threat QB Connor Crowe (531 passing yards, 4 TDs, 449 rushing yards, 7 TDs). The Highlanders will trot out a rotation of backs who have all averaged over 5 yards per carry. Dylan Droboj (524 yards, 9 TDs) leads the way. Malachi Ealy (350 rushing yards, 171 receiving yards, 5 total TDs) is also McGuffey’s leading receiver. Charles Wagers (346 rushing yards, 122 receiving yards, 9 total TDs) has also been a factor in the passing game and is tied for the team lead in scoring.
Mohawk (6-0, 8-1) at Neshannock (6-0, 8-1)
Lawrence County rivals square off with the Midwestern Conference title on the line. While both of these teams have won conference titles in the last decade, these teams are “not the usual suspects” in contention for conference crowns. Neshannock has won 8 conference titles in their history while Mohawk has won just two. Either way, this game will produce a historic result for one team at the end of Friday night. Mohawk boasts one of the top passers in the WPIAL in Jay Wrona (1808 yards, 30 TDs). Sophomore Bobby Fadden (608 yards, 14 TDs) has already broken the school’s career record for receiving yards. In addition to Fadden, Wrona has spread the ball between Dante Retort (413 yards, 6 TDs) and Blake Logan (319 yards, 5 TDs). Leading rusher Justin Boston has been a factor on the ground (756 yards) and through the air (216 receiving yards) and found the end zone 6 times. Neshannock is led by dual-threat QB Jino Mozzoccio (801 passing yards, 9 TDs, 617 rushing yards, 7 TDs). The Lancers brought back nearly their entire offensive line, which has paved the way for Mozzoccio, Anthony Eakin (761 yards, 9 TDs), and touchdown machine Patrick Argiro (365 yards, 13 TDs). When Mozzoccio does take to the air, Dom Cubellis (212 yards, 2 TDs) and Anthony Bonner (182 yards, 3 TDs) have been the top targets.
Brentwood (2-3, 2-7) at Keystone Oaks (3-2, 5-4)
Two playoff spots are still to be decided in the Century Conference. Keystone Oaks bounced back from an early-season loss to Waynesburg to top undefeated Washington last week. The Golden Eagles can now get into the playoffs with either win or a Waynesburg loss. This is a win-and-get-in game as Brentwood would also clinch a playoff spot with a victory. Waynesburg would clinch the other playoff spot with a win over Charleroi, making this game a Casket Match. However, if Waynesburg were to lose then both of these teams could get in if Brentwood wins. Brentwood’s offense runs through QB Cedric Davis (1405 passing yards, 13 TDs, 165 rushing yards, 8 TDs) who is also the Spartans leading rusher. Davis has built a solid rapport with Forrest Betz (627 yards, 7 TDs) and will also use RB Daelinn Drew (397 receiving yards, 163 rushing yards, 7 total TDs) in the passing game. Keystone Oaks has won with defense this year and also have a dual-threat QB in Dimajio Locante. However, the Eagles are nearly the opposite of Brentwood and focus more on the running game as Locante has put up 199 passing yards and 2 TDs while running for 1119 yards, and 10 TDs. Billy Bricker (442 yards, 1 TD) has been a solid counterpart to Locante in the backfield. Last week, Keystone Oaks got back Syracuse-commit Clinton Robinson who had missed a few games due to injury. With Robinson healthy again, this is a dangerous Eagles team that could make noise in the playoffs.
Ellwood City (2-4, 4-5) at Riverside (1-5, 1-9)
The Riv-Ell rivalry will determine the final playoff spot in the Midwestern Conference. Ellwood City has the second-longest playoff drought in the WPIAL. The Wolverines need just a win over their archrivals OR a Freedom victory to get in to the playoffs. Riverside, on the other hand, needs to beat Ellwood City AND have Freedom lose to New Brighton in order to get in. Ellwood City has a dynamic offensive attack that has put up numbers both through the air with QB Chris Smiley (1471 yards, 16 TDs) and on the ground with RB Elijah Palmer-McCane (1239 yards, 14 TDs). Michael Walters (492 yards, 7 TDs) has led the Wolverines receiving corps. Riverside earned their first win of the season by beating New Brighton last week and salvaged their playoff hopes. They will rely on Robert Janis (563 yards, 2 TDs) and Brady Newman (150 rushing yards, 173 receiving yards, 3 total TDs) to lead the offense. Quarterback Ayden Garcia (425 yards, 3 TDs) and WR Zack Hare (356 yards, 2 TDs) have been the primary connection in the Panthers passing attack.
