Breaking down WPIAL football playoff matchups for Nov. 7, 2025

By: Don Rebel
Thursday, November 6, 2025 | 7:06 PM

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As always in November football, there is great anticipation for the second week of WPIAL football playoff action.

Whether they are rematches from games earlier this season or first-time matchups, there is a special story to tell in all 20 District 7 postseason contests Friday.

The four semifinals games in Class 6A and 4A will set the stage for the WPIAL championships in those two classifications next Saturday at Pine-Richland.

The other 16 games are quarterfinal showdowns with spots in the final four next week for the Class 5A, 3A, 2A and A winners.

Here is a look at all of the quarterfinal and semifinal district postseason games set for Friday. For games without capsules, follow the link to preview coverage elsewhere on Trib HSSN.

Class 6A semifinals

No. 4 Canon-McMillan (4-6) at No. 1 Central Catholic (9-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Titan Stadium at West Mifflin HS

Coaches: Brian DeLallo, Canon-McMillan; Ryan Lehmeier, Central Catholic

On air: Video streamed on NFHS and audio streamed on Trib HSSN

How they got here: Canon-McMillan finished in tie for fourth place but won the tiebreaker over Mt. Lebanon. Central Catholic finished in first place to win the 6A regular season title.

Two weeks ago: Central Catholic 45, Canon-McMillan 10

Winner plays: The Big Macs/Vikings winner will play the Norwin/North Allegheny winner in the 6A finals at 6:05 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15 at Pine-Richland

Players to watch: Ty Jansma, Canon-McMillan (Jr., 6-1, 190, QB/S); Owen Herrick, Central Catholic (Soph., 6-2, 170, QB)

Team notes

Canon-McMillan: The Big Macs needed help from Norwin in Week 9, but they are back in the WPIAL playoffs for the fourth time in the last five years. The second half of the season has been a struggle with three straight defeats and four losses in their final five regular season games. In the season finale loss to Central Catholic, junior quarterback Ty Jansma completed 9 of 15 passes for 102 yards. His top target was senior tight end T.J. Sabatucci with five receptions for 50 yards.

Central Catholic: The Vikings are the Class 6A regular season champions for a third straight year and are trying to reach the 6A district championship for the 7th straight season. This is the 10th anniversary of Class 6A, and Central Catholic has played in eight of the previous nine title games. Since losing to 6A state top-ranked LaSalle College, the Vikings have won nine in a row and have outscored opponents 426-82.

Historic factoids

• Central Catholic and Canon-McMillan have met 16 times and the Vikings are 13-2-1 against the Big Macs.

• These teams met in the final game of the regular season two weeks ago with Central Catholic winning at Canon-McMillan, 45-10. The Vikings blew open a close 7-3 game with 24 unanswered points in the second quarter. Central sophomore quarterback Owen Herrick threw for 219 yards and three touchdowns, two of which went to Aiden Nasiadka. Yasair Ismaeli returned an interception 17 yards for the Vikings. Bryce Collins scored the lone Canon-McMillan touchdown.

• The Vikings have won 12 straight games in this series and have outscored the Big Macs in those wins, 484-107. The last time Canon-McMillan defeated Central Catholic was 72 years ago in 1953 by a score of 38-6.

• The first meeting between these schools was 75 years ago. In 1950, the Vikings and Big Macs played to a scoreless tie.

No. 3 Norwin (7-3) at No. 2 North Allegheny (7-3)

WPIAL 5A quarterfinals

No. 8 Shaler (4-7) at No. 1 Pine-Richland (9-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Pine-Richland Stadium

Coaches: Jim Ryan, Shaler; Jon LeDonne, Pine-Richland

How they got here: Shaler finished in a tie for second place in the Northeast Conference and then defeated Kiski Area in the 5A first round. Pine-Richland captured the Northeast Conference crown and enjoyed a first-round bye.

Last week: Shaler 28, Kiski Area 8; Pine-Richland had a first-round bye

Winner plays: The Titans/Rams winner will play the Moon/Penn-Trafford winner in the 5A semifinals

Players to watch: Isaac McKay, Shaler (Sr., 5-10, 163, RB/ILB); Aaron Strader, Pine-Richland (Jr., 5-11, 175, QB/DB)

Team notes

Shaler: In tying for second place in the 5A Northeast Conference and winning the head-to-head tiebreaker over North Hills, the Titans were able to secure the No. 8 seed and earn a first-round home game, which they took advantage of. Senior running back Isaac McKay rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown as Shaler defeated Kiski Area. Titans quarterback Aaron Aversa completed 5 of 6 passes for 71 yards and a touchdown toss to Braedyn Witkowski in Shaler’s first playoff win since 2009.

Pine-Richland: The Rams enjoyed a bye in Week 10 thanks to earning the top seed in the 5A bracket after winning a second straight Northeast Conference championship. Defending district champion Pine-Richland has won eight straight games since falling in Week 1 to 6A top seed Central Catholic, 34-20. The Rams got a lot of people’s attention in Week 8 when they destroyed 6A No. 2 North Allegheny, 67-0. In that game, Rams quarterback Aaron Strader threw for 223 yards and three touchdowns.

