Farrell (Class 2A), Hickory (3A), Cathedral Prep (5A) and McDowell (6A) remain alive in the PIAA quarterfinals, in search of a state title.
Farrell and Cathedral Prep are both use to playing this time of year, with the Steelers winning a state title as recently as 2019 (in Class 1A, 10-7 over Bishop Guilfoyle in overtime), while Prep beat Imhotep Charter in Class 4A in 2018, 38-7.
McDowell has advanced to the PIAA semifinals most recently in the COVID season of 2020.
To get to the semifinals, all three will have to go through formidable foes.
Here’s a look at each game.
CLASS 2A
WESTINGHOUSE (11-0) AT FARRELL (11-1)
This will be the third straight season these two teams have met in the PIAA playoffs, with Farrell winning 24-7 in 2021 and Westinghouse winning last season, 34-6.
Farrell is coming off a 16-9 win over Mercyhurst Prep in the D10 title game, while Westinghouse knocked off D9 champion Central Clarion last week, 46-30.
Marion Norris, Farrell’s leading tackler on the season, was at it again last week with 13 tackles in the win over Mercyhurst Prep, while Juelz Johnson had two interceptions and coach Amp Pegues praised the effort of his young defensive lineman, including Aidan Marshall, who had 1.5 sacks in the win.
The Steelers have given up more than 16 points in a game just once this season (in their only loss to Cathedral Prep). Norris has 135 tackles and Johnson 86 and Omario Boatwright 63.
After switching from running back to receiver this season, Brandon Chambers went back to his roots in the win over Mercyhurst, rushing for 125 yards on 18 carries, including a game-changing 54-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Johnson leads the team in rushing on the season with 1,042 yards and nine touchdowns.
Senior quarterback Kabron Smith, the program’s all-time passing yardage leader, has thrown for 2,083 yards, completing 67 percent of his passes and has a 27-6 touchdown to interception ratio. Danny Odem (47-598-7) and Chambers (40-462-8) are his top receivers.
Ty Abrams rushed for 158 yards and three touchdowns, while Khalil Green had 133 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns in Westinghouse’s win over Central Clarion.
The Bulldogs, who have gone 42-3 over the past four seasons, also feature dynamic sophomore running back Kyshawn Robinson, who already has Power 5 offers from the likes of Penn State, Colorado, USC and Florida, among others.
The winner moves on to face the Steel Valley-Beaver Falls (WPIAL championship game) winner in the PIAA semifinals next week.
CLASS 3A
HICKORY (10-2) vs. CENTRAL-MARTINSBURG (12-0) at Mansion Park (Altoona)
Hickory comes into Friday’s PIAA quarterfinal clash with Central winners of seven-straight, including a 14-6 win over Sharon last week for the D10 title.
Central, meanwhile, is coming off a thrilling 41-35 double overtime win over Clearfield.
Jeff Hoenstine, the 2022 Pennsylvania Class 3A Player of the Year, graduated at quarterback, but Eli Muthler has picked up right where he left off. Muthler has thrown for 2,733 yards and 31 touchdowns while completing 60 percent of his passes. He also had 320 yards on the ground and our touchdowns.
Jack Dunn (53-995-13) leads a talented Dragon group of receivers, which also includes Jacob Benton (51-843-8) and Bardon Dionis (28-399-2).
Hunter Smith leads the Dragons on the ground with 977 yards and 23 touchdowns. The Dragons have scored at least 40 points in a game seven times this season. Smith also leads the Dragon defense with 100 tackles, including 26.5 for loss.
Hickory, meanwhile, comes into the game averaging 32.7 ppg. Zander Telesz has thrown for 1,435 yards and 17 touchdowns and has also rushed for 522 yards and nine touchdowns.
Freshman Kelvin Morrison leads Hickory with 671 yards rushing and nine touchdowns, while Sean Kennedy has 530 yards adn eight touchdowns.
Tylon Cousin (33-529-6) leads the Hickory receiving group which also includes Luke Nevil, Will Acrie and Keenan Scullin.
Central has defeated D10 champion Grove City in each of the last two PIAA quarterfinal matchups.
The winner will face the winner of the WPIAL championship game between Belle Vernon and Avonworth next week in the semifinals.
CLASS 5A
PETERS TOWNSHIP (13-0) at CATHEDRAL PREP (7-3)
The Ramblers are playing their best football of the season, and it will take a great effort to beat a Peters Township team that has largely rolled through it’s competition this season.
The Indians, after losing in the WPIAL title game in 2019 and 2020, powered past Pine-Richland last week, 43-17. They own five shutouts on the season and their closest game was a a 23-10 win over Canon-McMillan on Oct. 20.
Prep, meanwhile, is coming off a 63-35 win over Hollidaysburg, and then received a bye. The 63 points were the Ramblers’ second-highest point total of the season. The only game they scored more in was a 78-72 six-overtime win over St. Francis on Sept. 15.
An offensive line led by Pitt recruit Jiavani Cooley paved the way for 263 yards on the ground in the win over Hollidaysburg, including 209 yards and five touchdowns from Suhtaun Lewis, while Luke Costello threw for 261 yards (163 of which went to Corey Allen) and two touchdowns.
A healthy Lewis gives Prep a lethal 1-2 punch at running back. Dajoure Hollingsworth has rushed for 1,564 yards and 18 touchdowns on the season, while Lewis 703 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Costello, meanwhile, has thrown for 1,166 yards and 16 touchdowns, with RJ Roberts (19-275-4) and Allen (19-332-3) his top receivers.
Montay Hollingsworth leads the Prep defense with 74 tackles.
Sophomore quarterback Nolan DiLucia, who also rushed for 81 yards and a score, completed 14 of 25 passes for 184 yards and three touchdowns for the Indians in the 43-17 win over Pine-Richland.
Vinny Sarcone and Preston Blair each rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown. Peters Township’s season stats were unavailable.
The winner will face Cocalico and Ephrata in the semifinals next week.
CLASS 6A
MCDOWELL (8-4) at NORTH ALLEGHENY (11-1)
A rematch of a regular season game won 43-22 by North Allegheny on Sept. 9.
NA, which lost to Pittsburgh Central Catholic 50-22 on Sept. 22, stunned PCC in the WPIAL title game, 44-41, while McDowell is coming off an impressive 47-20 win over District 6 champion State College.
Tyree Alualu and Evan Lyon each had three touchdowns in the regular season meeting for NA, with Alualu rushing for 154 yards. Alualu, a Division I prospect, has offers from a number of MAC schools.
In the win over PCC in the WPIAL championship, got six total touchdowns from quarterback Logan Kushner, including a 76-yard rushing touchdown.
The Tigers, whose complete season stats are unavailable, have scored at least 43 points in 10 of their 11 wins this season.
In the loss to NA back in September, McDowell quarterback Blayze Myers completed 30-of-46 passes for 325 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, while also adding a rushing touchdown.
Behind one of the top offensive lines in the state, Dom Berarducci ran wild in last week’s win over State College, rushing for 229 yards and three touchdowns.
On the season, Berarducci has rushed for 798 yards and 10 touchdowns. Myers, meanwhile, has completed 70 percent of his passes (206-of-294) for 2,632 yards with a 32-9 touchdown to interception ratio.
Drew Pilatowski leads the team with 68 tackles.
McDowell has scored at least 47 points in seven of its eight wins.
The winner will face the Manheim Township-Harrisburg winner in the semifinals next week.
