2021 PIAA State Championship Previews

This is historical terrain for Redbank, earning its first trip in any sport to the state championship, and becoming the third overall District 9 team to reach the state finals since Smethport in 1992 and Keystone in 1989. This is nothing new for the Guilfoyle program, which will be aiming at its fourth state title and first since 2014 that capped off the Marauders’ threepeat as Class 1A state champions. Guilfoyle will be led by junior quarterback Karson Kiesewetter, who ran for three TDs in the Marauders’ 20-7 over Canton in the state semifinals.

Redbank arrived here by overcoming a 14-0 deficit to defeat Bishop Canevin, 23-14, thanks to a third-quarter interception by Chris Marshall and defensive end Joe Mansfield’s sack for a safety.

Class 2A Friday 1 p.m.

(D-7) Serra Catholic (15-1) vs. (D-4) Southern Columbia (14-1)

Just pencil in Southern Columbia every time here each December. The Tigers will be going for their fifth-straight Class 2A state title after a 56-14 state semifinal victory over Northern Lehigh in the state semifinals. The Southern Columbia triplet running backs Braeden Wisloski, Gavin Garcia and Wes Barnes combined for 352 yards on 21 carries and seven touchdowns.

It marked legendary Tigers’ coach Jim Roth’s 470th career victory, which is the most in state history. Southern Columbia has a 28-game postseason winning streak dating back to Dec. 10, 2016, in a 49-7 loss to District 7 champion Steel Valley in the PIAA Class 2A state championship.

Serra Catholic forced six turnovers in its 27-18 state semifinal victory over Farrell. This came after Serra created nine turnovers in the WPIAL championship over Beaver Falls. The Eagles have 54 turnovers (22 INTs, 32 fumbles) and scored 12 defensive touchdowns this season.

This will be the Eagles’ second trip to the state finals, and first since a 34-15 loss to District 3’s Steelton-Highspire in 2007.

Senior quarterback Max Rocco has thrown for 1,934 yards and 25 touchdowns, and senior tailback Machai Brooks-Duetrieulle has rushed for 1,037 yards, and 8 TDs.

Class 3A Saturday 12:00 p.m.

(D-3) Wyomissing (15-0) vs. (D-7) Central Valley (14-0)

In a rematch from last year, Central Valley is looking for its second-straight state title. Wyomissing Area reached the finals by blowing out Neumann-Goretti, 42-6, in the state semifinals. This will be the Spartans’ second trip to a Class 3A state title. Wyomissing won the 2012 Class 2A state championship. The Spartans run a potent Wing-T offense around quarterback Ben Zechman, using eight different players to pound a good Neumann-Goretti defense for 350 yards rushing. Running backs Amory Thompson and Tommy Grabowski combined for 230 yards.

Central Valley will no doubt run behind Sean FitzSimmons, a Pitt commit who was the third Bill Fralic Memorial Award winner. Tailback Landon Alexander broke Central Valley’s career rushing record with 3,929 yards rushing, which was formerly held by current Tampa Bay Buccaneer Jordan Whitehead. The Warriors got here by beating Martinsburg Central, 35-21, to become the second-ever Beaver Valley team to reach three straight PIAA championships since Rochester from 2000-2002.

The Warriors, five-time WPIAL champs (2010, 2014, 2019, 2020, 2021) are averaging 47.6 points per game while giving up 8.4 points against per game, with five shutouts. They only gave up 15 points or more twice, (4A Blackhawk, Central Martinsburg last week). Only wins closer than 21 points were vs Aliquippa (9 points) & Central Martinsburg (14 points).

Alexander has rushed for 2,166 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns.

Class 4A Thursday 7 p.m.

(D-7) Aliquippa (12-1) vs. (D-3) Bishop McDevitt (12-1)

This will be Aliquippa’s eighth trip to the state finals (two previous times as a Class 3A and five as a Class 2A). The Quips last won a state title in 2017 as a Class 3A. This will be Aliquippa’s first trip to the state finals as a Class 4A, after a 41-16 state semifinal victory over Jersey Shore. Sophomore quarterback Quentin Goode completed 8 of 19 passes for 206 yards and a touchdown in the semis. Aliquippa, a Class 1A school based on its enrollment, will be forced to move up to Class 5A next season due to the PIAA’s competitive-balance rule.

