It all comes down to this. The 2021 regular season has reached its conclusion. There are five conference titles left to be decided and 15 playoff spots up for grabs. You can read our full rundown of all the playoff scenarios here. A huge shout-out goes to the Leechburg Blue Devils who defeated Imani Christian 66-6 last week and clinched their first playoff berth since 1988, snapping the longest playoff drought in the WPIAL at 32 years! Last week’s biggest result was McKeesport toppling Thomas Jefferson in the Big Eight Conference. The Tigers will take on Belle Vernon this week with the conference title on the line. We interviewed Tigers head coach Matt Miller on this week’s edition of the WPIAL Blitz Show. Also of note last week, Carmichaels QB Trenton Carter became the 12th player in WPIAL history to join the “1000/1000 Club” of players who accumulated 1000 passing yards and 1000 rushing yards in the same regular season. Carter enters Week 9 with 1089 passing yards and 15 TDs and 1008 rushing yards and 17 TDs. On a sad note, earlier this week a 12-year old from Chartiers Valley tragically collapsed and died during warmups for a basketball practice. The family has set up a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses. If you’re feeling generous, check it out.
This year, our WPIAL coverage is sponsored by the Sports Stream Premium Network and PA Mortgage Protection and Life Insurance. The Sports Stream Premium Network enables schools to turn their livestreamed events into pay-per-view events where schools receive 100% of the revenue generated.
I will once again be doing a pregame spot on WMBS Radio. You can listen to the show here, starting at 6pm on Friday. This weekend, WMBS will be broadcasting Laurel Highlands taking on Uniontown in a non-conference Fayette County showdown. Uniontown left the WPIAL to play an independent schedule in 2020 and earlier this season snapped the longest losing streak in the state with a win over Carrick. Laurel Highlands got a thrilling victory over Trinity last week and qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2015. Star QB Rodney Gallagher needs 163 rushing yards to become the 13th player in WPIAL history to pass and rush for 1000 yards in the same season.
Be sure to keep tabs on our WPIAL Standings Page for updated standings and playoff clinchings and follow our WPIAL Twitter account @WPIAL_Blitz and check out our WPIAL Blitz Facebook Page.
6A Game of the Week
North Allegheny (4-2, 6-3) at Seneca Valley (4-2, 6-3)
With Mt. Lebanon’s win over Seneca Valley last week, the Blue Devils clinched their first conference title since 2010. With Central Catholic locked into the second place spot in 6A, the game with the most on the line is between North Allegheny and Seneca Valley. The winner will finish 3rd and get a bye to the semifinals while the loser will finish 4th and have to face either Canon-Mac or Baldwin in the opening round. North Allegheny’s traditionally run-heavy approach has opened up a bit more this season with Logan Kushner throwing for 758 yards and 10 TDs. On the ground, the Tigers still have a stable of talented backs led by JR Burton (462 yards, 6 TDs) and Tanner Potts (244 yards, 4 TDs) who has also seen some time at quarterback. On the outside, the receiving corps is deep with Khiryn Boyd (288 yards, 5 TDs), Dwayne Taylor (274 yards, 3 TDs), Cole Dorn (255 yards, 2 TDs), and Kyrell Hutcherson (235 yards, 3 TDs). Seneca Valley has been working through being without starting QB Graham Hancox (1054 yards, 8 TDs). Sean O’Shea stepped in and performed admirably against Baldwin (throwing for 227 yards and 3 TDs) but took a step back against Mt. Lebanon. O’Shea has plenty of talent on the outside in Luke Lawson (558 yards, 5 TDs) and the dynamic Brandon Ross (357 yards, 6 TDs). On the ground, Nolan Dworek has run for 432 yards and 6 TDs.
6A Playoff Scenarios
The last playoff spot in 6A will go to either Canon-McMillan or Baldwin. Canon-Mac plays Central Catholic and needs either a win OR a Baldwin loss to Mt. Lebanon to get in. Baldwin needs to upset Mt. Lebanon AND have Canon-Mac lose. Norwin, who beat Canon-Mac last week, is out of the running based on tiebreaker points.
