WPIAL High School Football Predictions: PIAA State Semifinals

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

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle……wait! What? Christmas music has engulfed our radio stations, restaurants and every other place besides your home. 

Last night, PToThePowerOf2 enjoyed the holiday festivities outside of Rockefeller Center!

Have we really reached the PIAA SemiFinals, Already?!? Sad to say, but yes, we have.

The “Final Four” of each classification, 24 teams will battle this weekend for the right to advance to the PIAA State Championships next weekend in Hershey.

Last week, PToThePowerOf2 posted a record of 18 victories and 2 defeats, thus placing our postseason total to 59 victories and only 14 defeats.

Postseason record (59-14 / 80%)

Season Total (142-34 / 80%)

Great matchups this weekend, let’s do what we do best, bring you our predictions! Let’s get to work!

CLASS ‘AAAAAA’

Western Championship:

Pine Richland Rams (11-2) vs St Joseph Prep Hawks (11-0), Saturday, 1:00 pm 

Altoona, PA

Last week: Pine Richland defeated State College, 56-33. St Joseph Prep defeated Freedom, 49-14.

St Joseph Prep features QB Kyle McCord who has thrown for 2,300 yards and 30 touchdowns. McCord is only a sophomore who is 6’3, 200lbs. The Hawks will also feature Marvin Harrison Jr (Son of former NFL receiver Marvin Harrison) who has 569 yards receiving with 8 touchdowns. Jeremiah Trotter, Jr (Son of former NFL linebacker Jeremiah Trotter).

Pine Richland QB Cole Spencer has thrown for 1,433 yards and has 15 touchdowns. He has also rushed for 811 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Last year, Pine Richland defeated St Joseph Prep for the PIAA title, 41-21. Not this year.

St Joseph Prep over Pine Richland

Eastern Championship:

Coatesville Red Raiders (14-0) vs Harrisburg Cougars (13-1), Saturday, 1:00 pm 

Hershey, PA

Last week: Harrisburg (bye week). Coatesville defeated North Penn 42-13.

Coatesville QB Rick Ortega has thrown for 2,015 yards this season with 34 touchdowns to his credit. He has also rushed for 936 yards for 13 touchdowns. RB Aaron Young will lead the rushing attack for the Red Raiders. On the season, Young has 1,602 yards and 27 touchdowns. WR Dapree Bryant has 996 yards receiving with 15 touchdowns.

The Cougars of Harrisburg will look to their star QB Kane Everson who has rushed for 825 yards, thrown for 1,984 yards and has 33 touchdowns.

The only blemish on the Cougars record this season was due to a loss, 37-6, from the Coatesville Red Raiders. So will the 2^nd loss.

Coatesville over Harrisburg

CLASS ‘AAAAA’

Western Championship:

Penn Hills Indians (14-0) vs Archbishop Wood Vikings (9-3), Friday, 7:30 pm 

Chambersburg, PA

Last week: Penn Hills defeated West Allegheny 28-18. Archbishop Wood defeated Holidaysburg, 38-7.

Penn Hills QB Hollis Mathis has thrown for 2,563 yards this season and has 37 touchdowns. Terry ‘Tank’ Smith will be the featured RB for the Indians. Terry has 1,505 yards rushing with 20 touchdowns. WR Dante Cephas leads in reception years for Penn Hills with 870 yards and 9 touchdowns.

Archbishop Wood will lean on RB Tom Santiago who has rushed for 1,661 yards and has 16 touchdowns. The Vikings are the defending PIAA State Champs.

Archbishop Wood over Penn Hills

Eastern Championship:

Manheim Central Barons (13-0) vs Upper Dublin Cardinals (12-1), Friday, 7:00 pm 

Wissahickon, PA

Last Week: Upper Dublin defeated West Chester, 35-28. Manheim Central defeated Cocalico, 48-14.

Upper Dublin QB Mike Slivka has 1,705 yards passing this season with 18 touchdowns. Slivka has also rushed for 7 touchdowns. Cardinals RB Lucas Roselli has 765 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns.

Manheim will look to their QB Evan Simon who has thrown for 2,264 yards and 24 touchdowns. Simon has also rushed for 11 touchdowns. RB Tyler Flick has rushed for 1,650 yards and has 30 touchdowns.

Manheim Central over Upper Dublin

CLASS ‘AAAA’

Western Championship:

Erie Cathedral Prep Ramblers (11-3) vs Bishop McDevitt Crusaders (12-1), Friday, 7:00 pm 

Altoona, PA

Last Week: Cathedral Prep defeated South Fayette, 42-10. Bishop McDevitt defeated Berks, 41-31.

The Ramblers of ECP will look to QB Connor Schleicher has thrown for 1,250 yards and has 16 touchdowns. RB Billy Lucas has rushed for 1,660 yards and has 19 touchdowns. The Ramblers defense is also a stingy one. The Ramblers have 19 interceptions this season.

Bishop McDevitt QB Chase Diehl has tossed the pigskin for 3,573 yards and has 43 touchdowns. WR Nazir Burnett has 72 receptions for 1,600 yards and 25 touchdowns.

An aerial attack versus a stingy defense! Cathedral Prep is the back-to-back defending PIAA State Champion….Ramble on my friends, Ramble on…..

Erie Cathedral Prep over Bishop McDevitt

Eastern Championship:

Imhotep Charter over Bethlehem Catholic

CLASS ‘AAA’

Western Championship:

Aliquippa Quips (12-1) vs Sharon Tigers (10-3), Saturday, 1:00 pm 

Slippery Rock, PA

Last Week: Aliquippa (Bye). Sharon defeated Bald Eagle Area, 28-7

Sharon QB Lane Voytik has thrown for 2,624 yards and has 27 touchdowns. WR CJ Parchman has 1,020 yards receiving with 10 touchdowns. RB Joran Wilson is a big body running downhill. Wilson has 1,893 yards rushing with 26 touchdowns.

Aliquippa QB Eli Kosanovich has thrown for 2,800 yards and has 35 touchdowns. WR William Gipson has 1,495 yards receiving with 18 touchdowns. RB Avante “Chief” McKenzie has rushed for 1,444 yards and has 30 touchdowns.

Sharon has not seen a team of this caliber on either side of the ball all season. The weather will play a huge factor in the passing game.

Aliquippa over Sharon

Eastern Championship:

Middletown over Scranton Prep

As for the Others…..

CLASS ‘AA’

Southern Columbia over West Catholic

Steel Valley over Wilmington

CLASS ‘A’

Farrell over OLSH

Juniata Valley over Lackawanna Trail

Enjoy the lights of the SEMIFINALS…..See yous in Chocolatetown next weekend! 

Where the hell is my Hershey Bar?