WPIAL Playoffs Round 1 Results

The opening round of the WPIAL playoffs is in the books. There were a few upsets with the biggest coming in Quad-A were Plum upset Penn Hills. Here are the results of all 32 opening round games and the 16 quarterfinal matchups.

AAAA

Round 1 Results

1. Pine-Richland 63. 16. Connellsville 3
8. Altoona 27, 9. Bethel Park 17
13. Plum 17, 4. Penn Hills 6
5. McKeesport 35, 12. Mt Lebanon 10
2. Penn-Trafford 40, 15. Fox Chapel 13
7. North Allegheny 24, 10. Upper St Clair 0
3. Central Catholic 42, 14. Nowin 7
6. Woodland Hills 41, 11. North Hills 2

Quarterfinal Matchups

1. Pine-Richland vs 8. Altoona
5. McKeesport vs 13. Plum
2. Penn-Trafford vs 7. North Allegheny
3. Central Catholic vs 6. Woodland Hills

AAA

Round 1 Results

1. Central Valley 48, 16. Laurel Highlands 26
8. Indiana 42, 9. West Mifflin 12
4. Hampton 33, 13. New Castle 14
5. Ringgold 24, 12. Gateway 14
2. Thomas Jefferson 49, 15. Moon 14
10. Mars 42, 7. Montour 27
3. West Allegheny 38, 14. Knoch 0
6. Franklin Regional 20, 11. Belle Vernon 0

Quarterfinal Matchups

1. Central Valley vs 8. Indiana
4. Hampton vs 5. Ringgold
2. Thomas Jefferson vs 10. Mars
3. West Allegheny vs 6. Franklin Regional

AA

Round 1 Results

1. South Fayette 65, 16. Waynesburg 6
9. South Park 21, 8. Beaver 20
4. Highlands 24, 13. New Brighton 19
5. Seton-La Salle 20, 12. McGuffey 0
2. Aliquippa 55, 15. Kittanning 20
7. Mt Pleasant 38, 10. Shady Side Academy 0
3. Washington 34, 14. Steel Valley 7
6. Apollo-Ridge 58, 11 Beaver Falls 40

Quarterfinal Matchups

1. South Fayette vs 9. South Park
4. Highlands vs 5. Seton-La Salle
2. Aliquippa vs 7. Mt Pleasant
3. Washington vs 6. Apollo-Ridge

A

Round 1 Results

1. Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic 69, 16. Avella 13
9. South Side Beaver 26, 8. Frazier 12
13. Riverside 21, 4. Beth-Center 20
5. Avonworth 34, 12. Mapletown 0
2. Clairton 62, 15. Chartiers-Houston 3
7. Shenango 35, 10. Springdale 7
3. Neshannock 48, 14. GCC 3
6. Jeannette 50, 11. Brentwood 19

Quarterfinal Matchups

1. Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic vs 9. South Side Beaver
5. Avonworth vs 13. Riverside
2. Clairton vs 7. Shenango
3. Neshannock vs 6. Jeannette

WPIAL Playoff Preview: Round 1

The playoffs are here. On Halloween night, 32 games will kick off simultaneously at 7:30 as the Highway to Heinz begins. All four defending champions reached the postseason once again and the two defending state champions - South Fayette and Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic - are the top seeds in their respective classifications. MSA Sports will have broadcasts of all 32 games, available here. I have a spreadsheet with WPIAL playoff results for every year since 1980, so I also included some notes on playoff history between these schools.

If you're going to be at home tonight, keep an eye on the following hashtags on Twitter to follow along as people post score updates from games: #WPIAL #MSAscores #Skylights

Also, if you're not already, follow the @MSAsports @PGVarsityXtra and @TribHSInsider twitter accounts which will post score updates and bookmark the MSA Scoreboard for quick reference at the end of the night. They get the final scores up faster than anyone. Also, MSA Sports will be broadcasting all 32 playoff games over the internet, here is their list of the games they will be broadcasting tonight.

AAAA

1. Pine-Richland (7-0, 9-0) vs 16. Connellsville (3-5, 3-6)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: None
This game has the recipe for disaster. Pine-Richland with the WPIAL's leading passer Ben DiNucci and workhorse back Connor Slomka (734 yards, 20 TDs) are the highest scoring team in Quad-A. On the other side, Connellsville has given up more points (31.2 per game) than any team in the AAAA playoffs and the second-most of any WPIAL playoff team. Connellsville is not a good offensive team and has the lowest-scoring offense (15.3 points per game) of any WPIAL playoff team and is the only playoff team to not win 4 games.

8. Altoona (6-2, 7-2) vs 9. Bethel Park (5-2, 9-3)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: None
The Mountain Lions rode 1100-yard rusher Eli Mencer to a home playoff game, which makes for a rough trip for the Bethel Park faithful. Altoona ended the season on a 5-game winning streak but will face a tough test in a Bethel Park team that beat Penn Hills and only lost by 2 to Woodland Hills. The Blackhawks have a balanced attack with 1000-yard passer Levi Metheny and 1000-yard rusher Alex Minton.

4. Penn Hills (6-1, 7-2) vs 13. Plum (5-3, 5-4)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: 1. Plum beat Penn Hills in the 1996 Quarterfinals.
Penn Hills won the Southeastern Conference with a Week 9 win over rival Woodland Hills. The Indians feature a backfield tandem of QB Billy Kisner and RB Te'Shan Campbell that are both nearing 1000 yards on the ground. Plum rode a strong defense into the playoffs. The Mustangs did not allow more than 20 points in any game this season. Three touchdowns is the magic number for Plum - they are 5-0 when scoring more than 21 points this year and 0-4 when scoring under 21.

5. McKeesport (7-1, 8-1) vs 12. Mt Lebanon (4-3, 5-4)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: 3. McKeesport is 2-1.
This game will be a contrast of styles. McKeesport's entire offense is based around running the ball - the Tigers are averaging less than 3 pass attempts per game. They boast a 1200-yard rusher in Khaleke Hudson. On the other side, Mt Lebanon's offense is based around their passing game and dual-threat QB Eddie Jenkins who has accounted for over 1500 yards of total offense and 20 TDs. The Blue Devils have struggled on defense all season and McKeesport presents a similar ground-and-pound attack to how Penn Hills gashed Mt Lebanon.

2. Penn-Trafford (8-0, 9-0) vs 15. Fox Chapel (3-4, 4-5)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: 1. Penn-Trafford beat Fox Chapel in the 1997 Semifinals.
Penn-Trafford enters the playoffs with the best defense in Quad-A (7.7 points against per game) while Fox Chapel has the 3rd lowest scoring offense of any Quad-A playoff team (21.7 points per game). On offense, Penn-Trafford is very balanced with an 1100-yard passer in Brett Laffoon and a 1000-yard rusher in Devin Austin. This game could turn into an aerial battle between Laffoon and Fox Chapel QB Billy Urso who has over 1400 yards this season but has thrown 13 INTs to 11 TDs.

7. North Allegheny (5-2, 7-2) vs 10. Upper St Clair (4-3, 4-5)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: 5. Upper St Clair is 4-1 against North Allegheny but the one loss was in the 2011 Championship Game.
How far we have come since the Week 4 meeting between these teams where both entered at 1-2 and the loser fell to 1-3. North Allegheny's win sparked a 6-game winning streak while Upper St Clair enters the playoffs having won 3 of their last 4. The bigger story here is yet another playoff matchup between Art Walker and Jim Render. This will be their 6th playoff meeting in the last 12 years and Walker is currently ahead 3-2. The Tigers are a good team that took Pine-Richland to overtime and lost on a miracle 4th down pass. Render's Panthers have been inconsistent this year, scoring 28+ in all of their wins but failing to score more than 17 in any of their losses.

3. Central Catholic (6-1, 8-1) vs 14. Norwin (4-4, 5-4)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: None.
Central Catholic has one of the best defenses in the WPIAL, pitching 4 shutouts this year. Their numbers are slightly skewed by the 48 points they gave up to Pine-Richland, which was 10 more points than they gave up in their other 8 games combined. Norwin has been stout on defense this year, but the Knights have the second-lowest scoring offense of any Quad-A playoff team.

