Frisco's Pennsylvania football rankings

Mr. Frisco, who sat beside me during the PIAA Class AAA girls soccer final between Peters Township and Archbishop Wood, was able to get his weekly rankings done early this week. So, for the first time in several weeks, we can publish them.

CLASS AAAA – WEEK 13
Rank School (District) Record Pvs Last week’s result Next opponent
1. La Salle College HS (12) 11-1 1 W, Northeast Philadelphia, 35-0 idle, plays Easton-Whitehall winner on Dec. 3 or 4
Comments: Explorers‟ late season going completely as planned, get a week‟s vacation before plowing into D-11 champ. The real start of the title defense.
2. Lansdale North Penn (1) 11-1 3 W, Downingtown East, 49-33 at No. 7 Council Rock South (11-1)
Comments: Super-fast start – five touchdowns in the first half – was all the Knights needed against shocked Downingtown East.
3. North Allegheny (7) 11-1 5 W, Pittsburgh Central Catholic, 17-7 No. 4 Woodland Hills (9-3) at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh
Comments: Caveman offense wasn‟t much to look at against PCC, but NA HC Art Walker wasn't complaining. Hard to believe it‟s been 20 years since last NA WPIAL title
4. Woodland Hills (7) 9-3 10 W, North Hills, 24-14 No. 3 North Allegheny (11-1) at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh
Comments: Defending champs are as dangerous as anybody left in the playoffs right now, including team ranked above them. Healthier WH means trouble for opponents.
5. Easton (11) 11-1 7 W, East Stroudsburg South, 68-20 Phillipsburg, N.J. (8-2) at Lafayette College
Comments: Time for the annual Easton two-fer, the T-Day war with P-burg NJ and the 11-AAAA title game against Whitehall. Easton has survived this before.
6. Neshaminy (1) 11-1 8 W, Abington, 35-21 HM Bayard Rustin (11-1)
Comments: Every bit the threat to win the 1-AAAA title. Redskins give up a few too many points for our taste, but they‟re not shy about winning games.
7. Council Rock South (1) 11-1 9 W, Central Bucks West, 52-41 No. 2 Lansdale North Penn (11-1)
Comments: CRS and NP never crossed paths during regular season, but they make up for it Friday. Biggest game for South since Council Rock ‟04 split
8. Cumberland Valley (3) 10-2 NR W, Wilson, 28-14 at No. 9 Central Dauphin (10-2)
Comments: Eagles bounce back into the Top Ten after superbly crafted win over former TT resident Wilson. Must make 2 nd trip of season to CD.
9. Central Dauphin (3) 10-2 NR W, Governor Mifflin, 35-26 No. 8 Cumberland Valley (10-2)
Comments: Ditto the Rams, who opened big lead against Mifflin and held off Mustangs. Two sophs (RB Zayd Issah and QB Brandon LaVia) have been outstanding.
10. Pittsburgh Central Catholic (7) 11-1 2 L, North Allegheny, 17-7 Season complete
Comments: PCC spent a lot of time at No. 1, but late-season scoring production went flat (17 points in last two games), so the season has gone dark for Vikings.

Honorable mention: Abington (1) 9-3, Bayard Rustin (1) 11-1, Central Bucks West (1) 9-3, Dallastown (3) 11-1, Daniel Boone (3) 11-1, Downingtown East (1) 9-3, Governor Mifflin (3) 9-3, Harrisburg (3) 9-3, Henderson (1) 8-4, Mount Lebanon (7) 10-1, Nazareth (11) 9-3, Northeast Philadelphia (12) 8-3, North Hills (7) 10-2), Penn Wood (1) 9-2, Perry Traditional Academy (8) 11-1, Red Lion (3) 9-3, Ridley (1) 10-1, Upper St. Clair (7) 8-3, Whitehall (11) 10-2, Wilson (3) 11-1.