5A Game of the Week
Peters Twp (1-3, 5-4) at South Fayette (0-4, 4-5)
There is one playoff spot remaining in the Allegheny Six Conference. Over the last two weeks, West Allegheny beat South Fayette and Peters Twp beat West Allegheny. South Fayette is coming off an overtime loss to Upper St Clair where the “Cardiac Cats” came back from a 28-13 second half deficit to tie the game on a last-second TD pass. But South Fayette is not out of the running for a playoff spot. All they need to do is beat Peters Twp by at least 10 points and have West Allegheny lose to unbeaten Moon. For Peters Twp, all they need to do is either beat South Fayette to secure a playoff spot. If South Fayette wins by less than 10 points and West A also loses, Peters would still get the last spot. West A needs to upset Moon and have South Fayette beat Peters in order to get in. Both of these squads have had to replace nearly all of their starters from teams that made the playoffs last year. Peters Twp has turned to dual-threat quarterback Sam Miller who has thrown for 1329 yards and 11 TDs and run for 364 yards and 4 scores. Rich Woods has put together a solid year on the ground, running for 500 yards and 5 scores. On the outside, the Indians have a dangerous trio of receiving options in Jacob Macosko (496 yards, 7 TDs), Bryce Thompson (340 yards, 1 TD), and Carter Shanafelt (263 yards, 3 TDs). South Fayette also has a talented passer in Landon Lutz (1515 yards, 10 TDs). Nate Deanes has been explosive out of the backfield with 602 rushing yards, 318 receiving yards and scoring 7 times. The Lions also have a trio of receivers that can cause problems for defenses in Logan Yater (445 yards, 4 TDs), Connor Harcarik (305 yards, 3 TDs) and Logan Harcarik (283 yards, 4 TDs).
Northeast Conference Title Scenarios
Penn Hills (3-1, 5-3) at Kiski (1-3, 6-3)
Three teams enter the final week tied atop the Northeast Conference. Penn Hills has the cleanest path the the conference title. A win over Kiski plus a Pine-Richland loss would clinch the title OR all three of Penn Hills, Pine-Richland, and North Hills losing would also give the title to the Indians. If all three teams win, the conference title would be decided on Tiebreaker Points where Penn Hills has the edge (Penn Hills +19, Pine-Richland +17, North Hills +11). In the end, a Penn Hills win by 9 or more points would ensure the Indians the conference title. But don’t sleep on Kiski, the Cavaliers nearly toppled Pine-Richland last week and have been close in all of their games. Penn Hills has been led by the Dugger brothers. Julian Dugger has thrown for 819 yards and 12 TDs and running for 318 yards and 8 scores. His older brother Jaden Dugger has 339 receiving yards and 8 TDs and is a standout defensive back. Kiski also has a dual-threat quarterback in Logan Johnson who has thrown for 963 yards and 6 TDs and run for 406 yards and 2 scores. The Cavaliers rely heavily on their ground game led by Johnson, Chad Hepler (778 yards, 2 TDs) and Brock WIlkins (459 yards, 5 TDs).
Pine-Richland (3-1, 5-4) at Fox Chapel (2-2, 4-5)
The Rams have made it through their last two games without starting QB Cole Boyd. To win the conference title they need to beat Fox Chapel and have North Hills lose to Shaler. In a three-way tie where Penn Hills and North Hills both win, Pine-Richland could surpass Penn Hills in Tiebreaker Points if Kiski keeps it close with Penn Hills and Pine-Richland wins big. Fox Chapel has clinched a playoff spot and could potentially force a 4-way tie if they beat Pine-Richland and both North Hills and Penn Hills lose. With Boyd out, Ryan Palmieri has stepped in and thrown for 493 yards and 3 TDs and run for 297 yards and 5 scores. Leading rusher Brooks Eastburn (633 yards, 5 TDs) returned from injury last week and Alex Gochis (600 yards, 4 TDs) has been the top target on the outside for both Boyd and Palmieri. Linebacker Jeremiah Hasley is one of the top defensive players in the entire WPIAL. For Fox Chapel, the tandem of Collin Dietz (1201 yards, 11 TDs) throwing and Zidane Thomas (841 yards, 10 TDs) running have carried the Foxes to the playoffs. They have a trio of receivers in Khi’lee Patterson (387 yards, 4 TDs, Colin Kwiatkowski (373 yards, 5 TDs) and Jacob DeMotte (357 yards, 2 TDs) who have all been dangerous this season.
