CTK ’14: WPIAL 2013 Double-A Football Flashback

By: Bruce Markey
Wednesday, August 6, 2014 | 5:13 PM

Aliquippa continued their ‘annual’ march to Heinz Field last fall, but in the end, it was South Fayette that was perfect. The Lions beat the Quips for the second time in four years for the WPIAL Class AA crown, then three weeks later, completed a 16-0 season by adding PIAA gold to their treasure chest.

2013 WPIAL Double-A Headlines:

*  South Fayette won their first WPIAL football championship in 1964, then had to wait nearly a half century before winning their second district title in 2010. The wait for number three only lasted four years as Joe Rossi’s Lions won the Century Conference, the WPIAL and the schools first ever PIAA football championship in a perfect season for the green machine.

*  A half dozen…and counting. That is the current run that the great Aliquippa High School football program is on in playing for WPIAL football championships at Heinz Field. The Quips are an even 3-3 in those title games, with victories over Beaver Falls in 2008, Jeannette in 2001 and Washington in 2012. The losses were to Greensburg Central Catholic in 2009 and South Fayette in both 2010 and 2013. 

*  Holy Bicentennial Batman! In 1976, our nation turned 200 years old and Kittanning High School won a football conference championship. Slow forward 37 years later and the Wildcats were finally celebrating another conference title as Frank Fabian’s team was a perfect 9-0 in winning the Class AA Allegheny Conference crown. Unfortunately, Kittanning’s historic season ended quickly in the postseason with a 57-42 shootout loss to Yough.

*  It was a wild season at Wash High. One of the top teams coming into the 2013 campaign, the Little Prexies championship hopes suffered a major blow with a season ending leg injury to Pitt recruit Shai McKenzie. Then just making the playoffs was on shaky ground when the use of a possibly ineligible player came to light and it looked like the Little Prexies would have to forfeit wins that would cost them a postseason berth. But at the 11th hour, Washington only had to forfeit one victory as the Little Prexies finished second in the Interstate Conference and lost to Seton-LaSalle in the First Round of the WPIAL playoffs.

*  Six teams made the WPIAL Class AA football playoffs in 2013 after missing out in 2012. Some of those squads were making rare recent postseason appearances such as New Brighton, Yough, South Park and Quaker Valley. However there was a team that qualified for the first time…EVER. After coming close but always playing the role of playoff spectator in their years as a District 7 member, the Knights got off to a strong start and finished 5-4 overall and in fourth place in the Allegheny Conference. In their first ever WPIAL playoff game, Summit Academy fell to Beaver Falls 50-26.

2013 WPIAL Double-A Standings:

Midwestern Conference:
#-Aliquippa Quips : (7-0) – (10-0)
*-Beaver Falls Tigers : (6-1) – (8-2)
*-New Brighton Lions : (5-2) – (6-4)
*-Beaver Bobcats : (4-3) – (7-3)
x-Mohawk Warriors : (3-4) – (3-6)
x-Ellwood City Wolverines : (2-5) – (4-5)
x-Riverside Panthers : (1-6) – (1-8)
x-Freedom Bulldogs : (0-7) – (0-9)

Interstate Conference:
#-Mount Pleasant Vikings : (9-0) – (10-0)
*-Washington Little Prexies : (6-2) – (7-3)
*-Yough Cougars : (5-3) – (6-4)
*-Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions: (5-3) – (5-5)
x-Jeannette Jayhawks : (4-4) – (4-5)
x-Waynesburg Raiders : (3-5) – (4-5)
x-Southmoreland Scotties : (3-5) – (4-6)
x-Brownsville Falcons : (1-7) – (1-8)
x-Charleroi Cougars : (1-7) – (2-7)

Century Conference:
#-South Fayette Lions : (8-0) – (10-0)
*-Quaker Valley Quakers : (7-1) – (8-2)
*-Seton-LaSalle Rebels : (6-2) – (8-2)
*-South Park Eagles : (5-3) – (5-5)
x-Steel Valley Ironmen : (4-4) – (4-5)
x-McGuffey Highlanders : (3-5) – (5-5)
x-Keystone Oaks Golden Eagles : (2-6) – (2-7)
x-South Allegheny Gladiators : (1-7) – (1-9)
x-Burgettstown Blue Devils : (0-8) – (0-9)

Allegheny Conference:
#-Kittanning Wildcats : (8-0) – (9-1)
*-Shady Side Academy Indians : (7-1) – (8-2)
*-Summit Academy Knights : (5-3) – (5-5)
*-Valley Vikings : (5-3) – (6-4)
x-East Allegheny Wildcats : (4-4) – (5-5)
x-Burrell Buccaneers : (3-5) – (4-5)
x-Ford City Sabers : (2-6) – (3-6)
x-Freeport Yellowjackets : (2-6) – (2-7)
x-Deer Lakes Lancers : (0-8) – (0-9)

2013 WPIAL Double-A Playoffs:

2013 WPIAL CLASS AA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:

South Fayette Lions 34 – Aliquippa Quips 28 

WPIAL CLASS AA Semifinals:

Aliquippa Quips 57 – Beaver Bobcats 14 

South Fayette Lions 35 – Beaver Falls Tigers 7 

WPIAL CLASS AA Quarterfinals:

Aliquippa Quips 43 – Quaker Valley Quakers 26 

Beaver Bobcats 21 – Mount Pleasant Vikings 7 

South Fayette Lions 31 – Seton-LaSalle Rebels 7 

Beaver Falls Tigers 43 – Yough Cougars 7 

WPIAL CLASS AA First Round:

Aliquippa Quips 41 – South Park Eagles 0 

Quaker Valley Quakers 29 – New Brighton Lions 15 

Mount Pleasant Vikings 48 – Valley Vikings 14 

Beaver Bobcats 42 – Shady Side Academy Indians 21 

South Fayette Lions 49 – Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions 0 

Seton-LaSalle Rebels 35 – Washington Little Prexies 27

Yough Cougars 57 – Kittanning Wildcats 42 

Beaver Falls Tigers 50 – Summit Academy Knights 26 

2013 PIAA Double-A Playoffs:

2013 PIAA CLASS AA FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:

SOUTH FAYETTE LIONS 41 – Imhotep Charter Panthers 0

PIAA CLASS AA Semifinals:

SOUTH FAYETTE LIONS 23 – Hickory Hornets 20  (MSA)

Imhotep Charter Panthers 20 – Berks Catholic Saints 0

PIAA CLASS AA Quarterfinals:

SOUTH FAYETTE LIONS 57 – Karns City Gremlins 21 

Hickory Hornets 35 – Martinsburg Central Scarlet Dragons 27

Berks Catholic Saints 33 – Troy Trojans 6

Imhotep Charter Panthers 49 – Catasauqua Rough Riders 0

PIAA CLASS AA First Round:

SOUTH FAYETTE LIONS 34 – ALIQUIPPA QUIPS 28 

Karns City Gremlins 35 – Chestnut Ridge Lions 14

Martinsburg Central Scarlet Dragons 27 – Richland Rams 22

Hickory Hornets 21 – Girard Yellowjackets 10

Troy Trojans 35 – Danville Ironmen 14

Berks Catholic Saints 42 – Littlestown Thunderbolts 0

Imhotep Charter Panthers 48 – West Catholic Burrs 8  

Catasauqua Rough Riders 33 – Lake-Lehman Knights 21