CLASS AAA – WEEK 13
Rank School (District) Record Pvs Last week’s result Next opponent
1. Allentown Central Catholic (11) 12-0 1 W, Southern Lehigh, 41-0 No. 3 Abington Heights (12-0) at Scranton Memorial
Comments: ACC did a great job of navigating Lehigh Valley minefield, but Heights ain‟t no joke, especially at “home” in Scranton. Schedule does help Vikes.
2. Archbishop Wood (12) 12-0 2 W, Dobbins, 44-7 idle, plays winner of Strath Haven-Pottsgrove on Dec. 3-4
Comments:
3. Abington Heights (2) 12-0 3 W, West Scranton, 28-21 No. 1 Allentown CC (12-0) at J.Birney Crum, Allentown
Comments: Heights scored an unbeaten season against a better-than-usual schedule – 2-AAA was decent this year – but has to kick it in to stop flying ACC offense.
4. Montour (7) 12-0 4 W, Mars, 35-14 No. 10 Central Valley (9-3) at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh
Comments: Spartans played very good schedule, but who gave „em clsoest game? That‟s right, Central Valley, which is even hotter now.
5. Bishop McDevitt (3) 10-2 5 W, Hershey, 63-0 at HM Lampeter-Strasburg (11-1)
Comments: OK, McD lit up poor Hershey like a, um, Roman candle, but lest it get too puffy, it can draw a lesson from neighbor Harrisburg. L-S is one tough nut.
6. Grove City (10) 11-0 7 W, Corry, 34-7 HM Cathedral Prep (7-4)
Comments: That win over a good Corry team is impressive, but GC needs A-game against a Prep team that‟s way better than any four-loss AAA team in the state.
7. Cardinal O’Hara (12) 9-2 8 Season complete
Season complete
Comments: Still leaving the Lions on the grid, repeating my belief that they have one of the 10 best teams in the state in AAA.
8. Clearfield (9) 12-0 10 W, Johnstown, 26-12 HM Shikellamy (9-3) at Kemp Memorial, Shamokin
Comments: Can't go home for Thanksgiving after thumbing my nose at alma mater, believing Johnstown speed and passing game would score. I‟m sorry.
9. Strath Haven (1) 11-1 NR W, Springfield-Delco, 28-21 HM Pottsgrove (10-2) at Coatesville Area HS
Comments: Good to see the Panthers back in the bigs after a spell in the playoff wilderness. Must be wary of Pottsgrove team that recovered from mid-season hiccup.
10. Central Valley (7) 9-3 NR W, Thomas Jefferson, 42-24 No. 4 Montour (12-0) at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh
Comments: It‟s almost impossible to get a first-year merger (Center and Monaca) to get along, but Central Valley has done it, at least on the football field. Great story.

Honorable mention: Cathedral Prep (10) 7-4, Cocalico (3) 7-5, Conrad Weiser (3) 9-3, Corry (10) 9-3, Dallas (2) 10-1, Dobbins Vo-Tech (12) 10-2, Greencastle-Antrim (3) 11-1, Johnstown (6) 10-2, Knoch (7) 9-2, Lampeter-Strasburg (3) 11-1, Mars (7) 10-2, Pottsgrove (1) 10-2, Punxsutawney (9) 10-1, Shikellamy (4) 9-3, Thomas Jefferson (7) 10-2, West Scranton (2) 9-3.

CLASS AA – WEEK 13
Rank School (District) Record Pvs Last week’s result Next opponent
1. West Catholic (12) 10-2 1 W, Bok Vo-Tech, 34-6 idle, plays winner of Northern Lehigh-GAR Dec. 3 or 4
Comments: The third PCL/District 12 champion to get a week on the chaise lounge. It‟s a bit of a scheduling quirk, but the PCL haters sure aren‟t digging it.
2. Aliquippa (7) 12-0 2 W, Ford City, 26-7 No. 3 South Fayette (12-0) at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh
Comments: The Quips‟ defense has been magnificent, especially in the postseason (7 points in 3 games). They‟ll need it against explosive SF offense.
3. South Fayette (7) 12-0 5 W, Beaver Falls, 53-28 No. 2 Aliquippa (12-0) at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh
Comments: Let‟s be honest. It‟s weird seeing SF as a WPIAL finalist; it‟s 46 years since that phrase applied to Lions. Weirder yet: They‟re pick'em against Aliquippa.
4. Northern Lehigh (11) 12-0 6 W, North Schuylkill, 25-23 HM GAR Memorial (11-1) at J.Birney Crum, Allentown
Comments: Big start enough for NL to hold off fourth-quarter charge by NS and gain a high-quality triumph. GAR is potent (see second half v Lakeland), so antennae up.
5. Forest Hills (6) 11-1 7 W, Huntingdon, 25-7 No. 9 Tyrone (12-0) at Mansion Park Stadium, Altoona
Comments: Everyone had this game penciled in as the 6-AA title game. FH has scored at will most of the year, but needs all weapons against stingy Tyrone D.
6. Danville (4) 12-0 10 W, Mount Carmel, 38-28 No. 7 Lewisburg (12-0)
Comments: The Ironmen vault to their highest ranking of the season after keeping Mount Carmel from storming the fort. „Men have played really tough football.
7. Lewisburg (4) 12-0 8 W, Towanda, 39-14 at No. 6 Danville (12-0)
Comments: I can see the arrows raining down now after leaping D-ville past a Lewisburg team that merely took apart an unbeaten Towanda team. Illogical, but that‟s me.
8. Trinity (3) 11-1 NR W, Bermudian Springs, 48-12 HM Wyomissing (9-3) at Hersheypark Stadium
Comments: Under the radar since losing big to fallen Lancaster Catholic in week 1, the Shamrocks are a genuine TT team now. Have been for weeks, really.
9. Tyrone (6) 12-0 NR W, Martinsburg Central, 17-7 No. 5 Forest Hills (11-1) at Mansion Park, Altoona
Comments: Tyrone always brings a lot of blaze orange to Mansion Park, and the fans just could be shooting off their cap guns after this outstanding matchup.
10. North Schuylkill (11) 11-1 4 L, Northern Lehigh, 25-23 Season complete
Comments: Tough to leave some deserving teams (Brockway, GAR, Sharon) out of TT with NS done, but Spartans really are one of the state‟s best this year.

