PIAA rules team must play in Class 5A for next two seasons
:10—You’ve heard the expression before, I am sure. “Blessed and Cursed!” That can be said about the historic and unprecedented Aliquippa Quips High School football program, who won the PIAA state championship in Class 4A with a 60-14 triumph over Dallas, Dec. 7, 2023. Aliquippa is blessed with the homegrown talent and culture to be the best you can be on and off the football field. And cursed by those who want to bring their dominance to an end any way they can; and for those who do, be careful what you wish for!
:09—I’ll come back to that shortly, clearly there are a few things to call attention to. But let’s take a walk down a not so distant memory lane and be reminded of the greatness we know as Aliquippa High School football. #1. Five football state championships (1991, 2003, 2018, 2021, 2023). #2. The only high school that has three graduates in the Pro Football Hall of fame; Mike Ditka (5x Pro Bowl – 2x All Pro – 1x Super Bowl – 1x NFL Champion), Ty Law (5x Pro Bowl – 2x All Pro – All 2000 Team – 3x Super Bowl), and Darrelle “Revis Island” Revis (7x Pro Bowl – 4x All Pro – All 2010 Team – 1x Super Bowl).
:08—Let’s not forget, “It takes a village!” And in so doing, Coach Mike Warfield became one of only three WPIAL coaches with three or more state titles as an active coach. Coach Warfield is a born-and-bred Aliquippa product who clearly understands what it takes to be a winner in Aliquippa, having lived it and played it. In six seasons, Coach Warfield has an unbelievable record of 74-6 (a .925 winning percentage) and has guided his teams to four WPIAL titles and three PIAA titles. That, along with being voted Coach of the Year in 2023 by the Pittsburgh Union Progress sports staff and others, should put to rest some of the misguided thoughts and suggestions some of you have expressed both out loud and behind closed doors. (You know who you are…stop pretending.)
:07—Back to a few more stats. The Quips proudly present 12 grads who have gone into the NFL – Mike Ditka, Tony Dorsett (and please don’t argue with me about the 10 yards territorial divide as to where Tony Dorsett is from…), Ty Law, Darrelle Revis, Tommie Campbell, Jonathan Baldwin, Sean Gilbert, Charles Fisher, Lynwood Alford, Bob Liggett, Ed Scrutchins, and Ed Ribar.
:06—When I asked Coach Warfield how it happens and what it takes to achieve such amazing numbers, he stated it’s part of the culture. You’re expected to play and it all starts with the importance and adult coaching commitment to the “Little Quips” football program. Not just coaching football skills, but life skills as well.
:05—Allow me to sprinkle a little praise on Coach Warfield, a man who doesn’t seek it for himself. Mike earned multiple letters at Quip in basketball and football. And as a senior, led his basketball team to a WPIAL championship and quarterbacked his football team to a 7-2 record. The man has lived it, walked it, and can now talk it.
:04—It should be pointed out that football is not the only commodity that Aliquippa boasts of. Needless to say, the basketball and track programs are highly successful, but their academic and cultural programs are top-level and provide great opportunities for those who choose the non-athletic direction.
:03—What’s extremely important to note and point out are that these accomplishments are born out of an enrollment number that is far less than larger WPIAL schools like Penn Hills, North Allegheny, Central Catholic, Upper St. Clair, Woodland Hills, and Thomas Jefferson. That being said, all that’s being asked by the Aliquippa schools system is they be judged and maintained by the system that was established. #1. Enrollment; #2. Success; and #3 Transfers…they want and expect no more and no less. If they are able to be bumped up in class, let it be fair, consistent, and without a sliding rule scale.
:02—But the PIAA, the governing body over Pennsylvania high school football, rejected the appeal from Aliquippa as to why the Quips should remain in Class 4A and not move up to Class 5A. The PIAA contends that if a high school football team has a lot of success in the postseason for two years in a row and has at least three transfers to the team within that two-year period, that the team could be moved up a class in competition. Coach Warfield explained that two of the transfers actually quit the team this past season, so that shouldn’t be a factor. Still, the PIAA, which moved Aliquippa to Class 4A a few years ago when in all actuality, Aliquippa only has the male student body for a Class 1A designation, the PIAA stuck to its original ruling. Coach Warfield guarantees that his team maintains their competitive spirit and will not allow said ruling to determine their attitudes and no excuses mindset to win! “We have to keep it moving forward and use this as an opportunity to teach our student athletes that no matter what, hard work, commitment and dedication are the paths to success!”
:01—As a WPIAL product, allow me to offer a final thought as a former Penn Hills player and coach. If I were the rest of the WPIAL Class 5A community, I’d be careful about poking the bear. The bear will only devour what’s in front of it…I’m just sayin!
:00—GAME OVER!