Trib HSSN high school football state rankings for Dec. 7, 2022

By: Chris Harlan
Thursday, December 8, 2022 | 12:17 AM

The PIAA football playoffs are down to 12 teams as the season approaches the final weekend.

The six state championship games, no longer held at Hersheypark Stadium, will be played Thursday-Saturday at Cumberland Valley in Mechanicsburg.

Aliquippa in Class 4A and Southern Columbia in 2A are the only defending champions with a chance to repeat. St. Joseph’s Prep, Imhotep Charter and Bishop McDevitt return to the state finals after finishing as runners-up a year ago.

Here are the latest HSSN rankings in each of the six classifications. Teams are listed with overall record, last week’s ranking and PIAA district.

Class 6A

1. St. Joseph’s Prep (11-1) (1) (D-12): The Hawks defeated Garnet Valley, 48-7, in a PIAA semifinal. They take on No. 2 Harrisburg in the finals on Saturday.

2. Harrisburg (11-2) (4) (D-3): The Cougars defeated State College, 27-7, in a PIAA semifinal. They take on No. 1 St. Joseph’s Prep in the finals on Saturday.

3. Garnet Valley (13-1) (2) (D-1): The Jaguars lost to St. Joseph’s Prep, 48-7, in the PIAA semifinals to end the season.

4. State College (13-0) (4) (D-6): The Little Lions lost to Harrisburg, 27-7, in a PIAA semifinal to end the season.

5. North Allegheny (11-1) (4) (D-7): No game

Out: None

Class 5A

1. Imhotep Charter (10-2) (1) (D-12): The Panthers defeated Upper Dublin, 21-14, in a PIAA semifinal. They take on No. 2 Pine-Richland in the finals on Friday.

2. Pine-Richland (12-3) (3) (D-7): The Rams defeated Cocalico, 34-12, in a PIAA semifinal. They take on No. 1 Imhotep Charter in the finals on Friday.

3. Upper Dublin (14-1) (2) (D-1): The Cardinals lost to Imhotep Charter, 21-14, in a PIAA semifinal to end the season.

4. Cocalico (10-4) (4) (D-3): The Eagles lost to Pine-Richland, 34-12, in a PIAA semifinal to end the season.

5. Cathedral Prep (8-3) (4) (D-10): No game

Out: none

Class 4A

1. Aliquippa (12-0) (1) (D-7): The defending 4A state champion Quips defeated Allentown Central Catholic, 31-10, in a PIAA semifinal. They take on No. 2 Bishop McDevitt in the finals Thursday.

2. Bishop McDevitt (11-1) (2) (D-3): The Crusaders defeated Crestwood, 35-0, in a PIAA semifinal. They take on No. 1 Aliquippa in the finals Thursday.

3. Crestwood (13-2) (3) (D-2): The Comets lost to Bishop McDevitt, 35-0, in a PIAA semifinal to end the season.

4. Allentown Central Catholic (9-6) (4) (D-11): The Vikings lost to Aliquippa, 31-10, in a PIAA semifinal to end the season.

5. Central Valley (11-2) (5) (D-7): No game

Out: none

Class 3A

1. Belle Vernon (11-2) (2) (D-7): The Leopards defeated Central Martinsburg, 21-17, in a PIAA semifinal. They take on No. 2 Neumann-Goretti in the finals Saturday.

2. Neumann-Goretti (10-3) (4) (D-12): The Saints defeated Wyomissing, 20-17, in a PIAA semifinal. They take on No. 1 Belle Vernon in the finals Saturday

3. Wyomissing (13-2) (1) (D-3): The Spartans lost to Neumann-Goretti, 20-17, in a PIAA semifinal to end the season.

4. Central Martinsburg (12-3) (3) (D-6): The Dragons lost to Belle Vernon, 21-17, in a PIAA semifinal to end the season.

5. Danville (12-1) (5) (D-4): No game

Out: none

Class 2A

1. Westinghouse (14-0) (1) (D-8): The Bulldogs defeated Steel Valley, 26-7, in a PIAA semifinal. They take on No. 2 Southern Columbia in the finals Friday.

2. Southern Columbia (12-3) (3) (D-4): The defending PIAA champion Tigers defeated Trinity, 42-7, in a PIAA semifinal. They take on No. 1 Westinghouse in the finals Friday.

3. Steel Valley (12-1) (2) (D-7): The Ironmen lost to Westinghouse, 26-7, in a PIAA semifinal to end the season.

4. Trinity (10-5) (4) (D-3): The Shamrocks lost to Southern Columbia, 42-7, in a PIAA semifinal to end the season.

5. Farrell (10-2) (5) (D-10): No game.

Out: none

Class A

1. Steelton-Highspire (13-1) (1) (D-3): The Steamrollers defeated Canton, 28-21, in a PIAA semifinal. They take on No. 2 Union in the finals Thursday.

2. Union (12-3) (3) (D-7): The Scotties defeated Port Allegany, 46-36, in a PIAA semifinal. They take on No. 1 Steelton-Highspire in the finals Thursday.

3. Canton (12-2) (2) (D-4): The Warriors lost to Steelton-Highspire, 28-21, in a PIAA semifinal to end the season.

4. Port Allegany (12-2) (4) (D-9): The Gators lost to Union, 46-36, in a PIAA semifinal to end the season.

5. Northern Lehigh (12-2) (5) (D-11): No game

Out: none

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Aliquippa, Belle Vernon, Pine-Richland, Union, Westinghouse