6. Woodland Hills (6-1, 7-2) vs 11. North Hills (4-3, 6-3)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: 5. Woodland Hills is 4-1 and have won the last 4 meetings.
This will be the 5th playoff meeting between these two schools since 1993 and the 3rd in the last 5 years. The Wolverines are loaded with D1 prospects again this season. QB Jeremiah Jones is a West Virginia recruit and RB Miles Sanders is a Penn State recruit while WR Art Thompkins is a Toledo commit. The Wolverine offense has scored at least 25 points against everyone except Penn Hills this year while North Hills has only scored over 24 points in 3 games. North Hills has been much better in close, low-scoring games this year, going 3-1 in games decided by 10 points or less while Woody High is just 1-2 in games decided by 10 or less.

AAA

1. Central Valley (8-0, 9-0) vs 16. Laurel Highlands (4-4, 4-5)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: 1. Central Valley beat Laurel Highlands in the first round in 2011, which was the last time Laurel Highlands was in the playoffs.
The Warriors are the top seed in AAA after beating West Allegheny in a Parkway Conference showdown in the last week of the season. Central Valley has been one of the most dominant teams in AAA since the school came into existence: winning the 2010 title, reaching Heinz Field last year and making the semi-finals in the other two seasons. Central Valley has one of the best players in Western Pennsylvania in RB/CB Jordan Whitehead who leads the team in rushing and has found the end zone 18 times. Laurel Highlands has not won a playoff game since 1980 and have given up more points than any other team in the WPIAL playoffs (39.1 per game).

8. Indiana (5-3, 6-3) vs 9. West Mifflin (5-3, 6-3)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: None.
This game is a sharp contrast of styles between Indiana's passing attack and West Mifflin's ground game. The Little Indians rode the 1500-yard / 21 TD arm of Jacob Zilinskas to a third place finish in the GAC after beating Hollidaysburg in a casket match in the season finale. On the other side, Titans RB DiAngelo Mitchell ran for nearly 1600 yards and 24 TDs.

4. Hampton (7-1, 8-1) vs 13. New Castle (4-4, 4-5)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: 1. Hampton beat New Castle in the first round in 2001.
Unfortunately, this is a football game in the fall of 2014 and not another rematch of their spring 2014 basketball teams. In their meetings on the hardcourt, New Castle dealt Hampton 4 of their 5 losses in the 2013-14 season, including in the WPIAL Championship and PIAA quarterfinals. In football, Hampton won the Greater Allegheny Conference on the back of dual-threat QB Nick Grabowski who accounted for over 1000 yards of total offense and 18 total TDs. New Castle won 4 of their last 5 after starting the season 0-4 to make the playoffs and finish 4th in the Parkway Conference thanks to a head-to-head win over Moon.

5. Ringgold (7-1, 8-1) vs 12. Gateway (4-4, 4-5)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: 1. Gateway beat Ringgold in the first round in 2003 when both played in Quad-A.
Ringgold got run off the field by Thomas Jefferson in the season opener but hasn't lost since. Their offense has been one of the best in AAA with QB Nico Law throwing for 1064 yards and 14 TDs and running for 615 yards and 9 TDs. His backfield partner RB Chacar Berry has 1245 rushing yards and 22 TDs. On the other side, Gateway overcame a slow start to get former Clairton coach Tom Nola back in the playoffs in the Gators first year in AAA. Gateway struggled on offense all season, averaging just 18.4 points per game.

2. Thomas Jefferson (8-0, 9-0) vs 15. Moon (4-4, 4-5)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: 3. Thomas Jefferson is 3-0.
Thomas Jefferson enters the playoffs with the WPIAL's leading rusher in Austin Kemp. The Jaguars did what they always do - totally dominated their conference competition. TJ enters the playoffs with a WPIAL-leading streak of 20 consecutive postseason appearances and have reached at least the semifinals in 15 of the last 16 years. While TJ's offense is based on their rushing attack, Moon's offense relies solely on dual-threat QB Alaksei Yaramus who accounted for over 1300 yards of total offense and was the Tigers leading passer and rusher.

7. Montour (5-2, 7-2) vs 10. Mars (5-3, 6-3)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: 1. Montour beat Mars in the 2010 semi-finals.
This will be the ROOT Sports Game of the Week. Montour emerged as the 3rd best team in the Parkway Conference and could be a dangerous playoff team as they gave West Allegheny a run for their money in Week 5. The Spartans have a balanced attack with 1100-yard passer Randall Labrie and 1000-yard rusher David Haseleu. On the other side, Mars' offense has traditionally relied solely on their ground game but QB Jake Rosswog has thrown for 966 yards and 10 TDs this season. Ori Rinaman stepped in when Josh Schultheis was injured in Week 1 and ran for 1000 yards and 17 TDs.

3. West Allegheny (7-1, 8-1) vs 14. Knoch (4-4, 4-5)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: 3. West Allegheny is 2-1. All 3 meetings have been in Round 1.
The Indians are the two-time defending AAA Champions and I think most people expect to see them at Heinz Field in four weeks. West Allegheny is loaded with talent and championship experience and has a victory in the WPIAL Game of the Year (possibly game of the decade) where West A beat Woodland Hills in overtime. The Indians lost to Central Valley in Week 9, their first loss to a WPIAL opponent in 2 years. Knoch made the playoffs thanks to earning the "Wild Card" in AAA for being the best 6th place team. They do have wins over Franklin Regional and Mars but they have the lowest-scoring offense of any AAA playoff team at just 17.3 points per game.

6. Franklin Regional (6-2, 6-3) vs 11. Belle Vernon (5-3, 5-4)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: 2. The teams have split their playoff meetings.
On paper, these are two evenly matched teams that have balanced offensive attacks and solid defenses. Franklin Regional is led by QB Santino Birty (892 yards, 5 TDs) and RB Brett Zanotto (844 yards, 14 TDs). No one (including Thomas Jefferson) has scored more than 28 points on Franklin Regional all year and the Panthers are 6-0 when holding their opponents to less than 21 points. Belle Vernon enters the playoffs on a 3-game winning streak after losing 3 in a row by 7, 7, and 4 points. The Leopards are paced by their two feature backs Anthony Levis (766 yards, 11 TDs) and Luke Durigon (562 yards, 4 TDs).

AA

1. South Fayette (9-0, 9-0) vs 16. Waynesburg (5-3, 6-3)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: None
The defending AA state champions ran the table in the Century Conference and boast the WPIAL's all-time leading passer in Brett Brumbaugh who has thrown for 2104 yards and 26 TDs this season. His top two targets have been Logan Sharp (611 yards, 10 TDs) and Nick Ponikvar (576 yards, 6 TDs). The Lions have been balanced on offense as RB Hunter Hays has contributed 935 yards and 18 TDs. Waynesburg is in the playoffs for the first time since 2003 thanks to workhorse back Hunter Cenname's 1471 yards and 20 TDs. Waynesburg is not a team to take lightly as they had two close losses to Washington and Mt Pleasant, the top teams in their conference.

8. Beaver (6-2, 7-2) vs 9. South Park (7-2, 7-2)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: None
Beaver got the last home playoff spot by virtue of winning a 3-way tie for 2nd place in the Midwestern Conference. Beaver's pass-heavy offense carried them to the semi-finals last season and this game has the makings of a shootout with 1100-yard passer Zach Royba leading a Bobcats offense that averages 38 points per game. South Park's offense flows through dual-threat QB Nick Scholle who has over 1200 yards of total offense and 21 total TDs this season, leading the team in passing, rushing and scoring.

4. Highlands (9-0, 9-0) vs 13. New Brighton (6-2, 6-3)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: None
Hold on to your hats. Both of these teams are in the top 10 in AA in scoring offense and feature explosive playmakers. Highlands won the Allegheny Conference on the legs of Elijah Jackson (1466 yards, 19 TDs) who is a threat to find the end zone any time he touches the ball. Brayden Thimons has excelled at QB since being installed in Week 2, throwing for 654 yards, 10 TDs and no interceptions. On the other side, New Brighton has a workhorse back in Scott Florence (1230 yards, 22 TDs) and a dual-threat QB in Payton Fath (971 passing yards, 6 pass TDs, 614 rushing yards, 8 rushing TDs).

