The 2025 WPIAL football season is nearly upon us! We are previewing all 17 conferences in preparation for kickoff on August 22. 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.
Sixteen teams qualify for the 1A playoffs. The top three teams from each of the four conferences are guaranteed playoff spots. The final four wild card spots are decided by the WPIAL selection committee, rather than by a formula as was the case in prior cycles. The Eastern Conference was dominated by Clairton last year who averaged nearly 50 points per game on offense and allowed just 14 points on defense before their WPIAL Championship loss to Fort Cherry. GCC’s only regular season loss was to Clairton but they were upset by Westmoreland County rival Jeannette in the playoffs as the Jayhawks made a run back to the semifinals. Leechburg made the playoffs for the fourth straight season and Brentwood earned a Wild Card. While Clairton had a historically great defense, the inverse also happened at the bottom of the conference. Springdale scored just 19 points in the entire regular season, a historically low total in the WPIAL. 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.
Clairton
2024 Result: 10-0, Eastern Conference Champions, lost to Fort Cherry in WPIAL Championship
All-Time: 738-374-41 (5th in wins, 9th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 14 WPIAL Championships (1929, 1931, 1954, 1989, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019), 4 State Championships (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
The Bears returned to the WPIAL finals last year for the first time since 2020. For a team with the rich tradition and history of Clairton, their quarterfinal exits in 2021 and 2022 were an anomoly. Prior to that two-year blip, Clairton had made at least the semifinals in 15 straight seasons. The biggest football-related offseason news out of Clairton is the much-needed renovations to Neil Brown Stadium thanks to generous donations by Tyler Boyd and others. The Bears are coming off one of the best defensive seasons in WPIAL history where they allowed just 14 points in the entire regular season and pitched three shutouts in the playoffs before losing a 21-20 battle in the WPIAL title game to Fort Cherry. Clairton shut out 10 opponents in total (Steel Valley scored a defensive TD in Week 0). On the flip side, the Bears were the highest-scoring offense in the entire WPIAL, averaging over 49 points per game. With only a handful of seniors graduating, Clairton looks primed to make another run to add to their illustrious pedigree of Championships. Senior QB Jeffrey Thompson returns after throwing for 1882 yards and 26 TDs. Leading receiver Taris Wooding (560 yards, 6 TDs) is also a ballhawk in the defensive backfield and scored two defensive touchdowns last year. Michael Ruffin (588 rushing yards, 325 receiving yards, 16 total TDs) and Donte Wright (393 rushing yards, 469 receiving yards, 18 total TDs) are both used all over the field on offense and both averaged over 9 yards per carry. Wright had 5 interceptions to lead the Bears defense last season and has D1 offers from Temple and Akron. Wooding, along with fellow WR/DB Jaece Booker both have Akron offers. The biggest recruit on the Clairton team is sophomore EDGE rusher Brandon Murphy who already has offers from Penn State, Pitt, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Syracuse and a number of MAC schools. Last year as a freshman, Murphy had 9 sacks and 23 tackles for loss. He was one of four Bears defenders to post over 100 tackles and double-digit TFLs. Seniors Tahvaz Armstrong (21 TFLs, 7 sacks), Deon Lovelace-Pompey (19 TFLs, 6 sacks), and junior Darren Pinson (118 tackles, 16 TFLs, 2 sacks, 1 INT). Pompey (210 yards, 6 TDs) and Murphy (185 yards, 5 TDs) were also used rotationally in the running game on offense. All in all, this is an absolutely loaded Clairton team that returns nearly all of their starters from the team that was a point away from the WPIAL title last year.
Jeannette
2024 Result: 6-3, lost to Fort Cherry in semifinals
All-Time: 786-345-40 (2nd in wins, 5th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 10 WPIAL Championships (1932, 1939, 1956, 1971, 1981, 1983, 2006, 2007, 2017, 2020), 2 State Championships (2007, 2017)
The Jayhawks have bounced back in a big way after their down year of 2021. The team was wracked by graduations and transfers but have rebuilt themselves into a contender. Jeannette looked like another middle-of-the-pack team last year after a 3-game losing streak against the top teams in the conference and barely squeaking out a 1-point win over Brentwood. They needed a Wild Card to get into the playoffs but once they were there turned in two stellar defensive efforts. For a team that struggled to stop the run in the regular season, Jeannette locked down both Neshannock and rival GCC in the playoffs to get back to the semifinals for the first time since they won the 2020 WPIAL title. Dual-threat QB Kymon’e Brown threw for 1844 yards and 22 TDs and ran for 1257 yards and 15 TDs. He headlines a strong senior class that includes second-leading receiver Noah Sunder (463 yards, 11 TDs) and complementary backs Nick Mendoza (398 yards, 4 TDs) and Eli Jones (293 yards, 1 TDs). Jones averaged over 8 yards per carry last season as a home-run hitter out of the backfield. On the outside, in addition to Sunder, leading receiver Jayce Powell (1031 yards, 16 TDs) is only a junior. If Jeannette can continue their stingy defensive play and not fall back into the trends that led the unit to allow 28 points per game during the regular season, they can set themselves up as the top challengers to Clairton in the Eastern Conference.
