WPIAL High School Football Predictions: 2A/5A Finals & State Playoffs

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 3-1 record at Heinz Field as the "so-called" friendly confines are not so friendly to us, and went 2-2 outside of Heinz. We moved our postseason total to 41 victories and 12 defeats, 77%. This raising our 2018 season total to 124 victories and 32 defeats, 79%.

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

PIAA Class ‘AAAA’

South Fayette Lions (12-1) vs Cathedral Prep Ramblers (10-3)

Friday, 7:30pm from Veteran’s Stadium

Last Week: Cathedral Prep defeated Clearfield, 55-21. South Fayette upset Thomas Jefferson 31-21.

South Fayette stunned the state last week by upending favorite Thomas Jefferson, 31-21. South Fayette is led by QB Jamie Diven who has thrown for 3,015 yards and has accounted for 44 touchdowns. His WR of choice is the speedy Mike Trimbur who has 1,075 yards receiving and 16 touchdowns.

Cathedral Prep will be led by RB Billy Lucas who has rushed for 1,318 yards with 16 touchdowns. QB Regan Schleicher has thrown for 1,170 yards with 15 touchdowns. The Ramblers are the defending back-to-back PIAA Champions (2016-2017) and they are essentially playing a home game.

Cathedral Prep over South Fayette

WPIAL Class ‘AAAAA’

Penn Hills Indians (13-0) vs West Allegheny Indians (10-2)

Friday, 7:30pm Norwin Highschool.

Last Week: West Allegheny defeated Gateway 42-28. Penn Hills defeated Peters Township, 22-14.

Penn Hills QB Hollis Mathis has thrown for 2,365 yards and has 34 touchdowns. RB Terry Smith has rushed for 1,427 yards and has 18 touchdowns. WR Anthony Grimes leads in receptions for the Indians with 409 yards and 5 touchdowns.

West Allegheny is led by RB Dante Flati who has close to 1,000 yards on the season and has 10 touchdowns. QB Kam Kruze has thrown for 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns. Bob Palko is in his final season as the West Allegheny head coach, he has 8 WPIAL championships.

Hard to select against a team trying to send their coach out “On-Top”.

West Allegheny over Penn Hills

WPIAL Class ‘AA’

Steel Valley Ironmen (11-1) vs South Side Beaver Rams (10-3)

Saturday, 12:00pm, Robert Morris.

Last week: Steel Valley defeated Freedom, 40-0. South Side defeated Charleroi, 26-21.

The Ironmen come into this contest looking to avenge their defeat last season to Washington in the district 7 final, losing to the Prexies 37-10. Steel Valley will be led by 2 separate tailbacks in Kam Williams and Todd Hill. Both of these young men have collectively accounted for 3,427 yards and 52 touchdowns. QB Ronnell Lawrence has thrown for 1,000 yards on the season. The Ironmen defense is only allowing, on average, 11 points per game.

South Side will look to their ground game as well with Jake Botkin. Jake, this season, has 1,580 yards rushing with 22 touchdowns. The Rams have quietly gone about their business and have ended up in the D7 final.

Earlier this season, Steel Valley crushed South Side 53-6. Nothing changes.

Steel Valley over South Side Beaver

PIAA Class ‘AAAAAA’

Saint Joseph Prep Hawks (10-0) vs Freedom Patriots (12-1)

Saturday, 1:00pm, Memorial Stadium

Last week: St Joseph Prep defeated Northeast, 49-14. Freedom crushed Emmaus 49-17.

Freedom will be led by QB Jared Jenkins who has thrown for 2,149 yards and has 29 touchdowns. Freedom has a very high turnover margin this season, having 31 takeaways. 15 by interception and 16 by fumble.

St Joseph Prep is loaded, and we mean loaded. The Hawks are loaded with sons of former NFL elite. Marvin Harrison Jr., Son of Marvin Harrison (Indianapolis Colts) and Jeremiah Trotter Jr., son of former Eagles LB Jeremiah Trotter (Philadelphia). Senior RB Maques Mason is the do-it-all back for the Hawks. This season he has scored 9 rushing touchdowns, 3 receiving touchdowns and 2 kickoff returns for touchdowns and 1 punt return for a touchdown.

No need to go any further here, this one will get ugly Saturday, ugly indeed!

Saint Joseph Prep over Freedom

As for the others…..

PIAA Class 6A:

Pine Richland over State College

Coatesville over North Penn

PIAA Class 5A:

Archbishop Wood over Hollidaysburg

Upper Dublin over West Chester Rustin

Manheim Central over Cocalico

PIAA Class 4A:

Bishop McDevitt over Berks Catholic

Imhotep Charter over Valley View

Bethlehem Catholic over Pottsgrove

PIAA Class 3A:

Sharon over Bald Eagle Area

Middletown over Conwell-Egan

PIAA Class 2A:

West Catholic over Richland

Southern Columbia over York Catholic

Wilmington over Ridgeway

PIAA Class 1A:

Farrell over Coudersport

Lackawanna Trail over Halifax

United over Juniata Valley

Enjoy the lights…..see yous next week!