5. Seton-La Salle (8-1, 8-1) vs 12. McGuffey (6-2, 7-2)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: None
Seton-La Salle put out a lot of preseason talk about winning the state championship, but their quest for 16-0 was derailed by the defending state champion South Fayette Lions and the WPIAL officials. Seton's best player, Danzel McKinley-Lewis was suspended for the South Fayette game because of an arcane WPIAL "red card" rule that knocks a player out of the next game if they get two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. The Rebels have one of the best passing attacks in AA with QB Tyler Perone throwing for 1658 yards and 21 TDs. McGuffey also has an explosive offense that has put up a ton of yards and points this year with QB Nate Whipkey throwing for 1179 yards and 10 TDs and RB James Duchi running for 1251 yards and 23 TDs. The Highlanders are averaging nearly 39 points per game and have the offensive firepower to give Seton-La Salle a game.

2. Aliquippa (8-0. 9-0) vs 15. Kittanning (6-3, 6-3)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: None
Most schools that graduate 3 D1 prospects would expect to have a rebuilding year. Not so for Aliquippa. The Quips are absolutely loaded again this year with senior WR Patrick Anderson, senior DT Arrington Gipson and junior RB/LB Kaezon Pugh. The Quips dominated the competition with the best offense and best defense in AA, averaging over 51 points per game and giving up barely 10. QB Darrien Fields threw for 1189 yards and 17 TDs while the RB tandem of DiMante Bronaugh (1031 yards, 22 TDs) and Kaezon Pugh (824 yards, 12 TDs) was unstoppable. This will likely be the last time the Kittanning Wildcats take the field as the school is merging with Ford City next year. The Wildcats have not won a playoff game since 1980. They boast an explosive offense with QB Braydon Toy throwing for 1738 yards and 22 TDs and adding 882 yards and 7 TDs on the ground. They have a D1 prospect of their own in TE/WR Nick Bowers (498 yards, 10 TDs) and boast a capable running back in Zane Dudek (930 yards, 19 TDs). However, Kittanning struggled on defense this season and they have not faced a defense as good as the Quips. This appears to be the swan song for Kittanning football.

7. Mt Pleasant (7-1, 7-2) vs 10. Shady Side Academy (6-3, 6-3)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: None
Mt Pleasant ran their way to the playoffs with a backfield that featured 4 players who ran for more than 300 yards. Jake Adamrovich was their workhorse back who got the most carries (81 carries, 541 yards, 5 TDs) but it was Trevor Salopek who made the most noise, averaging 17.3 yards per carry and gaining 866 yards and 16 TDs on 50 carries. Shady Side Academy is also a ground-and-pound team with a strong backfield tandem. Louis Berry ran for 1221 yards and 19 TDs while Jackson Fitzgerald added 852 yards and 11 TDs. This might be the fastest WPIAL playoff game as both teams are averaging less than 10 pass attempts per game.

3. Washington (8-0, 9-0) vs 14. Steel Valley (6-3, 6-3)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: 1. Washington beat Steel Valley in the quarterfinals in 2000.
As odd as it sounds, this undefeated Washington squad is getting somewhat overlooked heading into the playoffs. The Little Prexies dominated the Interstate Conference and have the fourth best offense and defense in AA. The Prexies have a balanced offensive attack with a 1000-yard rusher in Malik Wells, a 1000-yard passer in Jonathan Spina and a big-play receiver in DeQuay Isbell who has 525 yards and 16 TDs this year. Steel Valley has one of the best underclassmen in the WPIAL in sophomore RB DeWayne Murray who leads the team in rushing (1255 yards), receiving (351 yards) and scoring (24 total TDs).

6. Apollo-Ridge (8-1, 8-1) vs 11. Beaver Falls (6-2, 7-2)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: None
How about this Apollo-Ridge team. Not much was expected from them as they made the jump up from Class A to AA this year and all they did was come within 30 seconds of an undefeated season. Pitt recruit Tre Tipton and sophomore RB Duane Brown have become the most dangerous backfield in the WPIAL. Tipton has 467 passing yards, 297 receiving yards, 821 rushing yards and 19 total TDs while Brown has 688 passing yards, 117 receiving yards, 1128 rushing yards and 39 total TDs. Beaver Falls has to be thrilled that they are not on the same half of the bracket as South Fayette, the team that has knocked them out of the playoffs each of the last 4 seasons. The Tigers are primarily a running team and boast a 1000-yard rusher in Cordell Cummings but are coming off a throttling by archrival Aliquippa in the season finale.

A

1. Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic (7-0, 9-0) vs 16. Avella (4-4, 5-4)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: None
The two best storylines from 2013 converge in the first round of the 2014 playoffs. Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic not only made their first trip in school history to a WPIAL Championship Game, but beat the vaunted Sto-Rox team with Lenny Williams at quarterback and went on to win the State Title. Avella made the playoffs for the first time since 1976 last year, and won their last two games this year to make it back for the second straight year. The Defending State Champs are loaded with talented players on both sides of the ball, starting with their backfield tandem of Jerome Turner (1005 yards, 22 TDs) and PJ Fulmore (1110 rush yards, 216 receiving yards, 18 total TDs) who is basically the second coming of Darren Sproles. Sophomore back Mario Latronica (540 yards, 8 TDs) has been a change-of-pace back and QB Adam Sharlow has thrown for 778 yards and 7 TDs.

8. Frazier (7-1, 8-1) vs 9. South Side Beaver (5-2, 6-3)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: None
Frazier finished second in the Tri-County South after losing to Beth-Center by just 9 points in Week 6. Beth-Center was the only team to score more than 14 points against Frazier this season. The Commodores were led by Alvin Ross' 974 rushing yards and 12 TDs while QB Hunter Patterson threw for 873 yards and 13 TDs and ran for 12 more. South Side Beaver entered the season with one of the longest losing streaks in the WPIAL but has made the playoffs for the first time since 2009 thanks to a 1400-yard season from RB Nate Block.

4. Beth-Center (8-0, 9-0) vs 13. Riverside (4-3, 5-4)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: None
Has the Tri-County South finally gotten some respect? Conference champion Beth-Center was seeded in the top 4 along with the other Class A Conference Champions. The Bulldogs are the TCS' best hope for their first playoff win since 2010 and they did beat GCC earlier this year. These teams are polar opposites on offense as Beth-Center relies almost exclusively on RBs Anthony Welsh (1426 yards, 28 TDs) and Nico Brown (910 yards, 17 TDs). On the other side, Riverside features a pass-heavy attack led by QB Jason Dambach who threw for 1857 yards and 14 TDs, primarily to Logan Sheridan who had 726 receiving yards, 119 rushing yards and 12 total TDs. The Panthers did play Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic close for a half before being blown out in the second half.

5. Avonworth (6-1, 8-1) vs 12. Mapletown (6-2, 7-2)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: None
I don't think there is a team in the playoffs that has seen more injuries this season than Avonworth. The Lopes entered the season with high expectations after they were arguably the 3rd best team in the state last year. Unfortunately, QB Zach Chandler was injured in Week 3 and the Lopes suffered a slew of other injuries. Josh Drwal stepped in at QB but he is more of a running threat than a passing threat and Avonworth's offense has been somewhat limited. Their primary focus is getting the ball into the hands of 6'2" junior WR Jamal Hughley who led the team with 534 rushing yards, 382 receiving yards and 15 TDs. Mapletown is in the playoffs for the first year since 2005 thanks to a two-headed rushing attack that features Dylan Rush (974 yards, 17 TDs) and Adam Hein (799 yards, 14 TDs). The Maples will have a tough test against the Lopes defense which has one of the best defensive lines in Class A.

2. Clairton (8-0, 9-0) vs 15. Chartiers-Houston (4-3, 5-4)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: 3. Clairton is 2-1.
Former Black Hills Conference foes meet in the playoffs. This has all the makings of a mercy rule game as Clairton's offense has been on an historic pace this season, scoring a record 610 points in 9 regular season games. The Bears have scored at least 54 in every game and only been held under 60 twice. They also have the best scoring defense in the WPIAL, giving up just 3.7 points per game and pitching 6 shutouts. Clairton is loaded with D1-caliber talent in RB/CB Lamont Wade (1384 yards, 24 TDs), QB Ryan Williams (1635 yards, 23 TDs) and WRs Aaron Matthews and James Hines. On the other side, Chartiers-Houston has been offensively challenged this year. The Bucs have only broken 27 points once this season - in their casket match against Fort Cherry. Char-Houston leans on their passing game and 900-yard passer Alec Ferrari, but he could be in for a long night against a fantastic Clairton secondary.

