2025 PIAA A football championship breakdown: Clairton vs. Bishop Guilfoyle

By: Chris Harlan
Wednesday, December 3, 2025 | 11:31 AM

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PIAA Class A football championship

Clairton vs. Bishop Guilfoyle

1 p.m. Thursday, Cumberland Valley, Mechanicsburg

On the air: TV: PCN; Radio: KDKA (100.1 FM, 1020 AM); Video streaming: NFHS Network; Audio streaming: PIAA Radio Network

PIAA titles: Clairton 4 (2012, ’11, ’10, ‘09), Bishop Guilfoyle 5 (2024, ’21, ’16, ’15, ’14,)

Clairton (14-1)

Player to watch: Donte Wright

The versatile senior upped his touchdown total to 18 with a 26-yard run in last week’s state semifinal win. Used as a rusher or receiver, Wright has rolled up more than 800 yards of offense. He also snagged one of the Bears’ three interceptions last week against Greenville. Akron and Temple have offered him scholarships.

Statistical leaders

Passing: Jeff Thompson 130-175, 2,413 yards, 35 TDs

Rushing: Deon Lovelace-Pompey 105-1,031 yards, 17 TDs

Receiving: Brandon Murphy 33-635 yards, 8 TDs

How they got here: Clairton defeated Laurel, 8-6, in the WPIAL finals; and District 10 champion Greenville, 57-0, in the PIAA semifinals.

Probable starting lineup

Coach: Wayne Wade

Offense

QB, 3, Jeff Thompson, 6-1, 170, sr.

RB, 4, Deon Lovelace-Pompey, 5-11, 190, sr.

WR, 2, Donte Wright, 5-9, 185, sr.

WR, 5, Taris Wooding, 5-11, 178, sr.

WR, 1, Michael Ruffing, 5-9, 180, sr.

WR, 8, Brandon Murphy, 6-1, 170, so.

LT, 55, Avaughn Pompey, 6-4, 310, sr.

LG, 64, Kasch Hammonds, 6-2, 220, jr.

C, 50, Quintin Thompson, 5-10, 230, so.

RG, 52, Chad Carpenter-Law, 5-9, 200, sr.

RT, 56, D’Kota Harris, 6-2, 285, jr.

Defense

NT, 55, Avaughn Pompey, 6-4, 310, sr.

DT, 56, D’Kota Harris, 6-2, 285, jr.

DT, 52, Chad Carpenter-Law, 5-9, 200, sr.

DE, 7, Tahvaz Armstrong, 6-2, 193, sr.

DE, 24, Kahmani Parrotte, 6-2, 210, sr.

LB, 8, Brandon Murphy, 6-1, 170, so.

LB, 4, Deon Lovelace-Pompey, 5-11, 190, sr.

LB, 9, Darren Pinson, 6-0 185, jr.

CB, 2, Donte Wright, 5-9, 185, sr.

CB, 5, Taris Wooding, 5-11, 178, sr.

S, 6, Jaece Booker, 5-11, 170, jr.

Special teams

K, 15, Rheyjon Williams, 5-9, 160, so.

P, 3, Jeff Thompson, 6-1, 170, sr.

Notable: This is Clairton’s eighth appearance in the state finals, all since 2008. In the Bears’ two most recent trips, they lost both times to Bishop Guilfoyle: 17-0 in 2016 and 19-18 in 2014. … Clairton’s defense has shut out 10 opponents (another win was by forfeit). … Team stats credit both Brandon Murphy and Darren Pinson with more than 100 total tackles each. … Tahvaz Armstrong has a team-high eight sacks. … Murphy returned two punts for touchdowns (81 and 75 yards) last week in the semifinals. He lists Power 4 college offers from Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Florida State, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Syracuse and Wisconsin. … RB Deon Lovelace-Pompey rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns last week. … QB Jeff Thompson passed for 170 yards and a touchdown and rushed for a score. … Donte Wright, Taris Wooding and Michael Ruffin also scored TDs for Clairton in the semifinals. … Wright is second on the team in rushing with 446 yards on 61 carries. … Four receivers have at least 23 catches: Murphy (33), Wooding (27), Ruffin (26) and Wright (23). … Clairton’s offense averages 45.1 points per game and its defense allows 5.3 ppg. … Wayne Wade is in his 12th season as head coach. … No WPIAL team has won the PIAA Class A title since Jeannette in 2017.

