Nov 26, 2015 5 min read

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Here we go again. For the third consecutive year, South Fayette and Aliquippa will play for the WPIAL Class AA championship and a spot in the PIAA playoffs.

With amount of parody in WPIAL football, how do these two programs continue to rise to the top? It comes down to three things: a reliable running game, a strong defense and coaching.

Look at these two the last three years and you’ll notice a consistent running game. In 2013, the Lions had Grant Fetchet and JJ Walker with Hunter Hayes getting three carries at Heinz Field. Aliquippa had Dravon Henry, who is a two-year starting safety at West Virginia, and Terry Swanson, who has played a lot at Toledo the past two years.

Last season, the Lions had Hayes and the Quips had Kaezon Pugh. That’s a ton of talent, but in both games, it was Aliquippa that was able to consistently run the ball. Swanson had 166 yards and three touchdowns in 2013 and Pugh had 111 yards last year.

The Quips controlled time of possession in both games and were consistent on third down, but South Fayette held them off in the fourth quarter.

The difference last year was South Fayette had 466 total yards on offense and in 2013 the defense held Aliquippa to 2 of 5 in the red zone.

This time around, the winner will have to avoid allowing big plays, especially in the passing game, and will have to take advantage of its opportunities.

The biggest difference in this meeting could be at quarterback. Brett Brumbaugh is gone and so is South Fayette’s ability to connect on those deep passes that kept the Quips defense honest, but sophomore Drew Saxton has been excellent when he has time to throw and is no longer forcing balls downfield.

Aliquippa could have its best passing quarterback in years. Sheldon Jeter has added a new dimension to the Quips’ pro-style offense, but even though he has exceled in play action, don’t look for head coach Mike Zmijanac to throw the ball more than 20 times.

“We have a new quarterback who has played terrific,” Zmijanac said. “He’s been really, really good for us, especially in the second half of the season. He’s been effective. We’ve always thrown the ball as much as we wanted to, which isn’t always a lot.”

You don’t have to rely on the passing game when you manhandle opponents up front and have talented tailbacks to grind out wins. That’s Aliquippa football. It will utilize two tight ends with occasional fullback dives and its offensive line outweighs South Fayette’s by 30-40 pounds.

That hasn’t stopped the Lions in the past. When the Lions lost Anthony Davidson to a season-ending injury in the WPIAL playoffs last year, Andrew Gedrys stepped in and South Fayette still won the battle at the line of scrimmage.

With all five starters back and the Quips replacing their entire line from a year ago, South Fayette has the advantage up front. That brings us to how coaching has kept these programs at the top.

The Lions continue to develop linemen who might not be the most physically gifted, but are technically sound and find a way to win. They have one of the most underrated players in the WPIAL in Zack Radinick, who has been dominant on defense. The Quips are young this year, but they’ve been strong up front. Leading up to the WPIAL playoffs, people familiar with football in Beaver County told me that Aliquippa wasn’t as strong up front.

Well, it handled Seton-La Salle and pretty much every team on its schedule all season.

“They’re going to grind it out in that style of football with double tight, three backs and just try to mother you,” South Fayette head coach Joe Rossi said. “They’ll also try to spread you out and they’re going to try to throw the ball down the field. Pugh is their workhorse. They’re going to grind you out.”

Here’s an obvious prediction for you: both defenses will shine early in this one. Aliquippa will blitz often to try to throw off Saxton and South Fayette is good enough up front to limit Pugh a bit. These are two great coaching staffs that will make adjustments and that’s why the past two meetings came down to the fourth quarter.

The Lions exploited the Quips using short passes in the second half in 2013 and Roman Denson had a key interception on the following drive. Last year, the Lions got a 36-yard field goal by Dan Trimbur after a face mask penalty stalled their drive.

Aliquippa drive 70 yards by completing four passes, including a 30-yard throw to Patrick Anderson, who is a freshman at Temple. The Quips cut the deficit to nine points then recovered the onside kick, but South Fayette made an adjustment on the next drive, allowing Aliquippa to gain just seven yards on six plays before an incomplete pass all but ended the game.

These were two incredible games and expect the same this time around.

Matchup to watch: Pugh against the Lions’ linebackers. If the Pitt recruit reaches the second level, will South Fayette be able to take him down. SF has always been a strong open-field tackling team. Another matchup is the Quips’ pass rush against SF’s line. Pass protection will be huge in this game.

Players to watch: Dan Trimbur and Nick Ponikvar will get chances to make plays. Zmijanac made a point to mention Ryhan Culberson as a player he was very impressed with and the Quips will need to account for the talented tight end. That could open things up for the receivers outside.

Prediction: South Fayette struggled against Steel Valley because the Ironmen had a ton of speed on defense. The Quips don’t have that. The Lions win their third consecutive WPIAL title with a 28-20 win.