2018 WPIAL Football Championship Predictions
So, you know how my co-workers from "CoverThreeAthletics" and I predicted which WPIAL football team wins each section? Well, we also predicted which team wins the WPIAL championship in each classification. So here is a list of WPIAL champions that we have predicted for this season in each classification.
Predictions:
*STTA- "Something To Think About"
6A
The Cincinnati Reds Fan: North Allegheny
Steve-O Curry: Pine-Richland
G.O.A.T: North Allegheny
T-Bone: Pine- Richland
STTA: North Allegheny could win it this season with the veteran experience on defense with Joey Porter Jr., Justus Gildon and Willie Rogers. Pine-Richland could win it this season because of their strong offensive line and veteran defense. Cole Spencer could be the next great quarterback for Pine-Richland. He could lead this team far in the WPIAL and PIAA football playoffs. Pine-Richland's head coach Eric Kasperowicz is coaching in his prime right now and we should see the Rams be in the conversation to be in the WPIAL title game for at least another decade.
5A
The Cincinnati Reds Fan: Penn Hills
Steve-O Curry: Gateway
G.O.A.T: Penn Hills
T-Bone: Woodland Hills
STTA: Woodland Hills could win it with Mike Coleman leading the defense. Their new quarterback Gavin Gurreri-Judson can turn the offense into a powerhouse. Gavin was very good when he played football in New York. Penn Hills could win it because they have arguably the best quarterback in the WPIAL in Hollis Mathis. The fact that Corey Thomas Jr. is now on Penn Hills is great because he will only make the defense better. Gateway is basically the same team except they won't have Brady Walker next season. Brendan Majocha will be the starting quarterback for Gateway and maybe as long as he can connect with Courtney Jackson the Gators can be alright. Gateway is easily in the conversation because they arguably have the best wide receiver in the WPIAL in Courtney Jackson. Jeremiah Josephs will lead the defense for the Gators. Gateway knows everyone is going to attack them and they will be prepared. We're all just wondering if they can repeat.
4A
The Cincinnati Reds Fan: Belle Vernon
Steve-O Curry: Thomas Jefferson
G.O.A.T: Thomas Jefferson
T-Bone: Thomas Jefferson
STTA: Belle Vernon is a team that showed a lot of improvement this offseason as some of our staff as watch them practice this summer and they really liked what they saw from that team. Their starting running back Mason Pascoe will enter his senior year this season and will try to have even more rushes and rushing yards than last year. Jared Hartman threw 928 yards and 15 touchdowns last season as a sophomore. From here on out Hartman can only get better. Thomas Jefferson is without question in the conversation for winning a WPIAL championship again. Shane Stump will be a junior this season. Stump already has won 2 WPIAL championships and you know that his goal in his high school career is to win 4 WPIAL championships in football in all 4 years of his high school career. Thomas Jefferson's head coach Bill Cherpak has been finding ways to turn players into winners for years and he will continue to turn his players into winners again.
3A
The Cincinnati Reds Fan: Aliquippa
Steve-O Curry: Aliquippa
G.O.A.T: Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic
T-Bone: Aliquippa
STTA: Aliquippa always seems to have talent on their team. With their old veteran and legendary Mike Zmijanac gone Aliquippa's style of play could be different. Their quarterback Eli Kosanovich threw for 695 yards and 11 touchdowns last season and is looking to pass over 1,000 yards this season. The Quips need to find a way to replace their starting defensive back Kwantel Raines. They will probably find Kwantel's replacement. Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic has a good quarterback who will return this season in Zack Rocco. Rocco threw for over 2,100 yards last season and threw 29 touchdowns last season. Even though CWNC lost their running back, Joe Meinert, the team will find a replacement. Imagine if CWNC still had Justus Gildon, Dino Tomlin and Joey Porter Jr. on the team this season. Man, that team would be a force and maybe would easily win the WPIAL championship in 3A.
2A
The Cincinnati Reds Fan: Steel Valley
Steve-O Curry: Steel Valley
G.O.A.T: Steel Valley
T-Bone: Shady Side Academy
STTA: Shady Side Academy knows that in order to win that they should really let Dino Tomlin control the team. Tomlin is a very good wide receiver, defensive back and is actually a monster at Track and Field. Skyy Moore is a good quarterback who has probably connected better with Dino Tomlin this season. Steel Valley could win it if they don't focus on what everyone else in their classification does throughout the season.
1A
The Cincinnati Reds Fan: Jeannette
Steve-O Curry: Imani Christian
G.O.A.T: OLSH
T-Bone: Jeannette
STTA: Jeannette lost a lot of key starters like Anthony Johnson, Tre Cunningham and Robert Kennedy. The Jayhawks still have Marcus Barnes and let's really think about this. The Jayhawks probably have players who will be on the bench this season that could be starting at other schools in 1A and other schools in all the other classifications. Imani Christian is a school that is always good but, could win more games and have a bigger and better legacy. So, once again they will be in the conversation. OLSH can win it if Tyler Bradley plays at a Brady Walker or Phil Jurkovec level. Bradley could throw close to 4,000 yards this year and he does have his starting wide receiver back this year in Andrew Schnarre. Schnarre had 904 receiving yards last season. Richard Banks will also return for OLSH this season. Banks had over 1,100 rushing yards last season and had 809 receiving yards last season. The way that Banks plays reminds me of how Pittsburgh Steeler running back Le'Veon Bell plays. Bell is tremendous at running and receiving thh football and Banks is very good at running and catching the football as well.
City League
The Cincinnati Reds Fan: Brashear
Steve-O Curry: Brashear
G.O.A.T: Taylor Allderdice
T-Bone: Taylor Allderdice