Bishop McDevitt reached the state finals by staving off a late rally in beating District 1’s Bishop Shanahan, 28-21. The Crusaders will be making their first appearance in the state finals since 2013. This is their fifth time to the state finals (1995, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2021). The Crusaders’ tailback Marquese Williams rushed for 110 yards on 22 carries against Shanahan.

Class 5A Friday at 7 p.m.

(D-12) Imhotep Charter (11-1) vs. (D-7) Penn-Trafford (12-2)

Imhotep may arguably be the best team in the state right now. The Panthers got here by stomping Strath Haven in the state semifinals, 36-0, and routing Erie Cathedral Prep, 42-7, in the state quarterfinals.

This is Imhotep’s first time to the finals since 2018, when the Panthers lost for the third-straight time in the Class 4A championship to Erie Cathedral Prep. The Panthers have been to the state finals five times, winning the 2015 3A 2015 state championship over Erie Cathedral Prep. The Panthers’ offense is just starting to come together behind sophomore running back Tre McLeod, who exploded on Erie Cathedral Prep for 289 yards on 12 carries, including touchdown runs of 80, 64 and 44 yards.

It’s defense that got Imhotep here. The Panthers, led by Enai White, the No. 1-rated edge rusher in the country and Penn State-bound end Keon Wylie, have only given up double digits twice this season and have mercy-ruled their last five opponents (excluding the Olney Charter forfeit).

This is Penn-Trafford’s first trip to the state finals, after the Warriors won their first WPIAL championship in school history. Senior tailback Cade Yacamelli, a Wisconsin commit, rushed for 1,766 yards (10.2 yards/carry) and scored 28 touchdowns. Senior quarterback Carter Green threw for 1,216 yards and 12 passing TDs, while rushing for 1,130 yards and 15 TDs.

Class 6A Saturday 6 p.m.

(D-12) St. Joseph’s Prep (11-2) vs. (D-7) Mt. Lebanon (14-0)

This will be the eighth trip to the state finals in the last nine years for St. Joe’s Prep, which will be looking to become the first fourpeat state champion at the 6A level, which was put into place by the PIAA in 2016. This will mark the sixth 6A state title game in Pennsylvania and St. Joseph’s Prep has been in each one.

The Hawks will try to become the first fourpeat “large school” state champion in state history, eclipsing the legendary Central Bucks West teams (1997, ’98 and ’99) of late coaching icon Mike Pettine.

This has been an uneven season—by Prep standards—with the Hawks looking good many moments (35-7 over La Salle in the Catholic League Red Division championship; 49-13 over previously undefeated Garnet Valley in the state semifinals) and not-so-good, by Prep standards, the next (28-21 regular-season loss to La Salle and 24-21 victory over Freedom in the state quarterfinals).

Sophomore quarterback Samaj Jones has been coming on. His best game to date was his last, directing the Hawks to a state semifinal victory by running for four touchdowns and throwing for three more.

This will be Mount Lebanon’s first trip to the PIAA Class 6A state finals, but not for Blue Devil head coach Bob Palko, in his third year at Mount Lebanon whose making his fourth trip to the state finals after the first three as the former West Allegheny coach. Palko is 1-2 in state championship games, last winning a state title in 2001.

The Blue Devils arrived here by beating State College, 49-28, in the state semifinals. Senior receiver Eli Heidenreich led the way, catching eight passes for 265 yards and five touchdowns. Senior quarterback Joey Daniels completed 11 of 13 passes for 277 yards and six touchdowns and senior tailback Alex Tecza carried 14 times for 110 yards.

If there is a time to catch St. Joe’s Prep, this is the year. The Hawks are primarily comprised of sophomores and juniors, and will only get stronger in the years ahead. Their defense is led by junior middle linebacker Josiah Trotter and their talented secondary features freshman safety Anthony Sacca, the son of former Penn State quarterback Tony Sacca, stellar sophomore corner Omillio Agard and South Carolina-bound safety Keenan Nelson.

If there is a year to catch the Hawks, this is it—but it’s also what Garnet Valley and many on the Eastern side of the state thought going into the state semifinals, too.

This may Prep coach Tim Roken’s best coaching job to date in getting the Hawks here.

Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been covering high school football since 1992 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on twitter @JSantoliquito. Follow EasternPAFootball.com on Twitter @EPAFootball.