Why he's here: The 1976 Heisman Trophy winner starred at Pitt before carving out a Pro Football Hall of Fame career with the Cowboys. (AP Photo), Teams: Green Bay Packers (1961-69), Dallas Cowboys (1970-72). Graduated in 1973, one year ahead of me. The 32-year-old has thrown for 41,796 yards and 260 TDs in his pro career. That's really, honestly the biggest piece. Comprehensive look at high school football champions from across the country. Tony Dorsett was an All-State running back at Hopewell High School. Why he's here: The Michigan State product was one of the NFL's top ring collectors of his era, winning five NFL championships and a pair of Super Bowls with the Packers. All Players. If either of those are successful, Aliquippa will remain in Class 4A and that will be the end of it. All Players Table; Player Pos Teams From To; Darrelle Revis: DB: NYJ,TAM,NWE,KAN: 2007: 2017: Tommie Campbell: DB: TEN,JAX: 2011: 2014: Jonathan Baldwin . MaxPreps is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. This might sound strange, but the Quips were, for at least the previous half-century before Warfields arrival, a tough, running team that did not pass. How and about Henry Mancini. The Rams defeated the Cardinals 32-16. Warfield, the school board, community and former players like NFL Hall of Famer Ty Law came to present their appeal to the PIAA, which included the discrepancies between Aliquippa and 5A schools, their use of transfers and more. Aliquippa players carry the championship trophy after defeating Bishop McDevitt 34-27 in the PIAA Class 4A championship football game, Dec. 9, 2021, at HersheyPark Stadium in Hershey. In the not-so-distant past, Quip, the nickname given to the city by the locals, was a thriving community. 16 Miami, No. So, we cant allow any distractions to deter us from coming to practice and preparing every day. 2022 PIAA Football Championship 4A. An All-American linebacker at Penn State, Ham won four Super Bowls with the Steelers. $27; ebk. Tony Dorsett also went to Hopewell High School, not Aliquippa. Why he's here: A top-10 pick out of Penn State in the 1982 NFL Draft, Munchak was elected to nine Pro Bowls in his stellar NFL career. 5 Aliquippa players among 12 WPIAL athletes picked for Class 4A all-state football team December 30, 2022 The Aliquippa football team made its annual trip to the WPIAL championship game this fall and proceeded to roll all the way to the PIAA final, again. The Steelers defeated the Dolphins 30-24. Martin ran for 1,000 yards in 10 straight seasons, finishing his career with 14,101 the fourth-highest mark in league history. As we go further and further into this, it becomes more and more clear that this rule has not been properly enforced. The Bears' Willie Gault (83) and Maury Buford (8) join in celebrating their 46-10 victory over the New England Patriots. Was there a former NFL great that shouldve made the cut instead? If not, further action could be taken, including the possibly of finding a new league. Baltimore Colts quarterback John Unitas loosens his throwing arm before the start Super Bowl game with the Dallas Cowboys in Miami on Jan. 17, 1971. According to Yaros: "Thats just the way it is here; the coaches become like family. The six-time Pro Bowler was the MVP of Super Bowl XI as the Raiders pummeled Minnesota, 32-14. All rights reserved (About Us). Heading into this upcoming season, the team brings back most of its starters from the season prior, putting expectations high for fans that this team will win another state title, becoming the first in school history to win back-to-back state titles. With all this experience returning, the Aliquippa players have high expectations from themselves and also from the media and fans who expect them to do well and repeat as WPIAL and State champions again. The state uses it tomeasure transfers and postseason success to put teams in a higher classification. Dont forget Tom Sakal. The PIAA awarded The Quips four points last year and six over the past two seasons. He also completed a 39-yard pass, had a reception, and an interception in the game. Why he's here: One of the NFL's all-time great gunslingers, Marino spent his entire 17-year career with the Dolphins. How is it possible that a poverty-stricken city keeps producing quality NFL players? Or, they do have the ability to go down (a classification)if they're not successful. In terms of accomplishments as a player, Ty Law is the most successful NFL player to come from Aliquippa. Donald, 26, won the 2014 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award and claimed NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2017. Aliquippa is everywhere," parent Anissa Curenton said.The Quips have quite an impressive record. He moved to West Aliquippa as a young doctor way back in 1915. Mike Ditka is arguably the biggest name in football to come out of Aliquippa. Pennsylvania football state finals primer. In his senior season, Revis saved his best for last on the gridiron. It comes from within the locker room, Warfield said. Go Quips ! Four of the five players from this unit return this season, which includes senior guards/defensive tackles Neco Eberhardt and Jason McBride, junior center and defensive tackle Braylon Wilcox and senior tackle/nose guard Naqaun Crowder. