Week 3 of the high school football season is typically the end of the first third of the nine-week season. However, with the COVID-shortened season this year it nearly marks the halfway point of the 7-week regular season. Big news this week came down that a federal court ruled the Governor’s COVID-related restrictions on assemblies unconstitutional, which opened the door for more spectators at sporting events. However, the State House failed to overturn the Governor’s veto on a bill that would give school districts the ability to set spectator limits, as a number of representatives flipped their vote. The PIAA also announced the format for State Championship tournament, with Championship Games being held the weekend of Thanksgiving. WPIAL teams in 1A through 5A entering at the semifinals the week prior to Thanskgiving while the 6A Champion will start in the Quarterfinals. This means that 8 teams will make the WPIAL playoffs in 1A through 5A and only 4 will make the playoffs in 6A. This year, our WPIAL coverage is sponsored by the Small Player Big Play App, which provides schools the opportunity to fundraise by live-streaming their games and events. Check out their Twitter page and get the app for free on Apple or Andriod devices.
I’m happy to once again be doing a guest spot on the WMBS pregame show. They’ll be broadcasting the Laurel Highlands-West Mifflin game tonight both over the air and as a video stream on their Facebook Page. Laurel Highlands features sophomore Rodney Gallagher who received a number of D1 scholarship offers in both football and basketball after his freshman season. We previewed that game and also discussed the Week 2 results on the Sprowls Insurance Group Pregame Show, which you can listen to, starting at 6pm on Friday night.
Follow our new WPIAL Twitter account @WPIAL_Blitz where we will be tweeting score updates and other information throughout the night. After the weekend’s games are over, check out our WPIAL Standings Page. The other big news this week was the launching of the WPIAL Blitz Show, which will be FREE on the Small Player Big Play App and on YouTube all season.
6A Game of the Week
North Allegheny (0-0, 1-0) vs Central Catholic (2-0, 2-0)
Livestream on TribLive HSSN
North Allegheny has had two teams postpone games because of COVID cases (Seneca Valley and Baldwin). Their only game to date was a 26-7 victory over 5A Penn Hills in Week 1. Meanwhile, Central Catholic has two convincing victories over Canon-McMillan and Norwin and looks poised to defend their WPIAL title. This very well could be a preview of the WPIAL Championship Game and this one is loaded with talented players on both sides. Central Catholic has one of the top running backs in Western Pennsylvania in Eddy Tillman (407 yards, 2 TDs). While Central is traditionally a run-heavy team, they have shown more balance this season with QB Brandon Pezzelle throwing for 164 yards and 5 TDs. In last year’s meeting, Central led the entire game until North Allegheny returned a punt for a touchdown and converted the two-point try in the closing minutes for an 11-10 victory. If you’re looking for game-breakers, keep an eye out for Central’s Brandon Jackson who is a Junior Olympian sprinter. North Allegheny won a defensive struggle with Penn Hills in Week 1 with the talented Khalil Dinkins leading the way with 87 receiving yards. Mason Kress, Greg Phillips and Tanner Potts shared the load in the backfield with Kress running for 57 yards and a TD.
Livestreams:
- Hempfield vs Mt. Lebanon
- Norwin vs Seneca Valley
- Canon-McMillan vs Elizabeth Forward
5A Games of the Week
Gateway (1-0, 2-0) vs Pine-Richland (1-0, 2-0)
Livestream on TribLive HSSN or PR TV
These are arguably the top two teams in 5A and this is quite possibly a preview of the WPIAL 5A Championship Game. Honestly, this might be the Game of the Week in the entire STATE this weekend. Pine-Richland reached 3 straight WPIAL finals in 6A before moving down to 5A this season. Gateway is the defending WPIAL 5A Champions and have won two of the last three 5A titles. Both of these teams are absolutely loaded and this is a game worth watching on Friday night. Gateway is led by Derrick Davis, the top collegiate recruit in the Commonwealth, who has offers from nearly every major D1 program and is coming off a 4 TD performance against Bethel Park. While Davis is being recruited as a safety, he has run for 278 yards and 5 TDs on the season. QB Carsen Engleka has taken the reins of the passing game, throwing for 512 yards and 9 TDs. Gateway has some of the best receivers in the state, led by Chamor Price (204 yards, 4 TDs) and Patrick Body (196 yards, 3 TDs). Pine-Richland has the WPIAL’s leading passer in Cole Spencer (609 yards, 8 TDs). He has one of the top receivers in the WPIAL in Eli Jochem (228 yards, 3 TDs) along with talented receivers Alex Gochis (106 yards, 2 TDs) and Jeremiah Hasley (104 yards). Spencer has been coordinating a RPO offense since his sophomore season and Pine-Richland has two backs averaging over 6.5 yards per carry in Jordan Burns (121 yards) and Tristen Taylor (118 yards, 1 TD).