Bishop Guilfoyle (13-2)

Player to watch: Jake Kissell

Kissell became a bigger part of the Marauders’ running game once they lost last year’s leading rusher Taurean Consiglio to an arm injury early this season. Coaches have used Kissell as both a traditional running back and a wildcat quarterback, but he also has caught 26 passes. Robert Morris has offered him a scholarship.

Statistical leaders

Passing: Justin Wheeler 94-139, 1,351 yards, 9 TDs

Rushing: Jake Kissell 235-1,592 yards, 32 TDs

Receiving: Tyson Lestochi 36-642 yards, 7 TDs

How they got here: Bishop Guilfoyle defeated Juniata Valley, 62-6, in the District 6 finals; City League qualifier Westinghouse, 7-6, in the PIAA quarterfinals; and District 12 champion Belmont Charter, 35-0, in the semifinals

Probable starting lineup

Coach: Justin Wheeler

Offense

QB, 2, Justin Wheeler, 5-11, 182, so.

RB, 6, Keegan Hewitt, 5-11, 195, fr.

WR, 0, Tyson Lestochi, 6-0, 167, sr.

WR, 11, Evan Schimminger, 6-0, 194, jr.

WR/RB, 14, Jack Gioisia, 6-0, 188, jr.

TE/QB/RB, 8, Jake Kissell, 6-3, 219, sr.

LT, 72, Declan Peterson, 6-2, 241, so.

LG, 60, Rocco Cacciotti, 5-10, 219, jr.

C, 51, Trenton Murphy, 6-1, 215, sr.

RG, 50, Hayden Hosgood, 6-3, 223, sr.

RT, 52, Nicky Georgiana, 5-11, 242, so.

Defense

DE, 50, Hayden Hosgood, 6-3, 223, sr.

DT, 72, Declan Peterson, 6-2, 241, so.

NT, 69, Jesse Georgiana, 5-10, 202, sr.

DT, 58, Enzo Lascoli, 5-10, 231, jr.

DE, 60, Rocco, Cacciotti, 5-10, 219, jr.

LB, 8, Jake Kissell, 6-3, 219, sr.

MLB, 25, Conner Okonak, 6-2, 206, jr.

LB, 11, Evan Schimminger, 6-0, 194, jr.

CB, 9, Tyson Lestochi, 6-0, 167, sr.

CB, 2, Justin Wheeler, 5-11, 182, so.

FS, 7, Brody Gartmann, 6-0, 182, sr.

SS, 14, Jack Gioisia, 6-0, 188, jr.

Special teams

K/P, 33, Carter Boland, 5-8, 135, jr.

Notable: Bishop Guilfoyle is the defending PIAA Class A champion. The team defeated District 9 champion Port Allegany, 41-22, in last year’s finals. … The Marauders are making their seventh appearance in the state finals, all since 2014. … They won three straight PIAA titles in 2014-16 with two finals victories over Clairton and a 35-0 win over Farrell. … The private, Catholic school is in Altoona. … Over the past five weeks, Bishop Guilfoyle outscored its opponents 184-6. The only opposing team to score in that span was Westinghouse in a 7-6 loss. … Team stats credit Jake Kissell with 171 tackles, including 66 solo stops. His total includes 32 tackles for a loss and 12 sacks. … Teammates Rocco Cacciotti and Declan Peterson also have more than 100 tackles. … Tyson Lestochi has a team-high eight interceptions. … QB Justin Wheeler is the coach’s son. He’s second on the team in rushing with 812 yards on 98 carries. … Wheeler rushed for 116 yards and a TD last week before leaving early with an apparent injury. … Kissell replaced Wheeler at quarterback and completed 3 of 4 passes for 79 yards, three TDs and one INT. Kissell rushed for 89 yards and a TD on 16 carries. … The Marauders average 30.1 points per game and allow 10.7. … In 2022, the school changed its name from Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic High School to Bishop Guilfoyle Academy.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Clairton