Best in Show: PUP high school football rankings (Oct. 12)

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

Class 6A

1. Central Catholic (7-1)

2. North Allegheny (7-1)

3. Norwin (5-3)

4. Canon-McMillan (4-4)

5. Seneca Valley (3-5)

The skinny: In a special Thursday night matchup at Carnegie Mellon, top-ranked Central Catholic cruised to a 35-6 win over Norwin. On Friday, North Allegheny held on for a narrow triumph over Canon-McMillan, 21-13, while Seneca Valley claimed Hempfield’s spot in the rankings after a one-sided 47-8 win over the Spartans.

Class 5A

1. Pine-Richland (7-1)

2. Peters Township (8-0)

3. Upper St. Clair (7-1)

4. Woodland Hills (6-2)

5. Penn-Trafford (7-1)

The skinny: These rankings have remained remarkably consistent all season long, with Pine-Richland keeping a firm hold on the top spot after another lopsided win over Latrobe, 43-7. Peters Township won at South Fayette, 31-7, while Upper St. Clair beat Bethel Park, 57-32. Elsewhere, Woodland Hills beat Gateway, 42-28, and Penn-Trafford took down Franklin Regional, 48-14.

Class 4A

1. McKeesport (5-3)

2. Thomas Jefferson (6-2)

3. Aliquippa (5-2)

4. Mars (6-2)

5. New Castle (6-2)

The skinny: In the PUP’s Game of the Week, five-star prospect Kemon Spell put on a dazzling display with 420 all-purpose yards and six touchdowns for McKeesport in a 56-31 win over Mars. Thomas Jefferson got back on track with a 42-6 win against Ringgold, while Aliquippa beat Blackhawk, 34-17, and New Castle fell to West Allegheny, 24-14.

Class 3A

1. Avonworth (8-0)

2. Imani Christian (8-0)

3. Elizabeth Forward (7-1)

4. Hopewell (6-2)

5. Southmoreland (8-0)

The skinny: No changes here either, as Avonworth continued its dominant campaign with a 49-0 win at McGuffey. Imani Christian won at Deer Lakes, 56-14, while Elizabeth Forward kept rolling with a 55-7 win at Yough. Hopewell secured a 48-20 non-conference win against Freeport, and Southmoreland beat Mount Pleasant, 14-0.

Class 2A

1. South Allegheny (7-0)

2. Seton LaSalle (7-1)

3. Washington (7-1)

4. Western Beaver (7-1)

5. Apollo-Ridge (5-3)

The skinny: In a showdown of ranked teams, South Allegheny came away with a 35-0 victory against Apollo-Ridge, while Seton LaSalle steamrolled Shady Side Academy on Saturday, 47-6. Washington moved up to No. 3 after a 61-9 beatdown against Charleroi, while Western Beaver dropped to No. 4 following its first loss of the season against Mohawk, 40-20.

Class 1A

1. Fort Cherry (8-0)

2. Clairton (7-1)

3. Bishop Canevin (5-3)

4. South Side (7-1)

5. Laurel (7-1)

The skinny: Fort Cherry star Matt Sieg became the WPIAL’s new all-time leader in career passing and rushing yardage, surpassing former Sto-Rox quarterback Lenny Williams during the Rangers’ 56-19 rout against Bishop Canevin. Clairton posted its sixth consecutive shutout against Leechburg, while South Side knocked then-No. 4 Neshannock out of the rankings with a 35-7 road win. Laurel also joined the party at No. 5 after shutting out Shenango, taking the place of previously unbeaten Jefferson-Morgan.

City League

1. University Prep (5-2)

2. Westinghouse (6-2)

3. Allderdice (4-4)

The skinny: Well, well, well — say hello to a new No. 1 team in the city! For the first time since 2019, University Prep defeated three-time defending City League champion Westinghouse on Friday, 20-14, to rise all the way to the top spot in the rankings. Meanwhile, Allderdice fell to Butler, 35-8.