Honorable mention: Beaver Area (7) 8-3, Beaver Falls (7) 10-2, Bloomsburg (4) 8-3, Brockway (9) 11-0, Ford City (7) 11-1, GAR Memorial (2) 11-1, General McLane (10) 10-2, Greensburg Central Catholic (7) 9-1, Hickory (10) 9-2, Lancaster Catholic (3) 11-1, Lakeland (2) 10-2, Littlestown (3) 10-1, Pen Argyl (11) 9-2, Seton-La Salle (7) 9-2, Sharon (10) 102, Susquehanna Community (2) 9-2, Towanda (4) 11-1, Wyomissing (3) 9-3.

CLASS A – WEEK 13
Rank School (District) Record Pvs Last week’s result Next opponent
1. Clairton (7) 12-0 1 W, Springdale, 26-7 No. 2 Rochester (12-0) at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh
Comments: I keep trying to think of something new to say about Clairton, but the Bears play the same darn game every week. Oh, wait, NOT a shutout last week.
2. Rochester (7) 12-0 2 W, Avonworth, 20-7 No. 1 Clairton (12-0) at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh
Comments: Here we are: the annual Heinz Field collision between two of the best Class A programs. It was a one-pointer last year. Wouldn‟t surprise this year, either.
3. Mercyhurst Prep (10) 12-0 3 W, Sharpsville, 56-33 No. 6 Farrell (11-1) at Veterans Memorial, Erie
Comments: OK, count among those who were blown away by the Lakers‟ 56-point production against known quantity defense. If they do that to Farrell ...
4. Southern Columbia (4) 10-2 4 W, Line Mountain, 48-13 No. 5 Taylor Riverside (11-1) at Valley View HS, Peckville
Comments: A little inside baseball: In this class – well, any class, usually – No. 4 is no different than No. 1. No insult to top 3 intended, but SCA could be PIAA champ
5. Taylor Riverside (2) 11-1 5 W, Dunmore, 22-14 No. 4 Southern Columbia (10-2) at Valley View HS
Comments: The wins have become a little tougher and tighter for Riverside, which isn‟t necessarily a red flag. But they‟ll have to be at full steam in PIAA first-rounder.
6. Farrell (10) 11-1 6 W, Lakeview, 34-7 No. 3 Mercyhurst Prep (12-0) at Veterans Memorial, Erie
Comments: OK, I really doubt M-Prep can hang 56 on Farrell (I will gladly make a wager any willing sap, er, soul). But Steelers, awakened 3 weeks back, know the danger.
7. Holy Name (3) 10-1 10 W, Steelton-Highspire, 42-7 HM Millersburg (8-3) at Hersheypark Stadium
Comments: The Blue Jays (not a very manly nickname, IMO) finally get to nail Steel-High‟s scalp to the post, but must be wary of Jekyll-and-Hyde Millersburg team.
8. Schuylkill Haven (11) 10-2 NR W, Pius X, 30-14 HM Calvary Christian (8-3) at Souderton Area HS C
omments: The Hurricanes return to the Twin Ts and sit as solid favorite against Calvary, a nice program that has yet to win at this level.
9. Bishop Carroll (6) 9-2 NR W, Penns Manor, 21-6 HM Bishop McCort (8-4) at Mansion Park Stadium, Altoona
Comments: The private-public issue is at its hottest in hoops and in the Philly area, but it should noted that Carroll and McCort have flat dominated 6-A footies.
10. Curwensville (9) 10-1 NR W, Cameron County, 22-13 HM Port Allegany (7-4) at Frank Varischetti Field, Brockway
Comments: If Clearfield gets a TT call, so does the down-river rival. Golden Tide had to scramble against CamCo, but scored ticket to 9-A title game and is mild fave.