North Hills (3-1, 5-3) at Shaler (0-4, 2-7)
North Hills likely has the easiest matchup of the three, facing a Shaler team that has lost 9 straight conference games. The Indians would win the conference title with a victory over Shaler and a Penn Hills loss to Kiski. North Hills trails fairly significantly in the Tiebreaker Points metric, so their best shot at the outright title is to root for Kiski. The Indians are a traditionally run-heavy team but opened up the offense this year with QB John Green (914 yards, 9 TDs). Robert Dickerson is an all-around talent and has 307 receiving yards and scored 6 times including offense, defense, and special teams. Liam Tracy (621 yards, 5 TDs) has been the workhorse in the backfield. Shaler’s offense is built around their passing game and QB Keegan Smetanka (1384 yards, 11 TDs).
4A Game of the Week
McKeesport (5-0, 8-1) at Belle Vernon (5-0, 7-0)
This is not just the Game of the Week in the WPIAL but in the entire state. Belle Vernon has been at the top of the headlines since toppling two-time defending State Champs Thomas Jefferson earlier this year. But last week, McKeesport went out and battled TJ in the first half then utterly blew them out in the second en route to a 42-28 victory. The Tigers flew a bit under the radar earlier in the season because they took a loss against Canisius, which is one of the top-ranked teams in New York’s biggest classification. Now, the Leopards and Tigers will face off at The Beach with the Big Eight Conference title on the line. This is a matchup of two of the most talented backfields in the WPIAL. McKeesport’s triple-option wishbone attack has been nightmares for everyone to defend this season. The Tigers have a slew of talented runners and have outstanding backfield depth. Bobbie Boyd ran for over 200 yards and 3 TDs against the vaunted Thomas Jefferson defense last week and has racked up 1184 yards and 12 TDs on the season. Kenneth Thompson is also coming off a 3 TD performance that included a momentum-changing kickoff return touchdown. Thompson has put up 472 yards on the ground, 98 receiving, and scored 7 times. The Tigers have used two quarterbacks this year, though both have more rushing attempts than passing attempts. Caleb Reist has thrown for 151 yards and 2 TDs and run for 226 yards and 6 TDs. Jacob Miller has thrown for 249 yards and 2 TDs and run for 218 yards and 3 scores. For Belle Vernon, dual-threat QB Devin Whitlock is one of the most exciting players in the WPIAL with the ball in his hands. Whitlock has thrown for 732 yards and 6 TDs, run for 864 yards and 15 TDs, and return two punts for touchdowns. Sophomore RB Quinton Martin already has a handful of D1 offers and has run for 531 yards and 11 TDs. Martin missed a few games with an injury and in his absence fellow sophomore Jake Gedekoh ran for 476 yards and 7 TDs. With all that talent in the backfield, Belle Vernon doesn’t throw much, but when they do Evan Pohlot (246 yards, 1 TD) and Chase Ruokonen (172 yards, 2 TDs) have been the top targets. Belle Vernon has been able to control the line of scrimmage both offensively and defensively in all of their games so far, but this will be their biggest test against McKeesport’s misdirection offense.
Winner is IN / Loser is OUT Games
Montour (1-3, 3-6) at Chartiers Valley (1-3, 4-5)
The Parkway conference has been filled with tight games this season with the exception of Aliquippa. Both of these teams lost in overtime to Beaver and narrowly lost to New Castle. Both teams did beat Blackhawk, which sets this up for the winner to get in and the loser’s season to come to an end. This game is a contrast of styles. Montour has relied on the tandem of Caleb Williams (768 yards, 8 TDs) and Brock Janeda (441 yards, 1 TD) to carry the load on the ground. Chartiers Valley’s passing attack has been led by dual-threat QB Anthony Mackey (899 passing yards, 11 TDs, 610 rushing yards, 8 TDs). The receiving tandem of Abraham Ibrahim (687 yards, 8 TDs) and Lamont Payne (372 yards, 7 TDs) has caused problems for opposing defenses all season. Last week, Gavin Owens stepped in at QB and threw for 200 yards and a TD.
