Best in Show: PUP high school football 2025 preseason rankings

It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

Sure, the August heat is sweltering and there appears to be no respite from the abundance of humidity in the air, but that can only mean one thing — football season is just around the corner.

For the first time since 1992, the season will begin without a single local team entering as a reigning state champion, meaning every team in the area has something to prove this fall. But before any championship hopefuls can start looking ahead to the biggest game of them all at Cumberland Valley High School in December, they will have to run the gauntlet through their own backyards in order to prove their worth. And with WPIAL and City League teams officially kicking off the 2025 season on Friday night, the PUP sports staff is unveiling its annual preseason rankings to help you get ready for all the action.

Without further ado, it’s time to present the 2025 WPIAL and City League preseason “Best in Show”:

Class 6A

1. Central Catholic

2. North Allegheny

3. Mt. Lebanon

4. Canon-McMillan

5. Hempfield

The skinny: North Allegheny hoped to become the first team to three-peat as WPIAL champion in Class 6A since the shift from four to six classes in 2016, but Central Catholic had other plans. The Vikings took down the Tigers in a 45-14 rout on their way to reaching the PIAA Class 6A championship game, and with a star-studded nucleus of blue-chip prospects returning this fall, Central remains on top of the Class 6A rankings heading into 2025. With a monstrous offensive line led by four-star left tackle Jimmy Kalis (6-7, 285) and a ferocious defense headlined by linebackers Colsen Gatten and Roman Thompson, the Vikings have their eyes on title No. 10, and North Allegheny figures to be their top competition once again with Pitt recruit Lincoln Hoke paving the way up front. Senior quarterback Patrick Smith is back for Mt. Lebanon after passing for 1,610 yards and rushing for 1,091 with 27 total touchdowns as a junior, and all-conference linebacker Grayson Beck also returns. All-conference selections T.J. Sabatucci and Marco Faieta return for Canon-McMillan, while Hempfield will lean on the sturdy right arm of senior quarterback Dom Detruf, who will be wearing No. 18 in honor of his late father, T.J. Detruf.

Class 5A

1. Pine-Richland

2. Peters Township

3. Woodland Hills

4. Upper St. Clair

5. Penn-Trafford

The skinny: In coach Jon LeDonne’s first three years at Pine-Richland, the Rams have reached three consecutive WPIAL championship games while capturing two WPIAL titles and one state title. Despite all their success during his brief tenure, though, this could be their most loaded team yet since LeDonne’s arrival. Junior quarterback Oobi Strader returns along with leading rusher Maclane Miller and top receiver Jay Timmons. Pine-Richland also brought in another coveted wideout in junior Khalil Taylor, a four-star prospect who transferred from Seton LaSalle during the offseason. In each of the past two seasons, Peters Township has collided with the Rams in the WPIAL final, with the Indians taking home the title in 2023 before Pine-Richland’s 20-9 victory in last year’s rematch. Peters Township has all the makings of a championship contender once again this fall, led by senior quarterback Nolan DiLucia to go with a pair of elite edge rushers in Pitt recruit Reston Lehman and Stanford recruit Lucas Shanafelt. Meanwhile, with two-time PUP all-star wideout Scoop Smith as its centerpiece, Woodland Hills could have what it takes to secure its first WPIAL title since 2009. Tons of other teams can make a case for one of the remaining two spots in the rankings, but Upper St. Clair and Penn-Trafford get the nods to start the year.

Class 4A

1. Thomas Jefferson

2. Aliquippa

3. McKeesport

4. Mars

5. Montour

The skinny: After taking down McKeesport by a score of 28-7 in last year’s Class 4A final, defending champion Thomas Jefferson has now won six WPIAL titles in the past 10 seasons, with longtime coach Bill Cherpak standing alone as the only coach with 10 WPIAL titles to his credit. Always known for their punishing line, the Jaguars will feature a pair of all-conference selections in the trenches in senior center Zane Sable and senior guard Dominic Metz. Junior tailback Tyler Eber also returns after rushing for 2,276 yards and 30 TDs on 420 carries as a sophomore. For Aliquippa, the biggest name coming back isn’t a player, but rather the return of head coach Mike Warfield after a one-year leave of absence. After guiding his alma mater to four WPIAL titles and a trio of PIAA crowns in his first six-year stint at the helm, the Quips saw their record 16-year streak of WPIAL championship appearances come to an end last season after a semifinal loss to Thomas Jefferson. As for the most highly touted prospect to come out of Western Pa. in the past decade, look no further than McKeesport junior Kemon Spell, a rare athletic specimen ranked by Rivals as the No. 1 running back in the country in the 2027 class. Mars will rely on standout receiver Gabe Hein as its top target on offense, while Montour brings back its top rusher in senior tailback Caden Halajcio.