Honorable mention: Avonworth (7) 10-2, Bellwood-Antis (6) 8-2, Bishop Canevin (7) 9-2, Bishop McCort (6) 8-4, Calvary Christian (1) 8-3, Line Mountain (4) 10-2, Millersburg (3) 83, Northern Bedford County (5) 11-1, North Star (5) 9-3, Penns Manor (6) 9-1, Pius X (11) 8-4, Portage (6) 8-3, Port Allegany (9) 7-4, Sharpsville (10) 10-2, Springdale (7) 10-2, York Catholic (3) 7-4.

Tale of the tape, South Fayette vs. Aliquippa

South Fayette

Nickname: Lions

Colors: Green and white

Record: 12-0

Rankings: No. 2 WPIAL Class A by Observer-Reporter, No. 3 Class AA by Rod Frisco, No. 4 Class AA by The Patriot-News, No. 6 by Pennsylvania Football News

Conference: Century
How they got here: Century Conference champs, No. 3 seed WPIAL playoffs
1st round – W, Ellwood City 35-0
Quarters – W, Freeport 47-13
Semis – W, Beaver Falls 55-28
Mercy, mercy: South Fayette, which had never won more than one playoff game since joining Class AA, has mercy-ruled all three postseason opponents.
"I would have never thought that," South Fayette coach Joe Rossi said. "The breaks have gone our way and the ball has bounced our way."
The 137 postseason points scored are the most in the WPIAL this year. Clairton ranks second with 113 points scored.
Key players: QB Christian Brumbaugh (2,728 yds, 37 TD, 6 INT); RB/DB Jeff Davis (1,238 rush yards, 564 receiving yards, 23 TD); WR/DB Tyler Challingsworth (749 rec. yards, 6 TD); TE/LB Eric Myers; FB/LB Trevor Fiorentini; OL/DL Nick Faraci
Quotable: "We're not used to winning more than one game in the playoffs. We called it the South Fayette Curse," Challingsworth said. "Once we got past the first round, that was over."
Bits and pieces: South Fayette has not appeared in a WPIAL championship game since 1967. That year the Lions lost to Crafton, 7-6. … South Fayette's last WPIAL title came in 1964, when the team did not have to play a game to be declared champion by Gardner Points. … The Lions only other title came in 1936. … South Fayette has posted two consecutive undefeated regular seasons. The Lions are 22-1 the past two seasons with the lone loss against Aliquippa. … South Fayette is plus-18 in turnover margin and has scored five defensive touchdowns.


