The 2024 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 23. We are also thrilled to announce that the WPIAL Blitz Show will be back on the YouTube airwaves this season. Subscribe to the Sports Stream Premium channel and watch our live broadcasts on Monday nights or on replay any time.
This is a realignment season but some statewide changes have caused some shakeups in the WPIAL. Beginning with this two-year cycle, the PIAA changed the way students who attend charter or homeschools are counted. This enabled a lot of private schools to slide down in classifications while increasing the enrollment numbers for nearly every public school. This enabled Serra Catholic to move down from 2A to 1A while moving Carlynton up from 1A to 2A. In the WPIAL, 16 teams will make the 1A playoffs. The top three from each conference are guaranteed a playoff spot and the final four spots will be given to wild cards selected by the WPIAL Committee.
South Side Beaver won the Big Seven Conference last year and reached the WPIAL title game without a blemish on their record before falling to Fort Cherry. Union, who had won the 2022 WPIAL title and reached the State Championship Game, voluntarily opted to play up in 2A this cycle. The Scotties are replaced in the Big Seven by Neshannock, who won the 2A Midwestern Conference last season and is moving down to 1A. 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.
Neshannock
2023 Result: 9-2, 2A Midwestern Conference Champions, lost to Beaver Falls in 2A Quarterfinals
All-Time: 306-333-15 (88th in wins, 68th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: Never won a WPIAL title
The Lancers move down from 2A to 1A this season after successful runs to the semifinals and quarterfinals the last two years. Neshannock won the 2A Midwestern Conference title last season before falling to conference rival and eventual WPIAL Champions Beaver Falls by just one point in the playoffs. With the move down to 1A, Neshannock has their sights set on competing for their first WPIAL title in school history. Dual-threat QB Jino Mozzoccio threw for 993 yards and 11 TDs and ran for 735 yards and 9 TDs. Neshannock’s run-heavy attack also returns junior RB Anthony Eakin who led the team in rushing with 823 yards, added 159 receiving yards, and scored 9 times. The Lancers don’t throw the ball much, but leading receiver Dom Cubellis (257 receiving yards, 149 rushing yards, 3 total TDs) also returns. The experience and talent at the skill positions, coupled with the move down in classification, make Neshannock a strong contender for the WPIAL title.
South Side
2023 Result: 13-1, Big Seven Conference Champions, lost to Fort Cherry in 1A Championship Game
All-Time: 303-329-19 (90th in wins, 67th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 2 WPIAL Championships (1970, 1999), 1999 State Champions
The Rams are the defending conference champions who reached the WPIAL finals for the second time in six years. They fell to Fort Cherry in the title game but return some key pieces and will look to make another deep run in the playoffs. South Side finished the season with the third-best offense in 1A, averaging 42 points per game. Their defense was also top-tier, holding opponents to just 11 points per game (second-best in 1A). South Side’s triple option attack is difficult to defend and they bring back junior RB AC Corfield (1286 rushing yards, 407 receiving yards, 17 total TDs) who averaged over 10 yards per tote last year and was also their leading receiver. Also returning to the Rams backfield are seniors Mateja Pavlovich (200 yards, 3 TDs), Dom Colalella (142 yards, 2 TDs) and Slayton Williams (106 yards, 2 TDs). While South Side averaged just 7 pass attempts per game last year, their top two receivers return in Corfield and Carter Wilson (295 yards, 5 TDs). The only missing piece to the puzzle is who will step in at quarterback as the lynchpin of the triple option attack.
Rochester
2023 Result: 6-5, lost to Fort Cherry in 1A Quarterfinals
All-Time: 693-429-54 (9th in wins, 21st in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 8 WPIAL Championships (1921, 1991, 1992, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004), 3 State Championships (1998, 2000, 2001)
The Rams have made the playoffs in 7 of the last 8 years. Prior to their loss in the quarterfinals last season, they had made three straight semifinals. Rochester is another run-heavy offense who had to overcome an injury to star RB Antonio Laure (193 yards, 5 TDs) last season. Laure returns for his senior season to lead a Rams rushing attack loaded with young talent. Jason Clinton (387 yards, 3 TDs) averaged over 9 yards per carry last year as a freshman. Rising junior Patrick Bable led the team in receptions and also ran for 322 yards and 3 TDs. Overall, Rochester has a stable of backs and their traditional ground-and-pound approach should put them solidly in the playoff race. If they can stay healthy, don’t be surprised if Rochester makes a deep run in the postseason.
Laurel
2023 Result: 4-7, lost to Clairton in 1A first round
All-Time: 365-541-10 (66th in wins, 104th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 1980 WPIAL Champions
The Spartans have a four year playoff streak, which they preserved by beating Lawernce County rival Shenango in a casket match last season. Laurel fell to long-time rival Clairton in the opening round of the playoffs. Junior QB Luca Santini (601 yards, 5 TDs) returns for the Spartans. Jackson Saunders also played some QB last year, throwing for 244 yards and 3 TDs and running for 157 yards and 1 score. The top returning rusher is junior Nathan Hill (198 yards, 1 TD). Fellow junior Kolton Carlson led the receiving corps with 401 yards and 5 TDs. Senior Tyler Shearer (250 yards, 3 TDs) also returns for Laurel. After sneaking into the playoffs last year, Laurel should be a strong contender once again this season.
Shenango
2023 Result: 4-6, missed playoffs in 1A
All-Time: 431-382-38 (43rd in wins, 47th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: Never won a WPIAL title
After a run to the semifinals in the COVID-shortened season of 2020, Shenango missed the playoffs each of the last two seasons. The Wildcats got off to a 3-2 start last year but lost 4 of their final 5 games. Shenango had a chance to salvage their season in Week 9 but lost a Casket Match against Laurel. Rising senior Sam Patton and sophomore Nico Desalvo (203 yards, 3 TDs) both saw time as backup QBs last season. Desalvo is also the top returning rusher (141 yards, 3 TDs). Junior WRs Trey Ross (193 yards) and Landyn Albertini (134 receiving yards, 139 rushing yards, 1 TD) also return for Shenango.
Northgate
2023 Result: 5-5, missed playoffs in 1A
All-Time: 217-251-7 (109th in wins, 79th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: Never won a WPIAL Championship
The Flames have not made the playoffs since 2016, but the past cycle showed continued improvement. Northgate went 3 seasons without a win from 2018-2020 and finally broke through in 2021. They went on to win 4 games in 2022 and had a .500 season at 5-5 last year. The reigns of the offense figure to go to senior Sonteon Layne who threw for 283 yards and 4 TDs and ran for 316 yards and 4 TDs in backup duty last year. Offensive playmaker Darius Fields led the Flames in rushing (692 yards), receiving (211 yards) and scoring (14 total TDs) and returns for his senior season. Second-leading receiver Tylan Daniels (164 yards, 2 TDs) also returns to the fold to give Northgate a trio of playmakers. The next step for the Flames is to make a run at the postseason. In order to do so, they will need to improve a defense that allowed over 30 points per game, the second-highest in the conference.
Summit Academy
2023 Result: 0-10, missed playoffs in 1A
All-Time: 46-186-0 (120th in wins, 121st in win%)
Championship Pedigree: Never won a WPIAL Championship
Summit Academy is a school for adjudicated youth in Butler County. Due to the short-term stays of their students, they have complete roster turnover every season. Summit has made the playoffs twice in their history, most recently in 2017. Given the completely new roster, it is impossible to predict how they will perform this season. The school’s primary focus in fielding a team is to teach the kids life lessons through football.
