Belle Vernon and Aliquippa bring home 2023 PIAA state football championships
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Two WPIAL football teams brought PIAA state championship titles home from Mechanicsburg over the weekend.
All six of the PIAA championship games held at Cumberland Valley High School's Chapman Field over three days featured teams from the Pittsburgh area.
Fort Cherry, Westinghouse, Peters Township, and North Allegheny all came up short in their quests for PIAA glory, but Belle Vernon Area and Aliquippa were the two who were able to get the job done.
On Thursday night, Aliquippa (14-0), playing in 4A despite their 1A-sized enrollment poured things on the title game, scoring 60 points against District 2 champion Dallas (14-1).
It was the fifth PIAA championship for Aliquippa, who went perfect on the season with a 14-0 record for the first time in school history.
"History is history," head coach Mike Warfield told the Pittsburgh Union Progress. "It's never been done. I told the kids last week, we're not going to be superstitious about it and run from it. We're going to poke our chests out and try to achieve it."
Junior running back Tiqwai 'Tikey' Hayes carried the load for the Quips in the title game, rushing for 222 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries.
On Saturday afternoon, Belle Vernon Area (13-1) took the field looking to retain their 3A PIAA title from a year ago -- and did just that, beating District 11 champion Northwestern Lehigh (15-1).
Senior running back Quinton Martin, another Penn State recruit, had his shining moment in the game when he broke an outside run for a 92-yard touchdown.
While Martin put on a show with his touchdown, fellow running back Anthony Crews put on a show as well, returning the game's opening kickoff for a touchdown and adding another on a broken reverse turned long score.
With the win, the Leopards won their second straight PIAA 3A title, putting together a combined record of 25-3 over the two seasons.
"When you have a group of kids that just allow you to do your job, buy in and go with it, that's when you get special," head coach Humbert told the Mon Valley Independent. "And that group right there is special."
When it comes to who will defend their title next season, something will have to give as Belle Vernon will be moving up to Class 4A and the two teams could already be on a collision course for the 2024 WPIAL and PIAA titles.