Aliquippa

Nickname: Quips
Colors: Red and black
Record: 12-0
Rankings: No. 1 WPIAL Class AA by Observer-Reporter, No. 1 Class AA by Pennsylvania Football News, No. 2 Class AA by Rod Frisco, No. 2 Class AA by The Patriot-News
Conference: Midwestern
How they got here: Midwestern Conference champs, No. 1 seed WPIAL playoffs
1st round – W, Shady Side Academy 41-0
Quarters – W, Beaver 34-0
Semis – W, Ford City 26-7
Almost zero tolerance: The Quips defense has allowed just seven postseason points and that performance is indicative of how dominant that side of the football has been throughout the season. Aliquippa has allowed just 93 points and an average of 7.8 points per game.
Only four teams have scored 10-plus points on the Quips and no team has topped 14. Aliquippa's secondary, which faces a South Fayette offense with five capable receivers, has allowed less than 900 yards passing on the season.
"They're tremendous skill-wise and, up front, they are good," Rossi said.
Last year: Aliquippa beat South Fayette in last year's quarterfinals. The Lions led by 14 points in the fourth quarter before the Quips scored 32 points inside the final nine minutes.
"That was our first time in that situation," Brumbaugh said. "We had been in the playoffs but we hadn't done anything special. We weren't used to being there and it showed in the fourth quarter."
Key players: QB Mikal Hall (1,404 yards, 19 TD); WR/DB Haetaun Mathis (591 yards, 10 TD, 3 INT); RB Dravon Henry (789 yards, 12 TD); OL/DL Zach Hooks
About the Quips: "They're a group that's never going to quit," Rossi said. "We were up on them by two TDs last year with chances to expand that lead to 21 and we had two drives fizzle out. We made mistakes and created opportunities for them. They took advantage."
Bits and pieces: Aliquippa lost to Greensburg Central Catholic in last year's WPIAL championship game. … The Quips have won a record 13 WPIAL titles, six in Class AA. … Both teams played Ellwood City and Beaver Falls. Aliquippa plays each during the regular season as part of the Midwestern Conference schedule. The Quips beat Beaver Falls, 27-14, in Week 2 and the Wolverines, 29-7 in Week 6. … Hooks, who has drawn Division I interest including an offer from Pitt, transferred from Charleroi to Aliquippa last year.

Remembering Tommy Sypula

One of the great eras in the rich tradition of Washington High School sports occurred during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

• The football team, led by Guy Montecalvo, regularly competed for the WPIAL Class AA championship. The Prexies won WPIAL and PIAA titles in 2001 and played for the WPIAL championship in 1998 and 1999. Wash High produced a long line of college talent led by future WVU All-American Dan Mozes, Notre Dame special teams captain Travis Thomas and Old Dominion pitcher Justin Gregula.
• The baseball team, coached by Bob Peton, also found itself in the title hunt most seasons. Wash High won the 2002 WPIAL title. In 1998, the Prexies won WPIAL and PIAA titles and many still remember Diontae Walker pitching a perfect game in the WPIAL championship.
• The boys and girls track and field teams were usually among the best in the WPIAL and beyond.
• The boys basketball team, coached by Ron Faust, continued its consistent success. In 2001, the Prexies reached the PIAA quarterfinals.
• The girls basketball team enjoyed an influx of young talent in future Seton Hall starter Amber Harris as well as Tiara Bennett and Jaime Bush. These Prexies played for a WPIAL championship.
• The wrestling team filled its weight classes far more successfully in those days and won a WPIAL title.
  

One of the better multi-sport athletes at Wash High during its championship-filled era and one of its bigger overachievers was Tommy Sypula, an undersized, hard-nosed tough guy with Popeye arms and a desire to make the teams he played for great ones.

In other words, Sypula was the guy coaches talk about when they say, "If we only had 11 of him."

Sadly, Tommy Sypula died unexpectedly Friday, Nov. 19 in his home. He was 27.

Sypula's athletic credentials were top-notch, as was his work ethic. A member of the 1997 Pony baseball team that advanced to the championship game, Sypula graduated Wash High in 2002 with a slew of championships and more varsity letters than most athletes proud to be part of the Prexies family.

A team captain, on the 2001 state championship football team, Sypula was an undersized offensive lineman and linebacker. What he lacked in size, he made up for in determination and his play was all-state caliber. Sypula was also a key contributor on WPIAL championship teams in baseball and wrestling.

He played hard. He practiced hard. Always. Watching him compete was always enjoyable.

There's no doubting Sypula will be missed tremendously by the Wash High community, the countless friends he made and his family. I didn't get to see Tommy too often after high school but I often speak with his father Tom, a passionate, hard-working man for a local television station who donated his spare time to record football games for Washington and, when Montecalvo moved to Canon-McMillan, the Big Macs.

If you know Tom, it's easy to see where Tommy got his passion and work ethic.

I'd like to extend my deepest sympathies to the family during this tough time. Tommy will be in my thoughts and memories of his achievements remain vivid to this day.

Live blog, PIAA Class AAA girls soccer final … Peters twp. vs. Archbishop Wood

Final
Peters Township 1, Archbishop Wood 0

Peters Township dominated match, could have been 4-0, 5-0. If Archbishop Wood was the No. 4 team in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America rankings, Peters Township is a top-two team.

