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. Aliquippa has won the Parkway each of the last four years, three straight WPIAL titles, and two of the last three State titles. On top of that, their winning continued off the field when the Quips defeated the PIAA in the courtroom to prevent being forced up to 5A. Aliquippa was allowed to remain in 4A and the PIAA amended their rules regarding the Success Formula. The Quips geographic rivals Central Valley moved back down to 3A this cycle.
The biggest changes in 4A happened at the state level. To start, the PIAA moved the WPIAL Champions back from entering the state bracket in the semifinals to entering in the quarterfinals. This means that there will only be three weeks available for the WPIAL playoffs which has two significant impacts. First, only 8 teams will make the WPIAL playoffs in 4A (much like in 5A the last two years). Second, the 4A Championship will not be held at Acrisure Stadium since it will be a week earlier than the other four classifications who get to enter the state bracket in the semifinals. 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.
Aliquippa
2023 Result: 14-0, Parkway Conference Champions, WPIAL Champions, State Champions
All-Time: 784-328-42 (1st in wins, 4th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 20 WPIAL Championships (1952, 1955, 1964, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991 1996, 2000, 2003, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023), 5 State Championships (1991, 2003, 2018, 2021, 2023)
The Quips are the three-time defending WPIAL Champions and have reached the WPIAL finals in an incredible 16 straight seasons dating back to 2008. Aliquippa, a 2A-sized school, is playing in 4A due to the PIAA’s “success formula” and had to mount a legal challenge this offseason in order to avoid being forced up into 5A. The decorated senior class graduated with a 49-3 record, including 3 WPIAL titles and 2 state titles. Senior RB Tiqwai “Tikey” Hayes looks to cap off his stellar high school career and make a run at being the 5th WPIAL player to top 7,000 yards. Hayes has committed to Penn State and is coming off a season with 2129 yards and 23 TDs. For his career, Hayes has run for 5856 yards and scored 79 TDs. Other than Hayes and senior WR/DB Arison Walker (299 yards, 6 TDs), the Quips will have to replace most of their starting offensive skill position players, but the cupboard is far from bare. Qa’lil Goode and Josh Lay also return on the outside after both putting up over 100 receiving yards last season. Marques Council played a few snaps as a backup last year and figures to take over as the starting quarterback for the Quips. Sophomore RB/LB Sa’Nir Brooks ran for 164 yards and 1 TD last year for Central Catholic and already has offers from WVU and other MAC schools. The Quips junior class includes linemen Jamar Allen and Justus Starks who both have offers from FCS schools. With Tikey Hayes committed to Penn State, the most heralded recruit on the Quips roster is sophomore DB Larry Moon III who has offers from nearly every major D1 school including Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Oregon, Pitt, Notre Dame, and others. Watch out for freshman Nasir Wade who already has a D1 offer from Buffalo and has a bright future ahead.
Montour
2023 Result: 10-2, lost to McKeesport in 4A semifinals
All-Time: 465-354-20 (31st in wins, 35th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 5 WPIAL Championships (1957, 1958, 1963, 2011)
The Spartans are coming off an impressive 10-win season that included a victory over long-time playoff nemesis Thomas Jefferson en route to a semifinal appearance. Montour’s only two losses last year came against eventual State Champions Aliquippa and WPIAL runners up McKeesport. Senior Trey Hopper only saw a handful of snaps last year in backup QB duties but did throw 2 TD passes. He will have some returning talent around him with junior RB Caden Halajcio (508 yards, 8 TDs). Three of Montour’s top four receivers also return in seniors Andrew Alston (815 yards, 12 TDs), Daniel Batch (523 yards, 9 TDs), and Kaleb Platz (146 yards, 4 TDs) who all have D1 scholarship offers. Halajcio and Alston have offers from Robert Morris while senior lineman Mark Dobrowski has a VMI offer. Daniel Batch has received offers from a number of FCS programs along with Toledo and Navy. Several MAC schools have also made offers to Kaleb Platz for his work on the defensive side of the ball at linebacker. All in all, this is a very strong Montour team who should be the primary challenger to Aliquippa for the conference title and could make another deep run in the playoffs.
West Allegheny
2023 Result: 6-5, lost to Latrobe in 4A First Round
All-Time: 381-371-14 (56th in wins, 57th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 8 WPIAL Championships (1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2016), 2001 State Champions
Among WPIAL teams, West Allegheny has come the closest to beating Aliquippa over the last two seasons. Last year it was a narrow 29-22 defeat after a 19-26 loss in 2022. Dual-threat QB Brock Cornell has committed to Bucknell as a safety. Last season Cornell ran for 1043 yards and 16 TDs and threw for 392 yards and 4 scores. The Indians ground-and-pound offense also returns second-leading rusher Roman Police (462 yards, 10 TDs). While West A didn’t throw much, leading receivers Brodie Cornell (127 yards, 1 TD), Noah Pfeffer (126 yards) and Tegan Tomei (2 TDs) all return. Sophomore lineman Tyler Hatton has turned some heads and already landed offers from UNLV and Robert Morris. With only 8 teams qualifying for the playoffs this year, West A’s Week 9 game against neighboring Montour may be the deciding game in the Parkway playoff race.
New Castle
2023 Result: 1-9, missed playoffs in 4A
All-Time: 755-438-69 (3rd in wins, 17th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 11 WPIAL Championships ()
The Red Hurricanes have struggled the last two seasons, going 1-9 each year. They did end the 2023 campaign on a high note with a 10-point win over Ambridge to snap a 17-game losing streak. In the final game of the season, they battled Blackhawk to a narrow 6-point loss. With that small amount of momentum, New Castle brings back a number of players who started as underclassmen. Kyrell Harris threw for 465 yards and 4 TDs last season and returns alongside second-leading rusher Kaevon Gardner (436 yards, 3 TDs). If New Castle is going to contend for a playoff spot this season, they will need to improve upon a defense that allowed 38 points per game, the second-most in 4A.
Blackhawk
2023 Result: 1-9, missed playoffs in 4A
All-Time: 329-211-8 (79th in wins, 23rd in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 4 WPIAL Championships (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996)
A year removed from making the playoffs, the Cougars went just 1-9 last season with their only victory coming in Week 9 over New Castle. Blackhawk was the second-lowest scoring team in 4A last year, averaging just 12 points per game. They did not score 21 points in a game all season. The Cougars will look to put that behind them in 2024 but will need to replace some key starters. Senior QB Stephen Knallay split time as a starter last year, throwing for 346 yards and 4 TDs. The top returning rushers are Connor McGraw and Sam Stewart who both averaged over 4 yards per carry in limited work. Knallay and sophomore RB Brayden McCarthy are the only returning players who scored rushing TDs last season. On the outside, second-leading receiver Cody Woodward (122 yards, 2 TDs) will be back for his senior season.
Ambridge
2023 Result: 2-8, missed playoffs in 4A
All-Time: 441-510-40 (41st in wins, 77th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 1932 WPIAL Champions
The Bridgers last made the playoffs in 2021 in 3A before moving up to 4A in 2022. The last two years were a struggle for Ambridge with consecutive 2-8 campaigns. Ambridge will need to fix their porous defense in order to contend this season. Last year the Bridgers allowed 37.5 points per game, the third-most in 4A. With most of their key offensive players graduating, this looks to be another rebuilding year for Ambridge.
