The 2026 WPIAL football season is nearly upon us! Over the next few weeks we will be previewing all 18 conferences in preparation for kickoff on August 28. 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. This year’s WPIAL content is sponsored by Get Recruited Consulting. Find them on Twitter and check out their offer to schedule a free film review.
This cycle did not see a ton of movement in 1A. Three teams moved up to 2A and three teams moved down to 1A. Most notably, Washington (a 2A semifinalist last year) moved down to 1A. As with previous cycles, 16 teams will make the WPIAL playoffs. The top three teams from each conference along with four Wild Card teams will qualify for the postseason. The WPIAL Champion enters the state bracket in the semifinals. Clairton is the defending WPIAL and State Champions.
The Big Seven Conference has had a team reach the WPIAL finals in four of the last five years. Interestingly, it has been four different teams – OLSH (2021), Union (2022), South Side (2023), and Laurel (2025). The Big Seven Conference now has eight teams but for historical purposes has retained the name. Union, the 2022 WPIAL Champions, returns to 1A after playing in 2A last cycle. The Scotties take the place of Neshannock who moved up to 2A. Cornell was moved over from the Black Hills Conference as part of realignment. 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.
South Side
2025 Result: 8-2, lost to Chartiers-Houston in first round
All-Time: 318-336-19 (87th in wins, 66th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 2 WPIAL Championships (1970, 1999), 1999 State Champions
The Rams reached the WPIAL finals in 2023 and followed it up with a semifinal appearance in 2024. Last season the Rams ran through the regular season, winning 6 straight after a non-conference loss to Western Beaver. That set up a Week 8 showdown with Laurel for the conference title. In the opening round of the playoffs, South Side was upset by Chartiers-Houston. The Rams triple-option offense will run through a trio of rising juniors this season. Amare Moman (695 yards, 7 TDs) was the second-leading rusher last season, averaging 8.7 yards per carry. Will Hudson (184 yards, 2 TDs) should step into a larger role in the attack this year. Todd Matijevich (201 yards, 1 TD) returns at quarterback, though in the Rams run-heavy attack he averaged just 6 pass attempts per game last season.
Laurel
2025 Result: 9-1, Big Seven Conference Champions, lost to Clairton in the WPIAL Championship
All-Time: 382-549-10 (63rd in wins, 102nd in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 1980 WPIAL Champions
Laurel started the 2025 season with a bang, winning three games in convincing fashion against Lawrence County rivals from 2A. After losing to Bishop Canevin, the Spartans dominated the Big Seven Conference. Their only game that was closer than 35 points was a 14-7 win over Neshannock in Week 9. In the playoffs, the Spartans defense put the clamps on two-time defending champions Fort Cherry in the semifinals and produced a 24-14 upset to send the Spartans to Acrisure Stadium. In a defensive struggle with Clairton, it was ultimately a two-point conversion attempt at the end that decided their season with Clairton prevailing 8-6. That was Laurel’s first trip to the Championship Game since 1989 (when they also lost to Clairton). Last year’s team had a large core of senior leaders and the Spartans will need to find replacements across the board to compete for the conference title once again. Junior Jack Jones (227 yards, 3 TDs) and sophomore Brody Geiwitz (139 yards) are the only two of the top seven rushers to return this year. Junior Josh Sherman threw a TD pass in reserve duty last season. The Spartans may need to lean on their defense early in the season, a unit which held opponents to just 9 points per game (the second-best in 1A).
Union
2025 Result: 0-9, missed playoffs in 2A
All-Time: 383-515-27 (62th in wins, 95th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 2 WPIAL Championships (1959, 2022)
The Scotties return to 1A this cycle after spending two seasons in 2A. Union had a historically successful run their prior cycle in 1A, winning the WPIAL title in 2022 and reaching the quarterfinals in 2023. The strain of 2A competition plus a slew of graduations caught up with the Scotties, who went winless last year. However, despite an 0-9 record, Union did play a number of close games. Five of their seven conference losses came by a touchdown or less, including against playoff teams Riverside (2 points), Mohawk (7 points), and Beaver Falls (6 points). Union returns a number of starters from last season and hope that the move down to 1A will help return them to competitiveness. Senior QB Jordan Kelley (497 yards, 3 TDs) returns along with leading rusher Gianni Million (470 yards, 4 TDs). Junior RB Armontae Booker (258 yards, 4 TDs) and leading receiver Zion Waters (119 yards) also return. Union averaged just 10 points per game last year and will need to get more out of their returning skill position players on offense in order to get back into the playoff hunt this year.
