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 saw a massive influx into 3A, which is now one of the premier classifications in the WPIAL. Avonworth is the two-time defending WPIAL Champions and have made it to the finals in four straight seasons. The Lopes are coming off their first State Championship in school history. Moving down from 4A is defending WPIAL Champions Aliquippa who made four straight 3A title games from 2016-2019 before being forced up to 4A by the PIAA’s Success Formula. Also moving back into 3A is Belle Vernon who won the 2022 and 2023 WPIAL and State Championships. The WPIAL has dominated 3A on a statewide level as well, winning 8 of the 10 Championships in the 6 Classification Era. With the addition of 9 teams to the 3A ranks this season, the WPIAL will have four conferences and 16 teams will make the playoffs. The top three teams from each conference along with four Wild Card teams will qualify for the postseason.
The Interstate Conference has been dominated by Elizabeth Forward, but the return of Belle Vernon from 4A will shake things up a bit. Belle Vernon swept through the conference, the WPIAL, and the state the last time the Leopards played in 3A. This is one conference that remained largely the same as last cycle. In addition to Belle Vernon, Waynesburg was added as the Raiders moved up from 2A and the only departure was Yough who stayed in 3A but was realigned into the Three Rivers Conference. All seven teams return starters from last year’s squads so this should be a competitive conference top-to-bottom. 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.
Elizabeth Forward
2025 Result: 9-1, Interstate Conference Champions, lost to North Catholic in quarterfinals
All-Time: 465-514-36 (37th in wins, 71st in win%)
Championship Pedigree: Never won a WPIAL title
Elizabeth Forward won back-to-back Interstate Conference titles after Belle Vernon moved up to 4A last cycle. The Warriors have reached the semifinals four times in six seasons and have built themselves into a strong, competitive program. Elizabeth Forward’s only regular season setback last year came in a 3-point loss to 5A South Fayette and they averaged over 44 points per game, the 3rd highest total in 3A. Three-year starter Ryan Messina graduated as the most decorated passer in school history and the stage seems to be set for junior Kaden Spochaz-Allen to take over after he threw a handful of passes as a backup and ran for 132 yards and 3 TDs. Electric sophomore Rocco Thompson was the team’s second-leading rusher as a freshman (453 yards, 11 TDs), averaging nearly 8 yards per carry. Two of the top six receivers will return for the Warriors, led by junior Aaron Ulmer (302 yards, 2 TDs) and senior Logan Rider (262 yards, 1 TD). Elizabeth Forward has the talent and depth to be right in the mix as contenders for the conference title once again this season.
Belle Vernon
2025 Result: 3-6, missed playoffs in 4A
All-Time: 373-252-7 (67th in wins, 28th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 2 WPIAL Championships (2022, 2023), 2 State Championships (2022, 2023)
The Leopards have pinballed between 3A and 4A the last few cycles. Belle Vernon won back-to-back WPIAL and State titles in 2022 and 2023. Last cycle they played in 4A and were in the middle of the pack, missing out on the playoffs after a tough schedule last season. Belle Vernon’s 4-point loss to Thomas Jefferson and 1-point loss to Chartiers Valley in the middle of the season were the difference in missing the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Now the Leopards move back down to the 3A where they didn’t lose a game against a 3A opponent in 2022 and 2023. Senior Chance Petrosky (814 yards, 10 TDs) led the Leopards in rushing last season and is the top returning skill position player. Belle Vernon had a number of seniors graduate and will need to find new starters at quarterback and receiver. Belle Vernon’s non-conference schedule is also much easier this cycle than the last two years where they faced Aliquippa, Central Valley, McKeesport, and South Fayette. This cycle they drew OLSH, West Mifflin, and Burrell before getting into conference play.
Southmoreland
2025 Result: 9-1, lost to Hopewell in first round
All-Time: 213-374-12 (111th in wins, 115th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: Never won a WPIAL title
Since breaking their 40-year playoff drought in 2019, the Scotties have been a mainstay in the postseason. The only time they did not qualify in the last seven years was the COVID-restricted season of 2020. The next step for the Scotties is to claim their first playoff victory in school history. The last two seasons have been steps in the right direction. In 2024 they started 7-1 before losing their last two games. Last season was even better as the Scotties started 8-0 to set up a Week 8 showdown with Elizabeth Forward for the conference title. Southmoreland came up short but still finished 9-1 on the season before losing to Hopewell in the opening round of the playoffs. All in all, it was a successful first season for former WPIAL Rushing Leader Dustin Shaof as head coach. The Scotties return a number of key contributors in 2026, led by senior QB Dawson Wolfe who threw for 1141 yards and 12 TDs and ran for 337 yards and 9 TDs. Joining Wolfe in the backfield is rising junior Averyon Darnell (613 yards, 7 TDs) who led the team in rushing last season. They will have to replace some receivers as senior Stanley Betters (259 yards, 1 TD) is the only one of the top three who did not graduate. Southmoreland has the talent to compete for the conference title and take that next step in competition by making a playoff run.