South Fayette (0-0, 1-1) vs Peters Twp (0-0, 1-0)
On broadcast TV on 22 The Point or Livestream on their website
Sixty Four Games. That is the streak of consecutive conference victories that South Fayette will put on the line on Friday night against neighboring Peters Twp. The last time the Lions lost a conference game was to Seton LaSalle in 2011 when they played in AA. They swept through the 4A competition from 2016-2019 and now have moved up to a tough conference in 5A. The first conference clash for Joe Rossi’s Lions comes against Peters Twp who were the 5A Runners Up last year, losing by just a point to Gateway in the WPIAL final. South Fayette QB Naman Alemada led the WPIAL in passing last season and has thrown for 224 yards and 4 TDs this season. The Lions have a trio of receivers with D1 talent in Ryan McGuire (82 yards, 2 TDs), Charley Rossi (74 yards), and Joey Audi (42 yards, 1 TD). The Lions offense has been balanced by Shay Aitken who has run for 176 yards and 1 TD. This game will be a challenge for Alemada and the passing attack as Peters Twp boasts one of the best secondaries in the classification. While Florida-commit safety Donovan McMillan has garnered most of the headlines, Breylen Carrington literally stole the show last week against Penn-Trafford. Carrington had four interceptions, turning two into pick-sixes. All told, Peters Twp had 7 takeaways against Penn-Trafford. Offensively, Peters has a great QB in Logan Pfeuffer and a solid RB in Vinny Sirianni.
Livestreams:
- Fox Chapel vs Moon
- Franklin Regional vs Bethel Park on TribLive HSSN
- Shaler vs Penn-Trafford
- Woodland Hills vs North Hills
- Upper St Clair at Latrobe
- Kiski vs Penn Hills (Saturday)
- West Allegehny vs Connellsville (Saturday)
4A Games of the Week
Belle Vernon (2-0, 2-0) vs Thomas Jefferson (2-0, 2-0)
Livestream on TribLive HSSN
Or on broadcast TV on PCN
A rematch of last year’s WPIAL title game, these conference rivals meet in the premier 4A game of this young season. Thomas Jefferson is the defending State Champions and is aiming for their 20th straight conference victory. Their last loss to a Big East team came against Belle Vernon back in 2017. Despite graduating nearly all of their starters from the State title-winning team, Thomas Jefferson has reloaded and is averaging over 50 points per game through two weeks. On the other side, Belle Vernon has yet to allow a single point, including an impressive 20-0 victory over McKeesport in Week 1. Thomas Jefferson has been led by their passing attack with Jake Pugh throwing for 461 yards and 9 TDs. Ian Hansen (305 yards, 6 TDs) currently leads the WPIAL in receiving yards and Preston Zandier (92 yards, 3 TDs) is a reliable threat. Out of the backfield, DeRon VanBibber (155 yards, 3 TDs) has led the way for the Jaguars. Belle Vernon’s offense has been led by the electric Devin Whitlock. After showcasing his all-around talents last season, the Leopards moved Whitlock to QB this season where he has thrown for 111 yards and 1 TD and ran for 263 yards and 2 TDs. Whitlock and Dan Anden (189 yards, 5 TDs) have formed a formidable tandem in the backfield for Belle Vernon.
Plum (2-0, 2-0) vs Mars (2-0, 2-0)
Livestream on TribLive HSSN
Plum and Mars both moved down from 5A to 4A this season and are now conference foes in the Greater Allegheny Conference. They are the only unbeaten teams remaining in the conference and the winner will have a clear path to the conference title. Plum has not made the playoffs since 2015 and their resurgence has been led by a strong passing game. Ryan Hubner has thrown for 364 yards and 4 TDs, primarily to Logan Brooks (258 yards, 4 TDs) and Reed Martin (95 yards, 2 TDs). Out of the backfield, Hubner has added 96 yards and another TD to complement lead back Eryck Moore (174 yards, 4 TDs). Mars is traditionally a run-heavy offense and that has not changed much this season. Teddy Ruffner has run for 348 yards and 6 TDs (surpassing 3000 yards in his career), including both of Mars’ scores in last week’s 12-7 victory over Highlands. Quinn Fuller has thrown for 125 yards and run for a touchdown but Ruffner is clearly the focal point of the Fighting Planets offense.