7. Shenango (6-1, 6-3) vs 10. Springdale (5-3, 6-3)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: None
Shenango is in the playoffs for the first time since moving down to Class A. The Wildcats put together a 4-game winning streak in the second half of the season where they won every game by at least two touchdowns. Shenango is 6-0 when holding opponents to under 23 points but 0-3 against teams that score more than 23. Springdale got off to a slow start but turned it on once the calendar flipped to October, winning their last 4 games including two 14-12 wins over Monessen and GCC that lifted them into the playoffs.

3. Neshannock (7-0, 9-0) vs 14. GCC (5-3, 6-3)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: None
All of the talk in Class A this season has been about North Catholic and Clairton. Meanwhile, Neshannock has had yet another very good season, running the table in the Big Seven Conference. The Lancers have dominated in all phases of offensive football, averaging 47.7 points per game. QB Frank Antuono has thrown for 1341 yards and 15 TDs, spreading the ball around to 4 different receivers that all have over 200 yards. RB Eli Owens has rushed for 776 yards and 7 TDs. GCC was a bit of a disappointment this year, their first year in Class A. After squeaking past Monessen in Week 1, the Centurions dropped back-to-back games. GCC closed their season with losses to Springdale and Jeannette, dropping them to 4th in the conference.

6. Jeannette (7-1, 8-1) vs 11. Brentwood (5-2, 6-3)
Playoff Meetings since 1980: 1. Jeannette beat Brentwood in the semi-finals of the AA playoffs in 2006.
When the brackets were revealed, I was a bit surprised that Jeannette was seeded 6th in Class A. The Jayhawks averaged 45.8 points per game and dominated everyone they played not named Clairton. Jeannette scored 40+ points in 7 of their 8 wins and didn't give up more than 22 to anyone except Clairton. Dual-threat QB Julian Batts led the Jayhawks in passing (678 yards, 12 TDs) and rushing (591 yards, 9 TDs). Brentwood's offensive focus is also on their QB, but Connor McWilliams (1438 yards, 16 TDs) is more of a traditional pocket passer. The Spartans also have an 1100-yard rusher in Pat Carr. Brentwood has put up a ton of yards but has struggled to put points on the board, averaging a pedestrian 25.7 points per game, which ranks 12th out of the 16 Class A playoff teams.

WPIAL Playoff Outlook

The WPIAL regular season concluded on Friday night with West Allegheny's WPIAL-leading 29-game winning streak against WPIAL competition coming to an end against Central Valley (who was the last WPIAL team to beat the Indians, back in 2012). On the other side of the coin, Serra Catholic ended their 28-game overall losing streak and 27-game conference losing streak with a 38-36 win over Wilkinsburg. This year's playoffs feature all of the mainstays as both Thomas Jefferson and Aliquippa reached the postseason for the 20th consecutive season (followed closely by Woodland Hills at 19 and McKeesport at 17). There are a few small seeding debates heading into tonight's WPIAL Playoffs Meeting at 7pm, the biggest of which will be who is the top seed in Class A - the defending state champion North Catholic Trojans or the Clairton Bears who put up a record 610 points in the regular season. For the most part, the seedings should be fairly straightforward. In Quad-A and Triple-A, the top 2 finishers from each conference and 2 of the 3 third place teams get home playoff games. In AA and A, the top 2 from each conference get home games. The WPIAL usually tries to avoid seeding teams from the same conference against each other in the first round as well as avoiding repeats of non-conference matchups. Here's my best guess at how the seedings will shake out.

AAAA

Foothills Conference: 1. Penn-Trafford (8-0, 9-0), 2. McKeesport (7-1, 8-1), 3. Altoona (6-2, 7-2), 4. Plum (5-3, 5-4), 5. Norwin (4-4, 5-4),  6. Connellsville (3-5, 3-6)

Northern Eight Conference: 1. Pine-Richland (7-0, 9-0), 2. Central Catholic (6-1, 8-1), 3. North Allegheny (5-2, 7-2), 4. North Hills (4-3, 6-3), 5. Fox Chapel (3-4, 4-5)

Southeastern Conference: 1. Penn Hills (6-1, 7-2), 2. Woodland Hills (6-1, 7-2), 3. Bethel Park (5-2, 6-3), 4. Upper St Clair (4-3, 4-5), 5. Mt Lebanon (4-3, 5-4)

Predicted Playoff Seeding
1. Pine-Richland - The Rams are one of two undefeated teams in Quad-A and have the best offense in the classification, led by Ben DiNucci, the WPIAL's leading passer.
2. Penn-Trafford - The Warriors were a surprise semi-finalist last year and swept through the Foothills Conference this year on Brett Laffoon's arm (1179 passing yards) and Devin Austin's legs (993 rushing yards).
3. Penn Hills - There might be some debate here between Penn Hills and Central Catholic for the #3 seed but ultimately I think Penn Hills gets the edge as a conference champion.
4. Central Catholic - The defending Quad-A Champions suffered their only loss in a shootout with Pine-Richland. The WPIAL may put them in the 3 spot to prevent a rematch before the finals.
5. McKeesport - The Tigers only loss was to Penn-Trafford
6. Woodland Hills - The Wolverines were my preseason pick to be AAAA Champions and have been to Heinz Field 4 of the last 5 years but they drop down to the 6 seed after losing 2 of their last 3 games.
7. North Allegheny - The Tigers blew out rival North Hills in the season finale to earn a home playoff game. Don't sleep on them making a deep run in the playoffs.
8. Altoona - The Lions earned a home game with a win over Connellsville, which will be a brutal trip for whichever team they draw in the opening round.
9. Bethel Park - The Blackhawks beat conference champion Penn Hills and almost beat Woodland Hills but didn't get a home playoff game because of their non-conference loss to Central Catholic.
10. Plum - The move to the Foothills Conference benefited the Mustangs as they broke a 22-game losing streak against Conference opponents. They land here by default because North Allegheny can not play North Hills (conference game) and already played Upper St Clair this year.
11. North Hills - The Indians put together a solid season that included a win over Mt Lebanon, which helps them in the seeding order.
12. Upper St Clair - Jim Render's team bounced back after starting the season 1-4, including a win over rival Mt Lebanon in the season finale.
13. Mt Lebanon - The Blue Devils have an explosive offense with dual-threat QB Eddie Jenkins who has over 1500 yards of total offense, but haven't been able to stop anyone on defense this year.
14. Norwin - The Knights are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2010. Their success has come through a stifling defense holding opponents down as their offense doesn't score much.
15. Fox Chapel - The Foxes have not played a close game this year. All of their wins have been by 20+ and only one of their losses was by less than 20.
16. Connellsville - The Falcons earned the "Wild Card" spot and have the worst record of any playoff team.

AAA

Big Nine Conference: 1. Thomas Jefferson (8-0, 9-0), 2. Ringgold (7-1, 8-1), 3. West Mifflin (5-3, 6-3), 4. Belle Vernon (5-3, 5-4), 5. Laurel Highlands (4-4, 4-5)

Greater Allegheny Conference: 1. Hampton (7-1, 8-1), 2. Franklin Regional (6-2, 6-3), 3. Indiana (5-3, 6-3), 4. Mars (5-3, 6-3), 5. Gateway (4-4, 4-5), 6. Knoch (4-4, 4-5)

Parkway Conference: 1. Central Valley (8-0, 9-0), 2. West Allegheny (7-1, 8-1), 3. Montour (6-2, 7-2), 4. New Castle (4-4, 4-5), 5. Moon (4-4, 4-5)

