This year christens a new venue for the PIAA state football championships—Chapman Field at Cumberland Valley. This year’s state championships also welcome four teams that have never been to the state finals before, which is in the seventh year under the 6A system.
Only two defending state champions return this season, Southern Columbia going for its sixth-straight title (and all-time high 13th overall) at Class 2A, and undefeated Aliquippa (13-0) looking to become the first team in the storied history of the Quips to become repeat state champions, and in the process become the first undefeated Quips state champion.
There is only one rematch from last year’s state finals, which again will feature Aliquippa, in the Class 4A game against District 3 champion Bishop McDevitt.
Four teams are here for the first time: District 7 champion Union (Class 1A), District 8’s Westinghouse (2A), and the Class 3A state title will involve two new teams to the finals, District 7 champion Belle Vernon against District 12’s Neumann-Goretti.
In Class 6A, Philadelphia heavyweight St. Joseph’s Prep will be making its seventh-straight championship appearance, going for its fourth state title in five years, and its seventh state title in 10 years. The Hawks top the list of large school state championships (6—two at 4A and four as the 6A) since the PIAA instituted the state high school playoff system in 1988. Since the 6A system was incorporated in 2016, St. Joe’s Prep has been involved in every Class 6A state championship.
Last year, there were three undefeated teams in the state finals, this year, just two, Westinghouse (14-0) and Aliquippa (13-0). The Quips also carry the state’s longest winning streak at 24 games.
Of the 12 teams playing in the state championship this weekend, District 7 (Union, Aliquippa, Pine-Richland, and Belle Vernon) leads the state with four representatives, followed by District 12 (Imhotep Charter, Neumann-Goretti and St. Joe’s Prep) and District 3 (Steelton-Highspire, Bishop McDevitt and Harrisburg) with three each. At the same time, District 4 (Southern Columbia) and District 8 (Westinghouse) have one each.
Class 4A Thursday 7 p.m.
(D-3) Bishop McDevitt (12-1) vs. (D-7) Aliquippa (13-0)
This could be the best game of championship week. Aliquippa is actually a Class 1A school, playing way up at 4A based on its success. The Quips won their first Class 4A state title last year, 34-27, over McDevitt. This is Aliquippa’s ninth trip to the state finals (two as a 4A, two as a Class 3A, and five as a Class 2A). Both quarterbacks return, junior Quentin Goode for the Quips, and sophomore Stone Saunders for McDevitt. Both arrived at this rematch after dominant semifinal victories. Aliquippa went off on Allentown Central Catholic, 31-10, behind 5-10, 190-pound sophomore tailback Tiqwai Hayes, and juniors John Tracy and Cameron Lindsey. Goode has thrown for 1,909 yards and 22 TDs, while Hayes has rushed for 1,911 yards and 32 TDs this season. The Quips are playing for history, and they know it. No Aliquippa team has ever repeated as state champions and no Quip state championship team has gone undefeated. These Quips can achieve both.
But they’re going to have to go through McDevitt, which smoked Crestwood, 35-0, in the semifinals behind Saunders’ three TD passes, 140 yards rushing from 5-8, 180-pound senior tailback Marquese Williams, and 95 yards receiving from 6-foot, 185-pound senior Rico Scott. Saunders has thrown for an amazing 3,416 yards and 49 TDs, while Williams has rushed for 1,378 yards and 26 TDs. Defensively, McDevitt smothered Crestwood for 26 yards of total offense. The Crusaders will be making their second-straight finals appearance. This is the sixth time the Crusaders have reached the state championship (1995, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2021, and 2022). The Crusaders have one state championship, beating District 7 Burrell, 29-0, back in 1995 as a Class 2A. Since then, McDevitt has been to the finals three of four years as a Class 3A (2010, 2011, 2013), reaching the state finals for the first time last year as a 5A and back again standing in the way of the Quips and history this year.
| Teams (2022 Season) | Class | District | Wins | Losses | Ties | Average Points Scored | Average Points Allowed | Total Points Scored | Total Points Allowed |
| Bishop McDevitt Crusaders | AAAA | D3 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 49.6 | 7.8 | 646 | 102 |
| Aliquippa Quips | AAAA | D7 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 39.4 | 9.3 | 513 | 121 |
| Teams (Playoffs) | Class | District | Games Played | Average Points Scored | Average Points Allowed | Total Points Scored | Total Points Allowed |
| Bishop McDevitt Crusaders | AAAA | D3 | 4 | 41.0 | 2.5 | 164 | 10 |
| Aliquippa Quips | AAAA | D7 | 4 | 37.0 | 7.7 | 148 | 31 |
Bishop McDevitt (12-1)
Aliquippa (13-0)
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 [twitter.com]. Follow EasternPAFootball.com on Twitter @EPAFootball [twitter.com].
