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.
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