Historic factoids

• This is the 17th meeting between the teams, all within the last 18 years. The Rams hold a big lead over the Titans, 14-2.

• These teams played two weeks ago in Shaler for a share of the 5A Northeast Conference crown and Pine-Richland won, 49-17. The first quarter was back and forth with the Rams leading 14-10 before P-R scored 35 unanswered points in the second and third quarters. Rams quarterback Aaron Strader threw for 196 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score while Khalil Taylor and Bo Heckert scored two touchdowns. Troy Cignetti had a 90-yard kickoff return for the Titans.

• Shaler won the first two games of this series, picking up victories in 2008, 14-7, and again in 2009, 27-7.

• Pine-Richland has dominated the series since winning for the first time in 2010, 19-15. Since then, the Rams have won 14 in a row. In those wins, P-R has outscored Shaler, 628-87.

• These teams have met every year since 2008 with the exceptions of the 2018 and 2019 seasons. This is the first time they have played in the WPIAL postseason.

No. 5 Moon (8-3) at No. 4 Penn-Trafford (9-1)

No. 7 Bethel Park (7-4) at No. 2 Peters Township (10-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Confluence Financial Partners Stadium at Peters Township MS

Coaches: Phil Peckich, Bethel Park; T.J Plack, Peters Township

How they got here: Bethel Park finished in fourth place in the Allegheny Six Conference and was awarded a wild card berth, then defeated North Hills in the 5A first round. Peters Township captured the Allegheny Six Conference crown and enjoyed a first-round bye.

Last week: Bethel Park 38, North Hills 7; Peters Township had a first round bye

Winner plays: The Black Hawks/Indians winner will play the Upper St. Clair/Woodland Hills winner in the 5A semifinals

Players to watch: David Dennison, Bethel Park (Sr., 6-2, 190, RB/LB); Nolan DiLucia, Peters Township (Sr., 6-2, 210, QB/DB)

Team notes

Bethel Park: The Black Hawks have followed each of their last four victories with a loss. Prior to the start of 5A Allegheny Six Conference play, Bethel Park had a season-high three-game winning streak, including a 16-point win over 4A No. 2 Trinity. As the No. 7 seed in the 5A playoffs, the Black Hawks won at home last week in the opening round over North Hills. Senior running back David Dennison did not start but scored twice and quarterback Evan Devine threw for 176 yards and a TD.

Peters Township: The Indians enjoyed the fruits of their regular season labor and had a first-round bye as the 5A bracket’s No. 2 seed and the champion of the Allegheny Six Conference. In going undefeated in the 10-game regular season, Peters Township outscored their opponents 343-63 with five shutouts. They outscored South Hills rivals Baldwin and Bethel Park in the last two weeks of the regular season 86-0 and only allowed 37 points in their five conference victories.

Historic factoids

• This is the 30th meeting between these next door neighbors along the Allegheny and Washington County lines. Bethel Park leads the series against Peters Township, 17-12.

• These rivals met two weeks ago in the regular season finale with the Indians blanking the Black Hawks, 35-0. Peters scored 14 in the first quarter and 21 points in the third. Senior quarterback Nolan DiLucia threw for 242 yards and two scores while Cole Neupaver led the way for the Indians on the ground with 130 yards and two touchdowns. BP running back David Dennison was limited to 58 yards on 12 carries.

• The Indians beat the Black Hawks three times in a row from 2018-2020 by a combined score of 110-14. Before that three-year run for Peters Township, Bethel Park won seven straight games from 2011-2017 with the Indians scoring double-digit points against the Hawks once in 2015, 35-12.

• The schools played three times from 1929-1931 with Peters Township beating Bethel Park in the first meeting 96 years ago, 27-6. The two didn’t meet again until 1992.

• This is the first time Bethel Park and Peters Township have met in the WPIAL playoffs.

No. 6 Upper St. Clair (9-2) at No. 3 Woodland Hills (8-2)

7 p.m. Friday, The Wolvarena in Turtle Creek

Coaches: Mike Junko, Upper St. Clair; Brian Tarrant, Woodland Hills

On air: Video streamed on NFHS and audio streamed on Trib HSSN

How they got here: Upper St. Clair finished in third place in the Allegheny Six Conference and then defeated Plum in the 5A first round. Woodland Hills captured the Big East Conference crown and enjoyed a first-round bye.

Last week: Upper St. Clair 46, Plum 8; Woodland Hills had a first-round bye

Winner plays: The Panthers/Wolverines winner will play the Bethel Park/Peters Township winner in the 5A semifinals

Players to watch: Ethan Hellmann, Upper St. Clair (Sr., 5-11, 185, QB/DB); Scoop Smith, Woodland Hills (Sr., 5-8, 148, WR/DB)

Team notes

Upper St. Clair: The Panthers have rebounded nicely after a tough Week 8 loss to Moon that dropped USC into third place in the 5A Allegheny Six Conference. Upper St. Clair crushed Baldwin to end the regular season then began the postseason last week with a 38-point win over Plum. In the playoff opener, following a slow start, senior quarterback Ethan Hellmann threw for 156 yards and a touchdown pass to Randy Yan while Panthers teammate Dante Coury rushed for 73 yards and two scores.

