What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Dec. 13, 2023: Remembering Revis as Aliquippa plays basketball opener

By: Don Rebel
Tuesday, December 12, 2023 | 10:30 PM

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Today we look back at one of the greatest achievements by any athlete in WPIAL history.

Twenty years ago, Aliquippa reached the 2003 PIAA Class 2A football championship game against a Northern Lehigh team that had yielded only 47 points all season.

Quips senior Darrelle Revis put on a classic performance in the championship game.

Revis rushed for 91 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winning score on a 64-yard run. He also returned a kickoff 89 yards for a score and scooped up a blocked field goal and raced 69 yards for another touchdown.

He accounted for 30 of the Quips’ 32 points in the 32-27 triumph, plus he completed a pass, had a reception, had one interception and another negated by a penalty, had five tackles, drove the team bus and dug for the gold needed to make his and his teammates medals.

OK, those last two might not have actually happened.

To make his performance even more legendary, two days following that historic state title game, he scored 35 points as the Aliquippa boys basketball team defeated rival Beaver Falls in overtime, 86-82.

We recall this amazing moment because the Quips basketball team finally opens up its season Wednesday against visiting Beaver Falls at 7:30 p.m.

Will history repeat with a monster performance by Tikey Hayes (222 yards and 3 TDs vs Dallas) or Quintin Goode (149 yards passing and a TD)?

While it’s the season opener for the Quips, the Tigers lost their season opener last week to Class 6A power New Castle and played Winchester Thurston on Tuesday.

District powers twin bill

There are plenty of schools around the state that have built strong basketball programs with boys their boys and girls teams.

Two of them collide Wednesday in a girls/boys hardwood doubleheader when District 5 Berlin-Brothersvalley visits Greensburg Central Catholic.

The Mountaineers girls and boys teams both won district championships last season. The boys team reached the PIAA Class A championship game before falling to Imani Christian while the girls team lost in the state semifinals to eventual champion Union.

The Centurions boys team won a section title but lost to Aliquippa in the WPIAL semifinals and District 9 champion Otto-Eldred in the opening round of the PIAA playoffs. The GCC girls team was knocked off in the district quarterfinals by Burgettstown, then lost in the PIAA semifinals to District 10 Kennedy Catholic.

This season, the Berlin-Brothersvalley girls team is 2-2 while the boys squad is off to a 3-0 start. The Greensburg Central Catholic girls are 2-1 while the boys are 4-1 with three straight victories.

Mat rematch

One of the top wrestling matches slated for Wednesday is a nonsection rematch of last year’s thrilling Class 3A championship match as Canon-McMillan visits Waynesburg.

The Big Macs captured their 10th district title and first in a decade in early February when they defeated the Raiders, 28-28 by criteria D, which is most team wins. Canon-McMillan had seven while Waynesburg had six.

The loss ended a three-year run as district champion for the Raiders.

Also on Wednesday, there are plenty of Class 2A section duals including a pair of Section 4-2A tri-meets at South Side with Blackhawk and Central Valley and at Hopewell with Beaver and Freedom.

Also in 2A Section 5, Highlands (1-0) visits Laurel (1-0) for a share of first place.