1A Games of the Week
Clairton (5-0, 7-2) at Jeannette (4-1, 7-2)
In a seemingly annual tradition for the better part of the last decade since Jeannette moved down from AA to Class A (in the four classification era), these two face off for the Eastern Conference title. Clairton has a balanced offensive attack with explosive playmakers at the skill positions. Out of the backfield Drahcir Jones (1062 yards, 12 TDs), Michael Ruffin (510 yards, 6 TDs) and Donte Wright (436 yards, 6 TDs) are all averaging over 8 yards per carry. Michael Wright has thrown for 1139 yards and 11 TDs, primarily targeting Zaemere Correll (430 yards, 5 TDs). On the other side, Jeannette has rebounded from a down year after they won the state title to build around a young core and get back in contention. Dual-threat QB Payton Molter has thrown for 1364 yards and 18 TDs and run for 403 yards and 7 scores. Noah Sanders has been an all-around threat with 1016 rushing yards, 264 receiving yards, and 13 total TDs. Kymon’e Brown (420 yards, 8 TDs) and Jeremiah Williamson (263 yards, 3 TDs) lead the Jayhawks receiving corps.
Monessen (2-4, 3-6) at Beth-Center (3-3, 3-6)
The final playoff spot in the Tri-County South will most likely come down to the winner of this game. The only potential wrench in the scenario would be if Bentworth would upset conference champions California AND Monessen beats Beth-Center, then Bentworth would get the final spot based on Gardner Points. If Bentworth follows the path of every other Tri-County South team this season and loses to California, then the winner of this game will make the playoffs. Monessen has battled through injuries this season and have relied on the dynamic Tyvaughn Kershaw (610 rushing yards, 140 receiving yards, 8 total TDs) who also had to spend some time at quarterback (208 yards, 3 TDs) this year. Dennis Hawkins (589 yards, 5 TDs) has settled in at quarterback throwing to Lorenzo Gardner (384 yards, 5 TDs). Beth-Center’s offense is almost entirely built around their running game. Ethan Varesko (1024 yards, 12 TDs) leads the way for the Bulldogs with Teagan Veatch (334 yards, 4 TDs) in a supporting role. Jonah Sussan has run for 4 TDs from the quarterback position where he has attempted less than 6 passes per game.
CASKET MATCHES
Laurel (2-3, 3-6) at Shenango (2-3, 4-5)
One of the two true Casket Matches in the WPIAL this week is in Lawrence County. Laurel lost most of their starters from last year’s conference title-winning squad but the young Spartans team has started to put things together over the last few weeks. Shenango has had an up-and-down season with a big win over Rochester on their resume. Laurel had a slow start to the season as they worked in a number of new starters but have found a rhythm with Ben Hennon (845 yards, 6 TDs) at running back. Luca Santini (338 yards, 3 TDs) took over at quarterback mid-season and has a quality receiver in Kolton Carlson (280 yards, 4 TDs). Shenango has an incredibly talented receiver in Colton Fedrizzi (486 yards, 9 TDs). Quarterback Sam Myers has thrown for 779 yards and 9 TDs. The Wildcats haven’t been able to establish much of a rushing game this season with Connor Sheirer, Landyn Albertini, and Nico Desalvo sharing the work.
OLSH (3-3, 4-5) at Cornell (4-2, 7-2)
The other Casket Match in the WPIAL is also in 1A as the final spot in the Black Hills Conference will be decided between OLSH and Cornell. Last year in a similar scenario, OLSH topped Cornell by 1 point to earn the final playoff spot. For the second year in a row, OLSH is battling through quarterback injuries as the season draws to a close. Brandon Brazell has stepped in recently and thrown for 377 yards and 2 TDs. He is also the Chargers leading rusher (413 yards, 6 TDs). OLSH has two talented receivers in Ethan Gardner (599 yards, 5 TDs) and Dorrien Tate (313 yards, 1 TD). Cornell scored a big early-season victory over Union and have lost games to title contenders Fort Cherry and Bishop Canevin. The Raiders have a balanced offensive attack led by dual-threat QB CJ Jackson (926 passing yards, 14 TDs, 309 rushing yards, 5 TDs). Cornell has an explosive back in Khylil Johnson (909 yards, 10 TDs) who averages 10 yards per carry and complements him with Julian Cordice (366 yards, 7 TDs). Jackson’s top target in the passing game is Mikey Keyes (451 yards, 7 TDs).
