9 Cathedral Prep D10-4A, 12-0
The Erie guys are looking good again this year after coming close last year advancing to the AAA final where they lost to Imhotep. The Ramblers are one of the more storied programs in the state with a 5 year won-loss of 65-4 and 4A gold in 2000, preceded by two silver medal seasons in 1991 and 1999. Their opponent in all those games was Central Bucks West in epic battles! Since then they’ve dropped to AAA where they won gold again in 2012 beating Archbishop Wood 24-14 before last year’s loss to ICS. Their only win of note was a good one against New York state power Canisius (9-2) out of Buffalo. Next year is really the year for these guys with a team stocked with juniors and sophomores. But, there’s nothing shabby about last week’s 30-13 win against perennial power Thomas Jefferson. Young as they are, they are still a notch or two above Berks Catholic.
10 Bethlehem Catholic D11-4A, 11-3
Won state titles in 2 classifications; as a AA in 1988 and a AAA in 1990. But let’s face it, the program has not been the same since legendary coach Bob Stem retired after heading the program from 1983 through 2001, compiling a 173-53-1 record. Counting his years at Phillipsburg he won 285 games with only 2 losing seasons to become the winningest coach in the Lehigh Valley and one of Pennsylvania’s very finest. Having said that things are improving with 4 straight winning seasons giving them a 40-12 record through last week’s 42-12 pounding of Johnstown. Nice. Although last year’s team was “the” team at 9-2, scoring 40ppg and allowing 12, this year’s isn’t bad.
11 Middletown D3-4A, 13-0
Nice balance here with quarterback Chase Snavely throwing for 1784 yards and the tandem backfield of Jaelen Thompson and Brady Fox running for 1374 and1278 yards respectively. The Blue Raiders haven’t been relevant recently but have good history. That entire swath of geography from Middletown which butts up against Highspire that does the same with Steelton and finally Harrisburg along Steelton was all steel mill territory making for some tough hombres that interestingly still have that quality and attitude. They are then old school hard-nosed football with a pounding ground attack generating 42ppg with Thompson and Fox accompanied by solid defense allowing 11ppg. Quarterback Snavely takes them up a notch making them a difficult out.
12 Southern Columbia D4-2A, 14-0
Southern Columbia had an unprecedented run of PIAA finals appearances, unprecedented in almost every state with 9 consecutive appearances from 1998 through 2006 at the Single-A classification. Prior to that they had a 3 year run from 1994 through 1996. Eat your heat out Central Bucks West. Further, they won titles in 2011 and 2015 making them the defending AA champ gunning for more hardware to add to their substantial trophy case. Here’s what the trophy case looks like; state titles in 1994 then 2002 through 2006 and 2015 with silver trophies in 1995, 1996, 1998 through 2001 and again in 2011. Phew!
13 Beaver Falls D7-3A, 12-1
Beaver Falls avenged their only loss of the season beating Aliquippa last week 35-22. Of course this is Joe Namath’s home town where he guided them to a AA-WPIAL championship and 9-0 record in 1960. Throwing for over 1500 yards back then got everyone’s attention including Alabama’s Bear Bryant where he attended college in 1962. The game with Martinsburg Central this week should be a good one with both bringing veteran teams. Central isn’t small but the Tigers are huge, as in 6A huge which could give them the edge around the 3rd or 4th quarter. Their won-loss the last 10 years may surprise at 95-22 until considering they’ve been in the shadow of Aliquippa for years.
14 Bishop Guilfoyle D6-1A, 13-0
Would you believe Bishop Guilfoyle is going for a 3-peat, defeating Clairton two years ago 19-18 and Farrell last year 35-0! That makes the Marauders 45-0 since 2014. No wonder Altoona High’s football fortunes tanked recently (simplifying) with these guys around. Thing of it is, this year’s stats surpass their title team stats, averaging 43ppg and allowing 7. Barring a major upset, they will roll the Rollers this week, ending their magical playoff run then face the winner of the Clairton-Farrell game, likely the Bears of Clairton for a rematch of the 2014 thriller.
15 Clairton D7-1A, 13-0
The Bears won their 13th Wpial title last week and their 9th in the last 11 years by defeating a good Jeannette team 26-6 while holding them to 58 yards rushing. Statistically, Clairton is one of the best defenses in the state, allowing 86 total points. They are led by one of the top DBs in the country in Lamont Wade (5-9, 190, sr) who has offers from everyone. Through last week’s game with Jeannette, he’s at 2004 rushing yards this year, taking his career rushing stats to 6715 yards. Operating as a QB/RB/DB, he is PA’s scholastic version of Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers. With an offense averaging 49ppg and a defense yielding ppg, they will probably defeat Farrell to move on and play the winner of the Bishop Guilfoyle-Steelton Highspire game. The Bears are a phenomenal 152-9 since their last losing season in 2005.
16 Martinsburg Central D6-3A, 12-1
Central is making another run with a powerful team hoping to follow up on last year’s 30-21 semifinal loss to Aliquippa at Hempfield High by defeating this year’s Wpial rep Beaver Falls who beat Aliquippa last week 35-22. Central gets here after beating Karns City 36-21. They are a veteran team on both side of the line coming off a 13-2 season. Their only loss of the season was to Clearfield (10-2) early in the season putting them on a 10 game winning streak here. The offense is large at 36ppg with a shutdown defense allowing 8ppg. The Scarlet Dragons and Beaver Falls could be one of the better games this weekend.
