5 things to watch in Week 6: De facto conference champions to be crowned?

By: Chris Harlan
Thursday, October 7, 2021 | 8:39 PM

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No, it’s not over ‘til it’s over.

And, yes, four weeks remain in the regular season, meaning the WPIAL football schedule is far from over. But there are a few key matchups Friday night that sure seem likely to serve as de facto conference championship games.

The list starts in the Big East where Gateway (4-2, 1-0) visits Penn-Trafford (4-2, 1-0) at 7:30 p.m. Recent history says this is a huge game. One or the other has finished atop the Class 5A conference four years in a row.

Adding to the drama, these rivals waited two years for this matchup.

Both finished undefeated in the conference a year ago after their head-to-head contest was canceled because of covid. Penn-Trafford finished a half-game ahead of Gateway in the standings, but the WPIAL chose not to recognize a 2020 champion in the Big East because of their missing game.

Penn-Trafford won the conference title in 2019, Gateway won in 2018, and they shared the title in 2017.

The other potential conference championship games in Week 6 involve Mt. Lebanon (6-0, 3-0) hosting Central Catholic (5-1, 3-0) in Class 6A, and Aliquippa (4-1, 1-0) visiting Chartiers Valley (4-2, 1-0) in 4A.

Aliquippa won the Parkway title last season by one game over Chartiers Valley when the Quips won 35-6 at home. This year, the game is at Chartiers Valley.

In Class 6A, Mt. Lebanon already owns wins over third-ranked Canon-McMillan and fourth-ranked North Allegheny. Central Catholic beat North Allegheny and fifth-ranked Seneca Valley.

‘Pat on the back’

Officiating is often a thankless job, but the PIAA wants that to change.

Schools, teams, athletes and fans are encouraged this week to give game officials a “long overdue ‘pat on the back’ for their dedication” during the first PIAA Officials’ Appreciation Week, which runs through Saturday.

The PIAA provided schools with a list of possible ways to show their appreciation. The options ranged from providing designated parking spaces, water, towels or snacks for the officials, to introducing the officials before the game for a public “thank you.”

Appreciation weeks for winter and spring sport officials are planned for Jan. 9-15 and April 3-9.

Top passers square off

This Greater Allegheny game starts at 7 p.m., but who knows when Greensburg Salem’s visit to Armstrong will end. The teams might combine for close to 60 passes when two of the WPIAL’s leading quarterbacks share the field, a recipe for an exciting — and sometimes long — game.

Greensburg Salem senior Hayden Teska ranks third among all WPIAL quarterbacks with 1,348 passing yards. Armstrong sophomore Cadin Olsen is fourth with 1,180.

Teska has thrown 154 passes in six games including 37 last week. He threw 40 in a game earlier this year. Olsen has 148 attempts with 25 last week. His season-high is 35.

Beyond the intriguing QB matchup, this also is an important game in the Greater Allegheny standings. Both teams are 4-2 overall and 2-1 in the conference.

No. 1 teams sit idle

Sto-Rox and Clairton are two of the best teams in the WPIAL, yet both will be sitting idle this week through no fault of their own.

Both teams saw their scheduled opponent forfeit because of injuries and a small roster, a disappointing trend this fall. Sto-Rox, ranked first in WPIAL Class 2A, was supposed to play Seton LaSalle. Clairton, the No. 1 team in Class A, would’ve played Imani Christian.

The No. 2-ranked team in Class 2A also is idle after Ligonier Valley forfeited to Serra Catholic.

Reversing a trend

Mired in a losing streak that stretched over parts of three seasons, Deer Lakes couldn’t win a game. But with that burden now lifted, the Lancers seem like they can’t lose.

Deer Lakes has won three in a row since snapping a 15-game losing streak Sept. 17 with a 49-0 win over Derry. The team followed that win with a 6-0 victory against Valley and a 9-6 triumph over East Allegheny. The Lancers (3-3, 3-0) could extend their winning streak when Allegheny Seven opponent Burrell (0-6, 0-2) visits Friday.

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.