Best in Show: PUP high school football rankings (Sept. 21)

Each week the Pittsburgh Union Progress will issue its high school football rankings throughout the season, with all rankings voted on by the PUP sports staff.

Class 6A

1. Central Catholic (4-1)

2. North Allegheny (5-0)

3. Norwin (3-2)

4. Hempfield (3-2)

5. Canon-McMillan (3-2)

The skinny: The top two teams will collide this Friday at North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium, with Central Catholic riding high off a 59-7 rout against Hempfield. On the other hand, the Tigers had to rally late to beat Norwin, 20-17. Canon-McMillan won its third consecutive game after an 0-2 start, knocking off Mt. Lebanon at home by a score of 21-6.

Class 5A

1. Pine-Richland (4-1)

2. Peters Township (5-0)

3. Upper St. Clair (5-0)

4. Woodland Hills (3-2)

5. Penn-Trafford (4-1)

The skinny: Pine-Richland pounded Plum at home, 56-14, while Peters Township picked up a 28-0 non-conference win against West Allegheny. In a memorable showdown between two of the WPIAL’s most storied programs, Upper St. Clair came from behind in the fourth quarter to knock off McKeesport in a defensive slugfest, 17-14. Woodland Hills defeated Shaler, 41-7, and Penn-Trafford posted a 42-0 shutout against Kiski Area.

Class 4A

1. Thomas Jefferson (4-1)

2. Aliquippa (3-1)

3. McKeesport (2-3)

4. Mars (4-1)

5. Montour (3-2)

The skinny: Thomas Jefferson took care of business against West Mifflin, 35-14, while Aliquippa narrowly escaped with a 21-16 win against Penn Hills on a 28-yard TD pass by Marques Council on the last play of the game. Mars outlasted Montour for a 29-21 victory thanks to 324 yards rushing and three TDs from Ayden Yocum.

Class 3A

1. Avonworth (5-0)

2. Imani Christian (5-0)

3. North Catholic (5-0)

4. Elizabeth Forward (4-1)

5. Hopewell (3-2)

The skinny: In the PUP’s Game of the Week, Avonworth registered another impressive one-sided beatdown against a quality foe, this time taking down Hopewell at home, 48-14. Imani Christian won at Highlands, 27-7, while North Catholic dominated McGuffey, 63-0, setting up a must-see matchup between the Saints and Trojans this Friday. Elizabeth Forward bounced back from its first loss of the season with a 57-0 win over Baldwin.

Class 2A

1. South Allegheny (5-0)

2. Seton LaSalle (4-1)

3. Western Beaver (5-0)

4. Steel Valley (3-2)

5. Washington (4-1)

The skinny: South Allegheny stormed past defending WPIAL champion South Park, 56-7, and Seton LaSalle cruised past Carlynton, 49-0. Western Beaver beat Union, 46-14, while Steel Valley shut out Waynesburg, 34-0, and Washington crushed Sto-Rox, 49-6.

Class 1A

1. Fort Cherry (5-0)

2. Clairton (4-1)

3. Bishop Canevin (3-2)

4. Neshannock (3-1)

5. Jefferson-Morgan (5-0)

The skinny: Fort Cherry star senior Matt Sieg rushed for a trio of touchdowns in a 55-6 win against Monessen, surpassing former Clairton stars Tyler Boyd and Lamont Wade to become the WPIAL’s all-time leader with 118 career TDs. Speaking of the Bears, they made easy work of Frazier in a 72-0 shutout. Bishop Canevin clobbered Cornell, 44-7, while Neshannock raced past Northgate, 62-27, and Jefferson-Morgan topped Carmichaels, 33-0.

City League

1. Westinghouse (5-0)

2. Allderdice (4-1)

3. University Prep (2-2)

The skinny: After leading by only one point at the half, Westinghouse pulled away from Butler for a 40-14 win, while Allderdice beat Brashear on Thursday, 20-0, and University Prep pulverized Perry, 54-0.