Livestreams:
- Laurel Highlands at West Mifflin on the WMBS Facebook Page
- Trinity at McKeesport on TribLive HSSN
- Uniontown at Ringgold
- Armstrong at Knoch
- Greensburg Salem at Indiana
- Highlands at Hampton
- Ambridge at Blackhawk
- Central Valley at New Castle
- Chartiers Valley at Hopewell
- Montour at Keystone Oaks
- Quaker Valley at Aliquippa
- Beaver at Seton LaSalle (Saturday)
3A Game of the Week
North Catholic (2-0, 2-0) at East Allegheny (1-0, 2-0)
Both of these teams have been impressive offensively so far this season and have victories over teams that were considered contenders for the conference crown. North Catholic opened the season with a 55-7 throttling of Derry, who they competed with for the conference title each of the last two seasons. The Trojans followed that up with a 51-6 thumping of Valley, making them the highest-scoring team in the WPIAL through two weeks. East Allegheny blasted Brownsville 42-0 in a non-conference game in Week 1 then topped Burrell 35-14 last week. The only other remaining unbeaten team in the Allegheny Seven Conference is Freeport, so the winner of this game will have the inside track to the conference title. North Catholic’s offense has been led by dual-threat QB Joey Prentice who has thrown for 312 yards an 7 TDs and run for 165 yards and 3 scores. His primary target in the passing game has been Nick Maher (144 yards, 3 TDs). Tyler Maziarz (84 yards, 2 TDs) has taken both of his receptions to the end zone. Kyle Tipinski has run for 98 yards and 3 scores, with both Prentice and Tipinski averaging nearly 9 yards per carry. East Allegheny a talented offensive playmakers as well. In Week 1 it was Johnny DiNapoli leading the show, throwing for 125 yards and 2 TDs and running for another. Last week against Burrell it was Michael Smith who threw for 185 yards and 1 TD and run for two more, bringing his total to four on the season. Big-play receiver Amaryeh Lucky has scored twice while the incredibly talented Kiyon Delts has only scored once but is a difference-maker on both sides of the ball.
Livestreams:
- Deer Lakes at Valley
- Freeport at Derry
- Mt Pleasant at Southmoreland – Rivalry Game!
- South Allegheny at Yough
- South Park at Brownsville
- Avonworth at South Side Beaver
- Burrell at Apollo-Ridge
- Elizabeth Forward at Beth-Center
2A Game of the Week
Frazier (1-0, 1-1) at McGuffey (2-0, 2-0)
Two big results in the Century Conference in Week 1 have set up this Week 3 showdown. McGuffey edged defending conference champions Washington 7-6 who they had vied with for the conference crown the last few seasons. Frazier got a big win over Charleroi and is now in position to challenge McGuffey for the top spot in the conference. Last week, Frazier jumped out to an early lead against non-conference Ligonier Valley but saw it evaporate in the second half while McGuffey pounded Charleroi. The Commodores have a balanced offensive attack led by the talented Kenny Fine (164 rushing yards, 119 receiving yards, 2 total TDs). Brayden Boggs has thrown for 339 yards and 5 TDs, primarily to Fine and Luke Santo (126 yards, 2 TDs). In addition to Fine, Christian Mingrino (124 yards, 1 TD) has been a factor out of the backfield. McGuffey’s win over Washington was a defensive struggle with Kyle Brookman scoring the only touchdown for the Highlanders. The offense opened up a bit more last week against Charleroi with McKinley Whipkey (129 yards, 2 TDs) finding the end zone and Brookman scoring two more times (once on the ground and once on the receiving end of Rocco Falosk’s first TD pass of the season).
Livestreams:
- Charleroi at Waynesburg
- Washington at Chartiers-Houston
- Beaver Falls at Ellwood City
- Neshannock at Freedom
- New Brighton at Mohawk on TribLive HSSN
- Riverside at Laurel
- Carlynton at Serra Catholic
- Shady Side Academy at Sto-Rox
- Steel Valley at Brentwood
1A Game of the Week
Avella (2-0, 2-0) vs West Greene (1-0, 1-0)
THURSDAY at 7pm on the Greene County Sports Network Facebook Page
Avella is one of the best stories of this young season. The Eagles are 2-0 with wins over Monessen and Jefferson-Morgan. This may not sound remarkable, but the last time Avella won more than two games in a season was 2014 when the Eagles went 5-5. So far, Avella has been led by dual-threat QB KJ Rush who has thrown for 271 yards and 3 TDs and run for 74 yards and 2 scores. Tanner Terensky scored twice in the opener against Monessen – on the receiving end of a KJ Rush pass and on a 94-yard pick-six to seal the game in the fourth quarter. West Greene had their best year in nearly three decades last season when Ben Jackson broke the WPIAL rushing and scoring record and led the Pioneers to the semifinals. Jackson is now at Army and West Greene had to replace a number of talented starters. Their game last week against California was postponed due to COVID, so every game will have increased importance for the Pioneers. In their opener against Mapletown, Corey Wise ran for 152 yards and 2 TDs. With Ben Jackson running the ball last year, West Greene did not throw much, but they opened up the playbook a little against Mapletown with Wesley Whipkey throwing for 100 yards and 1 TD.
Livestreams:
- Northgate at Union
- OLSH at Fort Cherry
- Rochester at Burgettstown
- Shenango at Cornell
- Bishop Canevin at GCC
- Imani Christian at Jeannette
- Leechburg at Springdale
- Riverview at Clairton
- California at Mapletown
- Carmichaels at Bentworth
- Monessen at Jefferson-Morgan