Derry
2025 Result: 6-4, lost to Highlands in first round
All-Time: 384-392-12 (61st in wins, 63rd in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 1930 WPIAL Champions
Derry has steadily improved since their winless 2022 campaign. After moving up to 3A in 2024 and going winless in conference play, the Trojans rode a strong defense to the postseason last year. Derry got a noteworthy non-conference win over Burrell in mid-September and closed the season strong with wins over Greensburg Salem, Mt Pleasant and Yough. The Trojans return a number of starters from last year’s team. Senior RB Max Doherty ran for 1218 yards and 16 TDs to carry the Trojans to the playoffs. Fellow senior Anthony Sacco threw for 944 yards and 11 TDs and gets back his top two receivers in junior Karsen Weiers (331 yards, 2 TDs) and senior Noah Stough (234 yards, 4 TDs).
Mt. Pleasant
2025 Result: 5-5, missed playoffs
All-Time: 363-298-9 (70th in wins, 37th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 2 WPIAL Championships (1983, 1986), predecessor schools Hurst won 3 WPIAL titles (1931, 1938, 1942) and Ramsay win 1 WPIAL title (1933)
The Vikings ended a 6-year run of playoff appearances, narrowly missing out last season. Despite the 5-5 overall record, the WPIAL selected Burrell (who beat Mt. Pleasant in Week 2) for the final playoff spot. At midseason, Mt. Pleasant had a 5-2 record with a clear path to the conference title as they had games remaining against the top three teams. But the Vikings lost all three outings by double digits, ending their season on a sour note. Mt. Pleasant employs a run-heavy a triple-option attack. Senior RB Stephen Predajna (592 yards, 9 TDs) led the way last year with rishing sophomore Kaden Hudec (343 yards, 4 TDs) running for nearly 7 yards per carry. Junior RB Brady Brooks (214 yards, 4 TDs) should see more action after averaging 8.6 yards per carry. Fellow junior Cole Hart saw some time as the backup quarterback and will likely step into the starting role this season. Overall, Mt. Pleasant has some explosive running backs but needs to keep games close defensively in order to utilize their running game and not be forced to take to the air.
Greensburg Salem
2025 Result: 3-7, missed playoffs
All-Time: 721-425-39 (7th in wins, 17th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: Never won a WPIAL title
A year after going 7-3 and making the playoffs, Greensburg Salem struggled through the 2025 campaign. They won 2 of their first 3 games, beating Ligonier Valley and Valley. But after that the wheels came off and the Lions lost five straight games. Dual-threat QB Brody Chismar (1371 passing yards, 15 TDs; 477 rushing yards, 4 TDs) returns for his senior season at the helm of the offense. Greensburg Salem will need to find new starters around him as the other two of their top three rushers and two of their top four receivers graduated. Returning on the outside is the junior tandem of Braydon Miller (341 yards, 5 TDs) and Jackson Stevey (234 yards, 2 TDs). Offensive output was not the problem for the Lions last year, but they will need to improve a defense that allowed over 32 points per game (the second-most in the conference) in order to compete for a playoff spot this season.
Waynesburg
2025 Result: 5-5, lost to South Allegheny in 2A first round
All-Time: 393-588-36 (56th in wins, 108th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 1999 WPIAL Champions
The Raiders made the playoffs in three straight seasons for the first time since 2003. For the second year in a row, however, their season came to an end at the hands of South Allegheny. Waynesburg now moves up to 3A with a strong and experienced group of rising seniors. Dual-threat QB Teagen Crouse threw for 1843 yards and 13 TDs and ran for 452 yards and 9 scores last season. Crouse is the team’s top returning rusher and will be joined in the backfield by a pair of rising seniors – Kymani Stumper (196 yards, 1 TD) who averaged 7.5 yards per carry and Ross Tennant (104 rushing yards, 104 receiving yards, 3 total TDs). On the outside, leading receiver Jack Ricciuti (880 yards, 5 TDs) returns for his senior season along with Ace Litwinovich (223 yards, 1 TD). The Raiders have the offensive talent to score with teams at the 3A level, but in order to be competitive, Waynesburg will have to shore up a defense that gave up 34+ points in 5 of their 6 losses.
