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 Seton LaSalle and Shady Side Academy to move down from 3A to 2A while moving Carlynton up from 1A to 2A. OLSH and Union voluntarily opted to play up in 2A this cycle. In the WPIAL, 13 teams will make the 2A 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.
Washington has dominated the Century Conference for the better part of the six classification era. Their primary challenger the last few years has been McGuffey, who moved up to 3A this cycle. Joining the section is a talented Seton LaSalle squad that moves down from 3A. 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.
Washington
2023 Result: 11-2, Century Conference champions, lost to Beaver Falls in 2A semifinals
All-Time: 741-380-57 (4th in wins, 10th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 8 WPIAL Championships (1917, 1920, 1923, 1926, 1993, 2001, 2017), 2001 State Champions
The Prexies have made the playoffs in 13 straight seasons. Last year, they rebounded from a first round knockout to make a run to the 2A semifinals. Wash High blew the doors off the competition early in the season, running out to a 6-0 start. They lost a defensive struggle to Keystone Oaks but bounced back to top McGuffey for the conference title the following week. Washington beat Ellwood City and McGuffey before falling to eventual WPIAL Champions Beaver Falls in the semis by 2 points. Junior QB Tristian Reed threw for 1310 yards and 14 TDs last year. The Prexies also get back leading rusher Ed Lewis who put up 1049 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior. Wash High was the top defensive team in 2A, holding opponents to just 10.6 points per game. After last year’s semifinal run, the Prexies have enough returning talent to be the team to beat in the Century Conference once again.
Seton LaSalle
2023 Result: 5-5, missed playoffs in 3A
All-Time: 373-285-13 (61st in wins, 36th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 5 WPIAL Championships (1979, 1980, 1990, 2002, 2004)
The Rebels rose out of the ashes last year, bouncing back from an 0-10 campaign in 2022 to nearly make the playoffs. After getting off the schnide with a win over Serra Catholic in Week 1, Seton put together a 4-game winning streak that included a double overtime win over Steel Valley. But when the competition got tougher they dropped 4 close games in a row to fall out of playoff contention before closing the season with a win over Sto-Rox. The Rebels move down to 2A this season and should be right in the mix for a conference title. Sophomore Khalil Taylor burst onto the scene last year with 501 receiving yards, 201 rushing yards, and 10 total TDs (including several on kick returns). Taylor has offers from Penn State, Pitt, WVU, Rutgers, Nebraska, and several MAC schools. At quarterback, Michael Pastirik (1002 yards, 12 TDs) returns for his senior season. Logan King (300 yards) is the top returning running back. In addition to Taylor, the Rebels have D1 recruits in OLB Aaron Loritts (Miami (OH) offer) and WR/DB Nelson Coleman (WVU offer).
Waynesburg
2023 Result: 7-4, lost to Imani Christian in 2A first round
All-Time: 382-577-36 (55th in wins, 105th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 1999 WPIAL Champions
The Raiders made the playoffs for the first time since 2014 and just the second time since 2003 last season. Waynesburg got off to a 4-0 start to the season, including a hard-fought 12-0 win over Keystone Oaks that ultimately got them into the playoffs. Dual-threat QB Jacob Stephenson threw for 1002 yards and 9 TDs and ran for 587 yards and 10 TDs last year as a junior. He returns to lead a Waynesburg attack looking to build on their successes. Two rising sophomores figure to make a splash this season in RB Ross Tennant (197 yards, 1 TD) who averaged 6 yards per carry last year and leading receiver Jack Ricciuti (487 yards, 4 TDs). With Stephenson returning at quarterback and the young playmakers around him, Waynesburg should be right in the mix for the playoffs again this season.
Keystone Oaks
2023 Result: 6-5, lost to Beaver Falls in 2A first round
All-Time: 461-453-3 (32nd in wins, 58th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: Never won a WPIAL title
The Golden Eagles had a few early-season injuries that led to a 1-3 start last year, but they bounced back to win 5 of their last 6 and make the playoffs. Senior Brenden Quarles spent some time at QB amidst a slew of injuries at the position. Second-leading rusher Billy Brickner (529 yards, 2 TDs) returns to take the helm of the backfield. The top returning receiver is junior Sean O’Brien who found the end zone twice last year. KO had one of the best defenses in 2A last season, holding opponents to just 11 points per game, the second-best in the classification behind only conference foe Washington. In order to stay in contention for a playoff spot this year, KO will need to get a little more out of their offense that averaged just 17 points per game, the lowest mark of any 2A playoff team from last season.
Sto-Rox
2023 Result: 2-7, missed playoffs in 2A
All-Time: 326-255-9 (81st in wins, 37th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 2 WPIAL Championships (1966, 1987)
After a run of making at least the semifinals in four straight seasons, Sto-Rox struggled through a 2-7 season last year. Sto-Rox saw a ton of players graduate and last year’s squad was one of the smallest in the WPIAL. Things did start to come together towards the end of the year when they lost by 6 to Brentwood, beat a Waynesburg team that went to the playoffs, and lost a shootout to Seton LaSalle by just four. A number of underclassmen saw significant playing time last season, including Devant Johnson who played quarterback as a freshman. Shaiky Yates is the top returning rusher for a Vikings team looking to get back on track.
Carlynton
2023 Result: 2-8, missed playoffs in 1A
All-Time: 178-331-10 (115th in wins, 116th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: Never won a WPIAL title
When can a 2-win season be considered a success? For a team like Carlynton who had won just twice in their prior 20 outings, last year’s 2-8 season seemed like an improvement. The Cougars have the longest playoff drought in the WPIAL (dating back to 2001) and the move from 1A up to 2A may not make things easier for the next two years. The Cougars do bring back dual-threat QB Davonte Dean who threw for 1058 yards and 10 TDs and ran for 326 yards and 3 scores. Carlynton also gets back their all-around offensive weapon Ryan Lewis who led the team in rushing (338 yards), receiving (388 yards), and scoring (10 total TDs). Senior RB John Sciulli (313 yards, 1 TD) and junior WR Damian Holloway (150 yards, 3 TDs) also return for a Cougars team looking to take the next step towards playoff contention.
Charleroi
2023 Result: 0-9, missed playoffs in 2A
All-Time: 570-472-60 (15th in wins, 42nd in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 2 WPIAL Championships (1936, 1959)
The Cougars are coming off a winless campaign and have not won more than 2 games in a season over the last four years. Last year was a struggle for the Cougars who had the unfortunate combination of the second-lowest scoring team (10 points per game) and the second-worst defense (40 points allowed per gam) in 2A. Junior Jackson Keranko started at quarterback last year and threw 2 TD passes. Dan Nusida and Noah Pletcher are the only returning players who found the end zone last season.
