The first round of the PIAA football championships kicks off in locales all across the state this weekend, and plenty more surprises could be expected. Four WPIAL champions will be determined at Heinz Field tomorrow, with state favorites likely emerging in the Class A and AA matchups.
The Class AAA bracket already has its first surprise as Erie Cathedral Prep was stunned by Conneaut in the District 10 title game. Conneaut has secured its place in the Class AAA quarterfinals, where it will face the winner of Friday night’s clash between Central Valley and West Allegheny at Heinz Field.
On the Class AAAA side, the WPIAL final between Pine-Richland and Pittsburgh Central Catholic is an early matchup to watch. Pine-Richland got the better end of a regular-season matchup between the two teams, sending the reigning state runner-ups to a 48-28 loss in October.
Longtime Pennsylvania football analysts Ross Tucker and Andrew P. Shay broke down the favorites in each bracket and matchups to watch in this week’s Keystone Sports Network podcast. Check out audio from the show in this post and get plenty more podcasts and analysis on KeystoneSportsNetwork.com and by following @KSNSportsNet on Twitter.