Woodland Hills: Following a 1-2 start in nonconference play, the Wolverines were perfect in winning the 5A Big East Conference with a 6-0 record. After a Week 2 loss to Central Catholic, Woodland Hills has won seven straight games and outscored its opponents 298-86. Dynamic wide receiver Scoop Smith is No. 8 in the WPIAL in receiving with 44 catches for 750 yards, an average of 17 yards per reception. He also leads the team in scoring with 19 touchdowns.

Historic factoids

• This is the 18th meeting between Upper St. Clair and Woodland Hills. The Wolverines hold a slim edge in the series, 9-8.

• In the last nine meetings between these tradition-rich programs dating to 2012, three games have gone to overtime. USC won in the 2012 regular season in OT, 51-45, and won again going beyond regulation in 2018, 14-7. Woody High won in overtime in 2017, 33-27.

• This is the ninth time Upper St. Clair and Woodland Hills will clash in the WPIAL playoffs. The Wolverines hold a 5-3 edge over the Panthers in the postseason. Woody High won in the 1987, 1996, 2005, 2012 and 2013 district postseason while USC picked up WPIAL playoff victories in 1989, 1991 and 1992. Only once, in 1987, did these two teams meet in the postseason and one of them did not reach the finals.

• That 1987 season was the first year for Woodland Hills. The Panthers won the first meeting in the regular season that fall 38 years ago, 24-7.

• Upper St. Clair has won the last two games against Woodland Hills, including their most recent meeting in 2019, 38-10.

WPIAL 4A semifinals

No. 4 Thomas Jefferson (9-2) vs. No. 1 McKeesport (8-3)

7 p.m. Friday, Chartiers Valley Stadium at Chartiers Valley

Coaches: Bill Cherpak, Thomas Jefferson; Matt Miller, McKeesport

How they got here: Thomas Jefferson finished in second place in the Big Six Conference and defeated Mars in 4A quarterfinals. McKeesport finished in first place and won the Greater Allegheny Conference title before eliminating Chartiers Valley in the quarterfinals.

Last week: Thomas Jefferson 31, Mars 14; McKeesport 44, Chartiers Valley 7

Winner plays: The Jaguars/Tigers winner will play the New Castle/Aliquippa winner in the 4A finals at 12:05 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15 at Pine-Richland

Players to watch: Tyler Eber, Thomas Jefferson (Jr., 5-10, 182, RB/LB); Kemon Spell, McKeesport (Jr., 5-11, 211, RB/DB)

Team notes

Thomas Jefferson: Despite some struggles in the regular season, the Jaguars looked like they usually do come playoff time in an impressive win over Mars in the quarterfinals. The TJ workhorse was once again junior running back Tyler Eber, who rushed for 126 yards on 39 carries and scored on a 40-yard run. Kane Eggerton had a standout performance with six receptions for 124 yards and two touchdown catches from Harrison Kolling. Eggerton also returned a pick-six 98 yards for the Jaguars.

McKeesport: Chartiers Valley made things interesting in the second quarter with a score that tied their 4A quarterfinal 7-7. Then it was all Tigers as they scored 37 unanswered points to win big. Junior running back Kemon Spell rushed for 187 yards on 19 carries and scored four touchdowns on runs of 25, 31, 7 and 10 yards. McKeesport quarterback Matt Miller threw for 94 yards and a touchdown toss to Javien Robinson, plus Miller ran for 40 yards and a score in McKeesport’s sixth straight win.

Historic factoids

• This is only the eighth meeting between these district powers with Thomas Jefferson holding a slight lead over McKeesport, 4-3.

• The first four meetings between the Jaguars and Tigers were 4A Big Eight Conference matchups from 2020-2023.

• Back in Week 2 this season, Thomas Jefferson defeated McKeesport, 16-7. Down 7-3, the Jaguars scored 13 in the final quarter to win. Harrison Kolling scored on a 1-yard plunge and Emmett Forte returned an interception for a touchdown covering 42 yards for TJ. With Kemon Spell out with an injury, Avont Hudson scored the lone TD for the Tigers.

• In the 2024 WPIAL 4A championship game, Thomas Jefferson scored 21 points in the second quarter to take control and beat McKeesport, 28-7. Tyler Eber rushed for 162 yards and two touchdowns for TJ while Kemon Spell was held to 65 yards and Anthony Boyd score the lone touchdown for The Port.

• These teams nearly won WPIAL gold together twice. In 2005, McKeesport defeated Woodland Hills to win the 4A title; however, Thomas Jefferson was stunned in the 3A championship game by Franklin Regional, 31-14. Eleven years later, the Jaguars blanked New Castle to win the 4A crown, but the Tigers lost in the first 5A championship game in heartbreaking fashion to West Allegheny in overtime, 38-37.