Predicted Playoff Seeding
1. Central Valley - The Warriors solidified their spot at the top of the AAA bracket with a win over two-time defending champ West Allegheny in Week 9.
2. Thomas Jefferson - The Jaguars once again did what they always do - totally dominated their conference.
3. West Allegheny - The WPIAL will likely separate West Allegheny and Central Valley on the bracket so that they can not meet again until the Championship Game. With Hampton's loss to Mars, there shouldn't be much debate here that West Allegheny is seeded ahead of Hampton.
4. Hampton - The GAC Champions lost in overtime to Mars in Week 9, but still put together a very good season with one of the best defenses in AAA.
5. Ringgold - The Rams have not lost since being run off the field by Thomas Jefferson in Week 1. They have an explosive offense that ranks 4th in AAA and are certainly capable of a deep run.
6. Montour - The Spartans almost pulled off an upset of West Allegheny in the regular season and their win over a Quad-A opponent (Upper St Clair) gives them a seeding advantage.
7. Franklin Regional - The Panthers dropped a game to Knoch in the opening week of the season which hurts their overall profile.
8. Indiana - The Little Indians finished 3rd in the GAC thanks to a head-to-head win over Mars in Week 1 and earned the last home playoff game.
9. West Mifflin - The Titans resume includes a bizarre loss to Trinity that prevented them from getting a home playoff game.
10. Belle Vernon - The Leopards have an explosive offense and could make some noise in the playoffs.
11. Mars - The Planets rebounded after losing star RB Josh Schulthies to an injury in Week 1 to make the playoffs thanks to a 1000-yard season from Ori Rinaman.
12. Gateway - Tom Nola and the Gators rebounded from a slow start to make the playoffs thanks to a head-to-head win over Knoch.
13. New Castle - After starting the season 0-4, New Castle won 4 of their last 5 to make the playoffs. Sadly a New Castle-Hampton football matchup will probably be less exciting than the basketball games they played last year.
14. Knoch - The Knights were the "Wild Card" team in AAA but have 2 wins over playoff teams (Franklin Regional and Mars) which is more than Moon or Laurel Highlands, so they get bumped up the bracket.
15. Moon - The Tigers couldn't face Central Valley or West Allegheny in the first round because they play in the same conference so they land here against TJ.
16. Laurel Highlands - A 1-point win over Elizabeth Forward in Week 1 carried Laurel Highlands into the playoffs.

AA

Allegheny Conference: 1. Highlands (9-0, 9-0), 2. Apollo-Ridge (8-1, 8-1), 3. Shady Side Academy (6-3, 6-3), 4. Kittanning (6-3, 6-3)

Century Conference: 1. South Fayette (9-0, 9-0), 2. Seton-La Salle (8-1, 8-1), 3. South Park (7-2, 7-2), 4. Steel Valley (6-3, 6-3)

Interstate Conference: 1. Washington (8-0, 9-0), 2. Mt Pleasant (7-1, 7-2), 3. McGuffey (6-2, 7-2), 4. Waynesburg (5-3, 6-3)

Midwestern Conference: 1. Aliquippa (8-0, 9-0), 2. Beaver (6-2, 7-2), 3. Beaver Falls (6-2, 7-2), 4. New Brighton (6-2, 6-3)

Predicted Playoff Seeding
1. South Fayette - The defending AA Champions will be at the top of the bracket with the WPIAL's all-time leading passer Brett Brumbaugh under center.
2. Aliquippa - The Quips only losses in the last 5 years have been in the 2010 and 2013 WPIAL Championship Games to South Fayette. The two are on a collision course once again.
3. Washington - The Little Prexies won the Interstate Conference title and scored a nice non-conference win over New Brighton, which gives them the edge over Highlands.
4. Highlands - The Rams swept through the Allegheny Conference in their first year in AA.
5. Seton-La Salle - The Rebels only loss was to South Fayette in a game where their best player was suspended because of a bizarre WPIAL "red card" rule that knocks a player out for the next game after two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.
6. Apollo-Ridge - The Vikings have two of the most electrifying players in the WPIAL in WR Tre Tipton and RB Duane Brown.
7. Beaver - The Bobcats won the 3-way tie for 2nd place in the Midwestern Conference thanks to a head-to-head win over Beaver Falls.
8. Mt Pleasant - The Vikings finished 2nd in the Interstate Conference thanks to a Week 1 win over McGuffey.
9. Beaver Falls - The strangest streak in the WPIAL may continue this year - Beaver Falls has been knocked out of the playoffs in each of the last 4 seasons by South Fayette.
10. South Park - The Eagles are back in the playoffs for the second straight year thanks to an explosive offensive attack.
11. McGuffey - The Highlanders gave Washington a fight in the season finale for the Conference Title. They may get moved around the bracket to try to find a better travel destination, but it won't be easy.
12. Shady Side Academy - The Indians were upset by Ford City but gave conference champion Highlands all they could handle in the season finale.
13. New Brighton - The Lions have a great offense and not much defense, which makes them an intriguing matchup for any of the Allegheny Conference teams.
14. Steel Valley - The Ironmen have one of the best underclassmen RBs in the WPIAL in DeWayne Murray who ran for over 1200 yards and 24 TDs.
15. Kittanning - This could very well be the last game Kittanning ever plays as the school will merge with Ford City to form Armstrong Jr/Sr High next year.
16. Waynesburg - The Raiders made the playoffs for the first time since 2003 but unfortunately will probably be at the bottom of the bracket.

A

Big Seven Conference: 1. Neshannock (7-0, 9-0), 2. Shenango (6-1, 6-3), 3. South Side Beaver (5-2, 6-3), 4. Riverside (4-3, 5-4)

Black Hills Conference: 1. North Catholic (7-0, 9-0), 2. Avonworth (6-1, 8-1), 3. Brentwood (5-2, 6-3), 4. Chartiers-Houston (4-3, 5-4)

Eastern Conference: 1. Clairton (8-0, 9-0), 2. Jeannette (7-1, 8-1), 3. Springdale (5-3, 6-3), 4. GCC (5-3, 5-4)

Tri-County South Conference: 1. Beth-Center (8-0, 9-0), 2. Frazier (7-1, 8-1), 3. Mapletown (6-2, 7-2), 4. Avella (4-4, 5-4)

Predicted Playoff Seeding
1. North Catholic - In 2011 the WPIAL set a precedent of giving the defending champions the top seed when they gave North Allegheny the #1 seed in Quad-A even though many thought Central Catholic was the best team in the state. This trend continues with the defending State Champions at the top of the bracket.
2. Clairton - They didn't just break the regular season scoring mark of Terrelle Pryor's Jeannette team, they shattered it. The Bears are on pace (67.8 points per game) to break the 2007 Jeannette team's state record for points in a season (830 in 16 games) in the WPIAL semi-finals (their 12th game).
3. Neshannock - The Lancers went undefeated and won the Big Seven Conference and are clearly the 3rd best team in Class A.
4. Jeannette - There may be some debate here if Jeannette or Beth-Center should be the #4 seed but I give the advantage to the Jayhawks based on their trouncing of GCC who Beth-Center only beat by 9.
5. Beth-Center - Finally some respect for the Tri-County South Champions? The Bulldogs went undefeated again and have now won 17 straight conference games.
6. Avonworth - The Lopes were hit hard by injuries this year but still beat everyone except North Catholic.
7. Frazier - The Commodores are in the playoffs for the 4th straight season with their only loss coming to Beth-Center.
8. Shenango - The Wildcats had an excellent year in the Big Seven Conference, making the playoffs for the first time since 2006 when they played in AA but lost non-conference games to Avonworth and North Catholic which hurt their overall record.
9. Brentwood - The Spartans finished 3rd in the Black Hills Conference and are the best of the teams in the bottom half of the Class A bracket.
10. South Side Beaver - The Rams are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2009.
11. Springdale - I think I was the only person that picked the Dynamos to make the playoffs this year. Prediction vindicated.
12. Riverside - The Panthers get moved up the bracket because GCC already played Beth-Center this year so I didn't want a rematch.
13. Mapletown - The Maples made the playoffs for the first time since 2005.
14. Chartiers-Houston - The Bucs beat Fort Cherry in a Week 9 Casket Match to make the playoffs.
15. GCC - An early season win over Monessen was enough to get GCC into the playoffs for the 12th straight year.
16. Avella - After making the playoffs for the first time since 1976 last year, the Eagles bounced back and won their last 2 games of the season to make the playoffs for the second straight year. They had the smallest point differential in the entire WPIAL, scoring 258 points this year and giving up 260.

Pat myself on the back time:

Back in my WPIAL preview posts I made preseason predictions about the order of finish in each conference and which teams would make the playoffs. Here's a look at how I did:

AAAA: 13 of 16 playoff teams, 1 of 3 conference champions, 6 of 8 top half teams.
AAA: 14 of 16 playoff teams, 1 of 3 conference champions, 6 of 8 top half teams.
AA: 13 of 16 playoff teams, 4 of 4 conference champions, 6 of 8 top half teams.
A: 11 of 16 playoff teams, 4 of 4 conference champions, 5 of 8 top half teams.

Cumulatively, I was correct on 51 of 64 playoff teams, 10 of 14 conference champions and 23 of 32 teams that got home playoff games.