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Class 3A

1. Avonworth

2. Imani Christian

3. North Catholic

4. Central Valley

5. Elizabeth Forward

The skinny: The pecking order seems to be pretty clear in Class 3A, with defending WPIAL champion and PIAA runner-up Avonworth in a virtual toss-up with Imani Christian for the No. 1 spot. The Antelopes get the edge to start the year thanks to a plethora of returning playmakers, including senior quarterback Carson Bellinger and all-purpose weapon Luca Neal, who took over as Wildcat quarterback during Avonworth’s playoff run and authored several memorable performances last fall. Navy recruit Peter Bonnett returns to anchor the offensive line at left tackle, and Dmitri Velisaris is another impact player back in the fold for the Lopes. For Imani, senior running back David Davis and junior quarterback Gabe Jenkins will team up to provide arguably the most potent one-two punch of any backfield in the area this fall. Both players have verbally committed to play their college ball at Penn State. North Catholic brings back a talented tandem in senior quarterback Joey Felitsky and senior wide receiver Ryker Kennedy, who hauled in 97 receptions for 1,229 yards as a junior while Felitsky led the WPIAL with 2,982 yards passing to go with 23 TDs. Central Valley and Elizabeth Forward both have a lot of holes to fill, but each team has a proven track record of success and reasons for optimism heading into the season.

Class 2A

1. Steel Valley

2. Seton LaSalle

3. South Allegheny

4. Mohawk

5. Ellwood City

The skinny: The only classification in which the preseason No. 1 ranking doesn’t belong to the defending champion — 2024 WPIAL Class 2A champ South Park didn’t even make the final cut for the top five — it’s Steel Valley that takes the top spot to begin the season after falling in last year’s WPIAL semifinals. Senior quarterback Da’Ron Barksdale is one of the top all-around weapons in the WPIAL, and his ability to impact the game at several different positions on both sides of the ball could separate the Ironmen from the rest of the pack. Despite losing several key players from last year’s team that fell just short in the WPIAL title game, Seton LaSalle begins the season at No. 2. South Allegheny hopes to continue its recent surge behind a big senior season from multi-sport star Drew Cook, who caught 80 passes for 1,490 yards and 18 TDs as a junior. Mohawk is also led by its own two-sport standout in senior quarterback Bobby Fadden, while Ellwood City lost a lot of talent from a team that went undefeated in the regular season before losing to South Park in the semifinal round.

Class 1A

1. Fort Cherry

2. Clairton

3. Neshannock

4. Bishop Canevin

5. Jeannette

The skinny: Last year, Fort Cherry and Clairton clashed at Acrisure Stadium in one of the most dramatic WPIAL championship games in recent memory, as star quarterback Matt Sieg tossed a go-ahead TD pass on fourth down with 2:34 remaining to lift the Rangers to a 21-20 comeback win for their second consecutive title. Some are already penciling the two teams in for a championship rematch in late November, with Sieg looking to cap off his stellar career in style and the Bears hungry for revenge. Fort Cherry also has a handful of talented backs alongside Sieg in Ryan Huey, Eli Salvini and Christian Yanosko, while Clairton returns a whopping 10 all-conference performers under veteran coach Wayne Wade. Last year’s Offensive Player of the Year in the Big 7 Conference, senior quarterback Jino Mozzocio gives Neshannock plenty of confidence going into the season, while Bishop Canevin enters a new era under coach Rod Steele. Several other teams can make an argument for the fifth and final spot, but Jeannette takes it for now while coming off a nine-win season in 2024.

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City League

1. Westinghouse

2. Allderdice

3. University Prep

The skinny: For the third year in a row and the fifth time in coach Donta Green’s six-year tenure at his alma mater, Westinghouse raised the City League championship trophy in 2024 following a 40-12 rout against Allderdice in last year’s title game. But after back-to-back trips to the PIAA Class 2A championship game in 2022-23, the Bulldogs fell short of their ultimate goal after a blowout loss to Bishop Guilfoyle in the PIAA Class 1A quarterfinals. Westinghouse enters the season as a heavy favorite to bring home its fourth consecutive City League crown, and the Bulldogs should have plenty of firepower in their pursuit of that elusive state title. Senior lineman Josiah Collins anchors a ferocious defensive unit up front, and incoming sophomore quarterback Zahir Ismaeli will look to make an immediate impact following a promising debut season at West Mifflin. For Allderdice, senior Lukas Stead is an all-city tight end who shines as a versatile edge rusher on defense, and senior running back Nasir Scott is back after a big junior season as well. Seniors Zion Hauser, Micah Saunders and Damondtae Stevenson will try to take University Prep back to the City League title game after falling just short last fall.

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Editor Rick Davis
Reporters Brad Everett, Steve Rotstein, John Santa, Rob Joesbury
Photographer Emily Matthews
Art designer Jennifer Kundrach
Web designer Tyler Pecyna

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