No. 3 New Castle (8-2) vs. No. 7 Aliquippa (7-3)

7 p.m. Friday, Helling Stadium at Ellwood City

Coaches: Fred Mozzocio, New Castle; Mike Warfield, Aliquippa

On air: Video streamed on NFHS and audio streamed on Trib HSSN

How they got here: New Castle finished as co-champions in the Parkway Conference and eliminated visiting Montour in the quarterfinals. Aliquippa won a tiebreaker to finish in third place in the Parkway Conference and ousted host Trinity in the quarters.

Last week: New Castle 14, Montour 13; Aliquippa 21, Trinity 14

Winner plays: The Red Hurricanes/Quips winner will play the Thomas Jefferson/McKeesport winner in the 4A finals at 12:05 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15 at Pine-Richland

Players to watch: Marino Graham, New Castle (Fr., 5-10, 140, QB); Marques Council Jr., Aliquippa (Sr., 6-2, 191, QB)

Team notes

New Castle: Somehow, some way, the Red Hurricanes were pitted against Montour in the 4A quarterfinals despite the fact that both the ‘Canes and Spartans finished as Parkway Conference co-champs. So it was no surprise the game went down to the wire with Montour scoring late to pull to within one point and then being stopped by New Castle on the two-point conversion. In his first playoff game, freshman QB Marino Graham threw for 141 yards and two touchdowns.

Aliquippa: The Quips had a trick they pulled out of their helmets in the 4A quarterfinals. Thought to be done for the year with a leg injury, quarterback Marques Council Jr. stunned many by returning and leading yet another comeback for the Quips with a perfect 38-yard touchdown pass to Josh Lay in the final minute of the game. J.J. Work scored on a 12-yard run and Akiva Woods got the comeback started with a 70-yard fourth quarter scoring run for Aliquippa.

Historic factoids

• This is the historic 51st meeting between these two old Parkway Conference rivals. While Aliquippa has dominated the series recently, winning 10 of the last 11 meetings, New Castle still has the overall advantage, 26-21-3.

• In Week 5, New Castle ended a 10-game losing streak against Aliquippa. The Red Hurricanes edged the Quips, 18-12. Marino Graham hit Chase Lemmon on a 26-yard scoring pass, plus the fabulous freshman QB for NeCa High ran for two scores, including the game winner from 4 yards in the fourth quarter. J.J. Work and Cleaster Longmire scored short rushing touchdowns for Aliquippa.

• Aliquippa and New Castle have twice met in WPIAL championship games with each team winning once. The Quips captured gold in the 1987 WPIAL 3A title game, 26-14, while the Red Hurricanes won the district crown in the 1942 3A finals, 25-0.

• The Quips’ record WPIAL championship streak appearance ended last year at 16 years. However, with their win last week, Aliquippa has reached the district semifinals 19 consecutive seasons. The last time they were eliminated before the final four was when they lost to Jeannette in the 2006 quarterfinals.

• The first game between the two was 107 years ago when the ‘Canes edged the Quips, 9-6, in 1918.

WPIAL 3A quarterfinals

No. 8 Freeport (8-3) at No. 1 Avonworth (10-0)

No. 5 North Catholic (8-3) at No. 4 Elizabeth Forward (9-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Warrior Stadium at Elizabeth Forward

Coaches: Chris Rizzo, North Catholic; John DeMarco, Elizabeth Forward

On air: Video streamed on NFHS and audio streamed on Trib HSSN

How they got here: North Catholic finished in third place in the Western Hills Conference and cruised past Burrell in the quarterfinals. Elizabeth Forward finished in first place and won the Interstate Conference championship and enjoyed a first-round bye.

Last week: North Catholic 56, Burrell 14; Elizabeth Forward had a first-round bye

Winner plays: The Trojans/Warriors winner will play the Freeport/Avonworth winner in the 3A semifinals

Players to watch: Joey Felitsky, North Catholic (Sr., 6-1, 180, QB); Ryan Messina, Elizabeth Forward (Sr., 6-4, 220, QB)

Team notes

North Catholic: The Trojans have won two straight games and are thriving with a simple philosophy: When they score a lot, they win. In its eight victories this season, North Catholic has averaged more than 55 points per game. In their three losses, the Trojans averaged 18 points per game. Against Burrell, senior quarterback Joey Felitsky once again led the way for North Catholic with an all-time great performance, hitting on 23 of his 24 passes for 433 yards and six touchdowns.

Elizabeth Forward: If there is a quarterback who can keep up with North Catholic, it is Warriors senior signal caller Ryan Messina. Joey Felitsky leads the WPIAL in passing and Messina is No. 10 in the district with 1,951 yards passing and 23 touchdowns. In his most recent game, Messina threw for 236 yards and four scores as EF knocked off Mt. Pleasant in Week 9, 41-7. The senior also leads the team in rushing with 682 yards and is one touchdown behind Landon Honick and Rocco Thompson for the team lead.