WPIAL Week 9 Games of the Week and Playoff Scenarios

For the second year in a row, there are no true casket matches in the final week of the WPIAL season. However, there are a number of good games on the slate with four games that will decide conference titles and a number of teams still vying for playoff spots. Of the 64 playoff spots, 53 teams have already punched their ticket. There is only 1 spot left in Quad-A, which will go to either Connellsville, Baldwin or Butler as the "Wild Card" team. There are 5 spots to be won in AAA - 1 in the Big Nine Conference, 3 in the crazy Greater Allegheny Conference and 1 Wild Card team that will either come from the Big Nine or Greater Allegheny Conference. Only two spots remain in the AA playoff field - 1 in the Century Conference and 1 in the Interstate Conference - but there are two games on the AA slate that will decide Conference Champions. In Class A, there are 3 spots that can still be won, the fourth place spots in the Big Seven Conference, Black Hills Conference and Tri-County South Conference. The last spot in the Big Seven Conference may not be decided until Saturday afternoon when Western Beaver plays South Side Beaver. The WPIAL Playoff Brackets will be officially announced on Monday night at 7pm.

I got together with @AJWPIAL this week to talk about the big matchups in last week in the WPIAL season and some seeding possibilities for the upcoming playoffs. Check out his blog WPIAL Football Zone. (I also got a nosebleed during the broadcast, so that was fun.)

If you're going to be at home tonight, keep an eye on the following hashtags on Twitter to follow along as people post score updates from games: #WPIAL #MSAscores #Skylights

Also, if you're not already, follow the @MSAsports @PGVarsityXtra and @TribHSInsider twitter accounts which will post score updates and bookmark the MSA Scoreboard for quick reference at the end of the night. They get the final scores up faster than anyone. Also, MSA Sports broadcasts most games over the internet, here is their list of the games they will be broadcasting tonight.

I'll update my WPIAL Standings Page at the end of the night. It's the only one available that includes all playoff tiebreakers (Gardner Points, WPIAL Points Tiebreaker and Head-to-Head wins).

AAAA

AAAA Game of the Week

Penn Hills (5-1, 6-2) at Woodland Hills (6-0, 7-1)

The Southeastern Conference title is on the line as these rivals meet at the best venue in Western Pennsylvania - the Wolvarena. Both teams have been offensive powerhouses, averaging over 38 points per game. Woodland Hills needed a late comeback to beat Bethel Park who also sprung an upset on Penn Hills. Both of these teams dropped non-conference games to AAA teams (arguably, the best two AAA teams in Central Valley and West Allegheny) that has tarnished their image heading into the season finale. The Wolverines have one of the top juniors in the state in Penn St recruit Miles Sanders who has 878 rushing yards and 120 receiving yards and 12 total touchdowns. Fellow junior RB Jo-El Shaw has added 522 yards and 9 TDs while dual-threat QB Jeremiah Jones (a WVU recruit) has thrown for 755 yards (primarily to Art Thompkins and Jaymond Dunn) and 7 TDs and rushed for 278 yards and 4 TDs. Woody High is loaded all over the field and has the best defense Penn Hills has seen since Central Valley. On the other side, the Penn Hills attack primarily comes from their read-option running game where QB Billy Kisner leads the way with 863 rushing yards and 12 TDs with counterpart Te'Shan Campbell providing an equivalent threat and adding 830 yards and 14 TDs. Penn Hills has been so dominant on the ground this season, Kisner has rarely been forced to throw, and is only averaging 5.2 pass attempts per game. Penn Hills will need to keep the game close so that their running game can stay a factor if they want to pull out a win at The Wolvarena.

AAAA Playoff Scenarios

Foothills

Important Games: Connellsville at Altoona, Norwin at Penn-Trafford

• Penn-Trafford has clinched the Conference title.
• McKeesport has clinched second place and a home playoff game.
• Altoona, Plum and Norwin have clinched playoff spots.
• Altoona has clinched 3rd place.
• Connellsville has clinched 6th place.

Northern Eight

Important Games: Central Catholic at Butler, North Hills at North Allegheny, Shaler at Seneca Valley

• Pine-Richland has clinched the Conference tittle.
• Central Catholic has clinched second place and a home playoff game.
• North Allegheny, North Hills and Fox Chapel have clinched playoff spots.
• The winner of North Allegheny-North Hills will finish in third place
• Seneca Valley will finish 6th with a win over Shaler
• Butler will finish 6th with a win over Central Catholic and a Seneca Valley loss to Shaler

Southeastern

Important Games: Penn Hills at Woodland Hills, Upper St Clair at Mt Lebanon, Bethel Park at Baldwin

• The winner of Woodland Hills-Penn Hills will win the Conference Title
• Woodland Hills and Penn Hills have clinched home playoff games.
• Mt Lebanon, Bethel Park and Upper St Clair have clinched playoff spots.
• Baldwin has clinched 6th place.

• If Penn Hills beats Woodland Hills
• Woodland Hills will finish second
• Mt Lebanon finishes 3rd if they beat Upper St Clair
• Bethel Park finishes 3rd if Upper St Clair beats Mt Lebanon
• If Woodland Hills beats Penn Hills
• If Mt Lebanon wins: Penn Hills 2nd, Mt Lebanon 3rd, Bethel Park 4th, USC 5th
• If Mt Lebanon loses and Bethel Park wins: Bethel Park 2nd, Penn Hills 3rd, USC 4th, Mt Lebanon 5th
• If Mt Lebanon and Bethel Park lose: Penn Hills 2nd, Bethel Park 3rd, USC 4th, Mt Lebanon 5th

Home Games

Since there are only 3 conferences in Quad-A, the top two teams from each conference are guaranteed home games. 2 of the 3 third place teams will get home playoff games based on the WPIAL Wild Card system. In Quad-A, the "Wild Card" record is determined by all 8 conference games for the Foothills Conference. For the Northern Eight and Southeastern Conference, the Wild Card Record is based on their 7 conference games plus 1 game played against a team from the other conference. Gardner Points and WPIAL Tiebreaker Points are also calculated based on these 8 games.

AAAA Possible 3rd Place Teams
Team	Wild Card Record	Tiebreakers		Overall Record	PF	PA	Wild Card Wins
		Gardner	WPIAL
(SE) Penn Hills	6-1	110	57	6-2	330	191
(N8) North Allegheny	5-2	110	36	6-2	232	115
(F) Altoona	5-2	110	22	6-2	197	153
(N8) North Hills	5-2	100	21	6-2	195	109
(SE) Mt Lebanon	4-3	70	8	5-3	255	160
(SE) Bethel Park	4-3	100	10	5-3	249	173

• The winner of North Allegheny-North Hills will finish 3rd in the Northern Eight and get a home playoff game.
• North Hills beat Mt Lebanon head-to-head so the Indians would win any tie with the Blue Devils.
• The final home playoff game will go to either Altoona or the 3rd place team from the Southeastern Conference based on Tiebreakers.

16th Seed

Much like with the Home Games, the top 5 teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs. 1 of the 3 sixth place teams will earn the 16th spot in the playoffs as a "Wild Card" team. The same rules for records apply. It is important to note that Conference Standings are decided first and then the Wild Card Standings. This comes into play in the Northern Eight Conference where Seneca Valley (1-5 Conference record, 1-6 Wild Card record) has a head-to-head win over Butler (1-5 Conference record, 2-5 Wild Card record). Since Seneca Valley has a head-to-head win, they currently sit in 6th in the Northern Eight Conference Standings which could keep Butler from consideration in the Wild Card tiebreaker.

• Connellsville has clinched 6th place in the Foothills
• Baldwin has clinched 6th place in the Southeastern
• Seneca Valley or Butler will finish in 6th place in the Northern Eight

AAAA 16th Seed
Team	Wild Card Record	Tiebreakers		Overall Record	PF	PA	Wild Card Wins
		Gardner	WPIAL
(F) Connellsville	3-4	30	-12	3-5	132	239
(SE) Baldwin	2-5	10	-36	3-5	148	255
(N8) Seneca Valley	1-6	20	-44	1-7	126	271
(N8) Butler	2-5	20	-27	2-6	122	210

• Connellsville will make the playoffs with a win over Altoona or if Butler and Baldwin lose
• If Connellsville loses
• Butler will make the playoffs if they beat Central Catholic and Seneca Valley loses to Shaler
• Baldwin will make the playoffs if they beat Bethel Park and Butler loses
• Seneca Valley can not make the playoffs but they can finish 6th in the Northern Eight Conference with a win over Shaler.

