WPIAL 3A Football Championship Preview: Belle Vernon Area vs. Avonworth
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- It's another championship rematch at Acrisure Stadium in the WPIAL 3A Championship game!
Just like last year, it's Belle Vernon Area and Avonworth in the 3A title match on Pittsburgh's North Shore.
The defending WPIAL and PIAA 3A champion and #1 seeded Leopards (10-1) are looking to go back-to-back and beat #2 Avonworth (12-0) in the title game for the second straight year.
Belle Vernon's lone loss this year came at the hands of Mon Valley longtime rival Thomas Jefferson in a cross-classification matchup in September.
The Leopards started section play after that loss and rolled through four blowout wins and wrapped up their regular season with a high-scoring win over Elizabeth Forward. Neither Deer Lakes nor East Allegheny were able to give much of a contest to Belle Vernon during the postseason, with the Leopards winning their two games 49-6 and 49-8.
Belle Vernon's ground attack has become a three-headed monster at times, with Jake Gedekoh, Kole Doppelheuer, but all eyes are always on Penn State recruit Quinton Martin, one of, if not the highest touted prospect in all of Pennsylvania.
While the Belle Vernon offense is powerful on its own, averaging 42 points for game, they bring a stout defense to the table as well, only allowing 9.7 points per game, the third best in all of the WPIAL.
Avonworth has made their way back to the title game for the second straight season, coming into the championship with an undefeated 12-0 record.
The unbeaten Antelopes offense is powerful in its own right as well, averaging 37 points per game, with their lowest point total in a game this season coming in last week's 21-10 win over Elizabeth Forward in the semifinals.
In addition to sweeping their regular season slate in the Western Hills Conference, Avonworth also took down non-conference opponents from Grove City, Central Valley, Sto-Rox, and North Catholic.
You can tune into the game on KDKA+, formerly known as Pittsburgh's CW. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Acrisure Stadium.