4:30 p.m. – Veronica Latsko's shot saved by goalie, rebound goes right to Dani Hume, who buries it. PT 1-0 in the 65th minute.

4:24 p.m. – Gotted booted off for a few. Are we headed toward a scoreless tie and co-champions?

Why does the PIAA determine every other match by penalty kicks if there's a tie after two overtimes but declare co-champs in the final?

Be consistent PIAA.

3:56 p.m. – Halftime, Peters Township 0, Archbishop Wood 0. PT has 7 shots to 1 for the Wood, which is ranked No. 4 in the country by the NSCAA.

3:46 p.m. – Dani Hume just misses header off Spamer cross. PT looking good.

3:41 p.m. – Shelli Spamer hustle play where she heads ball twice to herself and gets quality shot that hits post at 13:49 mark. Forty seconds later, Spamer gets another quality opportunity but Wood defender Brianna Heck saves goal.

3:35 p.m. – Archbishop Wood's Monica Re blasts shot off post. Still scoreless.

3:22 p.m. – PT defender Brroke Smith clears a Archbishop Wood corner kick with a header but gets knocked on the side of the head on the play. She comes out of game.

3:09 p.m. – Lineups being announced. Not too far off schedule.

3:06 p.m. – The press box at Hersheypark Stadium is hotter than a sauna. Better than being cold. By the way, the hot chocolate at the stadium is Swiss Miss. Where's the Hersheys?

Friday night thoughts, WPIAL semifinals

Based on nothing more than gut feeling, here's my picks for Saturday's championship games:
Class AAAA – North Allegheny;
Class AAA – Central Valley;
Class AA – South Fayette;
Class A – Clairton.

Let's hear your picks.

* South Fayette's Jeff Davis has to be one of the top running backs in the WPIAL. Davis makes defenders miss in the open field, at the line of scrimmage and he can carry tacklers for a few yards.

If there's a better back in the WPIAL at catching balls out of the backfield, I want to see the guy play.

* The Class A title game between Clairton and Rochester will kick off at 9:30 a.m. to accommodate FSN. No word if overnight camping is permitted in the Heinz Field parking lot.

* With Central Valley in the WPIAL Class AAA championship game in its first year, Ringgold fans should feel a little better about the Rams' performance in the first round. Didn't cover the Thomas Jefferson-Central Valley game, but it didn't sound as competitive as the Ringgold game.

* Before the playoffs started, I picked Pittsburgh Central Catholic to win Class AAAA and Thomas Jefferson to win Class AAA. Oops!

* People can say what they want about the South Fayette defense, and the unit is not the most dominating, but the Lions' pass rush makes up for a lot of things.

Patriot-News Pennsylvania football rankings

Pennsylvania high school football rankings from The Patriot-News of Harrisburg for the week of Tuesday, Nov. 16, with school’s district in parentheses, followed by the school’s record and last week’s ranking. NR means not ranked. Honorable mention teams listed alphabetically. (P-PIAA champion.)

CLASS AAAA
Team Rec Pvs
1. La Salle College HS(P) (12) 10-1 2
2. Pittsburgh C.C. (7) 11-0 3
3. North Penn (1) 10-1 4
4. North Hills (7) 10-1 5
5. North Allegheny (7) 10-1 7
6. Harrisburg (3) 9-2 8
7. Cumberland Valley (3) 9-2 9
8. Easton (11) 10-1 8
9. Wilson (3) 11-0 NR
10. Nazareth (11) 9-2 NR
Honorable mention
Central Dauphin (3) 9-2, Council Rock South (1) 10-1, Downingtown East (1) 9-2, Mount Lebanon (7) 10-1, Neshaminy (1) 10-1, Ridley (1) 10-1, West Chester Henderson (1) 8-3, Woodland Hills (7) 8-3.

CLASS AAA
Team Rec Pvs
1. Allentown C.C. (11) 11-0 1
2. Archbishop Wood (12) 11-0 2
3. Thomas Jefferson (7) 10-1 3
4. Montour (7) 11-0 4
5. Abington Heights (2) 11-0 6
6. Grove City (10) 10-0 7
7. Bishop McDevitt (3) 9-2 8
8. Cardinal OHara (12) 9-2 5
9. Clearfield (9) 11-0 9
10. Greencastle-Antrim (3) 11-0 10
Honorable mention
Central Valley (7) 8-3, Johnstown (6) 10-1, Lampeter-Strasburg (3) 10-1, Manheim Central (3) 8-3, Mars (7) 10-1, Southern Lehigh (11) 9-2, Strath Haven (1) 10-1, Susquehanna Twp. (3) 9-2.

