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Ranking the best WPIAL teams

northalleghenytiger

Well-Known Member
Aug 22, 2022
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As a WPIAL football fan, I feel confident in this ranking. (Note- this is my opinion.)
It’s also highest class size since better competition.

1. North Allegheny (2012)
2. North hills (1987)
3. Pittsburgh Central Catholic (2004)
4. North Allegheny (2010)
5. Pine Richland (2017)
6. Penn hills (1995)
7. Pittsburgh Central Catholic (2007)
8. Pittsburgh Central Catholic (2015)
9. Mt. Lebanon (2021)
10. Upper St. Clair (2006)
 
I agree with the last 2 spots lol

the rest I will have to think about, at the very least 2010 NA is way too high
 
As a WPIAL football fan, I feel confident in this ranking. (Note- this is my opinion.)
It’s also highest class size since better competition.

1. North Allegheny (2012)
2. North hills (1987)
3. Pittsburgh Central Catholic (2004)
4. North Allegheny (2010)
5. Pine Richland (2017)
6. Penn hills (1995)
7. Pittsburgh Central Catholic (2007)
8. Pittsburgh Central Catholic (2015)
9. Mt. Lebanon (2021)
10. Upper St. Clair (2006)


Come on North side guy. Got to give South Hills some love..ha.
81 Lebo went 13-0

34-0 Brashear
21-0 Char Val
20-0 USC
31-7 Ringgold
49-6 Trinity
23-0 Bethel
41-13 C-Mac
35-8 Aliquippa
28-14 Baldwin
23-0 Keystone Oaks
Wpial Playoffs
30-3 New Castle
14-6 Gateway
34-6 North Hills
 
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Come on North side guy. Got to give South Hills some love..ha.
81 Lebo went 13-0

34-0 Brashear
21-0 Char Val
20-0 USC
31-7 Ringgold
49-6 Trinity
23-0 Bethel
41-13 C-Mac
35-8 Aliquippa
28-14 Baldwin
23-0 Keystone Oaks
Wpial Playoffs
30-3 New Castle
14-6 Gateway
34-6 North Hills
If I had to rank Lebo teams based of my hazy memory

1. 2021
2. 1981
3. 2000
4. 1980
5. 1984
6. 1983
7. 1966
8. 1970
The bottom 6 is interchangeable for me
The top 2 are the most dominant
 
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If I had to rank Lebo teams based of my hazy memory

1. 2021
2. 1981
3. 2000
4. 1980
5. 1984
6. 1983
7. 1966
8. 1970
The bottom 6 is interchangeable for me
The top 2 are the most dominant
Lebo had some teams before North Hills made their run, competing with them even into the late 80s. Gave them a decent game in 87!
Back then, the 1st, 2nd even 3rd place/rated teams in the Wpial where really good teams. Their heyday in my view, where the won-loss was misleading.

Looks like Lebo is back with this coach and hopefully NH gets their act together. If possible!
 
I agree with the last 2 spots lol

the rest I will have to think about, at the very least 2010 NA is way too high
Come on North side guy. Got to give South Hills some love..ha.
81 Lebo went 13-0

34-0 Brashear
21-0 Char Val
20-0 USC
31-7 Ringgold
49-6 Trinity
23-0 Bethel
41-13 C-Mac
35-8 Aliquippa
28-14 Baldwin
23-0 Keystone Oaks
Wpial Playoffs
30-3 New Castle
14-6 Gateway
34-6 North Hills
I must have been blackout drunk when I wrote this because I don’t remember making this list. Retirement things I guess….

Regardless it was wrong of me to make a list combining pre and post 2000 teams. Players are much bigger now. I’d wager the biggest lineman on the 1981 Lebo team would be smaller than the smallest lineman on the 2021 team.

my revamped list (post 2000) also I’m getting rid of private schools because they recruit and that’s cheating in my opinion.

1. 2012 NA
2.2010 NA
3. 2017 PR
4. 2021 lebo
5. 2006 USC
6. 2005 McKeesport
7. 2001 woodland hills
8. 2011 NA
9. 2014 PR
10. 2008 Bethel park
 
I must have been blackout drunk when I wrote this because I don’t remember making this list. Retirement things I guess….

Regardless it was wrong of me to make a list combining pre and post 2000 teams. Players are much bigger now. I’d wager the biggest lineman on the 1981 Lebo team would be smaller than the smallest lineman on the 2021 team.

my revamped list (post 2000) also I’m getting rid of private schools because they recruit and that’s cheating in my opinion.

1. 2012 NA
2.2010 NA
3. 2017 PR
4. 2021 lebo
5. 2006 USC
6. 2005 McKeesport
7. 2001 woodland hills
8. 2011 NA
9. 2014 PR
10. 2008 Bethel park
get back on the booze, your original list was less ridiculous than this one
 
I must have been blackout drunk when I wrote this because I don’t remember making this list. Retirement things I guess….

