Pennsylvania state football finals!

Hey, you got anything better to do for five minutes? Then pick the dang games!

Live from Hersheypark Stadium, the sweetest place on Earth!

1 p.m. Friday: Class A, Steelton-Highspire vs. Clairton

The Steel-High Steamrollers (15-0) are located about 3 miles out of Harrisburg and 20 minutes from the stadium. They are looking for their second consecutive Class A title. They have the state's all-time career rushing leader in senior TB Jeremiah Young (8,946 yards).

The Clairton Bears (15-0) are a suburban Pittsburgh club which didn't give up more than 7 points in any game until slipping past Farrell 24-21 in the Western final. WR Kevin Weatherspoon averages 26.2 yards a catch; Dave Wannstedt allegedly has him on speed-dial.

7 p.m. Friday: Class AAA, Archbishop Wood vs. Thomas Jefferson

The Archbishop Wood Vikings (12-2) will create a little piece of history Friday night as the first team from Philadelphia to play in a state football final. The Catholic League champs had five consecutive shutouts late in the regular season.

The Thomas Jefferson Jaguars (14-1), less than 10 miles from Clairton, will try to become one of a handful of schools to win three times (2004 and 2007). RB Brian Baldrige has just under 2,200 yards, leads a suffocating run game.

1 p.m. Saturday: Class AA, West Philadelphia Catholic vs. Wilmington

The West Catholic Burrs (14-1) quickly becomes the second Philadelphia Catholic League school in the finals. They've won 14 in a row and have three backs with more than 1,000 yards, led by QB Curtis Drake, a Penn State recruit as an athlete.

The Wilmington Greyhounds (14-1) are northwest of Pittsburgh, toward Sharon. They club teams over the head with junior FB Derrick Burns, a 1,400-yard rusher whose older brother Chris is redshirting at Pitt.

7 p.m. Saturday: Class AAAA, Bethlehem Liberty vs. Bethel Park

The Liberty Hurricanes (14-1), from the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton metroplex, were blown out in the 2005 and 2006 state finals. But they are a legitimate program. At just 5-7, TB Brandon Brader hides behind his line's zone-blocking scheme and comes at people out of nowhere.

The Bethel Park Black Hawks (15-0), yet another team in the backyard of Clairton and TJ, is coming off a 36-35, triple-OT victory over Wilson-West Lawn (Kerry Collins' school) in the Western finals. WR John Schademan caught three touchdown passes in that win from smooth QB Erik Olson.

 

I don't know if I can pick the teams because you kept saying "straight" instead of "consecutive."

 

No, I didn't.

No, I didn't.

 

Steel-High, TJ, West Catholic, Bethel Park.

*Patiently waiting (and waiting) for Greensburg-Salem and/or a District 9 school to make a state finals appearance*

 

Steel-High Steamrollers (15-0)

Archbishop Wood Vikings (12-2)

West Catholic Burrs (14-1)

Bethel Park Black Hawks (15-0)

 

Steel-High, Thomas Jefferson, West Catholic, and I'll say Liberty gets its title.

 

Steel-High
TJ
West Catholic
Bethel Park

As long as Young's ankle holds up, have to like Steel-High. TJ is outstanding again. I know nothing about the Philly teams, but I wasn't all that impressed by Wilmington, which lost to a D-9 team at the end of the regular season. And if Bethel Park can (and did) beat Gateway, I have to pick them against anyone else they play.

Trey, it has been a long time since the Hubs made D-9's last appearance in the finals, hasn't it? Unfortunately, I'm not sure I see that changing any time soon. Cameron County dominated our Class A schools this year, but got absolutely waxed by Farrell on their first trip outside the district.

 

I'm afraid D-9 has about as slim a shot of getting to Hershey as D-5.

 

1990? 1991? Yeah, it's been a while.

Same can be said for Karns City in Class AA.

Dominant program of late - well, relative to the Gremlins' competition -- which had the misfortune of playing Aliquippa and Jeannette the past two seasons in the state playoffs.

 

Class A: Clairton
Class AAA: Thomas Jefferson
Class AA: West Catholic
Class AAAA: Bethel Park (I'm a little biased - Bethel Park is my mom's alma mater.)

 

I'm a WPIAL homer so this is much more heart than head: Clairton, TJ, West Catholic (but really, who cares about this one ) Bethel Park.

 

Steel-High
TJ
Philly West Catholic
Bethel Park

Shotty, what happened to the Mid-Penn this year? And whither Southern Columbia?