Historic factoids

• This is the sixth meeting between North Catholic and Elizabeth Forward. The Trojans lead the series over the Warriors, 3-2.

• These teams met in the 3A quarterfinals a year ago with Elizabeth Forward beating North Catholic in a wild one, 45-42. The score was tied 14-14 after one quarter, 28-28 at the half and 35-35 after three quarters. A Luke Holdren 25-yard field goal was the difference for EF. Charlie Nigut scored four touchdowns and Ryan Messina ran for two scores for the Warriors. Tom Arth scored three touchdowns and Joey Felitsky threw two scoring passes for the Trojans.

• This will be the fourth time North Catholic and Elizabeth Forward have battled in the WPIAL postseason. North Catholic defeated Elizabeth Forward in a 1987 playoff contest, 14-6, and the Warriors blanked the Trojans in the 2020 Class 3A semifinals, 17-0, before last year’s high scoring affair won by EF.

• The two were conference foes for two years in 2018 and 2019 in the Big East Conference in Class 3A. North Catholic won both meetings over Elizabeth Forward, 27-0 in ’18 and 12-7 in ’19.

No. 10 Hopewell (7-4) at No. 2 Imani Christian (10-0)

7 p.m. Friday, historic UPMC Graham Field in Wilkinsburg

Coaches: Matt Mottes, Hopewell; LaRoi Johnson, Imani Christian

How they got here: Hopewell finished in fifth place in the Western Hills Conference, but was awarded one of the wild card berths by the WPIAL football steering committee before they cruised past host Southmoreland in the quarterfinals. Imani Christian finished in first place and won the Allegheny 7 Conference title and enjoyed a first-round bye.

Last week: Hopewell 42, Southmoreland 6; Imani Christian had a first-round bye

Winner plays: The Vikings/Saints winner will play the Highlands/Central Valley winner in the 3A semifinals

Players to watch: James “Booboo” Armstrong, Hopewell (Soph., 6-3, 220, QB); Gabe Jenkins, Imani Christian (Jr., 6-2, 180, QB/DB)

Team notes

Hopewell: Coming into the 2025 season, the team with the longest WPIAL playoff drought had been the Vikings, who had not qualified for the playoffs since 2012. Not only did that unwanted streak end, but the Vikings figured, if they qualified, they might as well win and advance. Sophomore quarterback James “Booboo” Armstrong threw a touchdown pass and ran for two scores as the Vikings won big at Southmoreland. Running back Nasir Wade led the ground game with 108 yards and two TDs.

Imani Christian: For the second straight regular season, the Saints finished with a perfect record in the regular season. A year ago, Imani Christian was the top seed in the 3A playoffs and beat Highlands in the quarterfinals before falling to eventual champion Avonworth in the semifinals. The Saints look to stack playoff wins this season behind junior quarterback Gabe Jenkins. In a Week 9 rout of Freeport, Jenkins threw for 229 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 129 yards and three scores.

Historic factoids

• This is the first meeting between Hopewell and Imani Christian.

• What a difference a decade makes. In 2015, Hopewell finished the season 2-7 while Imani Christian did not even field a team in the WPIAL. The Saints played four exhibition games against City League teams and lost all four. Even six years ago in 2019, the Vikings again won only two games while the Saints were winless.

• The winner moves on to the semifinals next week. The last time Imani Christian was in the semis was last year when it fell to Avonworth. The last time Hopewell played in the district final four was in 2009 when Rushel Shell led the Vikings to a victory over Hampton to reach the 3A finals, where they lost to West Allegheny.

No. 6 Highlands (8-3) at No. 3 Central Valley (6-4)

WPIAL 2A quarterfinals

No. 8 Mohawk (6-5) at No. 1 Seton LaSalle (9-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Dormont Stadium

Coaches: Tim McCutcheon, Mohawk; Tim Storino, Seton LaSalle

On air: Video streamed on NFHS and audio streamed on Trib HSSN

How they got here: Mohawk finished in third place in the Midwestern Athletic Conference and eliminated OLSH in the opening round. Seton LaSalle finished in first place and captured the Century Conference title and enjoyed a first-round bye.

Last week: Mohawk 17, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 14; Seton LaSalle had a first-round bye

Winner plays: The Warriors/Rebels winner will play the Washington/South Allegheny winner in the semifinals

Players to watch: Bobby Fadden, Mohawk (Sr., 6-1, 170, QB/DB); Kymarr Freeman, Seton LaSalle (Soph., 5-9, 165, RB/LB)

Team notes

Mohawk: The Warriors improved to 4-0 at home in the playoffs over the last 10 years with a hard-fought victory in the opening round against Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. Following a late turnover, Andrew Lloyd booted home the game-winning 22-yard field goal with time winding down to give Mohawk the win. Senior quarterback Bobby Fadden threw for 140 yards and ran for 86 for the Warriors, plus he connected with Joey Nail on two touchdown passes of 10 and 13 yards in the victory.

