Just like the teams, Chick’s Picks makes her way to WPIAL football championships

By: Chick's Picks
Thursday, November 18, 2021 | 11:44 AM

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Welcome to Week 12.

As Chick’s Picks continued her cruise on the Highway to Heinz this week, she ran into a bit of a detour along the way. After programming her crystal ball’s GPS, Chick’s Picks noticed that an unexpected stop had been added to her route. Then, Chick’s Picks remembered the WPIAL championships also run through Norwin High School, site of the Class 6A title game this week.

The experience brought back many memories of trips on the Highway to Heinz in years past, where Chick’s Picks encountered countless detours in her travels. Some of those detours even occurred in the era before GPS was readily available in cars (or crystal balls), and drivers had to rely on websites such as Mapquest to reach a destination. There was no such thing as recalculating the route on demand when your directions were printed on paper.

Chick’s Picks realized her trip down memory lane made her sound a lot like The Boss when he regaled her with stories of walking to school uphill both ways. Nonetheless, Chick’s Picks was thankful for her high-tech crystal ball map app to help her once again navigate the Highway to Heinz.

Chick’s Picks finished last week with a 19-6 (76%) record, bringing her season total to 499-164 (75%). Here are this week’s big games:

WPIAL CLASS 6A

Championship

No. 2 Central Catholic Vikings (9-2) vs. No. 1 Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils (11-0)

Class 6A’s top two teams battle for WPIAL gold at Norwin Saturday night. Central advanced to the title game with a 42-21 semifinal victory over Seneca Valley last week, while Mt. Lebanon knocked off North Allegheny, 49-26. The defending WPIAL champion Vikings are led by quarterback Payton Wehner, who has thrown for 1,364 yards and 16 touchdowns. Gannon Carothers complements the Central running game with 873 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. The Blue Devils’ offense is firing on all cylinders, starting with quarterback Joey Daniels, who has thrown for 1,329 yards and 19 touchdowns. Alex Tecza, one of the WPIAL’s top running backs, has racked up 1,589 rushing yards and 17 scores. Eli Heidenreich ranks among the best receivers in the district with his 831 yards and 14 touchdowns. Both Central and Mt. Lebanon are averaging 37 points per game. The Blue Devils are holding opponents to less than 10 points per game, with the Vikings not far behind at 13.8 points per game. Mt. Lebanon owns seven WPIAL championships — the most recent in 2000. Central holds eight WPIAL titles, including each of the past two years and five of the last 10 years. When these two met in Week 6, Mt. Lebanon knocked off Central in a game that spanned two days due to a severe thunderstorm. Chick’s Picks predicts that lightning won’t strike twice for the Blue Devils…Central Catholic over Mt. Lebanon.

WPIAL CLASS 5A

No. 5 Penn Hills Indians (8-3) vs. No. 1 Moon Tigers (11-0)

The Indians take on the Tigers in a Class 5A semifinal Friday night at North Allegheny. In last week’s semifinals, Penn Hills upset No. 4 Gateway, 23-20, while Moon held off Woodland Hills, 21-13. Versatile quarterback Julian Duggar captains the Indians’ offense, throwing for 1,153 yards and 18 touchdowns in addition to his 548 rushing yards and nine scores. Tyler McGowan has helped the Tigers to a perfect record with his 1,081 passing yards and seven touchdowns. Dylan Sleva leads the Moon running attack with 642 yards and nine touchdowns. Penn Hills’ only blemishes this season came to Class 6A No. 2 Central Catholic, No. 3 Pine-Richland and No. 4 Gateway — a loss the Indians avenged to advance to this semifinal round. The Tigers are outscoring opponents by 18 points per game, compared to that of the Indians at 5 points per game. Chick’s Picks predicts the Indians use the momentum from last week’s upset to knock off the top seed this time…Penn Hills over Moon.

WPIAL CLASS 4A

No. 3 McKeesport Tigers (9-2) vs. No. 2 Aliquippa Quips (9-1)

Class 4A semifinal action heats up when McKeesport faces off against Aliquippa in a battle between perennial powers Friday night at Canon-McMillan. The Tigers are coming off of a 35-21 quarterfinal victory over Armstrong last week, while the Quips blanked Laurel Highlands, 36-0. McKeesport relies on its steadfast running game, led by Bobbie Boyd, who has rushed for 1,415 yards and 13 touchdowns on the year. Aliquippa has gotten it done through the air and on the ground. Quentin Goode has passed for 1,430 yards and 14 touchdowns. Tiqwai Hayes has racked up 1,149 rushing yards and 12 scores on the year. The Tigers’ two losses this season came to Canisius (N.Y.) and Belle Vernon. The Quips’ lone loss came at the hands of Central Valley. Aliquippa boasts a solid defense that allows only 8.6 points per game — nearly half that of the Tigers’ 16.2 points per game. Chick’s Picks predicts that the Quips punch yet another ticket to Heinz Field to add to their storied history…Aliquippa over McKeesport.