GCC
2024 Result: 6-2, lost to Jeannette in quarterfinals
All-Time: 385-254-10 (56th in wins, 26th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 2009 WPIAL Champions
The Centurions have put together strong regular seasons the last three years but it has not translated into deep playoff runs. They won the conference title in 2022 but were upset in the opening round of the playoffs. The previous two seasons they fell in the quarterfinals, last year being upset by conference rival Jeannette. Do-it-all senior Samir Crosby has offers from UNLV, Kent State, Miami (OH), Akron and Buffalo. Last year Crosby threw for 1483 yards and 20 TDs and ran for 1060 yards and 18 TDs. Crosby’s future in college likely lies at WR so GCC may experiment with him on the outside this season. Fellow seniors Landon Honick (727 yards, 12 TDs) and Jackson Lowden (282 yards, 1 TD) also return on the outside. Junior RB Luke Semelka (201 yards, 2 TDs) is the top returning rusher outside of Crosby. Before the playoff upset by Jeannette, GCC’s only losses had been in overtime to 3A Mt. Pleasant and to conference champion Clairton. The Centurions should be right in the mix again this season, returning nearly all of the significant contributors from an offense that averaged 32 points per game.
Brentwood
2024 Result: 4-6, lost to Fort Cherry in first round
All-Time: 433-439-28 (43rd in wins, 62nd in win%)
Championship Pedigree: Never won a WPIAL Championship
The Spartans fell on hard times the last few years but the move down from 2A to 1A helped reinvigorate their program. Brentwood was awarded the final wild card spot in the playoffs, their first postseason appearance since 2019. Senior QB Cedric Davis returns after throwing for 1243 yards and 18 TDs. Davis is also the Spartans top returning rusher (274 yards, 3 TDs). On the outside, two of the top three receivers graduated but big play target Daysaun Spencer (555 receiving yards, 138 rushing yards 10 total TDs) returns. Spencer averaged over 26 yards per touch last year and figures to take on an even larger role this season. Brentwood allowed 38 points per game last season, the fifth-most in 1A. They will need to tighten up defensively if they want to move off the playoff bubble and into a position to compete for one of the top three spots.
Leechburg
2024 Result: 8-2, lost to Cornell in first round
All-Time: 412-525-38 (49th in wins, 88th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 3 WPIAL Championships (1953, 1965, 1966)
The last four years have been quite the run for the Blue Devils. In 2021 they made the playoffs for the first time in 33 years. Leechburg followed it up by making the playoffs each of the last three seasons to give themselves a four-year streak. The Blue Devils lost their star quarterback as part of a 6-man graduating class. Most of their other starters, including four linemen, all return. Senior RB Tim Andrasy (886 yards, 13 TDs) is the top returning skill position player. Fellow senior Rocco Vigna (121 yards, 1 TD) is the top returning receiver. If Leechburg can find skill position players to step in for those that graduated, their consistency up front on the line should enable them to be competitive for a playoff spot once again this year.
Riverview
2024 Result: 3-5, missed playoffs
All-Time: 270-259-11 (98th in wins, 54th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 1997 WPIAL Champions, predecessor schools won 3 WPIAL Championships Oakmont won 2 (1928, 1965) and Vernoa won 1 (1962)
The Raiders have not made the playoffs since 2016. Riverview did go 5-5 in 2023, their first non-losing season since 2010. The Raiders changed quarterbacks midseason in the hopes of jump-starting their offense. Senior Rio Stotts after throwing for 388 yards and 6 TDs last year, running for 148 yards and 1 score, and posting 237 receiving yards and 2 TDs. Junior Connor Kmetz (877 yards, 9 TDs) stepped in at quarterback after Stotts moved to receiver. Senior Max Kratt (113 rushing yards, 216 receiving yards, 8 total TDs) also returns to the fold. Riverview has the talented players to potentially contend for a wild card spot. The challenge will be figuring out the right offensive alignment to maximize their skills and tightening up a defense that allowed nearly 40 points per game, the fourth-most in 1A.
Frazier
2024 Result: 2-7, missed playoffs
All-Time: 343-475-16 (74th in wins, 98th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: Never won a WPIAL Championship
The Commodores won just two games during the prior cycle, both coming against Springdale. Their 2-win 2024 campaign therefore could be considered successful after they beat both Springdale and Mapletown. Frazier does bring back some starters from last year’s team as they hope to build back towards contention. Rising junior Brady Secrest threw for 895 yards and 11 TDs last season. Leading rusher Derek Diamond (732 yards, 10 TDs) and second-leading receiver Chris Petruska (278 yards, 3 TDs) also return for the Commodores. Frazier did double their offensive output last year, going from 9.5 points per game in 2023 to 19.8 points per game last year. That was still the second-lowest mark in the conference and Frazier will need to find a way to put more points on the board in order to get closer to contending for the playoffs.
Springdale
2024 Result: 0-9, missed playoffs
All-Time: 426-502-30 (46th in wins, 82nd in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 4 WPIAL Championships (1932, 1946, 1973, 2003)
The Dynamos were a consistent playoff participant for the entire 2000s decade. Unfortunately Springdale is coming off one of the worst seasons in WPIAL history. They managed just 19 points all season and were shut out 7 times. That marked one of the lowest-scoring outputs in WPIAL history. Springdale also struggled defensively, allowing over 50 points per game, the most in the entire WPIAL. Springdale had just four seniors graduate so they do return some experience, including QB Nathan Gebauer. For years, Springdale’s legendary source of power and inspiration had been the smokestack along the Allegheny River which towered over their field. But with the power plant demolished, Springdale is looking for answers both on and off the field.