Regardless it was wrong of me to make a list combining pre and post 2000 teams. Players are much bigger now. I’d wager the biggest lineman on the 1981 Lebo team would be smaller than the smallest lineman on the 2021 team.

my revamped list (post 2000) also I’m getting rid of private schools because they recruit and that’s cheating in my opinion.

1. 2012 NA
2.2010 NA
3. 2017 PR
4. 2021 lebo
5. 2006 USC
6. 2005 McKeesport
7. 2001 woodland hills
8. 2011 NA
9. 2014 PR
10. 2008 Bethel park
NA has had more athletic transfers on their football team than pcc the past decade. Currently Joey porter Sr is literally housing kids from his area in California to the NA school district to play for the team. All that and nothing to show in ten years….
 
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NA has had more athletic transfers on their football team than pcc the past decade. Currently Joey porter Sr is literally housing kids from his area in California to the NA school district to play for the team. All that and nothing to show in ten years….
nice jacky, LOL- totally agree!!!

Man, if someone is gonna make a "best of WPIAL" list jeez, gotta show respect for some old school teams- WPIAL is like 100 years old, 50-60 years ago the "big schools" were very different- like New Ken, Jeannette, Aliquippa and New Castle

Yes, maybe better would be like "post 1990." Just tough- not just comparing apples and oranges- just too many "eras and factors." So tough to say older teams were "better or worse" for many reasons- on one hand you could say team was the "best" in 1955, but on the other hand, they only won one "playoff game" and that was the WPIAL championship!
 
NA has had more athletic transfers on their football team than pcc the past decade. Currently Joey porter Sr is literally housing kids from his area in California to the NA school district to play for the team. All that and nothing to show in ten years….
Is there any evidence for that or are you just pulling it out of where the sun doesn’t shine
 
Is there any evidence for that or are you just pulling it out of where the sun doesn’t shine
Their top WR/ATH this year is a kid from California. Top DL is a kid from Las Vegas. Their top WR/TE and anouther linemen from last year were from California. A little farther back, what about the ten from north catholic that came in after the coach got fired? That’s not cheating but what pcc does is?
 
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You make a list then if mine is so ridiculous
not a list or ranking of teams, but off the top of my head

CB West 97 -2000
Cathedral Prep 99 - 2000
Parkland 2002
Woodland Hills 99 -2001 and 2009
Central Catholic 2004, 2007
Pine Richland 2014, 2017 maybe 2020
North Penn 2003
St. Joe's 2014, 2016, 2020

and of course Mt. Lebanon 2000

all of those teams are absolutely better than 2010 NA, I would say 2012 NA is somewhere in the middle of those teams, great team no disrespect just not the best
 
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Their top WR/ATH this year is a kid from California. Top DL is a kid from Las Vegas. Their top WR/TE and anouther linemen from last year were from California. A little farther back, what about the ten from north catholic that came in after the coach got fired? That’s not cheating but what pcc does is?
this is why Art Walker Jr even with 5 WPIAL titles and 3 state titles is never mentioned among the best coaches

he has been handed great talent his entire career at Central and NA
 
not a list or ranking of teams, but off the top of my head

CB West 97 -2000
Cathedral Prep 99 - 2000
Parkland 2002
Woodland Hills 99 -2001 and 2009
Central Catholic 2004, 2007
Pine Richland 2014, 2017 maybe 2020
North Penn 2003
St. Joe's 2014, 2016, 2020

and of course Mt. Lebanon 2000

all of those teams are absolutely better than 2010 NA, I would say 2012 NA is somewhere in the middle of those teams, great team no disrespect just not the best
Listen buster… I only did wpial teams. Maybe that’s why you thought my list was so ridiculous LOL
 
If i had to rank teams post 2000. (obviously i'm biased)
1. 2004 PCC
2. 2017 Pine-Richland
3. 2012 North Allegheny
4. 2007 PCC
5. 2021 Mt. Lebanon
6. 2010 North Allegheny
7. 2005 Mckeesport
8. 2015 PCC
9. 2006 Upper St. Clair
10. 2008 Bethel Park/ 2016 PCC/ 2001 Woodland Hills
 
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If i had to rank teams post 2000. (obviously i'm biased)
1. 2004 PCC
2. 2017 Pine-Richland
3. 2012 North Allegheny
4. 2007 PCC
5. 2021 Mt. Lebanon
6. 2010 North Allegheny
7. 2005 Mckeesport
8. 2015 PCC
9. 2006 Upper St. Clair
10. 2008 Bethel Park/ 2016 PCC
Good list but #10 I'd have 2001 woody high.
 
