North Huntingdon, Pa. – The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) held two championship games of the WPIAL/UPMC Sports Medicine Football Championships presented by Noble Environmental on Saturday, Nov. 16 at Norwin High School. The day saw a pair of power programs return to their respective classifications’ mountaintops for the first time since 2020, as Thomas Jefferson won the Class 4A crown and Central Catholic took home Class 6A glory.
Central Catholic is now a nine-time WPIAL football champion, having won all its titles over the last 22 seasons. The Vikings moved into sole possession of sixth all-time in WPIAL football championships, previously claiming the crown in 2003, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, and 2020.
Thomas Jefferson moved into a tie for third all-time with its 11th WPIAL football title, sharing the spot with New Castle, with only Aliquippa (20) and Clairton (14) ahead of it. The Jaguars were also winners in 1980, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2020.
Both WPIAL champions have qualified for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Football Championships, and enter the bracket in the quarterfinal round. Quarterfinal round games begin on Friday, Nov. 22 and all championship games are set for Dec. 5-7 from Chapman Field on the campus of Cumberland Valley High School.
CLASS 6A RECAP
Top-seeded Central Catholic opened a 28-0 first-quarter lead and never looked back, capturing the Class 6A title with a 45-14 victory over second-seeded North Allegheny this past Saturday night.
Central Catholic (10-2, 6-0 Section I) scored on its first five offensive drives and forced a punt from the first seven North Allegheny (10-2, 5-1) drives. The Vikings owned advantages in most statistical categories, including total offense (437-122), first downs (22-5), and time of possession (28:23-19:37).
The top seed scored on its first offensive play, as senior quarterback Jy’Aire Walls connected with classmate Bradley Gompers for a 45-yard touchdown. Walls called his own number from two yards out to make it 14-0 after a seven-play, 60-yard second drive, and then the fourth-year signal-caller finished the frame with a 13-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Xxavier Thomas and a 32-yard score to junior wide receiver Maceo Watkins.
Central Catholic added a 46-yard field goal from senior kicker Billy Lech in the second quarter, and rushing touchdowns from senior runningback Elijah Faulkner and Walls in the third stanza. The Tigers tacked on a pair of scores in the second half courtesy of junior quarterback Jackson Faila, as he connected with senior wide receivers James Donaldson and Colman Craft from six and 76 yards out, respectively.
Walls finished the evening with 213 passing yards on 10-of-17 attempts, 19 rushing yards on eight carries, and five total touchdowns (3 passing, 2 rushing). Faulkner had 28 carries for 190 yards and a score, while Watkins and sophomore Maxmillian Roman shared the team receptions lead with three each. Defensively for the Vikings, sophomore linebacker Roman Thompson and senior defensive back Amari Shields both had a team-high five tackles, with Thompson collecting two of the team’s three sacks. Shields also forced a fumble, which was recovered by junior defensive lineman Cole Bayer.
For North Allegheny, Faila had 93 yards passing on 4-of-6 attempts and two touchdowns. Junior runningback Luke Rohan had 22 yards rushing on seven carries, and Donaldson paced his teammates with three catches and 94 all-purpose yards. Senior linebacker Kyle Langdon led all players with 13 tackles, followed by classmate Conner Frank with 12, and junior defensive lineman Lincoln Hoke with 10. Junior linebacker Owen Urschler had a forced fumble, with senior defensive lineman Mason Hartung recovering it.
Central Catholic reached its sixth consecutive WPIAL championship game with a 38-14 win over fourth-seeded Seneca Valley in the semifinals, while North Allegheny topped third-seeded Mt. Lebanon, 48-14, in the other semifinal. This was the third straight meeting between the Vikings and Tigers in the Class 6A decider.
Central Catholic opens the PIAA Championships against District VI champion State College at Forest Hills High School. The Vikings have won four PIAA titles (1988, 2004, 2007, 2015) and are making their 10th PIAA appearance, owning an all-time record of 17-5.
CLASS 4A RECAP
Top-seeded Thomas Jefferson forced three turnovers, including a half-ending pick six, to win the Class 4A championship as it defeated third-seeded McKeesport, 28-7, this past Saturday afternoon.