AAA

AAA Game of the Week

West Allegheny (7-0, 8-0) at Central Valley (7-0, 8-0)

This is the game we've been waiting for since the AAA Championship Game ended at Heinz Field last year. West Allegheny is now the two-time defending AAA Champions and is going for their third straight Parkway Conference title. These two teams might be the best teams in all of the WPIAL and both scored big victories over two of the top Quad-A teams as Central Valley beat Penn Hills and West Allegheny beat Woodland Hills last week in one of the best high school games you'll ever see. West Allegheny has a WPIAL-leading 29-game winning streak against WPIAL opponents. The last team to beat them? Central Valley in a regular season game in 2012. Interestingly enough, the home team has won every meeting between these two schools. Since 2011, their games have been defensive struggles despite both teams boasting high-powered offenses. These are the best two teams in AAA and this game will be must-see TV on Root Sports this week. No one (Penn Hills included) has gotten closer than 20 points to Central Valley this year, who is led by Pitt recruit Jordan Whitehead, an all-around offensive threat who has 815 rushing yards, 97 receiving yards and 17 total touchdowns. Junior Chris Callaghan has emerged as one of the best quarterbacks in AAA this season, throwing for 1109 yards and 11 TDs. On the other side, only Woodland Hills and Montour have gotten within 40 points of West Allegheny. The Indians are a senior-led team that has the experience of winning multiple championships. QB Andrew Koester (974 yards, 13 TDs) has been one of the best QBs in AAA this year and their triple threat in the backfield of Terence Stephens (464 yards, 11 TDs), Chayse Dillon (457 yards, 11 TDs) and Whitney White (442 yards, 8 TDs) has been unstoppable. This could be a preview of the AAA championship game and is the game we've been waiting all year to see.

AAA Playoff Scenarios

Big Nine

Important Games: Elizabeth Forward at Belle Vernon, Laurel Highlands at Albert Gallatin, Trinity at Ringgold

• Thomas Jefferson has clinched the Conference title
• Ringgold has clinched second place and a home playoff game
• West Mifflin and Belle Vernon have clinched playoff spots. 
• West Mifflin has clinched 3rd place.

• Laurel Highlands clinches a playoff spot with a win over Albert Gallatin.
• Laurel Highlands can also make the playoffs if the lose to Albert Gallatin if Elizabeth Forward and Trinity also lose.
• Elizabeth Forward clinches a playoff spot with a win over Belle Vernon and a Laurel Highlands loss.
• Trinity clinches a playoff spot with a win over Ringgold and losses by Elizabeth Forward and Laurel Highlands.

6th Place

• Laurel Highlands will finish 6th if they lose to Albert Gallatin AND Belle Vernon and Trinity win, OR Elizabeth Forward and Ringgold win.
• Elizabeth Forward will finish 6th if they lose to Belle Vernon and Ringgold wins OR if they beat Belle Vernon and Laurel Highlands wins.
• Trinity will finish 6th if they beat Ringgold and Belle Vernon and Laurel Highlands win OR if Elizabeth Forward and Albert Gallatin win.

Greater Allegheny Conference

Important Games: Gateway at Franklin Regional, Indiana at Hollidaysburg, Mars at Hampton, Yough at Knoch

• Hampton has clinched the Conference title
• Franklin Regional has clinched a playoff spot

• Gateway clinches a playoff spot with a win over Franklin Regional. Gateway can still make the playoffs if they lose to Franklin Regional if Indiana or Knoch loses.
• The winner of Indiana-Hollidaysburg will make the playoffs.
• Hollidaysburg can not make the playoffs if they lose to Indiana.
• The only way Indiana makes the playoffs if they lose to Hollidaysburg is if Gateway, Hampton and Knoch all win.
• Mars clinches a playoff spot with a win over Hampton. Mars can still make the playoffs if they lose to Hampton if Gateway or Knoch loses.
• Knoch can only make the playoffs if they win and Gateway and Hollidaysburg lose.

Here's a look at how the standings will fall given the 16 possible outcomes of the GAC games. Like with Quad-A, the top 5 make the playoffs and the 6th place team is eligible for the Wild Card spot:

Parkway

Important Games: West Allegheny at Central Valley, Moon at Montour

• The winner of Central Valley-West Allegheny will win the Conference Title.
• The loser of Central Valley-West Allegheny will finish second and have a home playoff game. 
• Montour, Moon and New Castle have clinched playoff berths.
• The winner of Montour-Moon will finish 3rd.
• The winner of Ambridge-Chartiers Valley will finish 6th but can not make the playoffs as the Wild Card based on Gardner Points.

Home Games

Like with Quad-A, 2 of the 3 third place teams will get home playoff games. Since all 3 AAA conferences have 9 teams, "Wild Card" record only takes into account conference games. Head-to-head would only come into play to break a tie between West Mifflin and Gateway where West Mifflin won head-to-head.

• West Mifflin has clinched 3rd place in the Big Nine Conference.
• The winner of Montour-Moon will finish in 3rd place in the Parkway Conference.
• Either Franklin Regional, Gateway, Indiana or Mars will finish in 3rd place in the Greater Allegheny Conference.

AAA Possible 3rd Place Teams
Team	Wild Card Record	Tiebreakers		Overall Record	PF	PA	Wild Card Wins
		Gardner	WPIAL
(GA) Franklin Regional	5-2	130	26	5-3	218	118
(B9) West Mifflin	5-2	110	19	6-2	220	183
(P) Montour	5-2	90	33	6-2	249	131
(GA) Gateway	4-3	100	-6	4-4	156	175
(GA) Indiana	4-3	90	5	5-3	231	180
(GA) Mars	4-3	90	24	5-3	247	83
(P) Moon	4-3	60	14	4-4	165	231

16th Seed

The 16th seed will either go to the 6th place team in the Big Nine Conference or Greater Allegheny Conference. The 6th place team in the Parkway will not have enough Gardner Points for consideration.

• Laurel Highlands, Elizabeth Forward or Trinity could finish in 6th in the Big Nine.
• Gateway, Indiana, Mars, Hollidaysburg or Knoch could finish in 6th in the Greater Allegheny Conference.

AAA 16th Seed
Team	Wild Card Record	Tiebreakers		Overall Record	PF	PA	Wild Card Wins
		Gardner	WPIAL
(GA) Gateway	4-3	100	-6	4-4	156	175
(GA) Indiana	4-3	90	5	5-3	231	180
(GA) Mars	4-3	90	24	5-3	247	83
(GA) Hollidaysburg	3-4	50	-11	4-4	119	135
(GA) Knoch	3-4	110	4	3-5	112	124
(B9) Laurel Highlands	3-4	70	-19	3-5	194	331
(B9) Elizabeth Forward	3-4	40	-3	3-5	139	203
(B9) Trinity	3-4	60	-8	4-4	259	244

One important note is that the Big Nine and Greater Allegheny Conference played each other head-to-head this year, so a head-to-head result could impact the 16th seed. Results to remember:

• Indiana beat Elizabeth Forward
• Mars beat Laurel Highlands
• Trinity beat Yough, but this won't impact the Wild Card spot.

AA

AA Games of the Week

Beaver Falls (6-1, 7-1) at Aliquippa (7-0, 8-0)

Once again, like clockwork, Beaver Falls and Aliquippa meet with the conference title on the line. Beaver Falls was a questionable call away from knocking off Aliquippa last year but will have to get their revenge at The Pit this year, one of the toughest places to play in all of Pennsylvania. Aliquippa has not lost a home game since September 11, 2008 when they lost 27-12 to Beaver Falls. The Quips are absolutely loaded again this year with talented players all over the field. They haven't missed a beat after Dravon Henry and Terry Swanson graduated as DiMante Bronaugh (917 yards, 20 TDs) and Kaezon Pugh (710 yards, 12 TDs) have stepped in and excelled. Darrien Fields is a capable quarterback, throwing for 1049 yards on just 47 completions, an average of 22.3 yards per completion. Patrick Anderson has led the way on the outside with 3-8 recieving yards and 6 TDs. Beaver Falls has their own pair of capable backs that have led the way in Cordell Cummings (931 yards, 12 TDs) and Derrell Carter (521 yards, 8 TDs) with WR Javon Turner putting up 449 yards and 6 TDs. The biggest difference is that Beaver Falls have not gotten much out of the quarterback position after sophomore Dalton Cleckley stepped in for Kiernan Brown in Week 4. 

