WPIAL teams highlight Trib HSSN high school football preseason state rankings

By: Don Rebel
Wednesday, August 21, 2019 | 8:19 PM

Whether you are a fan of your local district team or like to know what’s going on in high school football around Pennsylvania, the TribLive High School Sports Network has you covered this fall.

We will once again rank the top WPIAL teams in each class every Sunday and follow up with our state-wide rankings every Wednesday during the high school football season.

All six of the 2018 PIAA champions are ranked in the preseason top five, with only Penn Hills in Class 5A ranked lower than No. 1 in their respective classes.

St. Joe’s Prep in 6A, Cathedral Prep in 4A, Aliquippa in 3A, Southern Columbia in 2A and Farrell in A are all at the top as we prepare to kick off a new season this weekend.

Four ranked teams will square off in head-to-head matchups to highlight Week Zero.

Two of them are WPIAL contests as No. 2 Pine-Richland in 6A hosts No. 5 Penn Hills from 5A on Friday and Class 3A top-ranked Aliquippa visits Clairton, No. 2 in Class A on Saturday evening. Both games will be broadcast at TribHSSN.TribLive.com.

The other two ranked showdowns are Wilmington, No. 5 in Class 2A, hosting No. 4 Sharon from Class 3A in a District 10 fray. Also on Friday, District 1 battles District 3 as Harrisburg visits Coatesville in a Class 6A clash of ranked teams.

Here is the PIAA Top 5 in each of the six classifications prior to Week Zero.

Class 6A

1. St. Joseph’s Prep (13-0, D-12): The defending PIAA champion Hawks do not play this weekend. They open their season at Marietta, Ga. on Aug. 30.

2. Pine-Richland (11-3, WPIAL): The Rams open their season Friday at home against Class 5A No. 5 Penn Hills on Trib HSSN.

3. Central Catholic (7-4, WPIAL): The Vikings open their season Friday at The Wolvarena in Turtle Creek against York William Penn on Trib HSSN.

4. Coatesville (14-1, D-1): The Red Raiders open their season Friday at home against No. 5 Harrisburg.

5. Harrisburg (13-2, D-3): The Cougars open their season on Friday at No. 4 Coatesville.

Class 5A

1. Gateway (12-1, WPIAL): The Gators open their season Friday at home against Mt. Lebanon on Trib HSSN.

2. Manheim Central (15-1, D-3): The Barons open their season Friday at home against Susquehanna Township.

3. Archbishop Wood (10-4, D-12): The Vikings open their season Saturday at William Tennant against Pope John, N.J.

4. Upper Dublin (13-2, D-1): The Cardinals open their season Friday at home against Norristown.

5. Penn Hills (16-0, WPIAL): The defending PIAA champion Indians open their season Friday at Class 6A No. 2 Pine-Richland on Trib HSSN.

Class 4A

1. Cathedral Prep (13-3, D-10): The defending PIAA champion Ramblers open their season Friday at home against Clarkson, North Canada.

2. Thomas Jefferson (11-1, WPIAL): The Jaguars open their season Friday at home against Canon-McMillan on Trib HSSN.

3. Imhotep Charter (11-3, D-12): The Panthers open their season Saturday at home against LaSalle College.

4. Bishop McDevitt (13-2, D-3): The Crusaders open their season Friday at home against Cumberland Valley.

5. Bethlehem Catholic (11-4, D-11): The Hawks open their season Saturday at Moravian College against Louis Dieruff.

Class 3A

1. Aliquippa (14-1, WPIAL): The defending PIAA champion Quips open their season Saturday at Class A No. 2 Clairton on Trib HSSN.

2. Middletown (13-2, D-3): The Blue Raiders open their season Friday at home against Lower Dauphin.

3. Scranton Prep (13-2, D-2): The Cavaliers open their season Saturday at home against Dunmore.

4. Sharon (10-4, D-10): The Tigers open their season Friday at Class 2A No. 5 Wilmington.

5. North Catholic (10-2, WPIAL): The Trojans do not play this weekend. They open their season at home against Burrell on Aug. 30.

Class 2A

1. Southern Columbia (16-0, D-4): The defending PIAA champion Tigers open their season Sunday at Hammond, S.C.

2. West Catholic (12-3, D-12): The Burrs open their season Friday at home against High School of the Future.

3. Washington (10-2, WPIAL): The Little Prexies open their season Friday at Laurel Highlands.

4. Ligonier Valley (11-1, D-6): The Rams open their season Friday at home against Homer-Center on Trib HSSN.

5. Wilmington (13-2, D-10): The Greyhounds open their season Friday at home against Class 3A No. 4 Sharon.

Class A

1. Farrell (15-0, D-10): The defending PIAA champion Steelers open their season Friday at home against University Prep.

2. Clairton (9-3, WPIAL): The Bears open their season Saturday at home against Aliquippa on Trib HSSN.

3. Lackawanna Trail (14-2, D-2): The Lions open their season Friday at home against Northwest Area.

4. Old Forge (8-3, D-2): The Devils open their season Friday at Carbondale.

5. Bishop Guilfoyle (8-4, D-6): The Marauders open their season Friday at home against Somerset.

*Records from 2018 season

Tags: Aliquippa, Central Catholic, Clairton, Gateway, Ligonier Valley, North Catholic, Penn Hills, Pine-Richland, Thomas Jefferson, Washington