Greensburg Salem (3-3, 5-4) at Plum (2-4, 3-7)
There are a variety of possible scenarios in the Greater Allegheny Conference for how teams will finish with distinct possibilities of 3-way, 4-way or even a 5-way tie. That said, in all 16 possible scenarios this week both Highlands and Indiana are IN, which leaves just one playoff spot left. This is not a true Casket Match as Mars could also find their way in to the playoffs. Greensburg Salem is in with a win. The only way Plum does not get in with a win is if BOTH Mars (over Hampton) and Highlands (over Knoch) win, then Plum will still be out. In that case where Plum, Mars, and Highlands win, the last playoff spot would go to Greensburg Salem if Armstrong beats Indiana or to Mars if Indiana beats Armstrong. In all other scenarios, the winner of this game gets in and the loser goes home. Greensburg Salem comes in with one of the leading passers in the WPIAL in Hayden Teska (2046 yards, 19 TDs). Receiver Cody Ruebrect (964 yards, 12 TDs) is also atop the WPIAL’s receiving yardage list. Plum has been balanced offensively with Sean Franzi throwing for 908 yards and 7 TDs. On the ground, the top three backs all average over 6.5 yards per carry, led by Eryck Moore (801 yards, 9 TDs).
3A Game of the Week
Southmoreland (3-2, 6-3) at South Park (2-3, 2-6)
Two years ago, Southmoreland snapped a 40-year playoff drought by making the postseason for the first time since 1979. Now, the Scotties are a win away from making it for the second time in three years. There is a wide variability in the Interstate Conference where if South Park wins, these two teams plus South Allegheny (if they lose to Mt. Pleasant) would wind up in a 3-way tie for the last two playoff spots. On the flip side, if Southmoreland and South Allegheny both win, they could wind up in a 3-way tie with Mt. Pleasant for 2nd place and all potentially be in the running for a home playoff game. South Park needs to win to have a chance to get in, but this one could come down to tiebreakers (or even a coin flip) if Mt. Pleasant also beats South Allegheny. The Scotties run has been led by dual-threat QB Anthony Govern who has thrown for 965 yards and 9 TDs and run for 566 yards and 13 scores. Isaac Trout has been the key counterpart, rushing for 219 yards, leading the team with 468 receiving yards, and scoring 8 times. South Park’s offense has relied more on their ground game with Adam Johnson (326 yards, 6 TDs) shouldering the load. Quarterback Harper Conroy has averaged around 10 attempts per game and thrown for 422 yards and 1 TD.
Mt. Pleasant (3-1, 5-3) at South Allegheny (3-2, 3-6)
Mt. Pleasant already has their playoff spot locked up and can secure second place with a win over South Allegheny. For their part, South Allegheny can clinch their first playoff berth since 2012 with a win over Mt. Pleasant. Since the Gladiators already have a victory over South Park, South A would be in the playoffs with a win regardless of what happens in the other game. If South A loses, their fate may come down to tiebreakers (or possibly a coin flip) with Southmoreland and South Park. Mt Pleasant’s offense is built around their ground game. Robbie Labuda (643 yards, 11 TDs) and Aaron Alakson (557 yards, 9 TDs) lead the way for the Vikings. Quarterback Tyler Reese has nearly as many carries as passing attempts, running for 288 yards and 4 TDs and throwing for 362 yards and 4 TDs. Most of South Allegheny’s offense also comes from their backfield. Kavan Markwood has run for 461 yards and 8 TDs and added 106 receiving yards and another score. Akell Carrington has run for 231 yards and 6 TDs and is the Gladiators leading receiver with 225 yards and 1 TD. QB Eric Wehrer has thrown for 352 yards and 4 TDs.
Allegheny Seven Playoff Race
Valley (1-4, 2-7) at Burrell (2-3, 3-6)
The “Battle of the Bypass” takes on a new meaning this year as the winner will be awarded the Brian Shaw Memorial Trophy in commemoration of the police officer who lost his life in 2017. Officer Shaw was from Burrell and served in New Kensington (Valley) so this game has a close connection to him. On the field, Burrell needs a win and a Deer Lakes loss to make the playoffs for the first time since 2012. It would be quite the turnaround story for the Bucs who started the season 0-6 but have bounced back to beat Deer Lakes and Derry. For Valley, this is possibly the last game for head coach Muzzy Colosimo. A number of Valley players will miss this game after a fight two weeks ago against Yough. Burrell’s offense has almost entirely come from Caden DiCaprio who has run for 706 yards and 9 TDs.
