PIAA Class 3A championship breakdown: Aliquippa vs. Middletown

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, December 6, 2018 | 2:03 PM

PIAA Class 3A championship

Aliquippa (14-1) vs. Middletown (13-1)

Noon, Saturday, Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey

On the air: Video: PCN; Audio: Tribhssn.triblive.com , WBVP/WMBA (1230/1460)

Coaches: Mike Warfield, Aliquippa; Brett Myers, Middletown

PIAA titles: Aliquippa 2 (1991, 2003), Middletown 0

How they got here: District 3 champion Middletown defeated D12’s Conwell-Egan in a PIAA quarterfinal, 21-14, and D2’s Scranton Prep in the semifinals 35-21. WPIAL champion Aliquippa defeated Derry in the WPIAL championship 42-19, had a bye in the PIAA quarterfinals and defeated D10’s Sharon in the PIAA semifinals 41-7.

Statistical leaders

Passing: A: Eli Kosanovich, 147-230, 3,019 yards, 38 TDs, 4 INTs; M: Scott Ash, 87-160, 1,514 yards, 15 TDs, 6 INTs

Rushing: A: Avante McKenzie, 177-1,510 yards, 30 TDs; M: Jose Lopez, 263-2,221 yards, 28 TDs, Richie Sykes, 132-1,224 yards, 15 TDs

Receiving: A: Will Gipson, 58-1,631 yards, 19 TDs; M: Richie Sykes, 20-265 yards, 4 TDs, Chris Joseph, 13-399 yards, 5 TDs

Notable: Middletown has lost in the state finals in consecutive years to WPIAL teams. The District 3 champion lost in 2017 to Quaker Valley, 41-24, and in 2016 to Beaver Falls, 30-13. … Middletown averages 37.8 points and scored a season-high 63 in a shutout win over Camp Hill. … Middletown’s only loss was the Bishop McDevitt, 40-14, on Sept. 7. … Aliquippa makes its seventh appearance in the state finals. The Quips are 2-6 all-time with runner-up finishes in 1988, 2000, 2012 and 2015. … This is Mike Warfield’s first year as coach. … Aliquippa has four seniors committed to Division I colleges: Will Gipson (Pitt), Solvauhn Moreland (Ball State), Larry Waker (Albany) and Deoveon Crute (Duquesne).

Probable lineups

Middletown

Starting offense

LT, 71, Ethan Miller, 6-3, 240, sr.

LG, 75, Morgan Billman, 6-1, 220, sr.

C, 66, Collin Heffner, 6-2, 245, jr.

RG, 62, Cole Senior, 6-0, 220, sr.

RT, 50, Joe Gusler, 6-1, 245, sr.

TE, 5, Trayvon Joseph, 5-11, 195, sr.

FB, 30, Lamar Ventura, 6-0, 200, sr.

TB, 25, Jose Lopez, 5-11, 195, jr.

HB, 2, Richie Sykes, 6-1, 200, sr.

SE, 22, Chris Joseph, 5-10, 160, jr.

QB, 19, Scott Ash, 6-0, 175, sr.

Starting defense

DE, 71, Ethan Miller, 6-3, 220, sr.

DE, 9, Adonis Taveras, 6-1, 220, sr.

DT, 62, Cole Senior, 6-0, 220, sr.

DT, 50, Joe Gusler, 6-1, 245, sr.

LB, 5, Trayvon Joseph, 5-11, 195, sr.

LB, 40, Gage Radabaugh, 5-10, 185, sr.

LB, 30, Lamar Ventura, 6-0, 200, sr.

CB, 21, Antonio Bryant, 5-10, 155, sr.

CB, 22, Chris Joseph, 5-10, 160, jr.

S, 4, Odell Greene, 5-9, 160, so.

S, 2, Richie Sykes, 6-1, 200, sr.

Aliquippa

Starting offense

LT, 72, Elijah Mike, 6-1, 305, so.

LG, 75, Solvauhn Moreland, 6-3, 305, sr.

C, 56, Thomas Shaw, 5-6, 265, sr.

RG, 53, Izayah King, 5-9, 212, sr.

RT, 74, Tarquinn Greene, 6-2, 305, jr.

TE, 18, Zuriah Fisher, 6-2, 220, jr.

WR, 8, Deoveon Crute, 6-1, 190, sr.

WR, 6, Will Gipson, 6-3, 190, sr.

WR, 9, MJ Devonshire, 5-11, 180, sr.

WR, 15, Chinua Soloman, 6-0, 175, jr.

QB, 11, Eli Kosanovich, 6-2, 220, sr.

RB, 4, Avante McKenzie, 5-6, 185, sr.

(or) RB, 26, Xavier Harvey, 5-6, 170, sr.

Starting defense

DE, 3, Karl McBride, 5-9, 185, so.

DT, 72, Elijah Mike, 6-1, 305, so.

DT, 74, Tarquinn Greene, 6-2, 305, jr.

DT, 75, Solvauhn Moreland, 6-3, 305, sr.

DE, 81, Gevod Tyson, 5-10, 175, sr.

LB, 18, Zuriah Fisher, 6-2, 220, sr.

LB, 53, Izayah King, 5-9, 210, sr.

CB, 6, Will Gipson, 6-3, 190, sr.

CB, 9, MJ Devonshire, 5-11, 180, sr.

S, 14, Larry Walker, 5-10, 180, sr.

S, 10, Isaiah Towler, 5-9, 175, so.

Chris Harlan is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Chris at charlan@tribweb.com or via Twitter @CHarlan_Trib.

Tags: Aliquippa