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. California has been the most consistent team over the last decade in the Tri-County South. Last year Jefferson-Morgan claimed the conference title after prevailing in the final minutes against California. Watch out for Bentworth who returns their best player after making the playoffs for the first time since 2015. 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.
California
2024 Result: 7-3, lost to Clairton in quarterfinals
All-Time: 463-444-41 (36th in wins, 55th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 1949 WPIAL Champions
The Trojans have won a playoff game in six of the last eight seasons, including a first round defeat of Laurel last year. California narrowly missed out on winning their second straight conference title last year, losing in the final minute to Jefferson-Morgan in Week 9. The Trojans tend to run a ground-and pound offense and their top four backs all averaged over 6.5 yards per carry last season. Three of them return as part of a strong class of rising seniors. Malachi Peak (436 yards, 6 TDs) is the top returning rusher, along with Landan Abercrombie (232 yards, 4 TDs) and speedster Adiu Keyes (215 rushing yards, 141 receiving yards, 5 total TDs) who averaged over 14 yards per touch. California doesn’t throw much, but senior QB Logan Hartley (608 yards, 9 TDs) also returns to give the Trojans stability in the backfield. Expect the Trojans to once again be the team to beat in the Tri-County South.
Bentworth
2024 Result: 6-4, lost to Bishop Canevin in first round
All-Time: 240-363-7 (105th in wins, 108th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: Never won a WPIAL Championship
The Bearcats made the playoffs for the first time since 2015, winning a 3-way tiebreaker against Carmichaels and West Greene. Several key player return this season and look to push Bentworth forward as potentially the top challenger to California atop the TCS. The star of the show is rising senior Ben Hays who ran for 1380 yards and 17 TDs, added 233 receiving yards and 4 TDs and played a little quarterback, throwing for 340 yards and 6 TDs. Hays returns to the backfield along with junior QB Ty Watson (646 yards, 6 TDs). Second-leading rusher Preston Jaquay (324 yards, 5 TDs) also returns for his senior season, giving Bentworth a strong backfield trio. If Bentworth is going to take the next step and contend for their first conference title since 1984, they will need to shore up a defense that allowed nearly 28 points per game last season.
Jefferson-Morgan
2024 Result: 10-0, lost to South Side in first round
All-Time: 476-403-31 (30th in wins, 45th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 2 WPIAL Championships (1973, 1974), predecessor school Jefferson tied for the 1951 WPIAL title
The Rockets won their first conference title since 2006 and went undefeated for the first time since __ thanks to a thrilling Week 9 victory over California in the final minute. Unfortunately, the Rockets saw their star 1000/1000 quarterback graduate and will need to replace his production heading into this season. Senior RB John Woodward (659 yards, 10 TDs) is the top returning rusher. Jefferson-Morgan does return one of the most explosive receivers in 1A in WR Deakyn Dehoet (1038 yards, 20 TDs). If the Rockets can find a quarterback to step in who can get Dehoet the ball and complement Woodward on the ground, they can be right back in the mix for the playoffs this season.
Carmichaels
2024 Result: 5-3, missed playoffs
All-Time: 522-392-38 (21st in wins, 35th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 2 WPIAL Championships (1952, 1962)
The Mighty Mikes bounced back after a down year in 2023. After losing three in a row mid-year to fall to 2-3, the Mikes won their final three outings. They finished with a winning record and in a three-way tie with Bentworth and West Greene for the final playoff spot. Carmichaels narrowly missed out via the point differential tiebreaker and was not awarded a wild card. Rising senior Cannon Bupka returns to the dual-threat QB role after running for 620 yards and 3 TDs and throwing for 415 yards and 6 scores. He will once again be joined in the backfield by fellow senior Will Murray (285 yards, 3 TDs). Carmichaels saw 11 seniors graduate from a team that posted the second-best defense in the conference (17 points allowed per game). If the Mighty Mikes can keep up their defensive intensity, they should be right back in the mix for the playoffs again this year.
West Greene
2024 Result: 4-6, missed playoffs
All-Time: 226-426-10 (108th in wins, 118th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: Never won a WPIAL Championship
Since their run to the semifinals in 2019, the Pioneers have alternated making and missing the playoffs. Last year West Greene finished in a three-way tie with Bentworth and Carmichaels and missed out on the postseason due to the point differential tiebreaker. Last year West Greene moved away from tehir traditional run-heavy approach and opened up the passing game a bit more. Their quarterback, leading rusher, and leading receiver all graduated. West Greene does have a strong class of juniors coming up to take the reins. Jacob Orndoff (198 yards) and Colin Whyte (194 yards, 7 TDs) both return at running back. On the outside, Jackson Grimes (402 yards, 4 TDs) and Matt Wassil (204 yards) both return at receiver. If West Greene can find a quarterback to be the catalyst of the offense, things could fall into place to make another playoff push.
Avella
2024 Result: 3-7, missed playoffs
All-Time: 362-507-26 (69th in wins, 99th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 3 WPIAL Championships (1941, 1957, 1961)
The Eagles returned to the Tri-County South last season after a few years in the Black Hills Conference. Avella is a small school in western Washington County and while they might be a better geographic fit for the Black Hills, their size and setting (mostly rural farmland) is more aligned with the other TCS schools. At the beginning of October, the move looked like a good one as Avella sat at 3-4 with opportunities against Carmichaels and Bentworth to play their way into the playoffs. Unfortunately they lost their final three games and missed out on the postseason. Rising junior Chas Rush played a dual-threat role at quarterback, running for 619 yards and 5 TDs and throwing for 341 yards and 4 scores. He will be joined in the backfield this year by senior RBs Noah Kimberland (211 yards, 3 TDs) and Bryce Wright (159 yards, 1 TD). Keep an eye out for sophomore RB Darren Ruschel (138 yards, 1 TD) who averaged over 11 yards per carry in limited work as a freshman. Avella will need to find ways to put more points on the board this year after averaging just 16 points per game, the second-lowest in the conference.
Beth-Center
2024 Result: 1-8, missed playoffs
All-Time: 373-268-16 (63rd in wins, 31st in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 1975 WPIAL Champions
The Bulldogs have missed the playoffs in three straight seasons since moving down to 1A. Beth-Center’s offense is built around their ground game and they return several key players to the backfield. Desean Whipkey 612 yards, 9 TDs) led the team in rushing as a freshman, averaging over 7 yards per carry. Senior RB Teagan Veatch (510 yards, 3 TDs) and junior Homer Headlee (124 yards, 1 TD) also return to the Bulldogs backfield. Whipkey played a little quarterback last year and may see some time there alongside rising junior Chase Bebout. Beth-Center’s success this season will likely come down to their defense where they allowed 34 points per game last year, the second-most in the conference.
Mapletown
2024 Result: 1-9, missed playoffs
All-Time: 349-500-39 (72nd in wins, 100th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: Never won a WPIAL Championship
After winning the conference title and claiming their first playoff victory in school history in 2022, Mapletown struggled to overcome several graduations and fell to the bottom of the conference the last two years. The Maples do return a number of key players after only 7 seniors graduated from last year’s squad. Rising juniors Ashton Walker (112 passing yards) and Carson Vanata (117 passing yards, 441 rushing yards, 1 TD) split time at quarterback last year. Offensive playmaker Colston Spitznogle was the Maples leading receiver (105 yards), third-leading rusher (230 yards) and leading scorer (4 total TDs). Mapletown had the unfortunate combination of being one of the lowest-scoring offenses (7.8 points per game) and highest-scoring defenses (44.8 points allowed per game) in 1A. Only Springdale had worse statistical margins in both categories.
