Scholastic Notebook – 11/26/2015

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, November 26, 2015 | 11:04 PM

The weather has been pretty good the past few days. That means it’s a perfect time to pick a fresh batch of “factoids” from the “factoid tree.” They always go well with the WPIAL football championships, which are Saturday at Heinz Field.

**** Just about all of the coaches in the title games have had that championship feeling before. Penn-Trafford’s John Ruane and Jeannette’s Roy Hall are the only coaches who haven’t won a title. Between the other seven, there are 17 championships. Aliquippa’s Mike Zmijanac has won five, Thomas Jefferson’s Bill Cherpak four, South Fayette’s Joe Rossi three, Central Valley’s Mark Lyons two, Pittsburgh Central Catholic’s Terry Totten two and Clairton’s Wayne Wade one.

**** If Aliquippa wins, Zmijanac will be one of only seven coaches in WPIAL history to win six or more championships. New Castle’s Phil Bridenbaugh and West Allegheny’s Bob Palko both have seven (one of Bridenbaugh’s was a co-championship). Four coaches have six titles. Chuck Klausing won six at Braddock (including one co-championship). George Novak won five at Woodland Hills and one at Steel Valley. Art Walker won five at Mt. Lebanon and one at Shady Side Academy and Tom Nola won six at Clairton.

**** If South Fayette wins, it will stretch its winning streak to 45, which is one away from the second-longest in WPIAL history. Braddock won 46 from 1955-60 and Clairton 66 from 2009-13.

**** Aliquippa has won 15 championships, the most in league history. Clairton has won 11.

**** Aliquippa and South Fayette meet in the title game for the third consecutive years. No two teams have played in the title game three years in a row since the WPIAL started playing championships 100 years ago. There have been 10 other championship rematches.

**** The Aliquippa-South Fayette game is only the 21^st title game since 1977 that matches two undefeated and untied teams.

**** Did you know that there didn’t used to be overtime in WPIAL championship games until 1987? Teams that tied were simply declared co-champions.

**** Thomas Jefferson and Aliquippa are both in title games this year. Thirty-give years ago, they played each other in a most memorable championship at Pitt Stadium. In one of the biggest upsets in WPIAL championships, heavily-favored Aliquippa was defeated by Thomas Jefferson, 28-8. Thomas Jefferson was coached by legendary Bap Manzini and led by a tremendous running back tandem – Pedro Bowman and Darnell Stone. Aliquippa coach Mike Zmijanac was an assistant under Don Yannessa on that Aliquippa team.

**** Penn-Trafford has 5,739 yards passing. He could become only the 10^th quarterback in WPIAL history to throw for 6,000 career yards.

**** Jeannette coach Roy Hall was the offensive coordinator when Jeannette had quarterback Terrelle Pryor and won back-to-back WPIAL titles in 2006 and 2007. The 2007 team scored 61 points against Beaver Falls. It was the most points ever scored in a title game at Three Rivers or Heinz.

**** Penn-Trafford coach John Ruane was an assistant coach at Gateway in 2007 for the famous Gateway vs. Central Catholic game. Gateway scored a touchdown on the final play of the game, a hook-and-lateral play. Central Catholic won in overtime.

**** This is the 30^th consecutive season that the WPIAL will play all four title games at one site. The first time was in 1986 at Three Rivers Stadium.

**** Clairton coach Wayne Wade was Clairton’s quarterback 26 years ago on a team that won a WPIAL title at Three Rivers Stadium.

**** This is the eighth consecutive year Aliquippa will play in the Class AA title game.

**** Who will the WPIAL champs play next?:

In Class AAAA, the champ will play the winner of McDowell and State College.

The Class AAA champ will play the winner of Conneaut and Cathedral Prep.

The Class AA champ will meet the winner of Karns City and Beford.

In Class A, the WPIAL champ will go against the winner of Berlin Brothersvalley and Nothern Bedford.