The Erie guys are looking good again this year after coming close last year advancing to the AAA final where they lost to Imhotep. The Ramblers are one of the more storied programs in the state with a 5 year won-loss of 65-4 and 4A gold in 2000, preceded by two silver medal seasons in 1991 and 1999. Their opponent in all those games was Central Bucks West in epic battles! Since then they’ve dropped to AAA where they won gold again in 2012 beating Archbishop Wood 24-14 before last year’s loss to ICS. Their only win of note was a good one against New York state power Canisius (9-2) out of Buffalo. Next year is really the year for these guys with a team stocked with juniors and sophomores. But, there’s nothing shabby about last week’s 30-13 win against perennial power Thomas Jefferson. Young as they are, they are still a notch or two above Berks Catholic.
10 Bethlehem Catholic D11-4A, 11-3
Won state titles in 2 classifications; as a AA in 1988 and a AAA in 1990. But let’s face it, the program has not been the same since legendary coach Bob Stem retired after heading the program from 1983 through 2001, compiling a 173-53-1 record. Counting his years at Phillipsburg he won 285 games with only 2 losing seasons to become the winningest coach in the Lehigh Valley and one of Pennsylvania’s very finest. Having said that things are improving with 4 straight winning seasons giving them a 40-12 record through last week’s 42-12 pounding of Johnstown. Nice. Although last year’s team was “the” team at 9-2, scoring 40ppg and allowing 12, this year’s isn’t bad.
11 Middletown D3-4A, 13-0
Nice balance here with quarterback Chase Snavely throwing for 1784 yards and the tandem backfield of Jaelen Thompson and Brady Fox running for 1374 and1278 yards respectively. The Blue Raiders haven’t been relevant recently but have good history. That entire swath of geography from Middletown which butts up against Highspire that does the same with Steelton and finally Harrisburg along Steelton was all steel mill territory making for some tough hombres that interestingly still have that quality and attitude. They are then old school hard-nosed football with a pounding ground attack generating 42ppg with Thompson and Fox accompanied by solid defense allowing 11ppg. Quarterback Snavely takes them up a notch making them a difficult out.
12 Southern Columbia D4-2A, 14-0
Southern Columbia had an unprecedented run of PIAA finals appearances, unprecedented in almost every state with 9 consecutive appearances from 1998 through 2006 at the Single-A classification. Prior to that they had a 3 year run from 1994 through 1996. Eat your heat out Central Bucks West. Further, they won titles in 2011 and 2015 making them the defending AA champ gunning for more hardware to add to their substantial trophy case. Here’s what the trophy case looks like; state titles in 1994 then 2002 through 2006 and 2015 with silver trophies in 1995, 1996, 1998 through 2001 and again in 2011. Phew!
13 Beaver Falls D7-3A, 12-1
Beaver Falls avenged their only loss of the season beating Aliquippa last week 35-22. Of course this is Joe Namath’s home town where he guided them to a AA-WPIAL championship and 9-0 record in 1960. Throwing for over 1500 yards back then got everyone’s attention including Alabama’s Bear Bryant where he attended college in 1962. The game with Martinsburg Central this week should be a good one with both bringing veteran teams. Central isn’t small but the Tigers are huge, as in 6A huge which could give them the edge around the 3rd or 4th quarter. Their won-loss the last 10 years may surprise at 95-22 until considering they’ve been in the shadow of Aliquippa for years.
14 Bishop Guilfoyle D6-1A, 13-0
Would you believe Bishop Guilfoyle is going for a 3-peat, defeating Clairton two years ago 19-18 and Farrell last year 35-0! That makes the Marauders 45-0 since 2014. No wonder Altoona High’s football fortunes tanked recently (simplifying) with these guys around. Thing of it is, this year’s stats surpass their title team stats, averaging 43ppg and allowing 7. Barring a major upset, they will roll the Rollers this week, ending their magical playoff run then face the winner of the Clairton-Farrell game, likely the Bears of Clairton for a rematch of the 2014 thriller.
15 Clairton D7-1A, 13-0
The Bears won their 13th Wpial title last week and their 9th in the last 11 years by defeating a good Jeannette team 26-6 while holding them to 58 yards rushing. Statistically, Clairton is one of the best defenses in the state, allowing 86 total points. They are led by one of the top DBs in the country in Lamont Wade (5-9, 190, sr) who has offers from everyone. Through last week’s game with Jeannette, he’s at 2004 rushing yards this year, taking his career rushing stats to 6715 yards. Operating as a QB/RB/DB, he is PA’s scholastic version of Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers. With an offense averaging 49ppg and a defense yielding ppg, they will probably defeat Farrell to move on and play the winner of the Bishop Guilfoyle-Steelton Highspire game. The Bears are a phenomenal 152-9 since their last losing season in 2005.
16 Martinsburg Central D6-3A, 12-1
Central is making another run with a powerful team hoping to follow up on last year’s 30-21 semifinal loss to Aliquippa at Hempfield High by defeating this year’s Wpial rep Beaver Falls who beat Aliquippa last week 35-22. Central gets here after beating Karns City 36-21. They are a veteran team on both side of the line coming off a 13-2 season. Their only loss of the season was to Clearfield (10-2) early in the season putting them on a 10 game winning streak here. The offense is large at 36ppg with a shutdown defense allowing 8ppg. The Scarlet Dragons and Beaver Falls could be one of the better games this weekend.
