Expectations soar as defending state champ Aliquippa brings back loaded roster

By: Chris Harlan
Saturday, August 13, 2022 | 1:19 PM

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After winning WPIAL and state championships, expectations couldn’t be any higher for an Aliquippa football team that brings almost everyone back.

Yet, in Mike Warfield’s first four seasons as the Quips’ coach, he says he found that practice is far more important than predictions.

“My first year, there was great anticipation that we would win it and we did,” said Warfield, who was hired in 2018, but those expectations had no effect when the Quips didn’t win WPIAL titles in 2019 or ‘20.

“And last year, there were really none,” he said.

Yet, the small-school Quips went 13-1 against opponents with larger enrollments, celebrated a WPIAL title at Heinz Field and later added an improbable PIAA Class 4A championship in Hershey. Only two starters on defense and three on offense graduated since, so the preseason expectations statewide are for the Quips to repeat last year’s success again this fall.

“Over the years, I’ve learned you can’t control that,” Warfield said of expectations. “All you can control is, come in every day and don’t let the kids waste a practice. Make it competitive. Make it uncomfortable at times. Just coach and let the chips fall where they may.”

The team returns a 1,700-yard rusher in star sophomore Tiqwai Hayes, a 1,900-yard passer in junior Quentin Goode, four starters from a dominant offensive line and a number of players with Division I offers.

Among the D1 recruits is linebacker Cameron Lindsey, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound junior who ranked second on the team in tackles. Lindsey and Hayes (6-0, 193) each have Pitt, Penn State and West Virginia among their college offers.

Senior safety Donovan Walker, junior cornerback Brandon Banks and senior linemen Neco Eberhardt, Jason McBride and Naquan Crowder all have college offers after a 2021 season that couldn’t have gone much better.

McBride (6-3, 325 pounds) made a team-high 97 tackles, Crowder (6-4, 345) had 78 and Eberhardt (6-2, 280) had 62. Walker had three interceptions and Banks had two.

“I can’t let these kids be satisfied,” Warfield said, “because life comes and goes with twists and turns. And sometimes when you’re up, you’re actually down. And when you’re down, you’re actually up. So we’ve just got to keep working.”

In fact, Warfield said this offseason was probably the most commitment he’s seen from his players since he became coach. Throughout the summer, he said he saw players at the school daily working on their conditioning.

“We’re trying to go get another ring,” Hayes said, “and do better than we did last year.”

Hayes was maybe biggest surprise last year when he carried 245 times for 1,759 yards and 23 touchdowns as a freshman. He won’t be alone in the backfield. Returning junior Jon Tracy added 725 rushing yards and 13 TDs last year.

Goode passed for 1,927 yards and 17 touchdowns, but his top two receivers, Cyair Clark and Tajier Thorton, both graduated after combining for 62 catches, 1,182 yards and 11 touchdowns. Walker, who returns, was third in receptions with 15 catches and 203 yards.

In one way, this will be an odd year for the Quips, who won’t have their home-field advantage. Aschman Stadium, affectionately known as The Pit, is being torn down and rebuilt, so Aliquippa will play its home games at Freedom.

The Quips are back in Class 4A, which wasn’t a guarantee a few months ago. The team was targeted to move to 5A under the PIAA competitive-balance rule, but the school won its appeal to remain in 4A.

But they’re not the only defending state champion in their conference. Central Valley, the PIAA Class 3A champ, moves up to 4A this season and joins the Parkway.

Warfield said he spoke with his coaching staff about not letting the Quips’ championship celebration linger. Some schools in the past have had trouble turning the page to a new year.

“That part of the program is on us,” Warfield said. “That’s our responsibility, to make sure that doesn’t happen. That’s my responsibility to make sure no one takes this stuff for granted.”

Aliquippa

Coach: Mike Warfield

2021 record: 13-1, 5-0 in Class 4A Parkway Conference

All-time record: 756-327-22

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

9.2 at Armstrong, 7

9.9 North Catholic, 7

9.16 at Montour*, 7

9.23 West Allegheny*, 7

9.30 Ambridge*, 7

10.7 at Blackhawk*, 7

10.14 New Castle*, 7

10.21 at Chartiers Valley*, 7

10.28 Central Valley*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Quentin Goode

114-198, 1,927 yards, 17 TDs

Rushing: Tiqwai Hayes

245-1,759, 23 TDs

Receiving: Cyair Clark*

34-680, 5 TDs

FAST FACTS

• Mike Warfield is 47-5 in his first four seasons with two WPIAL titles and two PIAA championships.

• Returning players Tiqwai Hayes (running back), Braylon Wilcox (center), Neco Eberhardt (guard), Naquan Crowder (offensive tackle), Jason McBride (defensive tackle), Cameron Lindsey (inside linebacker), Brandon Banks (defensive back) and Donovan Walker (defensive back) earned first-team all-conference honors.

• Aliquippa received a $250,000 grant from the NFL Foundation to help with building its new football stadium.

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.