Eric F. Epler | eepler@pennlive.com
Another exciting high school football season in Pennsylvania came to an end Saturday at Hersheypark Stadium as six teams were declared PIAA champions.
Our congratulations go out to Farrell, Southern Columbia, Aliquippa, Cathedral Prep, Penn Hills and St. Joseph’s Prep for adding championship trophies to their hallways.
One more piece of business remains in PennLive’s final set of state rankings. Farrell, Southern Columbia, Aliquippa and St. Joseph’s Prep were listed at the top of our preseason rankings in those classifications, although the WPIAL-champion Quips entered Saturday’s Class 3A final in the No. 2 slot.
The same was true for eventual Class 4A champion Cathedral Prep, and Penn Hills was not slotted in the top Class 5A spot until week 6 of the regular season.
Teams below are listed with district, overall record, and previous rank.
Class 6A
1. St. Joseph’s Prep (12) – 13-0 – 1
2. Harrisburg (3) – 13-2 – 2
3. Coatesville (1) – 14-1 – 3
4. Pine-Richland (7) – 11-3 – 4
5. State College (6) – 12-2 – 5
6. North Penn (1) – 13-1 – 6
7. Bethlehem Freedom (11) – 12-2 – 7
8. Garnet Valley (1) – 12-1 – 8
9. North Allegheny (7) – 10-1 – 9
10. Central Dauphin (3) – 9-4 – 10
Honorable mention: Delaware Valley (2) 9-4, Emmaus (11) 11-2, Downingtown West (1) 11-2, Easton Area (11) 8-4, Seneca Valley (7) 9-4, Manheim Twp. (3) 10-2.
HERSHEY – Sophomore QB Kyle McCord threw for 284 yards and RB Kolbe Burrell raced to 147 yards on the ground as St. Joseph's Prep won the PIAA Class 6A title with a 40-20 victory over Harrisburg Saturday at Hersheypark Stadium. The title was the fourth for the Hawks in six seasons. Burrell scored on a 59-yard TD run while backfield mate Marques Mason chipped in two fourth-quarter touchdown runs. McCord threw for two touchdowns and ran for a third.
Class 5A
1. Penn Hills (7) – 16-0 – 1
2. Manheim Central (3) – 14-1 – 2
3. Archbishop Wood (12) – 9-4 – 3
4. West Allegheny (7) -- 10-3 – 4
5. Gateway (7) – 12-1 – 5
6. Upper Dublin (1) – 12-2 – 6
7. Cocalico (3) – 10-3 – 7
8. Bayard Rustin (1) – 10-3 – 8
9. Penn Wood (1) -- 11-2 – 9
10. Peters Twp. (7) – 10-3 – 10
Honorable mention: Cedar Cliff (3) 10-3, Hollidaysburg (6) 9-5, Wallenpaupack (2) 10-3, Warwick (3) 9-3, York High (3) 11-2.
HERSHEY – WPIAL champion Penn Hills completed its perfect season Friday at Hersheypark Stadium, rallying behind WR Daequan Hardy. Hardy scored four touchdowns, in three different ways, to lead the Indians past Manheim Central 36-31. The Indians picked off four Evan Simon passes, including a 100-yard pick-6 by Hardy, who also caught a pair of toucdowns passes from QB Hollis Mathis and returned a kickoff 84 yards for a score.
Class 4A
1. Cathedral Prep (10) – 13-3 – 2
2. Imhotep Charter (12) – 11-3 – 1
3. Valley View (2) – 13-1 – 3
4. Bishop McDevitt (3) – 12-2 – 4
5. Bethlehem Catholic (11) – 11-4 – 5
6. Berks Catholic (3) -- 10-3 – 6
7. South Fayette (7) -- 12-2 – 7
8. Thomas Jefferson (7) – 11-1 – 8
9. Pottsgrove (1) – 12-2 – 9
10. Clearfield (9) – 12-1 – 10
Honorable mention: Belle Vernon (7) 9-2, Blackhawk (7) 10-2, Dallas (2) 10-2, Milton Hershey (3) 10-2, Saucon Valley (11) 10-3.