CLASS AA
Team Rec Pvs
1. Lancaster Catholic(P) (3) 11-0 1
2. Aliquippa (7) 11-0 2
3. North Schuylkill (11) 11-0 3
4. South Fayette (7) 11-0 4
5. West Catholic (12) 9-2 5
6. Tyrone (6) 11-0 6
7. Northern Lehigh (11) 11-0 7
8. Keystone Oaks (7) 8-3 NR
9. Forest Hills (6) 10-1 7
10. Danville (4) 11-0 NR
Honorable mention
Brockway (9) 10-0, Ford City (7) 11-0, General McLane (10) 10-1, Lakeland (2) 10-1, Lewisburg (4) 11-0, Trinity (3) 10-1.

CLASS A
Team Rec Pvs
1. Clairton(P) (7) 11-0 1
2. Rochester (7) 11-0 2
3. Mercyhurst Prep (10) 11-0 3
4. Southern Columbia (4) 9-2 4
5. Farrell (10) 10-1 6
6. Sharpsville (10) 10-1 7
7. Riverside (2) 10-1 8
8. Avonworth (7) 10-1 9
9. Line Mountain (4) 10-1 10
10. Springdale (7) 10-1 NR
Honorable mention
Bellwood-Antis (6) 8-2, Bishop McCort (6) 7-4, Dunmore (2) 7-4, Holy Name (3) 9-1, Penns Manor (6) 9-0, Schuylkill Haven (11) 9-2.

(P)-PIAA champion. Number in parentheses is PIAA district.

Kovak's fearless prognostications, WPIAL semifinals

The Class AA and Class A pairings were not kind to last week's picks as I went 4-4 in those respective brackets for a quarterfinals record of 11-5 and an overall mark of 76-26, a .745 win percentage.

Class AAAA
Pittsburgh Central Catholic over North Alleghent
Woodland Hills over North Hills

Class AAA
Mars over Montour
Thomas Jefferson over Central Valley

Class AA
Aliquippa over Ford City
South Fayette over Beaver Falls

Class A
Clairton over Springdale
Rochester over Avonworth

Brumbaugh's career numbers

South Fayette quarterback Christian Brumbaugh will likely top 6,000 career passing yards on his first completion of Friday night's WPIAL Class AA semifinals against Beaver Falls at West Allegheny High School.

Here's his career statistics:
414 completions
659 attempts
62.8 completion percentage
5,993 yards
69 touchdowns
25 interceptions

Brumbaugh's numbers include 78 yards passing during his freshman year that came during mop-up time. Those numbers weren't originally included in his career numbers.

With 69 TDs, Brumbaugh is believed to rank third in WPIAL history. Former Gateway quarterback Rob Kalkstein passed for 72 touchdowns during his varsity career and, according to the Pennsylvania Football News Resource Guide, that numbers tops all WPIAL quarterbacks.

However, it is believed that former Sto-Rox quarterback Adam DiMichele - the WPIAL's career passing leader - threw for 82 touchdowns with the Vikings.

Observer-Reporter WPIAL football rankings

Class AAAA
1. Pittsburgh Central Catholic 11-0 W, Gateway 10-0
2. North Hills 10-1 W, Upper St. Clair 16-14
3. North Allegheny 10-1 W, Bethel Park 23-13
4. Woodland Hills 8-3 W, Mt. Lebanon 29-22 (OT)

Class AAA
1. Montour 11-0 W, Indiana 36-14
2. Thomas Jefferson 10-1 W, Hopewell 38-28
3. Mars 10-1 W, West Allegheny 29-3
4. Central Valley 8-3 W, Knoch 16-0

Class AA
1. Aliquippa 11-0 W, Beaver 34-0
2. South Fayette 11-0 W, Freeport 47-13
3. Beaver Falls 10-1 W, Keystone Oaks 28-0
4. Ford City 11-0 W, Seton-La Salle 35-21

Class A
1. Clairton 11-0 W, Bishop Canevin 47-0
2. Rochester 11-0 W, Beth-Center 35-0
3. Springdale 10-1 W, Monessen 30-6
4. Avonworth 10-1 W, North Catholic 17-3