W.P.I.A.L. HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREDICTIONS:

Each week from the start of the WPIAL season through the PIAA State Finals, Pittsburgh SportsNation brings you the best, uncensored, no holds barred predictions by our local high school football guru who goes by the moniker “P To The Power of 2”.

He is one of our underground writers who covers the hard hitting action of WPIAL High School Football in Western Pennsylvania. Or is it she...? Either way, we'll never tell! (Unless you have a crisp $100 bill in hand)

By P To The Power of 2

Full of turkey and all the trimmings, we move along this week to the PIAA Quarterfinals this weekend. Last week, PToThePowerOf2 posted a 2-2 record at Heinz Field as the "so-called" friendly confines are not soo friendly to us. We moved our postseason total to 46 victories and 6 defeats. This raising our season total to 115 victories and 24 defeats.

This week, we'll give you our previews for a few games, and then, our selections for the weekend.  

Class AAAAAA:

District 12 Champion St Joseph Prep Hawks (11-0) vs District 11 Champion Parkland Trojans (13-0)

These two schools will meet yet, for the 4th time in 5 seasons in the PIAA Quarters. Last week, Parkland crushed Freedom, 30-6. St Joe's shutout Northeast 31-0. 

Parkland QB Michael Ruisch has thrown for 2,488 yards and 22 touchdowns this season. RB Jahan Worth has 1,488 yards rushing with 31 touchdowns. The Trojans have outscored their opponents this season to the score of 487-124. 

St Joesph Prep is ranked #1 by the USA today in the North East and ranked # 7 in the entire US. St Joesph Prep has defeated Parkland the last 3 meetings by the tune of  21-10 in 2013, 34-30 in 2014 and 38-17 last season. Nothing changes in 2017.

St Joseph Prep over Parkland

Others in 6-A....

Coatesville over Garnett Valley

Pine Richland over State College

Cumberland Valley over Manheim Township

Class AAAAA:

District 7 Champion Gateway Gators (12-1) vs District 6 Champion Hollidaysburg Golden Tigers (8-3)

Hollidaysburg will be led by QB Brady Walters who has 1,245 yards passing with 16 touchdowns. RB Pat Young has rushed for 864 yards with 10 touchdowns. 

Gateway will turn to QB Brady Walker who has a staggering 3,597 yards passing this season with 38 touchdowns. RB Issiah Cameron has 576 yards rushing with 14 touchdowns.

N

Gateway secondary will be way too much to handle for Brady Walters.

Gateway over Hollidaysburg

Others is 5-A.....

Springfield over Unionville

Archbishop Wood over Wyoming Valley

Manheim Central over Governor Mifflin

Class AAAA:

District 7 Champion Thomas Jefferson Jaguars (11-1) vs District 10 Champion Erie Cathedral Prep Ramblers (12-0)

The 3rd straight meeting between these 2 schools.

Thomas Jefferson will need a strong performance from RB Justin Vigna, who has 1,824 yards rushing on the season with 23 touchdowns. QB Shane Stump will face a daunting task against a stout Cathedral Prep defense. On the season, Stump has 1,496 yards passing with 24 touchdowns.

Cathedral Prep may just be the best team in the state of Pennsylvania. QB Joe Mischler has thrown for 2,772 yards with 35 touchdowns. RB Matt Lupo has rushed for 821 yards with 10 touchdowns. 

Erie Cathedral Prep has won the last 2 seasons in this matchup, 30-13 last year and 28-21 in 2015.

Too much firepower for Thomas Jefferson to handle. The Jags have not seen a team of this caliber for a long, long, long time.

Erie Cathedral Prep over Thomas Jefferson

Others in 4-A.....

Berks Catholic over Bishop McDevitt

Bethlehem Catholic over Selinsgrove

Imhotep Charter over Valley View

Class AAA:

Sharon over Forest Hills

Scranton Prep over Middletown

Palisades over Conwell Egan

Class AA:

Dunmore over Ligonier Valley

Southern Columbia over Neumann Goretti

Wilmington over Clairon

WPIAL Class AA Championship 
Steel Valley over Washington

Class A:

Bishop Guilfoyle over Homer Center

Steelton Highspire over Williams Valley

Farrell over Ridgeway

WPIAL Class A Championship

Jeannette over Imani Christian

Enjoy the lights....see yous in the Semifinals