HERSHEY – Running back Billy Lucas set multiple PIAA championship records Thursday as Cathedral Prep completed three straight 4A title runs by downing rival Imhotep Charter 38-7. Lucas rushed 40 times for 287 yards and three touchdowns. The Ramblers helped the Philadelphia Public League champions to 216 yards of offense. QB Regan Schleicher added two short TD runs. The title was No. 5 overall for the franchise from Erie.
Class 3A
1. Aliquippa (7) – 14-1 – 2
2. Middletown (3) – 13-2 – 1
3. Scranton Prep (2) – 13-2 – 3
4. Conwell-Egan (12) – 13-1 – 4
5. Sharon (10) – 10-4 – 5
6. Grove City (10) – 11-1 – 6
7. Bald Eagle Area (6) – 11-3 – 7
8. North Schuylkill (11) – 11-2 – 8
9. Derry (7) -- 11-2 – 9
10. Mercyhurst Prep (10) – 10-1 – 10
Honorable mention: Bermudian Springs (3) 9-4, Danville (4) 10-3, Lakeland (2) 9-4, Montoursville (4) 11-3, North Catholic (7) 10-2, Wyoming Area (2) 11-1.
HERSHEY – District 3 champion Middletown had to settle for runner-up honors for the third season in a row as Aliquippa's Avante McKenzie broke for 198 yards and four touchdowns in the Quips' 35-0 victory Saturday at Hersheypark Stadium. McKenzie carried 22 times and scored on TD runs of 5, 35, 1 and 80 yards. QB Eli Kosanovich was 17 of 30 for 170 yards and one touchdown. Middletown's Jose Lopez, a junior, rushed for 148 yards and became the program's all-time rushing leader.
Class 2A
1. Southern Columbia (4) – 16-0 – 1
2. Wilmington (10) – 13-2 – 2
3. West Catholic (12) – 12-3 – 3
4. Steel Valley (7) – 12-2 – 4
5. Richland (6) -- 13-1 – 5
6. York Catholic (3) – 12-1 – 6
7. Ligonier Valley (6) – 12-1 – 7
8. South Side Area (7) – 10-4 – 8
9. Charleroi (7) – 10-2 – 9
10. Chestnut Ridge (5) – 10-3 – 10
Honorable mention: Burgettstown (7) 10-1, Delone Catholic (3) 10-2, Freedom Area (7) 11-2, Mount Carmel (4) 10-3, Ridgway/Johnsonburg (9) 11-2, Shady Side Academy (7) 10-1.
HERSHEY – Behind the powerful work by RB Gaige Garcia, Southern Columbia won the program's ninth overall title Friday with a 49-14 victory over Wilmington. Garcia rushed for 134 yards and pitched in five total touchdowns as the Tigers erupted for 35 second half points and easily extended their winning streak to 32 games. Garcia, just a junior, now has 124 touchdowns in his SC career. Wilmington was in the final for the second straight season.
Class 1A
1. Farrell (10) – 15-0 – 1
2. Lackawanna Trail (2) – 14-2 – 2
3. Our Lady Sacred Heart (7) – 13-2 – 3
4. Jeannette (7) – 11-1 – 4
5. Clairton (7) – 9-2 – 5
6. Juniata Valley (6) – 11-3 – 6
7. Halifax (3) – 11-2 – 7
8. Rochester (7) – 11-2 – 8
9. Shade (5) – 11-2 – 9
10. United (6) – 9-5 – 10
Honorable mention: Canton (4) 10-2, Coudersport (9) 8-4, Muncy (4) 9-4, Old Forge (2) 8-3, Smethport (9) 11-1, Tri-Valley (11) 9-4.
HERSHEY – Three years after a disappointing performance in the state finals, Farrell returned to Hersheypark Stadium and defeated Lackawanna Trail 55-20. Running back Christian Lewis rushed 19 times for 249 yards and five touchdowns for the Steelers, who rolled up 500 offensive yards. Pitt pledge Kyi Wright, a part of that 2015 loss to Bishop Guilfoyle, chipped in 129 rushing yards and two scores.
Ad Choices