5 things to watch in WPIAL football: Rematches galore in 2nd week of playoffs

By: Chris Harlan
Friday, November 8, 2024 | 6:30 AM

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Rarely does a WPIAL football team play the same opponent in back-to-back games, but that’s the situation facing Beaver.

Two weeks after beating Avonworth in the regular-season finale, Beaver opens the WPIAL playoffs Friday night with another matchup against the Antelopes. The fourth-seeded Bobcats (8-2) earned a first-round bye, so it’ll be two games in a row against their conference foes.

It’s an unusual position, but one Beaver coach Cort Rowse largely shrugs off.

“I’m a firm believer in controlling the things we can control,” Rowse said. “The opponent is the opponent. How those things shake out is something we don’t worry about.”

Fifth-seeded Avonworth (8-3) defeated No. 12 Greensburg Salem, 43-27, to reached the quarterfinals.

Rematches have emerged as a common theme in this week’s schedule. Of the 20 WPIAL playoff games, seven are rematches from the regular season.

In Class 6A, North Allegheny defeated Mt. Lebanon, 28-21, in Week 6, and Central Catholic topped Seneca Valley, 60-7, in Week 8.

In 4A, McKeesport defeated Mars, 28-7, in Week 7.

In 3A, Beaver beat Avonworth, 34-14, in Week 9, and Imani Christian defeated Highlands, 12-10, in Week 4.

In A, Greensburg Central Catholic topped Jeannette, 44-27, in Week 6, and Fort Cherry defeated Cornell, 35-6, that same week.

Rematches can cause some coaches to rethink their game plans. Do they stick with what they did the first time or come back with new ideas?

Imani Christian coach LaRoi Johnson said the ideal approach would be a balance of both.

“You’re consistent with the things you do all the time,” Johnson said. “But you build in a few wrinkles that maybe give you an explosion play or two, something they haven’t quite seen.”

Seven weeks have passed since Imani Christian topped Highlands, so the teams have surely changed since they last shared the field. That’s less true for Avonworth and Beaver, who played one another just 14 days ago.

But Rowse said Beaver’s game plans are always changing anyway, whether the opponent is a rematch or not.

“Every week you’re looking at what worked and what didn’t,” Rowse said. “We still haven’t played our best ball yet. No matter who you’re playing, you’re always trying to improve.”

Something’s gotta give

The WPIAL’s leading scorer will collide Friday with the league’s toughest defense.

The matchup in Class A pits California’s Lee Qualk against a Clairton defense that ranks as the WPIAL’s stingiest by far. The teams meet in a quarterfinal at Charleroi.

Qualk leads the WPIAL in touchdowns (36) and rushing yards (2,252) on 225 carries. The 5-foot-9, 170-pound senior rushed for 145 yards and scored twice last week in a 22-6 win over Laurel.

Two touchdowns were how many Clairton’s defense allowed all season.

Second-seeded Clairton (11-0) opened the playoffs with a 56-0 win over Rochester for its eighth shutout of the season. Only two opposing offenses have reached the end zone against the Bears. In Week 7, Clairton led 36-0 when Leechburg scored in the third quarter. In Week 9, the Bears led 69-0 when Brentwood scored in the fourth.

Otherwise, they’ve been perfect.

Clairton added to its dominance by scoring five defensive touchdowns in the past four games.

Reason to feel nostalgic

There are two matchups that have a championship flair to them.

That’s because Aliquippa vs. Thomas Jefferson and Upper St. Clair vs. Penn Hills are matchups the WPIAL saw twice before in the finals.

Thomas Jefferson defeated Aliquippa, 28-8, in the finals in 1980 and again, 35-28, in 2020. Combined, the two teams have won seven of the past eight WPIAL 4A titles.

Upper St. Clair and Penn Hills also share a championship history. USC lost to Penn Hills, 20-13, in the 1995 finals, but USC won their rematch, 18-12, in 2006.

This year, No. 1 Thomas Jefferson faces No. 4 Aliquippa in a 4A semifinal Friday at Chartiers Valley. No. 7 Penn Hills visits No. 2 Upper St. Clair for a 5A quarterfinal.

Entering a passing zone

Elizabeth Forward vs. North Catholic might be this week’s matchup with the most passing yards.

That’s a safe prediction since North Catholic junior Joey Felitsky leads the WPIAL in passing yards (2,679), attempts (326) and completions (217). But Elizabeth Forward also has a quarterback among the league’s top 10. EF junior Ryan Messina has 1,948 yards.

Messina has 22 touchdowns and Felitsky has 21. Their teams meet in a 3A quarterfinal at Elizabeth Forward.

Felitsky completed 25 of 38 passes for 261 yards and a touchdown in last week’s 21-14 win by North Catholic over Deer Lakes. Elizabeth Forward earned a first-round bye, but Messina completed 15 of 21 attempts for 262 yards and two TDs in Week 9.

Unique matchups

Two games on Friday’s schedule can be considered the opposite of a rematch. They pair teams that have never met.

Both are in Class 2A. Riverside and Seton LaSalle play one another for the first time in team history, while Ellwood City and South Allegheny also have their first ever matchup.

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.