Seton LaSalle: The Rebels secured a ninth straight victory and the Century Conference crown with a Week 9 win over Washington. In that game, sophomore running back Kymarr Freeman put forth a monster performance with 279 yards rushing and two touchdowns of 5 and 3 yards. For the season, Freeman has rushed for 1,321 yards and scored 21 touchdowns. Seton LaSalle quarterback Kia Jones threw for 130 yards and connected on scoring passes to Aaron Loritts and Matthew Brodzinski.

Historic factoids

• This is the fourth meeting between Mohawk and Seton LaSalle. The Rebels have two victories and the Warriors have one.

• This is the second time the black and red have met the green and gold in the WPIAL playoffs. In the 2018 Class 2A first round, Mohawk blanked Seton LaSalle, 48-0, for the second playoff win in Warriors program history. Dmitri Pindro had an interception return for a touchdown and Jordan Mollenkopf returned a punt for a score. It was the last time the Rebels played a postseason game until 2024.

• The teams met in nonconference games in 2012 and 2013 with Seton LaSalle winning both. The Rebels shut out the Warriors in ’12, 35-0, then won again the following year, 28-14.

No. 5 Washington (9-2) vs. No. 4 South Allegheny (10-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Myron Pottios Stadium at Charleroi

Coaches: Mike Bosnic, Washington; Brian Hanson, South Allegheny

On air: Video streamed on NFHS and audio streamed on Trib HSSN

How they got here: Washington finished in second place in the Century Conference and defeated Beaver Falls in the opening round. South Allegheny finished in a three-way tie with Steel Valley and Apollo-Ridge for the Allegheny Conference championship and cruised past Waynesburg in the first round.

Last week: Washington 37, Beaver Falls 7; South Allegheny 61, Waynesburg 13

Winner plays: The Little Prexies/Gladiators winner will play the winner of the Mohawk/Seton LaSalle game in the semifinals

Players to watch: Tristan Reed, Washington (Jr., 6-4, 180, QB); Alijah Cook, South Allegheny (Soph., 6-1, 175, QB/DB)

Team notes

Washington: Washington showed nice bounce-back ability last week. Following a Week 9 loss to Seton LaSalle that cost them a share of the Century Conference crown, the Little Prexies scored the first 37 points against Beaver Falls to win and advance. Junior quarterback Tristan Reed didn’t rack up the yardage with 42 passing and 29 rushing, but he put points on the scoreboard with two touchdown passes to Ameer Nelson and Caleb Patton, plus two scoring runs for Wash High.

South Allegheny: Much like the Little Prexies, the Gladiators showed great resiliency following a tough finish to the regular season. In Week 9, South Allegheny lost its chance at an outright Allegheny Conference crown when it tasted defeat for the first time against Steel Valley. The Gladiators scored the first six touchdowns in the win last week over Waynesburg. Sophomore QB Alijah Cook threw for 141 yards and three touchdowns and Joe Gamret ran for 107 yards and two scores for SA.

Historic factoids

• This is only the fifth meeting between Washington and South Allegheny. The Little Prexies lead the all-time series against the Gladiators, 3-1.

• All four games between the teams were played when they were Class 2A Century Conference foes from 2008-2011.

• The Gladiators won the first meeting in 2008, 38-14. The Little Prexies picked up victories over the next three seasons by scores of 36-0, 53-34 and 14-12.

• Next year will be the 49th anniversary of the only WPIAL football title won by South Allegheny in 1977. Also next year, it will be the 100th anniversary of the fourth district crown captured by Washington. The Little Prexies blanked Wilkinsburg in the 1926 3A finals, 26-0. Wash High also won championships in 1917, 1920, 1923, 1993, 2001 and 2017.

No. 7 Apollo-Ridge (9-2) at No. 2 Western Beaver (9-1)

No. 6 Ellwood City (7-4) at No. 3 Steel Valley (7-3)

7 p.m. Friday, Campbell Field in Munhall

Coaches: Dan Bradley, Ellwood City; Ray Braszo, Steel Valley

On air: Video streamed on NFHS and audio streamed on Trib HSSN

How they got here: Ellwood City finished in second place in the Midwestern Athletic Conference and knocked off Keystone Oaks in the first round. Steel Valley shared the Allegheny Conference championship with South Allegheny and Apollo-Ridge and enjoyed a first-round bye.

Last week: Ellwood City 35, Keystone Oaks 13; Steel Valley had a first-round bye

Winner plays: The Wolverines/Ironmen winner will battle the Apollo-Ridge/Western Beaver winner in the semifinals

Players to watch: Tyler Smiley, Ellwood City (Sr., 6-0, 175, QB); Da’Ron Barksdale, Steel Valley (Sr., 5-11, 175, QB/RB/DB)

Team notes

Ellwood City: The Wolverines are on a roll with four consecutive wins. The first three helped them finish in second place in the Midwestern Athletic Conference and the fourth one has them heading to the Class 2A quarterfinals. In their playoff opener, it was a slow start as they trailed Keystone Oaks by a touchdown after one quarter; however, they scored 35 of the next 41 points to cruise. Senior quarterback Tyler Smiley hit on 24 of his 36 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns.