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images), Teams: Dallas Cowboys (1977-87), Denver Broncos (1988). @EFrantzMPs Great Lakes Football Rankings. It was high enough where the Quips could face solid opponents, while also keeping the safety of players within the program in mind. read full story Aliquippa, Pennsylvania (Other Pennsylvania schools) 5 total players, 0 active players . There are other Aliquippa NFL players we tend to forget . Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka is carried off the field by Steve McMichael, left, and William Perry after the Bears win Super Bowl XX in New Orleans, La., on Jan. 26, 1986. That's not his fault. These are some of the hardest men you wouldnt want to meet, and they are crying about a football game. The school then has a chance to explain the case for each player. Those four years also marked the amount of time that head coach Mike Warfield started in charge of the program. Think of how small Aliquippa is, and then realize that this city is up there in terms of violent crimes with some of the biggest cities in the nation. So as long as we continue to do that, as long as we continue to stay focused, as long as we maintain our competitiveness. The Kane Apartment Homes offers 1-3 bedroom rentals starting at $1,195/month. However, years before the Competition Formula was created, the Quips football program decided to play at a higher level, believing that stronger competition for its student athletes would lead to better exposure for recruitment. Played against Butlers Terry Hanratty and the Saul brothers. Six or more success points plus three or more Athletic Transfers equals a bump up in classification. Aliquippa won its 13th WPIAL boys basketball title its first since back-to-back championships in 2015-16 but the Quips had to come back to do it. Aiding him on offense are wide receivers in senior Donovan Walker and junior Brandon Banks, who both hold numerous Division I offers. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. He would score one rushing touchdown in Super Bowl XII to help Dallas bring home the Vince Lombardi trophy. Teams: Philadelphia Eagles (2009-14), Buffalo Bills (2015-present). 2022 high school football state champions. After leading Aliquippa to PIAA and WPIAL titles in a 2021 season filled with adversity, Mike Warfield is The Times' 2021-22 Boys' Coach of the Year. In his senior year at the University of Pittsburgh, Gilbert made 17 tackles and 4 sacks. Lets not forget Doc Medich And Pecky Suder both fair baseball players in their day. The violent crime rate per 1,000 residents actually exceeds the rate of the entire state of Pennsylvania. The five-time Pro Bowler and 1995 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year scored 100 total touchdowns as a pro. The space they make for the running backs and the time they give to the passing game ensures the offense is a versatile threat throughout. Jon Baldwin won many accolades as a receiver at Aliquippa High School. As stated on the PIAA's website, "schools will be classified by enrollment of grades 9-10-11 in the odd-numbered calendar years by sport and gender.". Homes are in disrepair. He returned as the head coach for the New Orleans Saints in 1997. How does everyone forget Mike Dikta? He was a tight end from Aliquippa High School that caught the eye of many college recruiters. In fact, Aliquippa - a school known for its success on the football field - won their first WPIAL title since 2016 in dramatic fashion, having to come behind after going down 18-11 in the . Both players earned All-State honors for their efforts in 2021. Big time football player at Aliquippa High, 1958 or 59. 3.8 AVG. Jahri Evans #73 of the New Orleans Saints at Cowboys Stadium on December 23, 2012 in Arlington, Texas. Defensive end Aaron Donald #99 of the Los Angeles Rams reacts after a tackle against the Arizona Cardinals during the second half of the NFL game at the University of Phoenix Stadium on December 3, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. 1 Quips finished the trifecta at the Petersen Events Center to clinch the WPIAL Class 2A Championship, 52-40. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. isn't he from Aliquippa? Bishop McDevitt (12-1) vs. Aliquippa (13-0): Players to know, history, and keys to victory in PIAA 4A football championship Published: Dec. 07, 2022, 1:00 p.m. Pennsylvania high school football all-state teams announced for Class 4A, 5A, 6A. Biletnikoff posted 10 straight seasons of 40 or more catches, ending his career with 589 receptions for 8,974 yards and 76 scores. Why he's here: Namath is the person responsible for the most famous guarantee in NFL history. Actually, Curt Singer is from Aliquippa in mailing address onlyHe went to Hopewell H.S. Those who stayed found themselves struggling just to feed their families. Everything is closed downtown, and the buildings are falling apart. 