WPIAL Class 4A football championship breakdown: Aliquippa vs. Thomas Jefferson

By: Chris Harlan
Saturday, November 14, 2020 | 1:47 AM

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WPIAL Class 4A football championship

No. 1 Aliquippa vs. No. 2 Thomas Jefferson

1 p.m. Saturday, North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium

On the air: Audio stream at TribHSSN.triblive.com

Winner plays: District 10 champion Oil City (9-0) or District 1 champion Upper Moreland (5-1) in the PIAA semifinals, Nov. 20-21.

WPIAL titles: Aliquippa 17 (1952, ’55, ’64, ’84, ’85, ’87, ’88, ’89, ’91, ’96, 2000, ’03, ’08, ’11, ’12, ’15, ’18), Thomas Jefferson 9 (1980, 2004, ’06, ’07, ’08, ’15, ’16, ’17, ’19)

Aliquippa (9-0)

Player to watch: Vernon Redd

Senior, 5-10, 165, RB/DB

Redd is a workhorse back for the Quips with the speed to break long touchdown runs. He reached the end zone once last week, scoring Aliquippa’s final touchdown in a 33-25 victory over Belle Vernon.

Statistical leaders

Passing: Vaughn Morris, 66-129, 1,199 yards, 17 TDs, 6 INTs

Rushing: Vernon Redd, 128-1,200 yards, 14 TDs

Receiving: Antonyo Anderson, 15-369 yards, 6 TDs

How they got here: No. 1 Aliquippa defeated No. 8 Hampton, 31-0, in the WPIAL quarterfinals; No. 4 Belle Vernon, 33-25, in the semifinals.

Probable starting lineup

Coach: Mike Warfield

Offense

LT, 70, Naquan Crowder, 6-2, 340, so.

LG, 56, Jason McBride, 6-1, 325, so.

C, 64, Daniel Elmore, 5-10, 210, sr.

RG, 52, Neco Eberhardt, 5-11, 290, so.

RT, 72, Tyrese Jones, 6-6, 350, jr.

TE, 11, Anthony Jackson, 6-1, 205, sr.

WR, 6, Cyair Clark, 5-9, 165, jr.

WR, 8, Antonyo Anderson, 5-9, 165, jr.

WR, 10, Tajier Thornton, 5-7, 140, jr.

RB, 9, Vernon Redd, 5-10, 165, sr.

QB, 4, Vaughn Morris, 5-7, 155, sr.

Defense

DT, 56, Jason McBride, 6-1, 325, so.

DT, 52, Neco Eberhardt, 5-11, 290, so.

NT, 70, Naquan Crowder, 6-2, 340, so

DE, 3, Karl McBride, 5-10, 210, sr.

DE, 17, Isaiah Gilbert, 6-1, 180, jr.

LB, 64, Daniel Elmore, 5-10, 210, sr.

LB, 11, Anthony Jackson, 6-1, 205, sr.

CB, 6, Cyair Clark, 5-9, 165, jr.

CB, 8, Antonyo Anderson, 5-9, 165, jr.

S, 21, Donovan Walker, 5-10, 150, so.

S, 9, Vernon Redd, 5-10, 165, sr.

Special teams

K/P, 89, Emmanual Gyadu-Mantey, 5-7, 135, jr.

LS, 15, Brendin Brickner, 5-10, 210, sr.

Thomas Jefferson (7-1)

Player to watch: Jake Pugh

Senior, 5-9, 160, QB

The Jaguars graduated QB Shane Stump, a multi-year starter who led the team to WPIAL and PIAA Class 4A titles last season. But Pugh stepped into that starting role this fall and has handled the job well. He ran for a score and threw for another in TJ’s semifinal win.

Statistical leaders

Passing: Jake Pugh, 81-129, 1,309 yards, 19 TDs, 4 INTs

Rushing: Conner Murga, 70-529 yards, 11 TDs

Receiving: Preston Zandier, 34-449 yards, 8 TDs

How they got here: No. 2 seed Thomas Jefferson defeated No. 7 Mars, 41-6, in the WPIAL quarterfinals; No. 3 Plum, 20-17, in the semifinals.

Probable starting lineup

Coach: Bill Cherpak

Offense

LT, 56, Nicholas Bryan, 6-3, 250, jr.

LG, 55, Jacob Krawcyzk, 6-4, 255, sr.

C, 66, Nicholas Trainor, 6-0, 200, sr.

RG, 64, Alby Breisinger, 6-2, 250, sr.

RT, 77, Owen Myer, 6-0, 250, so.

TE, 40, Chase Lautner, 5-11, 188, sr.

WR, 2, Preston Zandier, 6-1, 195, sr.

WR, 10, Ian Hansen, 5-7, 163, sr.

WR, 24, Rex Miller, 5-10, 170, sr.

RB, 3, DeRon VanBibber, 6-0, 175, sr.

(or) RB, 23, Connor Murga, 6-1, 178, jr.

FB, 20, Isaac Eckley, 5-11, 180, jr.

QB, 12, Jake Pugh, 5-9, 160, sr.

Defense

DT, 56, Nicholas Bryan, 6-3, 250, jr.

DT, 67, Seth Lieberum, 6-3, 228, sr.

DE, 23, Connor Murga, 6-1, 178, jr.

DE, 33, Jordan Mayer, 6-4, 227, so.

OLB, 16, Joseph Lekse, 5-9, 170, jr.

OLB, 5, Flinn McClain, 6-1, 182, jr.

(or) OLB, 7, Aiden Palmer, 5-10, 160, sr.

ILB, 2, Preston Zandier, 6-1, 195, sr.

ILB, 20, Isaac Eckley, 5-11, 180, jr.

(or) ILB, 21, Dominic Donatelli, 5-9, 191, so.

CB, 3, DeRon VanBibber, 6-0, 175, sr.

CB, 24, Rex Miller, 5-10, 170, sr.

S, 10, Ian Hansen, 5-7, 163, sr.

Special teams

K/P, 88, Andrew Graham, 5-11, 185, so.

(or) K, 89, Jack Sella, 5-9, 150, sr.

LS, 33, Jordan Mayer, 6-4, 227, so.

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, Thomas Jefferson