PIAA Class 4A football championship breakdown: Aliquippa vs. Bishop McDevitt

By: Chris Harlan
Thursday, December 9, 2021 | 1:03 AM

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PIAA Class 4A championship

Aliquippa vs. Bishop McDevitt

7 p.m. Thursday, Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey

On the air: TV: PCN; Radio: WKPL-FM (92.1), WBVP-AM (1230), WBVP-FM (99.3), WMBA-AM (1460); Streaming audio: tribhssn.triblive.com

PIAA titles: Aliquippa 3 (1991, 2003, ‘18); Bishop McDevitt 1 (1995)

Aliquippa (12-1)

Player to watch: Tiqwai Hayes

Each team has a star freshman in this game. Aliquippa’s is Hayes, a ninth-grade running back who has shouldered more carries this season (213) than many WPIAL seniors. In four playoff games combined, he’s rushed for 571 yards and nine touchdowns on 108 carries. Penn State offered him his first college scholarship after scoring twice in the WPIAL championship.

How they got here: WPIAL champion Aliquippa defeated Belle Vernon, 28-13, in the district finals and District 4 champion Jersey Shore, 41-16, in the PIAA semifinals.

Statistical leaders

Passing: Quentin Goode, 105-186, 1,800 yards, 17 TDs, 5 INTs

Rushing: Tiqwai Hayes, 213-1,605 yards, 20 TDs

Receiving: Cyair Clark, 31-605 yards, 5 TDs

Probable starting lineup

Coach: Mike Warfield

Offense

QB, 4, Quentin Goode, 5-7, 155, so.

RB, 23, Tiqwai Hayes, 5-9. 170, fr.

RB, 25, Jon Tracy, 5-9, 182, so.

WR, 6, Cyair Clark, 5-8, 162, sr.

WR, 9, Brandon Banks, 6-0, 172, so.

WR, 10, Tajier Thornton, 5-6, 165, sr.

LT, 70, Naquan Crowder, 6-4, 345, jr.

LG, 56, Jason McBride, 6-4, 325, jr.

C, 53, Braylon Wilcox, 5-10, 200, so.

RG, 52, Neco Eberhardt, 6-2, 280, jr.

RT, 72, Tyrese Jones, 6-7, 365, sr.

Defense

DE, 12, Dorius Moreland, 6-0, 185, jr.

DT, 52, Neco Eberhardt, 6-2, 280, jr.

DT, 70, Naquan Crowder, 6-4, 345, jr.

DT, 56, Jason McBride, 6-4, 325, jr.

DE, 82, Jonathan King, 6-2, 165, so.

LB, 3, Isaiah Martinez, 5-6, 205, jr.

LB, 6, Cyair Clark, 5-8, 162, sr.

LB, 11, Cameron Lindsey, 6-2, 210, so.

DB, 9, Brandon Banks, 6-0, 172, so.

DB, 14, John Sparrow, 5-9, 162, sr.

DB, 21, Donovan Walker, 6-1, 180, jr.

Special teams

K/P, 89, Emmanuel Gyadu-Mantey, 5-8, 154, sr.

Notable: Aliquippa has now reached the state finals twice in Mike Warfield’s four seasons as coach. The Quips defeated Middletown, 35-0, in the 2018 Class 3A final. … This is the team’s eighth state finals appearance overall. Along with wins in 1991, 2003 and ’18, the Quips were state runners-up in 1988, 2000, ’12 and ’15. … DT Jason McBride leads the defense with 61 tackles and nine tackles for loss. DE Dorius Moreland has 53 tackles and a team-high nine sacks. … Sophomore RB Jon Tracy has served a complementary role in the backfield to Hayes. Tracy has 639 yards and 12 touchdowns on 102 carries.

Bishop McDevitt (12-1)

Player to watch: Stone Saunders

Saunders is only a freshman, but the quarterback already lists college offers from Maryland and Michigan. He has thrown for 43 touchdowns, including a seven-TD game in October, but he’s slowed a little in the playoffs. In the past two weeks combined, Saunders completed 10 of 26 passes for 128 yards, one TD and two INTs. His father Steve is the Baltimore Ravens’ strength and conditioning coach.

How they got here: District 3 champion Bishop McDevitt defeated Lampeter-Strasburg, 7-0, in the district finals and District 1 champion Bishop Shanahan, 28-21, in the PIAA semifinals.

Statistical leaders

Passing: Stone Saunders, 133-206, 2,798 yards, 43 TDs, 4 INTs

Rushing: Marquese Williams, 148-1,657 yards, 25 TDs

Receiving: Mario Easterly, 53-945 yards, 14 TDs

Probable starting lineup

Coach: Jeff Weachter

Offense

QB, 8, Stone Saunders, 6-1, 175, fr.

RB, 26, Marquese Williams, 5-11, 185, jr.

WR, 5, Mario Easterly, 6-1, 175, sr.

WR, 6, Rico Scott, 6-1, 180, so.

WR, 2, Kamil Foster, 6-0, 195, sr.

TE, 32, Nate Kinsey, 6-2, 205, sr.

LT, 59, Gabe Arena, 6-5, 285, jr.

LG, 77, Dimitri Chacon, 6-4, 310, jr.

C, 53, Kameron Zaengle, 6-1, 270, jr.

RG, 55, Riley Robell, 6-3, 270, jr.

RT, 52, Ethan Straining, 6-3, 250, jr.

Defense

DE, 32, Nate Kinsey, 6-2, 205, sr.

DT, 55, Riley Robell, 6-3, 270, jr.

DT, 80, Zach Hare, 6-0, 190, jr.

DE, 23, Jamani George-Heron, 6-1, 265, sr.

LB, 44, Ryan Russo, 6-2, 215, sr.

LB, 7, Kade Werner, 5-11, 185, jr

LB, 4, Bryce Enders, 5-10, 210, sr.

DB, 21, Chase Regan, 5-10, 165, so.

DB, 2, Kamil Foster, 6-0, 195, sr.

DB, 30, Ty Kephart, 5-11, 190, so.

DB, 22, Tyshawn Russell, 6-2, 170, jr.

Special teams

K, 47, Michael Chiha, 5-8, 155, sr.

P, 41, Corey Kalinoski, 5-9, 155, sr.

Notable: Bishop McDevitt is a Catholic school in the Diocese of Harrisburg. … The school’s best-known football alum is likely former Pitt and NFL running back LeSean McCoy, who was a senior there in 2005. The school has produced a number of NFL players. Former Notre Dame and NFL running back Ricky Watters played for McDevitt. He graduated in 1987. … McDevitt won its only state title in 1991. The Crusaders were state runners-up in 2010, ’11 and ’13. … The team could finish the year with two 1,000-yard rushers. Junior RB Cyncire Bowers has 987 yards on 83 carries. Bowers had 52 yards and a TD on 11 carries in the state semifinals. He averages 11.9 yards per carry. … Ryan Russo leads the team with 51 solo tackles.

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