6 WPIAL champs climb up power rankings as they prepare for PIAA semifinals

By: Don Rebel
Wednesday, November 27, 2019 | 5:30 PM

With the WPIAL championships in the rearview mirror, all six District 7 champions are in action this holiday weekend in the state semifinals.

Last week, the WPIAL crowned two more champions. Gateway edged Peters Township for the Gators’ second Class 5A title in the last three years, and Avonworth won a football crown for the first time in 60 years as the Antelopes remained perfect with a Class 2A title game win over Washington.

Two other district champions got their first taste of the PIAA postseason as Central Catholic came back to beat State College in the 6A quarterfinals while Thomas Jefferson ousted three-time defending 4A champion Cathedral Prep to advance to the final four.

Both Central Valley and Clairton took the easy path on the Road to Hershey as they followed Bye Boulevard to reach the state semifinals.

Here are the rankings heading into Week 14. These rankings have zero classification boundaries.

WPIAL Football Trib Ten

Team, overall record, last week’s ranking, this week’s opponent

1. Thomas Jefferson, 14-0, (1), vs. Lampeter-Straburg on Friday on Trib HSSN

2. Central Catholic, 12-1, (2), vs. St. Joseph’s Prep on Saturday

3. Gateway, 12-2, (3), vs. Archbishop Wood on Friday

4. Central Valley, 12-1, (5), vs. Bald Eagle Area on Friday on Trib HSSN

5. Avonworth, 14-0, (7), vs. Wilmington on Friday

6. Clairton, 11-2, (8), vs. Farrell on Friday

7. Peters Township, 12-2, (4), season is over

8. Penn-Trafford, 11-2, (9), season is over

9. Pine-Richland, 10-2, (10), season is over

10. Washington, 13-1, (6), season is over

Out: None

Tags: Avonworth, Central Catholic, Central Valley, Clairton, Gateway, Penn-Trafford, Peters Township, Pine-Richland, Thomas Jefferson, Washington