Cornell
2025 Result: 5-5, missed playoffs
All-Time: 217-270-11 (110th in wins, 86th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: Never won a WPIAL title
The Raiders have made the playoffs four times in the last seven years and advanced in three of those occasions, including runs to the semifinals in 2019 and 2021. Last year Cornell won four of their first five games but struggled down the stretch, dropping three of their last four. Ultimately, three points decided their season. Cornell had a clear path to the playoffs heading into Week 8 needing just one more win but lost to Chartiers-Houston by 1 and Monessen by 2. That dropped Cornell to fifth place and they were not chosen for a Wild Card. Cornell will need to replace nearly all of their offensive contributors this year after eight seniors graduated, including their top four rushers, top three receivers, and starting quarterback.
Rochester
2025 Result: 1-9, missed playoffs
All-Time: 697-445-54 (10th in wins, 22nd in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 8 WPIAL Championships (1921, 1991, 1992, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004), 3 State Championships (1998, 2000, 2001)
The Rams have fallen on hard times recently. The storied program has struggled with low roster numbers and coaching transitions. Rochester won just one game last year, a 44-14 victory over Northgate. Rochester has always been a run-heavy team and return two of their top four rushers. Seniors Jason Clinton (232 yards, 2 TDs) and Braeden Siget (100 yards, 2 TDs) will be asked to shoulder the load of the offense this season. Rochester did have a few close losses last year, falling by just 1 to Shanango and by 8 to Summit Academy. If the Rams can get more out of their offense which averaged just 9 points per game last year (the third-worst in 1A), they might be able to compete for a playoff spot.
Shenango
2025 Result: 4-6, missed playoffs
All-Time: 437-394-38 (43rd in wins, 51th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: Never won a WPIAL title
After a run to the semifinals in the COVID-shortened season of 2020, Shenango missed the playoffs each of the last four seasons. The Wildcats were a middle-of-the-pack team last year and only had one game (a 13-12 victory over Rochester) decided by fewer than 13 points. Senior RB Niko DeSalvo started the year at quarterback but moved to running back where he led the team with 602 yards and 7 TDs. Caleb McConnell was inserted at quarterback as a freshman and threw for 577 yards and 5 TDs. Second-leading receiver Jasyn Williams (163 yards, 2 TDs) is the top returning target for McConnell. Shenango was the second-lowest scoring team in the conference last year, averaging just 14 points per game. The Wildcats will need to get more out of their offense in order to contend for the playoffs this year.
Northgate
2025 Result: 1-9, missed playoffs
All-Time: 222-266-7 (109th in wins, 84th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: Never won a WPIAL Championship
The Flames have not made the playoffs since 2016. Northgate finished in a three-way tie at the bottom of the Big Seven last year, splitting games with Summit Academy and Rochester. Northgate’s 21-12 victory over Summit was the high point of their season. The Flames will need to improve defensively this year after allowing nearly 47 points per game last season, the most in 1A. Junior QB Devontae Smith has been starting since his freshman year and thew for 1507 yards and 12 TDs last year and added for 645 yards and 8 scores on the ground. He returns leading receiver Johrdon Hairston (466 yards, 3 TDs).
Summit Academy
2025 Result: 1-9, missed playoffs
All-Time: 48-203-0 (121st in wins, 121st in win%)
Championship Pedigree: Never won a WPIAL Championship
Summit Academy is a school for adjudicated youth in Butler County. Due to the short-term stays of their students, they have complete roster turnover every season. Summit has made the playoffs twice in their history, most recently in 2017. Given the completely new roster, it is impossible to predict how they will perform this season. The school’s primary focus in fielding a team is to teach the kids life lessons through football.