If i had to rank teams post 2000. (obviously i'm biased)
1. 2004 PCC
2. 2017 Pine-Richland
3. 2012 North Allegheny
4. 2007 PCC
5. 2021 Mt. Lebanon
6. 2010 North Allegheny
7. 2005 Mckeesport
8. 2015 PCC
9. 2006 Upper St. Clair
10. 2008 Bethel Park/ 2016 PCC/ 2001 Woodland Hills
I still think 2012 NA is the best wpial team ever, but good list nonetheless
 
If i had to rank teams post 2000. (obviously i'm biased)
1. 2004 PCC
2. 2017 Pine-Richland
3. 2012 North Allegheny
4. 2007 PCC
5. 2021 Mt. Lebanon
6. 2010 North Allegheny
7. 2005 Mckeesport
8. 2015 PCC
9. 2006 Upper St. Clair
10. 2008 Bethel Park/ 2016 PCC/ 2001 Woodland Hills
2014 and 2020 Pine Richland would beat a lot of these teams

so would a lot of Woodland Hills teams, just goes to show you have to win it all to be remembered
 
2014 and 2020 Pine Richland would beat a lot of these teams

so would a lot of Woodland Hills teams, just goes to show you have to win it all to be remembered
What would your list since 2000 look like? All of these teams are really good so i just settled with my list.
 
What would your list since 2000 look like? All of these teams are really good so i just settled with my list.
1. 2004 Central
2. 2017 Pine Richland
3. 2014 Pine Richland
4. 2001 Woodland Hills
5. 2000 Mt. Lebanon
6. 2000 Woodland Hills
7. 2009 Woodland Hills
8. 2012 North Allegheny
9. 2004 Upper St. Clair
9. 2020 Pine RIchland
10. 2015 Central
11. 2016 Central
12. 2004 Gateway
13. 2005 Mckeesport
14. 2007 Gateway
15. 2006 Upper St. Clair
16. 2011 North Allegheny
17. 2010 North Allegheny
18. 2004 Penn Hills

i could change the order at any moment if i gave it deep thought, these are just teams that stand out in my mind many of which didn't win a title because they ran into a juggernaut or had horrible luck ie Woodland Hills in the 2001 mud bowl where Breaston got jurt

for example how good was 2004 Upper St Clair if they gave a tough game to 2004 Central Catholic in the semifinals, a team many consider to be the best or top 3 ever in PA?
 
1. 2004 Central
2. 2017 Pine Richland
3. 2014 Pine Richland
4. 2001 Woodland Hills
5. 2000 Mt. Lebanon
6. 2000 Woodland Hills
7. 2009 Woodland Hills
8. 2012 North Allegheny
9. 2004 Upper St. Clair
9. 2020 Pine RIchland
10. 2015 Central
11. 2016 Central
12. 2004 Gateway
13. 2005 Mckeesport
14. 2007 Gateway
15. 2006 Upper St. Clair
16. 2011 North Allegheny
17. 2010 North Allegheny
18. 2004 Penn Hills

i could change the order at any moment if i gave it deep thought, these are just teams that stand out in my mind many of which didn't win a title because they ran into a juggernaut or had horrible luck ie Woodland Hills in the 2001 mud bowl where Breaston got jurt

for example how good was 2004 Upper St Clair if they gave a tough game to 2004 Central Catholic in the semifinals, a team many consider to be the best or top 3 ever in PA?
This would make 2004 Baldwin an elite team, only losing 16-14.

that’s exactly why I say 2012 NA is better than 2004 PCC. PCC had too many close games for my liking
 
This would make 2004 Baldwin an elite team, only losing 16-14.

that’s exactly why I say 2012 NA is better than 2004 PCC. PCC had too many close games for my liking
I remember Eugene Jarvis missed several games during the regular season, and some times teams play down to competition

how many of those NA kids played in college?

when NA won that title in 2012 Mike White asked Art Walker which team was better, he refused to answer
 
Give me a rundown please
That year The Mighty Mikes beat powerhouses Like Jefferson Morgan and was a co champion with Rostraver. No one wanted a piece of those Mighty Mikes. Rumor had it that after the game many seniors went on to work a shift in the coal mines. That year they scored 220 points gave up 57.
 
I remember Eugene Jarvis missed several games during the regular season, and some times teams play down to competition

how many of those NA kids played in college?

when NA won that title in 2012 Mike White asked Art Walker which team was better, he refused to answer
I’m not sure about the answer, but I would assume NA and PCC would have similar
college players.

I have some problems with your list, particularly the teams you put above 2012 NA. 2000 Lebo Top 5? I doubt they would beat 2012 NA. Same with 2000 Woodland Hills, which was worse than 2000 Lebo. 2009 Woodland Hills definitively didn’t dominate the same way 2012 NA did. All of those teams got shut down when they entered the state playoffs
 
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