WPIAL CLASS 3A

No. 3 Avonworth Antelopes (9-2) vs. No. 2 North Catholic Trojans (11-0)

The Antelopes take on the Trojans in Class 3A semifinal action at Fox Chapel Friday night. Avonworth rolled over Mt. Pleasant in the quarterfinal round, 49-7, while North Catholic held off Keystone Oaks, 48-41. The Antelopes’ balanced offensive attack is led by quarterback Nathan Harper, who has thrown for 1,145 yards and 11 touchdowns. Ian Syam has racked up 1,249 rushing yards and 19 scores. The Trojans feature quarterback Joey Prentice, who has passed for 1,404 yards and 22 scores. Kyle Tipinksi has been on the receiving end of 418 yards and nine touchdowns, to go along with his 444 rushing yards and seven scores. Avonworth’s only blemishes this season came to Central Valley and Sto-Rox. Both defenses are holding opponents to less than 10 points per game. North Catholic is averaging 43.7 points per game — 11 points more per game than Avonworth. Chick’s Picks predicts that the Trojans remain perfect en route to Heinz Field…North Catholic over Avonworth.

WPIAL CLASS 2A

No. 5 Beaver Falls Tigers (8-3) vs. No. 1 Steel Valley Ironmen (11-0)

Top seed Steel Valley faces off against Beaver Falls in a Class 2A semifinal battle at Dormont Stadium Friday night. In last week’s quarterfinals, the Ironmen eliminated South Side Beaver, 28-12, while the Tigers blanked New Brighton, 20-0. Steel Valley will be without the services of the WPIAL’s leading rusher Nijhay Burt, who rushed for 2,015 yards and 35 touchdowns before suffering an ankle injury in last week’s victory. The Ironmen will look to dual-threat quarterback Cruce Brookins, who is the team’s second leading rusher with 886 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Tigers will still have to contend with a stingy Steel Valley defense that has allowed only 76 points in 11 games. Beaver Falls quarterback Jaren Brickner ranks among the best in the WPIAL with 2,387 passing yards and 24 touchdowns. Tigers’ key receiver Trey Singleton, also one of the WPIAL’s best, has 823 yards and 11 touchdowns on the year. Beaver Falls opened the season 0-3, losing to Blackhawk, Aliquippa and Laurel. Since then, though, the Tigers are 8-0, outscoring opponents 338-64, and recording three shutouts. Chick’s Picks predicts that the Tigers continue to roll, right to Heinz Field…Beaver Falls over Steel Valley.

WPIAL CLASS A

No. 5 Rochester Rams (9-2) vs. No. 9 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Chargers (8-3)

The Rams take on the Chargers in a Class A semifinal showdown at Martorelli Stadium Friday night. Rochester advanced with a 27-7 win over Springdale in last week’s quarterfinals, while OLSH pulled a huge upset of top-ranked Clairton, 29-15. The Rams feature 1,000-yard rusher Sal Laure, who has found paydirt 14 times this season. The Chargers are led by Nehemiah Azeem, who has thrown for 1,497 yards and nine touchdowns on the year. Ziggy McIntosh has been Azeem’s favorite target, racking up 697 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Stephen Greer heads the Chargers’ ground game, rushing for 626 yards and four scores. Rochester’s stingy defense has allowed only 89 points all season. When these two met in Week 5, the Rams rolled over the Chargers, 34-7. Chick’s Picks predicts that the glass slipper no longer fits the Cinderella Chargers this week…Rochester over OLSH.

In this week’s other games:

WPIAL CLASS 5A

Semifinals

Pine-Richland over Penn-Trafford

WPIAL CLASS 4A

Semifinals

Belle Vernon over Thomas Jefferson

WPIAL CLASS 3A

Semifinals

Central Valley over Elizabeth Forward

WPIAL CLASS 2A

Semifinals

Sto-Rox over Serra Catholic

WPIAL CLASS A

Semifinals

Bishop Canevin over Cornell

PIAA CLASS 6A

Districts 8-10 regional championship

McDowell over Allderdice

PIAA CLASS 2A

First round

Farrell over Westinghouse

Tags: Aliquippa, Avonworth, Beaver Falls, Central Catholic, McKeesport, Moon, Mt. lebanon, North Catholic, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Penn Hills, Rochester, Steel Valley