Steel Valley: The Ironmen were looking at being a middle seed in the upcoming Class 2A playoffs heading into Week 9, but a big road effort in handing South Allegheny its first loss of the season gave Steel Valley a share of the Allegheny Conference crown, and tiebreaker points gave the Ironmen the top seed out of the conference, leading to a No. 3 seed and a first-round bye. SV senior Da’Ron Barksdale has thrown for 211 yards rushed for 1,505 yards and has scored 24 touchdowns to lead the way.

Historic factoids

• This is only the second meeting between Ellwood City and Seton LaSalle with neither team owning a win in the series.

• In the only other meeting between the Wolverines and the Ironmen, they played to a tie in the fall of 1971, 14-14. It was the first game as Steel Valley following the merger of Homestead, West Homestead and Munhall in July of 1971. In that game, the Ironmen fumbled 15 times with 10 of them recovered by the Wolverines.

• This is the 100th anniversary of the only football championship for Ellwood City. The Wolverines were declared district winners in 1925.

• Steel Valley has won six WPIAL football titles. The Ironmen won three in the 20th century — 1982, 1988, 1989 — and three in the last decade — 2016, 2018 and 2022.

WPIAL Class A quarterfinals

No. 9 Neshannock (8-3) at No. 1 Fort Cherry (11-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Pat Tarquinio Field at Gypsy Glen Stadium at Beaver

Coaches: Mike Bongivengo, Neshannock; Tanner Garry, Fort Cherry

On air: Video streamed on NFHS and audio streamed on Trib HSSN

How they got here: Neshannock finished in third place in the Big 7 Conference and defeated host Leechburg in the first round. Fort Cherry was the champion of the Black Hills Conference and cruised past Avella in the opening round.

Last week: Neshannock 49, Leechburg 14; Fort Cherry 48, Avella 14

Winner plays: The Lancers/Rangers winner will play the Chartiers-Houston/Laurel winner in the semifinals

Players to watch: Jino Mozzocio, Neshannock (Sr., 5-10, 178, QB/DB); Matt Sieg, Fort Cherry (Sr., 6-0, 180, QB/DB)

Team notes

Neshannock: The Lancers suffered a Week 7 conference loss to South Side and had regular season bookend losses to Lawrence County foes Mohawk and Laurel, but enjoyed a strong season that got even better with the start of the postseason last week. Neshannock headed to Leechburg and rolled past the Blue Devils by five touchdowns. Lancers senior quarterback Jino Mozzocio led the way with 133 yards passing and a 64-yard touchdown toss to Ryan Cameron, plus he rushed for 43 yards and two scores.

Fort Cherry: The Rangers did what a top seed is supposed to do in the No. 1 vs. No. 16 game. They came out and scored 27 points in the first quarter and added 21 more in the second quarter to cruise past visiting Avella. Senior quarterback Matt Sieg did all of his damage on the ground, rushing for 161 yards on only seven carries and scoring twice. Eli Salvini ran for 95 yards on six carries and scored three touchdowns and Christian Yanosko had 71 yards rushing and added a TD as well for Fort Cherry.

Historic factoids

• This is only the third meeting between northern Neshannock from Lawrence County and southern Fort Cherry from Washington County. The Lancers beat the Rangers in both previous meetings.

• The two nonconference matchups between Neshannock and Fort Cherry occurred in 2018 and 2019. The Lancers beat the Rangers in the first clash, 40-14, and then picked up a shutout the following season, 35-0.

• In the last decade, these programs have reached the WPIAL finals a combined three times. Fort Cherry won back-to-back Class A titles over South Side in 2023 and Clairton in 2024, while Neshannock played in the 2016 Class 2A championship game, falling to Steel Valley.

• These programs have been strong over the years, but they’ve also suffered through some tough seasons. Fort Cherry had a winless season 37 years ago when it finished 0-10 in 1988. Neshannock had back-to-back winless campaigns to begin this century, finishing a combined 0-19 in 2000 and 2001.

No. 12 Chartiers-Houston (8-3) vs. No. 4 Laurel (10-1)

7 p.m. Friday, Joe P. DeMichela Stadium at West Allegheny

Coaches: Dan Lis, Chartiers-Houston; Brian Cooper, Laurel

On air: Video streamed on NFHS and audio streamed on Trib HSSN

How they got here: Chartiers-Houston finished in third place in the Black Hills Conference and stunned host South Side in the first round. Laurel captured the Big 7 Conference title and shut out Jefferson-Morgan in the opening round.

