Trib HSSN high school football team of the week for Nov. 9, 2025

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, November 9, 2025 | 6:19 PM

Trib HSSN football team of the week – McKeesport Tigers

Coach: Matt Miller (10th season)

Result: McKeesport 28, Thomas Jefferson 3

Record: 5-0 and Class 4A Greater Allegheny Conference champions, 9-3 overall

#Earned: In McKeesport, they really do believe that the third time will be a golden charm. The Tigers are headed back to the WPIAL Class 4A championship game for a third straight season after eliminating defending champion Thomas Jefferson, 28-3. The victory is the seventh in a row for a team that had to deal with plenty of injuries and a tough nonconference schedule early in the season that left them with a 2-3 record at the midway point. McKeesport swept through its Greater Allegheny Conference slate to win the title with a perfect 5-0 mark. As the top seed in the postseason, the Tigers won at home over Chartiers Valley in the quarterfinals, 44-7, to set up a rematch with TJ. The Jaguars beat the Tigers in the 2024 WPIAL 4A finals, 28-7, and defeated the ‘Port again in Week 2 of this season, 16-7. McKeesport scored on its first drive against Thomas Jefferson in the semifinals at Chartiers Valley, and then added another TD before halftime. The Jaguars kicked a field goal for their only points in the third quarter before the Tigers pulled away with two fourth-quarter touchdowns.

Statistical standouts: It’s easy to “spell” out the biggest difference between the Week 2 loss to Thomas Jefferson by nine points and the Week 11 victory over the Jaguars by 25 points for McKeesport. It was a healthy running back in Kemon Spell. The junior ran wild and free in the district semifinals, rushing for 315 yards on 16 carries and scoring three touchdowns on an opening quarter run of 6 yards and magical scoring jaunts of 97 yards in the second quarter and 55 yards in the fourth quarter. He became the all-time leading rusher in McKeesport’s tradition-rich history in the final four win. Tigers teammate Akeem Cochran ran once, but took it to the house on a 59-yard icing-on-the-cake score to cap off the victory.

Last year: The Tigers were happy to see September coming to an end last fall. Heading into the final Friday of the ninth month and the start of 4A Greater Allegheny Conference play, McKeesport was 1-4 after losing its first three games of the season to Lake High School in Ohio, Peters Township and Thomas Jefferson. Following the team’s first win of the season over Belle Vernon in Week 3, the Tigers lost to Upper St. Clair to conclude their nonconference schedule. Much like this season, however, McKeesport swept through the GAC to finish the regular season at 6-4. In the Class 4A playoffs, the Tigers defeated Belle Vernon in the quarterfinals, 34-11, and GAC foe Mars in the semifinals, 35-7, to return to the district 4A title game; there they lost to Thomas Jefferson at Norwin, 28-7.

Remember when: McKeesport is one win away from winning the program’s fifth district championship. The Tigers were tri-champions in Class 3A with New Castle and Jeannette in 1932; their first outright crown came six years later when they beat Johnstown in the 1938 finals, 38-20. The school’s first Class 4A championship was in 1994 with a win over Upper St. Clair, 21-14. That team would later beat Downingtown to win the school’s first PIAA title. The most recent championship came 20 years ago when McKeesport defeated Shaler, North Hills and Mt. Lebanon to reach the Class 4A finals where it knocked off rival Woodland Hills, 19-7. A second state championship followed three weeks later with a convincing victory over Bethlehem Liberty, 49-10. Dan Kopolovich was the Tigers quarterback with a trio of backs all contributing in the famous flex-bone offense: Tarvis McBride, Warren Waite and fullback Anthony Leonard.

Week 11 honorable mention

North Allegheny

With North Allegheny suffering back-to-back losses to Pine-Richland and Seneca Valley to end the regular season and with Norwin finishing strong with two wins and four victories in its last five games, there were plenty of people expecting the Knights to throw a monkey wrench in the expected North Allegheny vs. Central Catholic annual title match. However, the Tigers roared to victory with Luke Rohan rushing for 181 yards and three touchdowns as NA bounced Norwin, 35-17.

Upper St. Clair

Upper St. Clair headed to the Wolvarena in Turtle Creek on Friday knowing it had to start quick and keep the ball out of Woodland Hills star Scoop Smith’s hands. Early on, the Panthers failed on both. Trailing 14-0 thanks in part to a Smith opening kickoff return for a touchdown, the Panthers rallied big time thanks to the running back tandem of John Banbury, who rushed for 142 yards and three touchdowns, and Dante Coury, who gained 101 yards and added a TD as USC prevailed, 36-26.

North Catholic

A year ago in the WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinals, host Elizabeth Forward and North Catholic combined for 87 points as the Warriors edged the Trojans on a last-second field goal, 45-42. There were no late-game dramatics when the teams battled in a driving rain storm Friday, but they did manage to duplicate the combined 87 points scored in the quarterfinals a year ago. Joey Felitsky continued his hot hand with 263 yards passing and five touchdowns, three to Ryker Kennedy, as the Trojans avenged their loss with a win over the Warriors, 55-32.

Washington

South Allegheny tied for the Class 2A Allegheny Conference crown with Apollo-Ridge and Steel Valley with only one loss this season. Washington finished in second place in the Century Conference, one game behind Seton LaSalle with only two defeats in 2025. What was expected to be one of the top games of the night turned into an impressive showing by the Little Prexies, who scored two defensive touchdowns. Jahvon Woods rushed for 121 yards and Tristan Reed scored twice, including a 23-yard pick six, as Washington cruised past South Allegheny, 31-7.

2025 Trib HSSN teams of the week

Week 10 – Frazier Commodores

Week 9 – Steel Valley Ironmen

Week 8 – Moon Tigers

Week 7 – North Allegheny Tigers

Week 6 – Apollo-Ridge Vikings

Week 5 – Albert Gallatin Colonials

Week 4 – Aliquippa Quips

Week 3 – Avella Eagles

Week 2 – Southmoreland Scotties

Week 1 – Mars Fightin’ Planets

Week Zero – Upper St. Clair Panthers

Tags: McKeesport