As hard to believe, the 2025 WPIAL season has passed the halfway point. With five of the ten regular season games in the books, conference play kicks off this week in full for every section across the WPIAL. Only 12 teams remain undefeated heading into the second half of the season. Two games this week feature a matchup of unbeaten teams. A 5A Allegheny Six Conference showdown between Upper St Clair and Peters Twp and a 3A non-conference meeting between North Catholic and Imani Christian.
On this week’s edition of the WPIAL Blitz Show, we recapped all of the Week 4 action, ran through all of the conference standings and debuted the WPIAL Blitz Statewide Rankings. Our WPIAL Blitz Show Player of the Week from Week 4 was the South Allegheny duo of Drew Cook and Joe Gamret. The Gladiators throttled the defending WPIAL Champions South Park 56-7 behind 4 TDs from Gamret and 3 from Cook. We couldn’t decide on just one as the best player of the game, so they are co-Players of the Week, with a special shout-out to the South A line that just dominated South Park in the trenches. Check out Cook and Gamert’s highlights on Hudl. We’ll be back on Monday night at 9:30 this week for another great show! Tune in on the SSP Network on YouTube.
As playoff races start to heat up, be sure to check my WPIAL Standings Page here on the site, which I’ll keep updated with all of the tiebreakers. Without further ado, here are the Week 4 Games of the Week!
6A Game of the Week
Central Catholic (2-0, 4-1) at North Allegheny (2-0, 5-0)
The Vikings and Tigers have met in the last three WPIAL Championship Games. Central Catholic emerged victorious last year after losing the prior two title games. The winner of this game will have the inside track to the conference title and top seed in this year’s 6A playoffs. Central Catholic rolled through their first two conference games by a combined total of 116-7. North Allegheny got everything they could handle from an upstart Norwin team last week. Central Catholic has found their offensive stride behind a powerful offensive line anchored by numerous D1 recruits. Roman Thompson (411 yards, 13 TDs) ran for 4 TDs last week and has been the workhorse in the backfield. Sophomore Owen Herrick (858 yards, 6 TDs) has stepped into the quarterback role and has two talented receivers in Aiden Nasiadka (159 yards, 1 TD) and Navy-commit Maceo Watkins (155 yards, 4 TDs). Defensively, Central’s line is anchored by Western Michigan-commit Angelo Pugliano. At linebacker the Vikings have future rivals in Duke-commit Colsen Gatten and North Carolina-commit Ashton Blatt. North Allegheny’s offense is built around their ground game and workhorse back Luke Rohan who leads the team in three offensive categories (426 rushing yards, 187 receiving yards, 10 total TDs). When Rohan isn’t running the ball, dual-threat QB Brady Brinkley has been efficient, throwing for 708 yards and 9 TDs and also running for 4 scores. NA has strength in the trenches to battle Central’s five D1 linemen with Pitt-commit Lincoln Hoke (son of former Steeler Chris Hoke). On the outside, Brinkley has spread the ball around between a quartert of receivers – Mason Brown (130 yards, 1 TD), Ben Kern (130 yards, 2 TDs), Monmouth-commit Korry Pitts (124 yards, 2 TDs), and Cameron Kushner (123 yards, 2 TDs).
5A Game of the Week
Upper St Clair (5-0) at Peters Twp (5-0)
This is the KDKA Radio Game of the Week and will be broadcast on 100.1 FM and 1020 AM and through the Audacy app. Last year Upper St Clair won the regular season meeting last season but lost a rematch in the semifinals which Peters won 7-3 in a defensive struggle. These are the only two remaining unbeaten teams in 5A. Both teams come in holding opponents to just one score per game and their offenses average over 34 points per game. This game features a matchup of two of the top three quarterbacks in the WPIAL. Upper St Clair’ Ethan Hellmann leads the WPIAL in passing with 1273 yards and 18 TDs. Not far behind, Peters Twp’s Nolan DiLucia has thrown for 1120 yards and 10 TDs (and has committed to Villanova). Hellmann’s top targets have been Brown-commit Nico D’Orazio (403 yards, 7 TDs) and Bryce Jones (285 yards, 3 TDs). The Panthers ground game has mostly relied on Dante Coury (263 yards, 4 TDs) with Luca Coury (157 yards, 1 TD) serving as a change-of-pace back averaging 8 yards per carry. Peters Twp has balanced their offensive attack with DiLucia throwing and Cole Neupaver (542 yards, 9 TDs) running the ball. The Indians have two D1 defensive ends in Pitt-commit Reston Lehman and Stanford-commit Lucas Shanafelt. Both Shanafelt (230 yards, 4 TDs) and Lehman (166 yards, 2 TDs) will see time offensively, complementing Locas Rost (261 yards, 3 TDs) and PJ Luke (210 yards, 1 TD) in the Indians receiving corps.
