While many eyes will be on the four WPIAL championship games at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Saturday, the big weekend of high school football begins Friday with three area teams taking part in the PIAA quarterfinals.
Newly minted WPIAL champions Central Catholic in Class 6A and Aliquippa in 4A, along with City League runner-up Westinghouse in Class A, are all in action Friday, fighting for a spot in the state final four.
Here is a look at three of the state quarterfinals set for Mansion Park in Altoona, Slippery Rock University and River Valley High School.
PIAA Class 6A quarterfinals
State College (10-2) vs. Central Catholic (11-1)
7 p.m. Friday, Mansion Park in Altoona
Coaches: Matt Lintel, State College; Ryan Lehmeier, Central Catholic
How they got here: State College was the winner in Class 6A from District 6, then defeated Erie McDowell in a PIAA preliminary round game before crushing District 2 winner Wilkes-Barre in a state first-round game last week. Central Catholic knocked off North Allegheny last week to win the WPIAL Class 6A championship.
Last week: State College 52, Wilkes-Barre 0; Central Catholic 42, North Allegheny 7
Winner plays: The winner will play the Central York/Harrisburg winner in a PIAA Class 6A semifinal Friday, Nov. 28 or Saturday, Nov. 29 at a site to be determined
Players to watch: D’Antae Sheffey, State College (Sr., 6-0, 205, RB); Roman Thompson, Central Catholic (Jr., 6-0, 210, RB/MLB)
Team notes
State College: The District 6 champion Little Lions have won two in a row since suffering their second loss of the season in Week 9 to Class 5A District 3 power Bishop McDevitt. Their only other loss was in Week 2 to another District 3 power in Harrisburg. In two playoff games, the Little Lions have outscored McDowell and Wilkes-Barre 93-7. In the PIAA first-round game, senior running back D’Antae Sheffey rushed for 150 yards and scored four touchdowns.
Central Catholic: The Vikings stormed past North Allegheny in the WPIAL championship game that featured a rare November storm delay due to lightning. The game was well in hand by halftime as Central Catholic scored 28 unanswered points in the first half, 14 in the first quarter and 14 in the second. Junior running back Roman Thompson rushed for 95 yards and three touchdowns while junior running mate Jayden Alexander scored twice, including a game-opening kickoff return of 96 yards.
Historic factoids
• This is only the fifth all-time meeting between Central Catholic and State College with the previous four also coming in the PIAA playoffs. The Vikings have defeated the Little Lions in all four clashes.
• Last year in the state quarterfinals, Central Catholic knocked off State College, 41-19. Elijah Faulkner had a huge game for the Vikings with 238 yards and four touchdowns.
• The first time these programs collided was in a 2003 Class 4A semifinal that the Vikings won, 30-0. In the 2015 Class 4A quarterfinals, Central Catholic prevailed 19-3, and then in the 2019 Class 6A quarterfinals, the Vikings edged the Little Lions, 24-21.
• Central Catholic is 19-6 all-time in PIAA playoff games, including a 7-1 record in the quarterfinals. The Vikings defeated State College and Harrisburg last year before losing to St. Joseph’s Prep in the Class 6A title game.
• State College has a 14-19 record all-time in the PIAA postseason, including 4-10 in the quarterfinals. The only time the Little Lions have reached the state championship game in 18 appearances was 16 years ago when they lost to LaSalle College in the 2009 Class 4A title game, 24-7.
PIAA Class 4A quarterfinals
Aliquippa (9-3) vs. Oil City (10-1)
7 p.m. Friday, Mihalik-Thompson Stadium at Slippery Rock University
Coaches: Mike Warfield, Aliquippa; Dan York, Oil City
How they got here: Aliquippa defeated Trinity, New Castle and McKeesport to win the WPIAL Class 4A championship. Oil City knocked off General McLane to win the District 10 Class 4A crown, then ousted District 9 champion Punxsutawney in the PIAA first round.
Last week: Aliquippa 21, McKeesport 12; Oil City 47, Punxsutawney 14
Winner plays: The winner will play the Twin City/Susquehanna Township winner in a PIAA Class 4A semifinal Friday, Nov. 28 or Saturday, Nov. 29 at a site to be determined
Players to watch: Marques Council Jr., Aliquippa (Sr., 6-0, 185, QB); Cole Findlay, Oil City (Sr., 6-0, 170, QB/CB)
Team notes
Aliquippa: What a crazy season for the Quips, who may not have even qualified for the WPIAL playoffs if West Allegheny had beaten Montour in Week 9. Then they go from the No. 7 seed to the program’s league-leading 21st district football title in a three-week span. Epitomizing the wild ride is senior quarterback Marques Council Jr., who was thought to be lost for the year with a knee injury but came back in the playoffs and threw for 123 yards and two scores plus ran for another in the title game win over top-seeded McKeesport.
