Eight local football teams open playoffs at home
Eight local teams open playoffs tonight as hosts
Although the weather this week has made it feel like it’s still early in the season, it is indeed November and the first round of the WPIAL football playoffs begin tonight.
Eight local teams open at home tonight and two host fellow Washington County schools. Canon-McMillan has a home game as well, bringing the total to nine, but the Big Macs have a bye before hosting North Allegheny in the Class 6A semifinals next week.
Here’s a look at some of tonight’s playoff matchups:
Class A
Burgettstown at Beth-Center
One of the two All-Washington County matchups, No. 9 Burgettstown (8-2) makes the trip across the county to Fredericktown to play No. 8 Beth-Center (9-1) in the Class A first round.
The Blue Devils’ two losses came in back-to-back weeks against Fort Cherry and Washington, which are two of the top four seeds in the bracket.
Led by quarterback Blake Neal and running back Brady Rightweiser, Burgettstown’s offense averages 28 points per game and the defense posted four shutouts.
Beth-Center will look to rebound after losing the Tri-County South title game to California. Running backs Enzo Brown and Homer Headlee pace an offense that has scored 30 or more points in all but two games and have at least put 20 on the board in all of their games.
Brown has 1,423 yards, which is the most of any running back in Washington or Greene Counties.
Avella at Fort Cherry
This is the second year in a row No. 13 Avella (6-4) has played at No. 4 Fort Cherry (8-2) in the Class A first round. Fort Cherry won 48-14 last year.
The Eagles clinched a playoff spot with a convincing 48-20 victory at Frazier in Week 10 and have won five of their last six games.
Quarterback Chas Rush leads the Avella offense with 714 yards passing and 741 yards rushing and has factored in on 18 touchdowns. Gage Samol has been a good complement to Rush with 899 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns.
Fort Cherry will try to bounce back after losing 35-14 to Washington in the Black Hills Conference title game. Eli Salvini enters tonight with 1,369 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns. Freshman quarterback Colin Sieg surpassed 1,000 yards last Friday and has 11 touchdowns to 6 interceptions.
Frazier at Washington
After receiving the top seed in Class A, Washington (9-1) will look to start strong against No. 16 Frazier (5-5).
Prexies quarterback Travon Moye protected the football well as he did not throw an interception in the regular season. He’s thrown for 1,027 yards and 11 touchdowns. His play has complimented the Prexies’ dynamic rushing attack led by Jamarie Walker who has 1,061 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Washington also has one of the best defenses in Class A, allowing 10 points per game.
Frazier relies heavily on its passing game. Commodores quarterback Brady Secrest has thrown for 1,928 yards and 23 touchdowns but has been intercepted 13 times. Frazier is the lone Class A team to make the playoffs with a negative points differential (minus-15).
Northgate at California
After winning the Tri-County South for the second year in a row, No. 6 California (8-2) will try to parlay it into a playoff win after losing to Frazier in the Class A first round last year.
The Trojans only two losses are to Fort Cherry and Washington. They are paced by sophomore Brandon Meier, who is a dual-threat quarterback. Meier has 1,440 yards passing, 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions and has 448 yards rushing and nine touchdowns. California has won seven straight.
Northgate (7-3) is in the playoffs for the first time since 2016. The Flames ended their 10-year drought by finishing third in the Big 7 Conference.
Devontae Smith leads the Flames in passing and rushing. He has 1,040 yards passing and has 10 touchdowns, but 10 interceptions as well. He has 826 yards rushing and eight touchdowns.
Class 2A
Beaver Falls at McGuffey
A breakthrough season for No. 8 McGuffey (7-3) earned it a home game in the Class 2A first round.
The Highlanders have averaged 42 points per game behind a strong ground game. Caleb Simons has 1,313 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns and Denny Furmanek has 853 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Beaver Falls (6-3) has three losses, but they’ve come against playoff opponents, Blackhawk, Neshannock and Western Beaver.
Xavier Clark has 1,033 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns for the Tigers, who have won six WPIAL titles, the last coming in 2023.
Class 5A
Latrobe at Trinity
Trinity (5-5) not only earned a wild card in Class 5A by blanking Bethel Park, 20-0, in the regular season finale, but a home game.
The Hillers will look to take advantage of it this time after seeing a late lead slip against Aliquippa last year.
Owen Samogala has 1,286 yards passing for the Hillers and 10 touchdowns to five interceptions. He’s connected well with Chase Kostelnik, who has 37 receptions, 602 yards and five touchdowns.
Latrobe (6-4) finished third in the Big East Conference. The Wildcats enter the playoffs on a two-game losing streak. Quarterback Dom Scarton leads the offense with 1,184 yards and 16 touchdowns and A.J. Yeboah has 1,041 yards rushing with eight touchdowns.
Class 4A
Kiski at South Fayette
Since the Class 4A bracket is only eight teams, top-seeded South Fayette (9-1) enters the playoffs in the quarterfinals.
The Lions have Class 4A’s top defense, allowing only 10 points per game. Aayden Wright is a key to that defense, but he’s also the focal point on offense with 1,362 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns. Quarterback Braeden Plasko has thrown for 1,128 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Kiski (3-7) got the final playoff spot by receiving a wild card over Ringgold after winning a head-to-head matchup with the Rams, 21-14 in overtime.
Cavaliers quarterback Landyn Artman is one of the top passers in the WPIAL with 1,943 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Shady Side Academy at Belle Vernon
No. 4 Belle Vernon (9-1) enters the postseason on a high after winning the Interstate Conference title in comeback fashion over Elizabeth Forward.
The Leopards have been paced by the Jace and Chace show. Jace Gedekoh has thrown for 1,266 yards and 12 touchdowns, while Chace Petrosky has 1,013 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns.
No. 13 Shady Side Academy (5-5) got a wild card after a fourth-place finish in the Three Rivers Conference. The Bulldogs have a minus-73 points differential.
Extra Points
Three local teams hit the road in the first round. In Class A, No. 10 Monessen (7-3) plays at Jeannette (7-3). The Greyhounds are looking for their first playoff wins since 2013. In Class 2A, No. 13 Chartiers-Houston (4-6) travels to No. 4 Western Beaver (6-4) and In Class 3A, No. 10 Waynesburg (8-2) is at No. 7 Aliquippa (6-3).