4A Game of the Week
Aliquippa (3-1) at New Castle (4-1)
The Quips and Hurricanes kick off conference play with a renewal of an old rivalry between two of the WPIAL’s winningest programs. Aliquippa has won 794 games all-time, the most of any WPIAL team, while New Castle (who held the top spot for decades) is currently third with 764. The Quips only loss this season was to defending 3A WPIAL Champions Avonworth and their last two wins over Mars and Penn Hills both came with touchdowns in the final minute. New Castle started the season with a shutout victory over Penn Hills and their only setback came against an explosive Hopewell team. The Red Hurricanes have shut out four teams in five games this season. Aliquippa’s offense has run through senior QB Marques Council (831 passing yards, 7 TDs; 203 rushing yards, 1 TD). New Castle’s secondary will have their hands full with Quip receivers Josh Lay (304 yards, 1 TD) and the explosive Qa’lil Goode (266 yards, 4 TDs). Out of the backfield, the aptly named Joseph Work (213 yards, 2 TDs) has become the feature back in the Quips rushing attack. New Castle’s offense also runs through their dual-threat QB Marino Graham (538 passing yards, 9 TDs; 443 rushing yards, 5 TDs). The Red Hurricanes have a balanced attack with Graham leading all rushers and averaging over 10 yards per carry. Jermaine Walker (158 yards, 1 TD) and Roderick Proctor (142 yards, 3 TDs) have been the complements to Graham in the backfield. On the outside, Graham’s favorite targets have been Kai Cox (257 yards, 5 TDs) and Chase Lemmon (125 yards, 4 TDs). The matchup between the Quips and Canes two-way receivers/defensive backs will be the one to watch all night.
3A Game of the Week
Avonworth (1-0, 5-0) at Central Valley (2-0, 2-3)
This game is a rematch of last year’s WPIAL Championship Game where Avonworth shut down Central Valley’s rushing attack. Avonworth returned most of their starters from the team that went to the State Finals last year. The Lopes have hit the ground running this season with non-conference wins over Aliquippa and 4A Defending Champions Thomas Jefferson. Last week they started conference play with a dominant victory over an explosive Hopewell squad. Central Valley had a brutally tough non-conference slate with three 4A opponents (Montour, Thomas Jefferson, and Belle Vernon). The Warriors turned things around once conference play started with wins over McGuffey and Beaver where they have averaged 50 points per game. Avonworth has a balanced offensive attack and has had success both on the ground and through the air. Senior QB Carson Bellinger has thrown for 963 yards and 9 TDs, including two in the win over Hopwell last week. Dimitri Velisaris (711 yards, 11 TDs) leads the Lopes rushing attack and ran for over 250 yards and 2 TDs last week. Luca Neal moved from running back to receiver this year, and has led the team with 442 yards and 7 TDs. Equally impressive has been Avonworth’s defense which stifled Thomas Jefferson and Hopewell’s explosive offenses. Central Valley’s turnaround has been lead by star RB Ethan Shearer (455 yards, 8 TDs) who averages over 8 yards per carry. The Warriors have a balanced offensive attack with the Three Ethans – Shearer, Ethan Bosco (176 yards, 3 TDs) and Ethan Ondrusek (103 yards, 1 TD) splitting carries. Junior QB Braddock Ambrose has stepped into the starting role and thrown for 737 yards and 6 TDs, primarily targeting Aaron Lawson (342 yards, 3 TDs).
