Steel City Blitz
The 2025 WPIAL football season is nearly upon us! We are previewing all 17 conferences in preparation for kickoff on August 22. We are also thrilled to announce that the WPIAL Blitz Show will be back on the YouTube airwaves this season. Subscribe to the Sports Stream Premium channel and watch our live broadcasts on Monday nights or on replay any time.
Sixteen teams qualify for the 1A playoffs. The top three teams from each of the four conferences are guaranteed playoff spots. The final four wild card spots are decided by the WPIAL selection committee, rather than by a formula as was the case in prior cycles. California has been the most consistent team over the last decade in the Tri-County South. Last year Jefferson-Morgan claimed the conference title after prevailing in the final minutes against California. Watch out for Bentworth who returns their best player after making the playoffs for the first time since 2015. Be sure to keep tabs on our WPIAL Standings Page throughout the season and follow our WPIAL Twitter account @WPIAL_Blitz. Teams are listed in their predicted order of finish.
2024 Result: 7-3, lost to Clairton in quarterfinals
All-Time: 463-444-41 (36th in wins, 55th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: 1949 WPIAL Champions
The Trojans have won a playoff game in six of the last eight seasons, including a first round defeat of Laurel last year. California narrowly missed out on winning their second straight conference title last year, losing in the final minute to Jefferson-Morgan in Week 9. The Trojans tend to run a ground-and pound offense and their top four backs all averaged over 6.5 yards per carry last season. Three of them return as part of a strong class of rising seniors. Malachi Peak (436 yards, 6 TDs) is the top returning rusher, along with Landan Abercrombie (232 yards, 4 TDs) and speedster Adiu Keyes (215 rushing yards, 141 receiving yards, 5 total TDs) who averaged over 14 yards per touch. California doesn’t throw much, but senior QB Logan Hartley (608 yards, 9 TDs) also returns to give the Trojans stability in the backfield. Expect the Trojans to once again be the team to beat in the Tri-County South.
2024 Result: 6-4, lost to Bishop Canevin in first round
All-Time: 240-363-7 (105th in wins, 108th in win%)
Championship Pedigree: Never won a WPIAL Championship
The Bearcats made the playoffs for the first time since 2015, winning a 3-way tiebreaker against Carmichaels and West Greene. Several key player return this season and look to push Bentworth forward as potentially the top challenger to California atop the TCS. The star of the show is rising senior Ben Hays who ran for 1380 yards and 17 TDs, added 233 receiving yards and 4 TDs and played a little quarterback, throwing for 340 yards and 6 TDs. Hays returns to the backfield along with junior QB Ty Watson (646 yards, 6 TDs). Second-leading rusher Preston Jaquay (324 yards, 5 TDs) also returns for...
