Quip Nation 2019
Zuriah Fisher is a veteran high school football player that will try to lead Aliquippa to another WPIAL and PIAA football championship next season.
Source: TRIB LIVE HSSN
Aliquippa is known as a football school. When you first think of Aliquippa, you think of football. When I first hear the word "Aliquippa", I think of former New York Jets cornerback, Darrelle Revis.
Aliquippa just won a 3A WPIAL and PIAA football championship last season and they will try to repeat as WPIAL and PIAA champions next season. Some people might be thinking that Aliquippa will not win a lot of games next season due to the number of players that they lost because of high school graduation. I am here to tell you right now that just because Aliquippa lost a lot of football stars this offseason, that does not mean that there are other players on the bench that is ready to step up next year. Head coach, Mike Warfield, knows that any student that wants to play football at Aliquippa can play football at the highest level that they can. Do not be surprised if you see Aliquippa back at Heinz Field in November.
Aliquippa just seems to be a type of school that can turn high school students to football stars in a blink of an eye. Mike Zmijanac was a big reason why Aliquippa has the reputation of being a good high school football school. Zmijanac coached Aliquippa from 1997-2017 and helped the team win six WPIAL football titles and one PIAA football title. His outstanding coaching record at Aliquippa (237-36) is a big reason why he is in "The Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame".
Mike Warfield replaced Zmijanac this past season and the way Warfield was able to coach Aliquippa to WPIAL and PIAA state football championships in his first season was just simply amazing.
Now, even though I think Aliquippa can be a great team again next year, they still have to figure out who is going to replace their star players from last season.
Eli Kosanovich had one heck of a senior year for Aliquippa last season. He passed for over 3,180 yards and threw 39 touchdowns. He will play NCAA Division 1 football at the University of Pittsburgh in the fall. Warfield is going to figure out this summer who is going to replace Eli and hopefully that quarterback can put up numbers like Eli did.
Will Gipson was one of the most popular WPIAL athletes last season. He led the Quips in receiving yards (1,657) and receptions (62) last season. He will be playing college football at Pitt next season. Yes, him and Eli will continue to be football teammates in college. Coach Warfield will have to figure out who is going to be a productive wide receiver like Gipson.
MJ Devonshire was not only a WPIAL football star; but, also a WPIAL track star at Aliquippa. He has won WPIAL track & field championships in the Boys 100-meter and 200-meter dash in 2A. Devonshire was able to run with football and catch the football for the Quips; but his specialty was playing cornerback. Devonshire will play college football at the University of Kentucky as a cornerback in the fall.
Avante McKenzie's was another reason why the Quips were a scary team. His 1,642 rushing yards made him one of the best running backs in the WPIAL. McKenzie and Devonshire were both on Aliquippa's Boys 2019 WPIAL 2A 4x100 meter relay championship team back in May. McKenzie will play college football at Slippery Rock University next year.
Larry Walker, Deveon Crute, Xavier Harvey, and Solvauhn Moreland are other players that Aliquippa lost in the offseason that made a big impact for the team last season.
Defensive end Zuriah Fisher will be one of the key returning players for the Quips next year. He has offers from big time schools such as Michigan State, Kentucky, Maryland, and Penn State.
There will be new big-time superstars on Aliquippa's football team next year and I know a lot of you cannot wait to see who will rise for the Quips.
BY Hilton: bythebossandgoat@gmail.com and Twitter @BYHilton13