North Catholic (5-0) at Imani Christian (5-0)
One of the best games of the week is this non-conference showdown between undefeated 3A squads. Both of these teams were knocked out in the quarterfinals last year and are off to a roaring start this year. North Catholic is the highest-scoring team in the WPIAL, averaging over 58 points per game. Imani is the second-highest scoring squad in 3A at 43 points per game. Imani’s defense has been incredibly stingy, shutting out two teams and holding two more to just one score. North Catholic returned the WPIAL’s leading passer from last season Joey Felitsky, who has thrown for 1145 yards and 20 TDs this year (currently 2nd in the WPIAL). Running back Logan Schade has been an all-around star with 657 rushing yards, 106 receiving yards, and 13 total TDs. Felitsky has a plethora of talented receivers to throw to, led by Will Waskiewicz (354 yards, 8 TDs), Ryker Kennedy (320 yards, 3 TDs), and Tom Arth (148 yards, 5 TDs). On the other side, Imani’s team is loaded with D1 talent, starting with a pair of Penn State-commits. Gabe Jenkins has stepped in at quarterback this year and thrown for 714 yards and 12 TDs while running for 551 yards and 4 scores. Fellow Nittany Lion-commit David Davis, whose future is likely at defensive back, plays the slot back role on offense and has 274 receiving yards, 111 rushing yards, and 8 total TDs. In addition to Jenkins and Davis, Tyvon Sewell (210 yards, 4 TDs) and Daniels Stevens (135 yards, 1 TD) are used in the Saints rushing attack. On the outside, Robert Torres-Johnson (237 yards, 4 TDs) leads the receiving corps. On the defensive side of the ball, Imani has one of the best pair of EDGE rushers in the entire WPIAL in Youngstown State-commit Will Gorman and junior Da’Juan Craighead (who has offers from WVU and Duke).
2A Game of the Week
Riverside (2-0, 3-2) at Western Beaver (2-0, 5-0)
Western Beaver is one of two remaining undefeated teams in 2A. The Golden Beavers have averaged a impressive 40 points per game this season and are the second-highest scoring team in the classification. Both of these teams reached the quarterfinals last season. Riverside’s defense has allowed just one score in each of their two conference games, so this should be a good matchup of strength-on-strength at the top of the Midwestern Conference. Western Beaver has not missed a step after their star quarterback transferred away during the offseason. Dual-threat QB Amari Marshall has thrown for 333 yards and 4 TDs and run for 461 yards and 4 scores. He is joined in the backfield by Wyatt Sparbanie (589 yards, 12 TDs). The strength of Western Beaver’s squad is in their offensive line, which has paved the way for both Sparbanie and Marshall to average over 11 yards per carry. The success of their ground game has meant Marshall has only had to throw about 6 or 7 times per game. He has formed a solid connection with explosive WR Avon Pressley (146 yards, 4 TDs). Riverside also has a dual-threat QB at the helm in Aidan Gaydosz (627 passing yards, 4 TDs; 145 rushing yards, 1 TD). His backfield counterpart is Mason Hollar (375 yards, 5 TDs) and Alex Lucarelli (118 yards, 1 TD) will also get worked into the rotation. On the outside, Hunter Garcia (350 yards, 2 TDs) leads the way for the Panthers receiving corps.
1A Game of the Week
Clairton (2-0, 3-1) at Jeannette (1-1, 3-2)
Clairton-Jeannette. That’s about all that needs to be said. History and tradition ooze from this matchup. After losing to Imani Christian in Week 0, Clairton has rolled through the rest of their schedule. The Bears have leaned on their passing attack with senior QB Jeff Thompson (1006 yards, 17 TDs) at the helm. Last week against Frazier, 5 of Thompson’s 7 completions went for touchdowns. Sophomore Brandon Murphy (who is also one of the top defensive ends in the state) leads the receiving corps with 309 yards and 2 TDs (plus a rushing TD and he had a pick-six last week). Seniors Taris Wooding (282 yards, 4 TDs) and Donte Wright (246 yards, 6 TDs) are also featured in both the Clairton receiving corps and their attack-oriented defensive backfield. Clairton doesn’t run the ball much, but when they do Michael Ruffin (140 rushing yards, 132 receiving yards, 4 total TDs) and Deon Lovelace-Pomphey (132 yards, 4 TDs) get the lion’s share of the work. Jeannette’s ability to succeed on offense will hinge on how well they can block game-wrecking lineman Tahvas Armstrong who has 6 sacks and 8 TFLs this season. The Jayhawks offense runs through dual-threat QB Kyomn’e Brown (901 passing yards, 9 TDs; 470 rushing yards, 9 TDs). Brown is averaging over 10 yards per carry while his backfield counterpart Nick Mendoza (195 yards, 4 TDs) is over 7 yards per tote. Jeannette will need to find ways to get their playmakers in space and away from Clairton’s defensive line. On the outside, the Jayhawks will need a big performance from game-breaking WR Jayce Powell (461 yards, 7 TDs) whose one-handed catch-and-run earlier this year is one of the best highlights you’ll see all season.
