It might not be today, and it might not be tomorrow. But one day, fans of WPIAL football will learn to never, ever doubt the Aliquippa Quips.
Just a few weeks after being left for dead by virtually everybody outside of Quip Nation, No. 7 Aliquippa (9-3) completed its unthinkable journey back to the top of the mountain, toppling No. 1 McKeesport and its heralded superstar Kemon Spell for a 21-12 triumph in the WPIAL Class 4A championship game at Pine-Richland. Fueled by a punishing ball-control offense and a fast, physical defense, the Quips secured their fourth title in the past five years and 21st in school history, seven more than any other school.
“It was a total team effort,” said Aliquippa coach Mike Warfield. “We talked about it yesterday. We said everything is not going to go our way. But as long as we keep fighting and stay the course, we’ll be fine at the end. And here we are.”
All hope seemed to be lost for the Quips after senior quarterback Marques Council went down with a knee injury in late September that appeared to be season ending. But Council made a surprise return just in time for the playoffs, completely changing Aliquippa’s trajectory and infusing new life into the team’s title chances.
The Yale recruit made his presence felt early and often Saturday afternoon, completing 9 of 14 passes for 123 yards with two touchdowns and one interception to go with six carries for 47 yards and a score.
“This is what we expected, but I’m going to be honest, it hasn’t completely hit me yet,” Council said. “But I know when it does hit me — it might be on the bus, it might be when I finally get home, but I know I’m going to just cry like a baby. It’s a blessing to be here.
“My granddad always tells me — don’t let the moment take advantage of you, take advantage of the moment.”
For the No. 1 Tigers (9-4), the game couldn’t have gotten off to a better start after forcing a three-and-out on the Quips’ opening drive. Moments later, Spell burst free down the left sideline for a 68-yard TD on McKeesport’s first play from scrimmage, giving the Tigers a 6-0 lead and sending their fan base into a frenzy.
The consensus No. 1 running back in the nation in the 2027 class, Spell was hoping to propel McKeesport to its first WPIAL title in 20 years after back-to-back runner-up finishes as a freshman and sophomore. But Aliquippa’s defense made the necessary adjustments after his long run to start the game, making sure to fly to the ball and gang tackle while playing with the trademark aggression the Quips are known for.
Spell finished the game with 19 carries for 142 yards and two TDs along with a 37-yard completion on a halfback pass, but those numbers still fell well below his usual other-worldly production.
“The kids just trusted,” Warfield said. “We had a great week of practice. We were actually hitting at practice. We did so many tackling drills at practice. Nobody eats alone. No one makes a tackle by themselves. We’ve got to rally by the ball. … They bought into that, and you saw that today.”
After a fast-paced, action-packed first half that saw a pair of touchdowns scored by both teams, the defenses took over in the second half.
Aliquippa began grinding out the clock with its running game, keeping Spell off the field while attempting to wear out the Tigers’ defense. But each time the Quips threatened to extend their lead, McKeesport managed to stand tall in the red zone, keeping Aliquippa’s advantage at 14-12. On the other side, though, the Tigers simply couldn’t get anything going on offense.
“They’re physical at the point of attack,” said McKeesport coach Matt Miller. “We just couldn’t get anything sustained. … Their fourth-down conversions really hurt us, and not being able to capitalize when we made stops.”
Then, with time winding down in the fourth quarter and the Quips still clinging to their two-point lead, Council scrambled around on fourth-and-9 from the Tigers’ 24-yard line before heaving up a prayer to Qa’lil Goode, who out-jumped a trio of defenders before coming down with a spectacular TD catch in the back of the end zone.
Ballgame.
“Ever since I was a little boy, I dreamed of making a catch like that,” said Goode, who finished with five catches for 51 yards. “Game time, back of the end zone, toe tap. Biggest dream, you know what I’m saying?”
From there, with Aliquippa up by nine points and only 2:15 remaining, the rest of the game was just a formality, as the seconds ticked off the clock until Akiva Woods put the finishing touches on title No. 21 with a game-clinching interception. Warfield consoled Spell in the game’s closing seconds before being doused with the celebratory Gatorade shower, signifying his team’s fifth WPIAL title in seven years at the helm at this alma mater.
“I think they accepted the challenge,” Warfield said. “That’s one thing about Aliquippa kids. If you put a challenge in front of them, they’re going to try to accomplish that challenge. So I’m proud of them.”
That being said, don’t think for a second that the Quips are about to stop here — not with a chance to become the first WPIAL team to claim six state titles.
“The community is not going to allow us to be satisfied,” Warfield said. “We’ve got to get back on that horse tomorrow.”
Steve is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at srotstein@unionprogress.com.