Washington (7-0, 8-0) at McGuffey (6-1, 7-1)

The Interstate Conference title is on the line as Washington and McGuffey square off. Washington has dominated the competition this year, pulling out late victories against Waynesburg and Mt Pleasant and cruising through the rest of their schedule - including a non-conference win over New Brighton. The Prexies are led by RB Malik Wells (974 yards, 14 TDs) and dual-threat QB Jonathan Spina who has thrown for 932 yards and 15 TDs and added 6 more on the ground. WR DeQuay Isbell is a big-play threat, averaging 32 yards a reception and has found the end zone 14 times. On the other side, McGuffey has been a bit difficult to figure out. They started the season slow against Mt Pleasant and were on the verge of being mercy ruled before storming back in the 4th quarter and only losing the game by 6. They have not lost since then, and put together impressive wins against Southmoreland and Waynesburg. The Highlanders have scored at least 34 points in every game and have not allowed more than 14 since the Mt Pleasant game in the opener. Washington will be their best opponent since Mt Pleasant. McGuffey is led by dual-threat QB Nate Whipkey (1041 passing yards, 9 TDs; 489 rushing yards, 10 TDs) and RB James Duchi (1170 yards, 22 TDs). There is the potential for this game to be a shootout as these are the 3rd and 4th highest scoring offenses in AA. The winner of this game will win the conference title, though a McGuffey win could force a 3-way tie with Mt Pleasant (details on tiebreakers below).

Honorable Mention

Ford City (3-5, 3-5) at Kittanning (5-3, 5-3)

Ford City and Kittanning will be merging into Armstrong Jr/Sr High School next year, so this will be the last time that the rivals ever meet. Kittanning has clinched a playoff spot and will get one more game while this will be the last game Ford City ever plays. Unfortunately, this game lost some of its luster last week when Ford City lost to West Shamokin. If Ford City had won, this would have been a casket match for the playoffs where the winner would have moved on and the loser would never play football again. Sadly, we will not get that storyline. Ford City had a run of success in the mid-2000s where they made the quarterfinals 3 times and the semi-finals 3 times in a 7-year span. Their last playoff appearance in school history will be the 2011 season when they lost 24-3 to Greensburg Central Catholic in the first round. Kittanning will be in the playoffs this year and will have one final chance to advance past the first round, something they have not done since before 1980 (which is as far back as my playoff data spreadsheet goes).

Allegheny Conference

Important Games: none

• Highlands has clinched the conference title.
• Apollo-Ridge has clinched second place and a home playoff game.
• Shady Side Academy and Kittanning have clinched playoff spots.

Century Conference

Important Games: Quaker Valley at South Fayette, Steel Valley at South Allegheny

• South Fayette has clinched the conference title.
• Seton-La Salle has clinched second place and a home playoff game.
• South Park has clinched a playoff spot.
• Steel Valley clinches a playoff spot with a win over South Allegheny or a Quaker Valley loss to South Fayette.
• Quaker Valley clinches a playoff spot with a win over South Fayette and a Steel Valley loss.

Interstate Conference

Important Games: Washington at McGuffey, Southmoreland at Mt Pleasant, Derry at Waynesburg

• Washington, Mt Pleasant and McGuffey have clinched playoff spots.
• If Mt Pleasant loses to Southmoreland, the winner of Washington-McGuffey will win the conference title.
• If Mt Pleasant beats Southmoreland and Washington beats McGuffey, Washington will win the conference title. Mt Pleasant will be 2nd and McGuffey 3rd.
• If Mt Pleasant beats Southmoreland and McGuffey beats Washington, there will be a 3-way tie for the Conference Title. Gardner Points will be equal. Mt Pleasant can not catch Washington or McGuffey in Tiebreaker Points in this scenario. (Currently: Washington +68, McGuffey +54)
• If McGuffey beats Washington by more than 6, McGuffey will win the Conference title (Washington 2nd, Mt Pleasant 3rd).
• If McGuffey beats Washington by less than 7, Washington will win the Conference title (Mt Pleasant 2nd, McGuffey 3rd).
• Waynesburg clinches a playoff spot with a win over Derry or a Southmoreland loss
• Southmoreland clinches a playoff spot with a win over Mt Pleasant and a Waynesburg loss

Midwestern Conference

Important Games: Beaver Falls at Aliquippa, Beaver at Ellwood City, Mohawk at New Brighton

• Aliquippa, Beaver Falls, New Brighton and Beaver have clinched playoff spots.
• The winner of Aliquippa-Beaver Falls will win the conference title.
• If Beaver Falls beats Aliquippa, the Quips will finish 2nd and have a home playoff game.
• If Aliquippa beats Beaver Falls and...
• New Brighton and Beaver both win: there will be a 3-way tie for 2nd. Gardner Points will be equal so the tie will be broken based on Tiebreaker Points (Currently: Beaver Falls +50, Beaver +30, New Brighton +27)
• New Brighton wins and Beaver loses: Beaver Falls will be 2nd, New Brighton 3rd, Beaver 4th.
• Beaver wins and New Brighton loses: Beaver will be 2nd, Beaver Falls 3rd, New Brighton 4th.
• Beaver and New Brighton both lose: Beaver Falls will be 2nd, New Brighton 3rd, Beaver 4th.

A

A Game of the Week

Fort Cherry (2-4, 3-5) at Chartiers-Houston (3-3, 4-4)

This isn't a true casket match because Fort Cherry lost to Northgate last week which kept Northgate's playoff hopes alive, but it's as close to one as we will get this week. Unfortunately, the number of casket matches seems to have declined each year which limits my ability to make Undertaker references. Fort Cherry has been plagued by inconsistency all season, which has led to a number of close games. Their two conference wins (OLSH and Bishop Canevin) have been by a combined total of 5 points while they lost games to Brentwood and Northgate by a combined 5 points. On the other side, Chartiers-Houston has given up almost 100 more points than they have scored, mainly because they have won all of their close games and been blown out in their losses. Their 3 conference wins have been over Northgate by 6, Canevin by 12 and OLSH by 8 while they have only lost one game by less than 20. By all accounts, this one has the makings of being another low-scoring close game between offenses that have been inconsistent for most of the season. That said, it has all the makings of being an incredibly exciting game with a playoff spot on the line.

Big Seven Conference

Important Games: Vincentian at Riverside, South Side Beaver at Western Beaver (Saturday)

• Neshannock has clinched the conference title.
• Shenango has clinched 2nd place and a home playoff game.
• South Side Beaver has clinched a playoff spot.
• Riverside clinches a playoff spot with a win over Vincentian.
• Vincentian clinches a playoff spot with a win over Riverside and a Western Beaver loss.
• Western Beaver clinches a playoff spot with a win over South Side Beaver and a Vincentian win over Riverside.

Black Hills Conference

Important Games: Fort Cherry at Chartiers-Houston, Northgate at Avonworth

• Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic has clinched the conference title.
• Avonworth has clinched 2nd place and a home playoff game.
• Brentwood has clinched a playoff spot.
• Chartiers-Houston clinches a playoff spot with a win over Fort Cherry
• Fort Cherry clinches a playoff spot with a win over Chartiers-Houston and a Northgate loss
• Northgate clinches a playoff spot with a win over Avonworth and a Fort Cherry win over Chartiers-Houston.

Eastern Conference

Important Games: GCC at Jeannette, Springdale at Riverview (Saturday)

• Clairton has clinched the conference title
• Jeannette, GCC and Springdale have clinched playoff spots.
• The winner of Jeannette-GCC will finish 2nd and have a home playoff game.
• If GCC beats Jeannette: GCC will be 2nd, Jeannette 3rd, Springdale 4th.
• If Jeannette beats GCC and Springdale beats Riverview: Jeannette 2nd, Springdale 3rd, GCC 4th
• If Jeannette beats GCC and Springdale loses: Jeannette 2nd, GCC 3rd, Springdale 4th.

Tri-County South

Important Games: Beth-Center at Bentworth, Jefferson-Morgan at Carmichaels, West Greene at Avella

• Beth-Center has clinched the conference title
• Frazier has clinched 2nd place and a home playoff game.
• Mapletown has clinched a playoff spot and will finish 3rd.
• Avella clinches a playoff spot with a win over West Greene and a Bentworth loss
• If Avella loses, the winner of Jefferson Morgan-Carmichaels will get the last playoff spot.
• Bentworth clinches a playoff spot with a win over Beth-Center and an Avella win based on winning the 3-way tiebreaker on Gardner Points.