Aliquippa drills Oil City, moves on to PIAA Class 4A semifinals
By:
Friday, November 21, 2025 | 11:54 PM
Aliquippa’s Mylez Greene finishes off a Quips sack of Oil City quarterback Cole Findlay during their PIAA Class 4A state quarterfinal on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, at Slippery Rock University.
Aliquippa’s J.J. Work carries through the fog for a touchdown past Oil City’s Spence Singleton during their PIAA Class 4A state quarterfinal on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, at Slippery Rock University.
Aliquippa’s J.J. Work scores in the fog past Oil City’s Cole Findlay during their PIAA Class 4A state quarterfinal on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, at Slippery Rock University.
Aliquippa’s Akiva Woods stiff-arms Oil City’s Steven Heise to the ground during their PIAA Class 4A state quarterfinal on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, at Slippery Rock University.
Aliquippa’s Akiva Woods celebrates next to Oil City defenders after scoring during their PIAA Class 4A state quarterfinal on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, at Slippery Rock University.
Aliquippa coach Vashawn Patrick talks with quarterback Marques Council between plays during their PIAA Class 4A state quarterfinal against Oil City on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, at Slippery Rock University.
Aliquippa’s Josh Lay catches a touchdown pass past Oil City’s My’Saun Mills during their PIAA Class 4A state quarterfinal on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, at Slippery Rock University.
Aliquippa’s Josh Lay celebrates a tackle for loss against Oil City during their PIAA Class 4A state quarterfinal on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, at Slippery Rock University.
Aliquippa’s Qa’Lil Goode returns a pick-6 the length of the field past the Oil City sideline during their PIAA Class 4A state quarterfinal on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, at Slippery Rock University.
Aliquippa coach Peep Short talks with the Quips defense during a timeout in their PIAA Class 4A state quarterfinal against Oil City on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, at Slippery Rock University.
Aliquippa’s Mylez Greene finishes off a Quips sack of Oil City quarterback Cole Findlay during their PIAA Class 4A state quarterfinal on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, at Slippery Rock University.
Aliquippa’s J.J. Work wraps up Oil City quarterback Cole Findlay during their PIAA Class 4A state quarterfinal on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, at Slippery Rock University.
Aliquippa’s J.J. Work breaks away from Oil City’s Tycen Sindlinger to score during their PIAA Class 4A state quarterfinal on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, at Slippery Rock University.
Aliquippa’s J.J. Work celebrates after scoring against Oil City during their PIAA Class 4A state quarterfinal on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, at Slippery Rock University.
Aliquippa’s Akiva Woods fends off Oil City’s Cole Findlay along the Quips sideline during their PIAA Class 4A state quarterfinal on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, at Slippery Rock University.
Aliquippa’s Antonio Reddic celebrates a long run to set up the Quips’ first touchdown during their PIAA Class 4A state quarterfinal against Oil City on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, at Slippery Rock University.
The scoreboard at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium showed that Aliquippa had won convincingly, but coach Mike Warfield was adamant that the 22-point win didn’t meet the Quips’ standards.
Still, they’re moving on.
A 100-yard pick-six by Qa’Lil Goode just before halftime highlighted the advantage in team speed that Aliquippa used to defeat District 10 champion Oil City, 28-6, in a foggy PIAA Class 4A quarterfinal at Slippery Rock. The Quips took a four-touchdown lead on the first play after halftime, but Warfield didn’t necessarily like the final 23 minutes that followed.
The outcome was already decided by then, but Warfield was coaching for games to come.
“We’re winning 28-0 and everybody gets lackadaisical, everybody’s not focused,” Warfield said. “I heard someone say the other day that momentum can start and end at the same time. We’ve got to make sure we keep the momentum going.”
They certainly found momentum at times. Akiva Woods and J.J. Work scored rushing touchdowns, and Josh Lay caught a TD pass from Marques Council.
Aliquippa (10-3) advances to face District 3 champion Twin Valley (13-0) in a state semifinal Nov. 28 or 29 at a site to be announced. Twin Valley defeated Susquehanna Township, 41-21, in the District 3 championship game Friday.
“The object of this is to win and move on,” Warfield said. “We did accomplish the main thing, so I’m pleased with that.”
Oil City (10-2) won its district title behind a 1,200-yard rusher and a 1,500-yard passer, but neither found much room against Aliquippa’s defense. Oilers quarterback Cole Findlay completed 5 of 20 passes for 64 yards and an interception. Running back Steven Heise rushed for 53 yards on 18 carries.
“Things against these guys just didn’t go well,” Oil City coach Dan York said. “They have a whole lot of team speed. They play in a much harder league down there than we play in up here, and you can see that.”
Oil City’s offense produced five punts, two failed fourth-down conversions and an interception on its first eight possessions. The Oilers’ backups broke the shutout with 50 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
The Quips’ defensive front largely kept Findlay on the move and limited Heise’s longest run to 13 yards.
“We practiced well all week and executed what we needed to do,” Quips defensive tackle Mylez Greene said. “We were ready.”
Aliquippa scored touchdowns on three of its first five possessions. Woods capped the team’s first drive with a 5-yard touchdown run, and Council connected with Lay on a 16-yard TD pass in the second quarter.
Trailing 14-0, Oil City put together its best possession just before halftime. Bolstered by a couple of Aliquippa penalties, the Oilers moved 59 yards in 12 plays, reaching the Quips’ 6-yard line.
But with 12 seconds left in the half, Goode stepped in front of a Findlay pass and sprinted 100 yards. The interception return built a 21-0 lead.
Aliquippa found the end zone again on the first play after halftime when Work sprinted 50 yards. Work finished with 72 yards on nine carries, but his one-play touchdown drive gave the Quips a 28-0 lead.
“It could’ve been 14-7 going into half,” York said. “Those two big plays right there, that was the game.”
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
More High School Football
• Trib HSSN Head of the Class 2025: Football players of the year in each classification• Trib HSSN Head of the Class 2025: Football coaches of the year in each classification
• 2025 WPIAL and City League all-conference football teams
• 2025 WPIAL All-Conference Football Team: Tri-County South
• 2025 WPIAL All-Conference Football Team: Black Hills
