Aliquippa, Chartiers Valley follow different routes to Parkway clash in Class 4A

By: Chris Harlan
Thursday, October 8, 2020 | 11:14 PM

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Anthony Collura heard stories about the horse, the rider and the flaming spear that arrives at Aliquippa football games, but the Chartiers Valley senior wasn’t sure they were true.

“So, I went right onto YouTube,” he said, “and I saw that horse for real.”

Now, Collura can’t wait to see the pregame ritual in person at 7 p.m Friday when Chartiers Valley visits Aliquippa at Aschman Stadium.

“I’m excited for that,” Collura said. “I think that will get the boys all hyped up.”

Aliquippa (4-0, 2-0) is accustomed to big-game atmospheres as a WPIAL Class 2A or 3A finalist each of the last 12 years. Conversely, after going 0-14 combined in its Class 5A conference the past two seasons, Chartiers Valley (4-0, 2-0) is enjoying every bit of its new-found success.

The two programs walked different paths in recent years, but they’re now tied for first in the Class 4A Parkway Conference. Aliquippa is ranked second in the WPIAL and Chartiers Valley is third.

Each enters Friday night with something to prove.

This is Chartiers Valley’s first 4-0 start since 2009 when the team won its first six games and finished 8-2. The Colts haven’t had a winning season in the decade since, so they’re out to prove the program has turned a corner in coach Dan Knause’s fourth season.

They already have wins over Montour, South Fayette, Hopewell and Blackhawk.

“We have a motto in our locker room that says, ‘Why not us?’” said Collura, who’s Chartiers Valley’s leading receiver. “Every year we get a new opportunity to make a name for ourselves. This year we took advantage of it.”

Enrollment numbers moved Chartiers Valley from Class 5A to 4A in this year’s realignment. The school went from being one of the smallest in its classification to one of the largest.

Aliquippa arrived in Class 4A against its will. With 117 boys in grades 9-11, the Quips’ enrollment puts them in Class A, but they voluntarily played up to 3A in recent seasons. After finding success there, the PIAA’s new competitive-balance formula pushed them to 4A, much to coach Mike Warfield’s dismay.

Warfield remains insistent that it’s unfair and unhealthy for his kids to face schools with two or three times more boys in their school. By comparison, the PIAA lists Chartiers Valley with 386.

But now that the Quips are here in 4A, they want to prove they can compete. Aliquippa outscored its first two Parkway opponents 94-35.

“Maybe people don’t see it based on the score, but it has been a challenge,” Warfield said. “No one is going to feel sorry for us, so we can’t feel sorry for ourselves.”

Come Friday night, how each team got to 4A won’t be important. All that matters is the winner will be alone atop the conference standings with two weeks left.

“I told the kids they’ve earned this opportunity,” Knause said. “It’s a huge game. They should embrace it.”

Chartiers Valley has leaned on a stout defense and a talented dual-threat quarterback. In last week’s 41-14 victory over Blackhawk, quarterback Anthony Mackey had three touchdown passes and two rushing TDs.

Mackey also is the team’s leading rusher.

“They’re a well-rounded team,” Warfield said. “It seems like they don’t have any weaknesses, so it’s going to be a tough challenge.”

Aliquippa’s offense is led by quarterback Vaughn Morris and running back Vernon Redd. Morris threw for three touchdowns in last week’s 50-7 win over Beaver, and Redd scored on runs of 51 and 76 yards.

Chartiers Valley has succeeded this season at limiting big plays. Against an offense like Aliquippa’s, that’s a taller task.

“That’s where Aliquippa is so hard,” Knause said. “The amount of splash plays they have is pretty evident.”

Redd runs behind an offensive line that averages more than 300 pounds. The Quips start juniors Tyrese Jones (6-foot-6, 350 pounds) and Omar Banks (6-1, 270), and sophomores Jason McBride (6-1, 325), Neco Eberhardt (5-11, 290) and Nyquan Crowder (6-2, 340).

“They’re enormous, they’re fast and they’re physical,” Knause said. “I can’t believe a school their size has that many big kids.”

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: Aliquippa, Chartiers Valley