Last week: Chartiers-Houston 26, South Side 21; Laurel 35, Jefferson-Morgan 0

Winner plays: The Buccaneers/Spartans winner will play the Neshannock/Fort Cherry winner in the semifinals

Players to watch: Aaron Walsh, Chartiers-Houston (Sr., 5-10, 165, QB/DB); Kolton Carlson, Laurel (Sr., 6-2, 200, RB/WR/LB)

Team notes

Chartiers-Houston: The turnaround season for the Buccaneers now features a glass slipper now that they are the lowest-seeded team still left in the district playoffs. Chartiers-Houston has nearly tripled its win total from a year ago and proved its regular season success was no fluke with an upset win in the first round over 2023 finalist South Side last week. Senior quarterback Aaron Walsh led the way for the Bucs with a touchdown pass and 119 yards rushing to go with a scoring run.

Laurel: It has been quite a run these last three weeks for the Spartans defense, allowing only 14 total points in wins over playoff teams South Side, Neshannock and Jefferson-Morgan. Laurel defused the Rockets in a shutout last week with a strong defense and the play of senior quarterback Luca Santini, who threw two touchdowns to Ethan Hamilla, plus he scored on a 5-yard run. Kolton Carlson rushed for 91 yards and Jacob McBride added 62 yards on the ground with each adding a touchdown for Laurel.

Historic factoids

• This is the second meeting between Washington County’s Chartiers-Houston from the south and Lawrence County’s Laurel from the north. The Spartans won the only meeting against the Buccaneers

• That first meeting was also in the postseason, a 2016 Class 2A first-round matchup between the No. 9 Spartans and the No. 8 Buccaneers. Visiting Laurel won the game, 10-6, with the winning points coming with just over two minutes left in the game on a Spencer Jones blocked punt return for a touchdown.

• This is the 45th anniversary of the only football WPIAL championship won by Laurel. The Spartans edged Clairton at Three Rivers Stadium to win the 1980 Class A crown, 14-12. John Walker and Mike Wilson scored the two touchdowns for the Spartans.

• The playoff victory for Chartiers-Houston last week was its first postseason triumph since edging Clairton in the first round of the 2000 Class A playoffs, 14-7. The Bucs fell in the quarterfinals to eventual champion Rochester, 7-3.

No. 10 Jeannette (8-3) vs. No. 2 Clairton (10-1)

No. 11 Frazier (7-4) vs. No. 3 Bishop Canevin (8-3)

7 p.m. Friday, AHN Field at Big Mac Stadium in Canonsburg

Coaches: Tony Battaglini, Frazier; Rod Steele, Bishop Canevin

On air: Video streamed on NFHS and audio streamed on Trib HSSN

How they got here: Frazier finished in fourth place in the Eastern Conference and received a wild card berth, then upset California in the first round. Bishop Canevin finished in second place in the Black Hills Conference and in Round 1 of the playoffs, outlasted Greensburg Central Catholic to advance.

Last week: Frazier 27, California 12; Bishop Canevin 50, Greensburg Central Catholic 35

Winner plays: The Commodores/Crusaders winner will play the Jeannette/Clairton winner in the semifinals

Players to watch: Derek Diamond, Frazier (Sr., 6-0, 220, RB/K/OLB); Myontae Mott, Bishop Canevin (Jr., 5-7, 160, RB/LB)

Team notes

Frazier: The Commodores’ success story has been incredible, emerging after winning a combined four games in the last four years, including a 2-8 campaign a year ago. Last week, the great story added another big chapter with an upset of Tri-County South Conference champion California. Senior running back Derek Diamond powered his way for 98 yards and a touchdown run while Commodores quarterback Brady Secrest threw for 118 yards and three touchdowns, all to Chase Fulmer, who had 107 yards in receptions.

Bishop Canevin: The Crusaders were in a dogfight in the opening round with Greensburg Central Catholic as the teams entered the fourth quarter tied at 28. From there, Bishop Canevin took control, scoring 22 of the game’s final 29 points. Junior running back Myontae Mott rushed for 181 yards and a touchdown while Damar Olds, taking over as BC quarterback with Brady Wagner ineligible, threw for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Plus he rushed for 66 yards and three scores in the wild win.

Historic factoids

• This is the sixth meeting between Frazier and Bishop Canevin. The Crusaders have four wins in the series while the Commodores have only one.

• All five previous meetings between the teams were nonconference matchups with the first meeting in 1992 and the most recent contest between the Commodores and Crusaders taking place in Week Zero in 2021.

• The four Bishop Canevin wins came in 1992, 2010, 2011 and 2021 by a combined score of 152-12. The only victory in the series for Frazier came in 1993 by a score of 36-22.

• Bishop Canevin has captured WPIAL football gold twice, in 1990 over Washington in the 2A title game, 21-20, and in 2021 when it defeated Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in the Class A finals, 42-7.

• Frazier has never won a WPIAL football championship; however, 65 years ago, old Perryopolis High School was shut out by Washington Township in the 1960 Class A championship game, 26-0.

Tags: Bethel Park, Bishop Canevin, Chartiers-Houston, Ellwood City, Fort Cherry, Frazier, Hopewell, Imani Christian, Laurel, Mohawk, Neshannock, Peters Township, Pine-Richland, Seton La Salle, Shaler, Steel Valley