Freeport (3-1, 4-4) at Deer Lakes (3-2, 4-5)
After going winless last season, Deer Lakes bounced back to win their first three conference games and put themselves in position to contend for a playoff spot for just the third time in school history. But a 28-24 loss to Burrell set the Lancers back. Deer Lakes can clinch a playoff spot with a win over Freeport, who is already in. If Deer Lakes loses, they can still make the playoffs if Valley beats Burrell. Deer Lakes has a balanced offensive attack with QB Derek Burk (995 yards, 8 TDs) and RB Cody Scarantine (790 yards, 8 TDs). Freeport’s all-around star has been Ben Lane who has thrown for 404 yards and 2 TDs and run for 448 yards and 7 TDs. The Jackets have a number of players who rotate through the offense, including Vincent Clark who has played QB and WR and Garrett King who has played QB, RB, and WR.
2A Game of the Week
Serra Catholic (4-0, 9-0) at Steel Valley (4-0, 8-0)
Undefeated teams clash with the Allegheny Conference title on the line. This is one of the premier games statewide in the last week of the regular season. Both teams have clinched their playoff spots. This game is all about the conference title. Serra Catholic has been outstanding defensively all season, holding opponents to under 8 points per game. But this will be their biggest challenge to date as Steel Valley enters with the WPIAL’s leading rusher, NiJhay Burt who has run for 1620 yards and 29 TDs. Burt has been explosive this season, running for 5 TDs in three different games and having 4 TD games in two additional contests. The Ironmen have been strong in the trenches clearing the path for not just Burt, but also QB Cruce Brookins who has run for 757 yards and 8 TDs. Both Burt and Brookins average over 10 yards per carry. Steel Valley has been so good on the ground, they have rarely had to throw with Brookins averaging less than 5 pass attempts per game (247 yards, 3 TDs). Serra Catholic’s offense is loaded all over the field. The Eagles have a talented quarterback in Max Rocco (1503 yards, 23 TDs) who had a 6 TD performance two weeks ago against Apollo-Ridge. Serra has the talent on the outside to turn any play into a big play between Terrell Booth (518 receiving yards, 13 total TDs), Jayvon Holt (311 receiving yards, 10 total TDs), and Amire Spencer (309 receiving yards, 2 TDs). The Eagles have scored in every phase of the game this season and are just as capable of turning special teams plays and defensive turnovers into points. Out of the backfield, Machai Brooks-Duetrieulle (680 yards, 4 TDs) has been the primary ball-carrier.
Casket Matches
Waynesburg (1-4, 2-6) at Beth-Center (1-3, 1-6)
Waynesburg entered the season on a 24-game conference losing streak and now has a shot to make the playoffs. Given Beth-Center’s game against Frazier being declared a “no contest,” the WPIAL decided that in the event of a 3-way tie between Waynesburg, Beth-Center and Charleroi, their respective games against Frazier would not count towards playoff qualification. What that means is that since Charleroi plays Frazier this week, the Cougars can’t improve their positioning on tiebreaker points, so this game will decide the last playoff spot. Beth-Center is in with a win. Waynesburg is in with a win and a Charleroi loss. If Waynesburg and Charleroi both win, the Red Raiders need to win by at least 7 points to win the tiebreaker. If Waynesburg wins by 6 or fewer points and Charleroi also wins, then Beth-Center would get the last spot on tiebreakers. Waynesburg has a talented back in Braydon Woods whose 1213 yards and 9 TDs are among the best in the WPIAL. Jacob Stevenson has thrown for 797 yards and 8 TDs to give some balance to the Raiders offense. Beth-Center relies heavily on their ground game and the tandem of Ethan Varesko (462 yards, 3 TDs) and Alston Csutoras (379 yards, 5 TDs). Quarterback Dominick Revi (403 yards, 3 TDs) averages fewer than 10 attempts per game.
