The 2025 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 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.
Twelve teams qualify for the 3A playoffs. The top three teams from each of the three conferences are guaranteed playoff spots. The final three wild card spots are decided by the WPIAL selection committee, rather than by a formula as was the case in prior cycles. The Western Hills is one of the deepest conferences in the WPIAL. Avonworth is the defending WPIAL Champions and brings back a number of players from the team that lost in overtime of the State Championship last year. The Lopes finished the regular season in a 3-way tie with Central Valley and Beaver atop the conference. North Catholic, who got into the playoffs via the Wild Card, won a first round game and almost upset Elizabeth Forward in the quarterfinals. Hopewell is loaded with young talent and is a team on the rise. 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.
Avonworth
2024 Result: 7-3, Western Hills Conference co-champions, WPIAL Champions, lost to Northwestern Lehigh in PIAA finals
All-Time: 465-513-45 (33rd in wins, 70th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 3 WPIAL Championships (1959, 2019, 2024)
Avonworth has reached the WPIAL Championship in three straight seasons and finally broke through and claimed the title last season. Dating back to their time in 2A, the Lopes have reached the WPIAL finals four times in six years. Avonworth looked to be on the ropes at the end of the regular season after a 20-point loss to Beaver dropped them into a three way tie for the conference title and they were given the fifth seed in the playoffs. The Lopes responded by flipping a switch in the postseason, getting revenge on Beaver in the quarterfinals and grinding out a win over top-seeded Imani Christian in the semis. Their defense was top-notch in the WPIAL finals, shutting out Central Valley. They came so close to the first state title in school history, going to overtime in a shootout with Northwestern Lehigh but ultimately coming up short. The Lopes return several key pieces from last year’s team and are among the favorites not only for the WPIAL title but to contend for the State crown. Senior QB Carson Bellinger didn’t have to throw much in the Lopes run-heavy offense but was efficient when needed, throwing for 1074 yards and 11 TDs. In the backfield, 3 of the top 4 rushers return, led by Luca Neal (1018 yards, 9 TDs), Dimitri Velisaris (595 yards, 8 TDs) and Bryce Metz (216 yards, 9 TDs). Neal was also the team’s leading receiver (489 yards, 4 TDs). Second-leading receiver Jack Crawford (157 yards, 3 TDs) also returns for his senior season. Massive two-way lineman Peter Bonnet has committed to Navy and gives the Lopes rushing attack a road grader to run behind.
North Catholic
2024 Result: 4-6, lost to Elizabeth Forward in quarterfinals
All-Time: 481-328-32 (27th in wins, 29th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 2013 WPIAL Champions, 2013 State Champions
The Trojans spent two years in 4A where they were a borderline playoff team (missing out in 2022 and losing in the first round in 2023). Last year they moved back down to 3A and after an inconsistent regular season where they needed a Week 9 win over Hopewell to secure a playoff spot, upset Deer Lakes in the opening round and gave Elizabeth Forward all they could handle in the quarterfinals. Senior QB Joey Felitsky led the WPIAL in passing with 2982 yards and 23 TDs. He gets back three of his top four receivers in Ryker Kennedy (1229 yards, 9 TDs), Tom Arth (508 receiving yards, 194 rushing yards, 15 total TDs), and Will Waskiewicz (497 yards, 6 TDs). Leading rusher Logan Schade (530 yards, 6 TDs) also returns. North has the offensive firepower to be a contender in 3A this year but will need to shore up a defense that allowed over 31 points per game, the highest of any playoff team.
Central Valley
2024 Result: 5-5, Western Hills Conference co-champions, lost to Avonworth in WPIAL finals
All-Time: 151-41-0 (117th in wins, 1st in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 5 WPIAL Championships (2010, 2014, 2019, 2020, 2021), predecessor school Monaca won 3 WPIAL titles (1975, 1982, 1985), 2 State Championships (2020, 2021)
The Warriors won three straight WPIAL titles and two State crowns from 2019-2021 but were forced up into 4A in 2022 and 2023. They returned to 3A last season but were handed an absolutely brutal non-conference slate by the WPIAL schedule-makers. Central Valley’s only losses against 3A opponents came to Avonworth – once in the regular season and once in the WPIAL Championship. At quarterback, junior Braddock Ambrose started one game last season and threw for 225 yards and 5 TDs, a preview of things to come this season as he steps into the starting role. The Warriors will have to work in some new starters around him after losing several of their top contributors from last season. Sophomore RB Ethan Ondrusek (145 yards, 1 TD) is the top returning rusher after averaging 8.1 yards per carry. On the outside, tight end Ethan Shearer (169 yards) and Aaron Lawson (103 yards, 1 TD) are the only two of the top seven receivers to return. There is talent in the pipeline as junior WR/DB Mekhi Ahmed has a Miami (OH) offer. In the trenches senior lineman Brendan Alexander has several D1 offers including Penn State, Pitt, WVU, NC State, and several other ACC and Big Ten schools. An X-factor for Central Valley is kicker Domenic Pratt who is one of the top kickers in the state and booted 7 field goals last year. Central Valley certainly has the talent for another deep run in the postseason.