Thomas Jefferson (13-0, 5-0 Section III) scored 21 of its 28 points off McKeesport (8-5, 5-0 Section II) turnovers, snagging two interceptions and a fumble recovery. The Tigers had slight statistical advantages in total offense (272-248), first downs (16-10), and time of possession (25:01-22:59).
After a missed field goal and punt on its first two offensive drives, Thomas Jefferson squashed a potential McKeesport scoring drive with a forced fumble by junior linebacker Zachary Villa and recovery by senior linebacker Matthew Martinis. The Jaguars chewed up six minutes of the clock before scoring the first points of the game, as sophomore tailback Tyler Eber punched it in from two yards out to make it 7-0 with 4:21 left in the half.
The Thomas Jefferson defense ended another promising Tigers drive with a turnover on downs at its 37-yard line. Three plays later, senior quarterback Luke Kosko found classmate Brayden White on a deep pass, and the wide receiver made a move before racing 53 yards to paydirt to double the advantage. That 14-0 scoreline looked to be what carried into the half until the closing seconds, as White undercut a deep pass and followed his blockers for an 85-yard pick six to make it 21-0 with zeroes on the scoreboard.
The Jaguars added a fourth touchdown with 9:04 to go when Eber scored from a yard out. McKeesport reached the endzone with 5:08 remaining with senior runningback Anthony Boyd’s eight-yard rushing score capping a 10-play, 83-yard drive.
Eber finished with 158 yards rushing on 33 totes and two touchdowns. Kosko with 6-of-9 for 93 yards and a touchdown passing, with White catching four of those passes and totaling 153 all-purpose yards (85 interception return, 68 receiving) and two scores. Defensively, Villa had a game-high 13 tackles, with Martinis and White both collecting 11. Senior defensive lineman Shepherd Turk and sophomore defensive lineman Luccas Patterson split a sack, and senior defensive back Nathan Farison picked off a pass in the third quarter.
Tigers senior quarterback Brady Eastman had 139 yards on 16-of-27 passing and added 26 yards rushing. Sophomore runningback Kemon Spell tallied 64 rushing yards on 15 carries, and Boyd recorded 88 all-purpose yards (47 receiving, 24 rushing, 17 kick return) and a score. Junior defensive back Michael Wright had 12 tackles for McKeesport, including two for a loss.
Thomas Jefferson opened the WPIAL bracket with a 28-7 win over eighth-seeded West Allegheny, followed by a 38-21 triumph against fourth-seeded Aliquippa. McKeesport made it back to the Class 4A title game with a 34-11 win against sixth-seeded Belle Vernon and a 35-7 decision versus seventh-seeded Mars.
Thomas Jefferson begins the PIAA Championships versus District IX champion Clearfield at Windber High School. The Jaguars share the league lead in PIAA titles with five (2004, 2007, 2008, 2019, 2020) and are appearing in their 10th PIAA tournament, boasting an all-time mark of 15-4.
PIAA PREVIEW
Quarterfinal Date: Friday, Nov. 22
Championship Dates & Location: Dec. 5-7 at Chapman Field (Cumberland Valley HS)
Total Champions from WPIAL: 58 (2 in Class 6A, 4 in Class 5A, 17 in Class 4A, 13 in Class 3A, 9 in Class 2A, 13 in Class 1A)
- Previous Champions: Aliquippa (5), Thomas Jefferson (5), Central Catholic (4), Clairton (4),
North Allegheny (3), Pine-Richland (3), Rochester (3), Belle Vernon (2),
Central Valley (2), Farrell (2), Jeannette (2), McKeesport (2), Penn Hills (2),
South Fayette (2), South Park (2), Upper St. Clair (2), Beaver Falls (1),
Duquesne (1), Franklin Regional (1), Hopewell (1), Mt. Lebanon (1),
North Catholic (1), Penn-Trafford (1), Quaker Valley (1), South Side (1),
Steel Valley (1), Washington (1), West Allegheny (1)
Last Class 6A Champion from WPIAL: Mt. Lebanon (2021)
Last Class 4A Champion from WPIAL: Aliquippa (2023)
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