12 • TRIB TOTAL MEDIA
SOUTH FAYETTE, P-R
FACE NEW CHALLENGES
by CHRIS HARLAN
How long has it been since
South Fayette wasn’t a clear
conference favorite?
That was probably nine years
ago, back when the Lions’ senior
quarterback would’ve been
in third grade. They’ve gone
undefeated in the conference
every season since, running off
a streak of 64 consecutive wins.
This year, there are no guarantees.
Not after South Fayette moved
up to Class 5A, joining a classification
suddenly crowded with
recent WPIAL and PIAA champions.
“Last year, in a lot of games
we were taken out at halftime,”
said South Fayette senior quarterback
Naman Alemada, the
team’s returning 3,000-yard
passer. “That probably won’t
be the case this year, so it’s going
to be fun to play a full four
quarters.”
South Fayette won the WPIAL
Class 4A title in 2018, but the
Lions aren’t the only recent
WPIAL champion joining 5A
this fall. Also moving into the
classification is Pine-Richland,
which won WPIAL Class 6A titles
in 2017 and ’18.
Those two WPIAL powers
join a jam-packed classification
that already includes defending
champion Gateway and 2018
state champion Penn Hills.
“Class 6A was fun, but you
played the same teams in the
(regular season) that you’d end
up seeing the in the championship,”
Pine-Richland coach
Eric Kasperowicz said. “From
that perspective, it’s kind of
neat to go out and play some
new teams. Play your South Fayettes
and Upper St. Clairs and
Penn-Traffords and Gateways.
“It’s a great league and a lot of
great coaches, so we’re excited to
be a part of it.”
There are 18 teams in WPIAL
Class 5A divided into three, sixteam
conferences. Either eight
or four teams will qualify for
the WPIAL playoffs, depending
on which slimmed-down bracket
is chosen for this fall. PIAA decisions
about its state playoffs will
ultimately decide the WPIAL
playoff format.
Pine-Richland joins the Northeast,
which includes Penn Hills,
a two-time defending conference
champion. The Indians haven’t
lost a conference game since
joining Class 5A in 2018.
The Big East has title contenders
Gateway and Penn-Trafford
among its five holdovers, and
adds Woodland Hills.
South Fayette joins the Allegheny
Six, a South Hills conference
that appears unpredictable. A
year ago, Peters Township and
Moon tied for the conference
title.
“In this conference here, you
may be hard-pressed to find a
team that’s undefeated,” South
Fayette coach Joe Rossi said.
“I think it’s going to be teams
beating each other week by week
and survival at the end.”
Thirteen of the 16 playoff
teams from a year ago are back
in Class 5A this season. Baldwin
moved to Class 6A, and Mars and
McKeesport dropped to 4A.
The idea of competitive games
is enticing to many, including
South Fayette’s quarterback. A
year ago, the Lions outscored
their conference foes 281-96.
“Peters, Upper St. Clair and
Moon are definitely the top three
(opponents) in our conference,
and West A and Bethel and really
good as well,” Alemada said.
“With Pine moving down, you
have Gateway, Pine, Penn Hills,
Penn-Trafford. Class 5A is loaded,
for sure.”
Looking at 5A now reminds
Rossi of South Fayette’s schedules
in 2009 and ’10.
“Every game was meaningful,
and even so much more now,”
Rossi said. “There aren’t a lot of
teams in the league. Only having
six league teams and the five
league games, there’s not much
room for error.”
CLASS 5A BREAKDOWN
THE FAVORITE
1. Pine-Richland (10-2)
Last year’s WPIAL Class 6A
runner-up moved down to 5A
with much of the lineup intact.
The Rams have a 30-person
senior class that includes
quarterback Cole Spencer and
receiver Eli Jochem (71 receptions,
1,065 yards). The defense
has Division I commits Miguel
Jackson and Luke Miller.
Preseason rankings
2. Gateway (12-3)
3. Peters Township (12-2)
4. Upper St. Clair (7-5)
5. South Fayette (10-2)
* RECORDS FROM 2019
THE STARS
NAMAN ALEMADA
South Fayette, sr., QB
The 6-foot-4 passer ranked second
among WPIAL quarterbacks
last season with 3,004 yards.
He threw 32 touchdowns.
DERRICK DAVIS
Gateway, sr., RB/DB
Davis had more than 2,000
yards from scrimmage and
scored 28 touchdowns for the
WPIAL Class 5A champion. Davis
is the WPIAL’s top uncommitted
recruit for 2021.
DONOVAN McMILLON
Peters Township, sr., WR/DB
McMillon committed to Florida
over offers from Oklahoma,
Oregon, Texas A&M and Virginia
Tech.
DAVID PANTELIS
Upper St. Clair, sr., WR/DB
Pantelis led all WPIAL receivers
with 76 receptions last season
and averaged better than
15 yards per catch. He finished
with 1,154 receiving yards and
scored nine touchdowns.
COLE SPENCER
Pine-Richland, sr., QB
Spencer threw 36 TDs last
season — tied for most in the
WPIAL — and nearly reached
3,000 passing yards.
DON’T MISS
9.11 South Fayette
at Peters Township
South Fayette doesn’t get to
ease into its Allegheny Six
schedule. The Lions open against
the defending WPIAL runner-up.
9.25 Gateway
at Pine-Richland
The two top-ranked teams in
WPIAL Class 5A meet in a
nonconference clash. Combined,
they’ve won four WPIAL titles in
the past three seasons.
10.2 Pine-Richland
at Penn Hills
Don’t forget about Penn Hills.
The Indians haven’t lost a
conference game since joining
Class 5A in 2018. They’re
14-0 in two seasons, but now
Pine-Richland joins them. The
conference title could be decided
here.
South Fayette quarterback Naman Alemada threw for 3,004 yards last season.