WPIAL Class 3A championship primer: Aliquippa vs. Quaker Valley

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, November 16, 2017 | 11:36 PM

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WPIAL football championship primer

Class 3A

No. 1 Aliquippa (12-0) vs. No. 2 Quaker Valley (11-1)

11 a.m. Saturday, Heinz Field

On the air: Tribhssn.triblive.com; 1230-AM, 1460-AM/AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh

Winner plays: The winner of Huntingdon Area/Forest Hills or the winner of Karns City/Sharon in the PIAA semifinals. The WPIAL champion gets a bye in the quarterfinals.

What to watch

• How will Aliquippa’s experience at Heinz Field factor into the game?

The Quips have advanced to the WPIAL title game in each of the past 10 seasons and 13 times since 2001. They lost to Beaver Falls last season after winning the 2015 title over South Fayette.

The Quakers have never reached the finals, but two of their predecessors did. Sewickley was WPIAL co-champion with Glassport in 1938, a year after losing in the final to Masontown. Leetsdale was runner up to Bridgeville in 1942. The two schools merged to form Quaker Valley in 1956.

• Can the Quaker Valley offense solve the Quips’ defense?

Aliquippa allowed a WPIAL-low 3.5 points per game, but the Quakers were one of only three teams to score an offensive touchdown against the Quips.

• How far can the “Guss bus” carry Quaker Valley?

QV quarterback Ricky Guss has thrown for nearly 2,000 yards and run for more than 1,000, factoring in on 50 of the Quakers’ 68 touchdowns this season.

In the first meeting — a 22-7 Aliquippa victory — Guss ran for 54 yards and threw for 130 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions.

Players to watch

• Kwantel Raines: An Aliquippa senior WR/S, Raines (6-3, 190) committed to West Virginia last month as a safety.

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• M.J. Devonshire: The Quips junior RB/DB has 13 catches for 322 yards and is second on the team with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions. Devonshire (5-11, 175) has offers from Ohio State, West Virginia, Syracuse and Oregon State, among others.

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• Ricky Guss: A senior QB/LB, Guss (6-2, 195) threw for 82 yards and three scores and ran for 122 yards and two touchdowns in Quaker Valley’s semifinal win over Seton LaSalle last week.

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• Isaiah McNair: McNair (5-11, 178), a Quaker Valley senior RB/WR/DB, has been a key weapon in the passing attack with 43 catches for 806 yards. He also has run for 282 yards on 45 carries.

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Stat leaders

Passing: A: Eli Kosanovich, 45-74-695 yards, 11 TDs, 7 INTs; QV: Ricky Guss, 112-222-1,942 yards, 24 TDs, 10 INTs

Rushing: A: Avante McKenzie, 169-1,567 yards, 18 TDs; QV: Guss, 160-1,032 yards, 26 TDs

Receiving: A: M.J. Devonshire, 13-322 yards, 10 TDs; QV: Isaiah McNair, 43-806 yards, 14 TDs

By the numbers

All-time records: A: 709-321-22; QV: 229-336-14

Last title: A: 2015; QV: N/A

WPIAL titles: A: 16; QV: 0

Did you know?

• Quaker Valley’s Landon Grant played in the PIAA Class AA boys soccer championship at 1:30 p.m. Friday in Hershey and also will suit up as the Quakers’ placekicker on Saturday.

• Aliquippa has more WPIAL football titles (16) than any school in district history. Clairton is second with 13. The Quips also have qualified for the playoffs 23 straight times, tied with Thomas Jefferson for the longest streak in WPIAL history.

• Quaker Valley head coach Jerry Veshio took over the program a week before practice began after John Tortorea resigned.

• William Gipson also has seen time at quarterback for the Quips, throwing for 337 yards and five scores.

Prediction

Aliquippa, 30-14

Tags: Aliquippa, Quaker Valley