Freedom (3-3, 4-5) at New Brighton (2-4, 3-6)
This is a true winner-is-in-loser-is-out Casket Match. New Brighton won their conference opener over Ellwood City then dropped 4 in a row before bouncing back with a shutout of Riverside last week. Freedom has won 2 of their last 3 games with an impressive 14-point win over Mohawk last week. Both of these teams like to throw the ball. For Freedom, QB Carter Slowinski (1355 yards, 11 TDs) is one of the top passers in the classification. Josh Yeck (601 yards, 4 TDs) leads the receiving corps. Joshua Pail leads the Bulldogs in rushing (376 yards), is second in receiving (281 yards) and leads the team in scoring (8 total TDs). New Brighton has had to overcome an injury to starting QB Gabe Haddox, and Gary Pugh has stepped in and performed admirably, throwing for nearly 300 yards and 4 TDs. Keandre Williams (428 yards, 10 total TDs) and Blake McKay (266 yards, 2 TDs) have been the primary targets on the outside.
1A Games of the Week
All three are (effectively) Casket Matches!
Burgettstown (2-4, 4-4) at Fort Cherry (3-3, 5-4)
There are two playoff spots up for grabs in the Big Seven conference. One of them will go to the winner of this game. The other will go to either OLSH or Northgate. The only possibility for Northgate is to beat Rochester AND get wins from both Cornell and Fort Cherry. The Big Seven conference has the potential to end with a 3-way or 4-way tie somewhere along the line, but in every possible scenario the winner of this game is in and the loser is out. Burgettstown has relied on their rushing attack this season, led by Caleb Russell (272 yards, 6 TDs) and QB Jackson LaRocka (310 passing yards, 1 TD, 263 rushing yards, 5 TDs). Fort Cherry also has a dual-threat QB in Maddox Truschel who has thrown for 602 yards and 9 TDs and run for 1005 yards and 9 more score. Dylan Rogers (303 yards, 6 TDs) and Anthony D’Alessandro (237 yards, 2 TDs) have been the Truschel’s primary targets in the passing game.
Springdale (2-4, 5-4) at Riverview (1-5, 1-7)
Saturday
This is an effective Casket Match on Saturday afternoon. The only way one of these two teams doesn’t get in would be if Jeannette upsets Clairton on Friday night and Riverview would win on Saturday. If Jeannette loses on Friday, the winner of this Allegheny Valley Rivalry game will be in the playoffs and the loser will be out. Springdale lost a defensive struggle against Clairton 12-0 last week and their offense will look to get back on track. The multi-talented Logan Dexter leads the team in rushing (440 yards), receiving (173 yards), and scoring (13 total TDs). He has been the favorite receiver for QB Legend Ausk (520 yards, 9 TDs) who has not had to throw much because of the Dynamos strong rushing attack. In addition to Dexter, Chris Savko (390 yards, 3 TDs) and John Utiss (223 yards, 3 TDs) have seen a significant amount of work out of the backfield. Riverview has also been a run-oriented team, led by the tandem of Dean Cecere (745 yards, 6 TDs) and Landon Johnson (225 yards, 1 TD). QB Ben Hower will be looking to bounce back from a game against Bishop Canevin where he threw 3 interceptions and had just 1 completion.
Monessen (2-4, 3-6) at Avella (1-5, 1-8)
As crazy as it sounds, Avella’s one win over Bentworth a few weeks ago was enough to put them in position to vie for the playoffs. Monessen started strong with 2 wins in conference play but have lost 4 straight. If Jefferson-Morgan were to upset Carmichaels, then the Rockets would have a chance at the last spot only if both Monessen and Bentworth lose. If Avella, Jefferson-Morgan, and Bentworth all won and ended in a 4-way tie with Monessen, Avella would get the last spot. Monessen’s rushing attack has relied on Anthony Crews (287 yards, 4 TDs) and Daevon Burke (144 yards, 3 TDs). The Greyhounds don’t throw much, but Lorenzo Gardner has thrown for 381 yards and tossed 5 TDs. Avella has had two players split time at quarterback, using both KJ Rush and Cole Jaworowski. Rush is more of a dual-threat player, throwing for 293 yards and 2 TDs and leading the team with 497 rushing yards and 5 scores. Jaworowski has thrown for 252 yards and 1 TD. Brandon Samol (406 yards, 4 TDs) has been the staple on the outside, and RB Noah Markle (380 rushing yards, 91 receiving yards, 3 total TDs) has seen action all over the field.