Hopewell
2024 Result: 4-6, missed playoffs
All-Time: 370-420-25 (64th in wins, 76th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 2002 WPIAL Champions, 2002 State Champions
The last decade has been a struggle for the Vikings who have not made the playoffs since 2012. Hopewell showed significant improvement last season and narrowly missed out on the playoffs after losing a Week 9 showdown with North Catholic. Sophomore QB James Armstrong has offers from Pitt and Akron after throwing for 1344 yards and 10 TDs as a freshman. He also led the Vikings with 787 rushing yards and 15 TDs. His backfield counterpart Brody Rock (646 rushing yards, 476 receiving yards, 8 total TDs) is also a rising sophomore, giving the Vikings as solid core to build their offense around for years to come. Armstrong’s leading receivers all return, led by senior Logan Triscila (471 yards, 4 TDs) and sophomore Tre Cameron (215 yards, 1 TD). Sophomore Nasir Wade transferred from Aliquippa and already has offers from a few MAC schools. He will be used all over the field for his speed and athleticism to create mismatches. Hopewell has the offensive talent to end their playoff drought but they will need to improve a defense that allowed 36 points per game, the 4th most in 3A.
Beaver
2024 Result: 8-2, lost to Avonworth in quarterfinals
All-Time: 683-425-55 (11th in wins, 21st in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 3 WPIAL Championships (1972, 1981, 1982)
Beaver has had a strong run in recent years, winning 9 games in 2023 and 8 games last season. However, their last three seasons have all come to an end at the hands of Avonworth in the playoffs. Beaver scored a big 20-point win over the Lopes at the end of the regular season that seemed to set the tone for what was to come, but Avonworth reversed the result when they met in the playoffs. Beaver was the second-highest scoring team in 3A for the second straight year, averaging over 40 points per game. Senior QB Travis Clear throw for 1343 yards and 13 TDs and is the only returning starter at the offensive skill positions. Beaver lost their top four rushers and 4 of their top 5 receivers to graduation. The only one returning is Philip Marino Jr (185 yards, 1 TD). Beaver is a well-coached team who will need to work in some young players (watch out for sophomore Avery Scales and junior Ryan Hughes) in order to contend with the top teams in the conference.
Quaker Valley
2024 Result: 2-7, missed playoffs
All-Time: 245-386-14 (103rd in wins, 111th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 2017 WPIAL Champions, 2017 State Champions
The Quakers have fallen on some hard times since their miraculous run to the 2017 3A State Title. Over the last five seasons they won just 6 total games. Their two wins last year tied the total from the prior two-year cycle. In addition to beating Valley in non-conference play, the Quakers topped McGuffey in the final week of the season to earn a conference victory. Senior QB Atticus Barr (779 yards, 4 TDs) will be asked to take on a bigger role this season as Quaker Valley’s leading rusher and two of their top three receivers graduated. Leading receiver Logan Benedict (236 yards, 4 TDs) does return to give Barr a reliable target on the outside. Unfortunately for the Quakers, Benedict and Ben McHenry are the top two returning rushers but both only saw a handful of carries last season.
McGuffey
2024 Result: 0-9, missed playoffs
All-Time: 308-442-25 (90th in wins, 101st in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 1994 WPIAL Champions
The Highlanders moved up from 2A to 3A and were placed into a geographically disparate conference from the teams they normally face. McGuffey traditionally had played against the likes of the Interstate Conference but was slotted into the Western Hills and the 2024 campaign proved to be a struggle. McGuffey runs a triple-option attack but lost their top rushers as part of a 21-man senior class. Rising senior Dakota Reedy attempted a few passes last season in backup duty. McGuffey had been a very solid 2A squad for a number of years, but the step up in competition proved to be a challenge on both sides of the ball. The Highlanders were the second-lowest scoring team in 3A (9.2 points per game) while allowing the most points in the classification (42 points per game). This figures to be another rebuilding campaign after the large senior class graduated.