Oil City: The Oilers have won eight straight games since their only loss of the season in Week 1 to General McLane. Oil City avenged that loss two weeks ago by beating the Lancers in the District 10 championship game. Leading the way was senior quarterback Cole Findlay, who rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown. Against Punxsutawney last week, Oilers running back Steven Heise ran for four touchdowns and had two interceptions, part of six turnovers forced by the Oil City defense.
Historic factoids
• This is the first meeting between Aliquippa and Oil City.
• One of these programs is used to the bright lights of the PIAA stage while the other is not. The Quips are making their 14th appearance in the state football playoffs while this is the fourth time into the state playoffs for the Oilers.
• Aliquippa is 19-8 all-time in the state postseason and has a perfect 4-0 record in the quarterfinals. The Quips are 3-1 against District 10 foes in the PIAA playoffs with wins over Sharon in 2000 and in 2018, a victory over Slippery Rock in 2003 and a loss in overtime to Wilmington in 2008.
• Oil City has a record of 3-3 in the state football playoffs with its only two victories before last week coming in the first round and quarterfinals of the 2020 postseason. In their only game against a WPIAL opponent in the PIAA playoffs, the Oilers lost to Thomas Jefferson in the 2020 semifinals, 62-0. They also lost to Perry back in the 1998 playoffs, 54-6.
PIAA Class A quarterfinals
Westinghouse (7-4) vs. Bishop Guilfoyle Academy (11-2)
7 p.m. Friday, Panthers Stadium at River Valley HS
Coaches: Donta Green, Westinghouse; Justin Wheeler, Bishop Guilfoyle
How they got here: Westinghouse lost in the City League championship game to University Prep, but qualified as the District 8 representative in the Class A playoffs and blanked Meyersdale in the first round. Bishop Guilfoyle Academy won the District 6 Class A championship with wins over Purchase Line, Homer-Center and Juniata Valley.
Last week: Westinghouse 44, Meyersdale 0; Bishop Guilfoyle Academy 62, Juniata Valley 6
Winner plays: The winner will play the Lackawanna Trail/Belmont Charter winner in a PIAA Class A semifinal Friday, Nov. 28 or Saturday, Nov. 29 at a site to be determined
Players to watch: Jordan Reid, Westinghouse (Jr., 5-10, 175, WR/FS); Jake Kissell, Bishop Guilfoyle Academy (Sr., 6-3, 219, RB/TE/LB)
Team notes
Westinghouse: After starting the season with a 4-0 record, the Bulldogs struggled near the finish, losing their final two regular season games and dropping three of four following a loss to University Prep that ended the Bulldogs’ three-year reign as City League champions. In the PIAA first round, Westinghouse scored 22 first-quarter points and cruised to a win at District 5 Meyersdale. Junior wide receiver Jordan Reid scored the first and final touchdowns for the Bulldogs with bookend punt returns for scores of 57 and 61 yards.
Bishop Guilfoyle Academy: The defending PIAA champion Marauders have hit a postseason groove after losing to Bishop McCort in Week 9 of the regular season. The only other loss for Bishop Guilfoyle Academy this season was in Week 1 to Class 2A quarterfinalist Richland. In their three District 6 playoff wins, the Marauders outscored their three opponents 142-6. In the D-6 title win over Juniata Valley, senior Jake Kissell rushed for 115 yards and scored four times, while sophomore QB Justin Wheeler threw for two scores and ran for one.
Historic factoids
• This is the second meeting between Bishop Guilfoyle and Westinghouse with the first occurring in the PIAA quarterfinals a year ago.
• In that first meeting last season, Bishop Guilfoyle Academy scored 21 first-quarter points and cruised past Westinghouse, 56-15. Chase Kissell completed 12 of 18 passes for 282 yards and three touchdowns for the Marauders, plus he ran for two scores. Khalil Green threw for 261 yards and two touchdowns for the Bulldogs.
• This is the ninth appearance for Bishop Guilfoyle Academy in the PIAA playoffs. The Marauders are 14-3 overall, including a 3-1 mark in the quarterfinals. They defeated Camp Hill in the quarters in 2014 and 2015 and eliminated Westinghouse in 2024. BGA lost to eventual champion Southern Columbia in the 2022 second round. The Marauders won three state championships from 2014-2016, won a fourth PIAA crown in 2021, and state title No. 5 came last year.
• This is the seventh appearance in the PIAA postseason for Westinghouse, which has a record of 8-6 all-time. All eight wins have come since 2022. The Bulldogs are 2-1 in the quarterfinals, beating Farrell in the 2022 second round, 34-6, eliminating the Steelers again in 2023, 36-20, and then falling to Bishop Guilfoyle Academy in 2024, 56-15.