3 FUM. Both schools have an Aliquippa mailing address as Hopewell did not have its own post office. ", "This is not recruiting," Warfield said. I have nothing but fond memories of the town and the people, including Hopewell! For this reason, the young aspire to become drug dealers or pro athletes. All Players Table; Player Pos Teams From To; Paul Posluszny: LB: BUF,JAX: 2007: 2017: Curt Singer: T: SEA,DET,NYJ: 1986: 1991: Tony Dorsett: RB: DAL,DEN: 1977: 1988: . This means that the town is safer than only 40% of other U.S. cities. Woods, on the other hand, believes that instead of collecting data, common sense should provide the correct answer. Hayes, Tiqwai (So. The three others are a different story, however. Unfortunately, he only played in three games in his rookie season due to a forearm injury. He introduced some of them to Pitt coaches. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 1992. Pennsylvania has produced a slew of NFL stars. Warfield feels the same way, saying his team isn't necessarily being targeted by the PIAA but believes rules that were originally created with positive intent are hurting his group. Dr Miller died in 1971 when I was 18. ALIQUIPPA, Pa. The Aliquippa High School football team received a $250,000 grant from the NFL Foundation, and they plan to use the funds to build a new stadium. So Im not really satisfied about the ruling. The University of Maryland product was picked to nine Pro Bowls. According to Neighborhood Scout, Aliquippa has a crime index of 40. There have been plenty of postgame victory celebrations this year for the Aliquippa football team. Aliquippa currently has 118 male students in grades 9 through 11, making it a Class 1A school by size. He would make his first Pro Bowl selection in 2008, and in 2009, he led the league with 31 defended passes. Both Hayes and Tracy will continue to make life miserable for opposing defenses this upcoming season. We're talking about somethingfinancial where a kid might have to move to a different place to survive. Aliquippa has been very balanced offensively. After the season ended with great success, Aliquippa faced a new battle ahead in just the coming months. Just once I would love for people today they went to Hopewell High School! School related documents (certificates of eligibility, transcripts, attendance records, CIPPE forms, etc.) AFP PHOTO/David MAXWELL. He was playing other sports and grew tired of adding football practice to that, so he stopped going. As the Aliquippa High School football team gets ready for Friday night's big game, one of their players is in jail after police say he brought a loaded gun onto school grounds and pointed it at one of his teammates. Walker . Senior safety Nate Lindsey is one of those players and looks to return to full fitness after breaking his collarbone in the first playoff game last season. Warfield said that hes making sure his players stay composed and ready to take it one game at a time and not get too far ahead of themselves in 2022. Ryan claimed league MVP and Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2016 after leading the league in several passing categories, including passer rating (117.1). The Pro Football Hall of Famer finished his career with 52 sacks and was named co-MVP of Super Bowl XII, which Dallas won 27-10 over Denver. The Times asked Mertz on Friday if she believed that the PIAA's rules on Athletic Transfers put schools in low-income areas in this case Aliquippa at a disadvantage. He was just watching, almost as a proud father would. Both players have their choice of Power Five schools to pick from, including the hometown Pitt Panthers. A star at Aliquippa from 2000-2003, Revis became one of the best players in the state and one of the top players in the country overall. But the district refuses to put its athletes in a situation that could cause more problems than a loss on Friday night. Clearly, the WPIAL and PIAA titles speak for themselves when it comes to those players work effort. He was there for a while. Secondsafter the play, which was a run for a short gain, came to an end, Crowder slowly began to make his way toward the sideline. He notably scored a touchdown in the 2012 season from a punt return. On 12/2, the Aliquippa varsity football team won their neutral playoff game against Allentown Central Catholic (Allentown, PA) by a score of 31-10. Yet, at Central Cambria High School on Friday evening, as his players roamedthe field, taking pictures and enjoying their Hersheykisses, which signify the group advancing to the PIAA Class 4A championship game Thursday, head coach Mike Warfield couldn't help but have a piece of his mind on the potential challenges to come next fall. There is no denying the success of Aliquippa's football program. LeSean McCoy (25) of the Buffalo Bills scores a late TD against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a key game at New Era Field in Orchard Park, NY on December 11, 2016. HERSHEY, Pa. As the Aliquippa football team slid into position around the PIAA Class-4A championship trophy on the field at Hersheypark Stadium Thursday night, head coach Mike Warfield stood back. Eighteen-year-old Jonathan King is behind bars. A fabulous freshman headlined eight Aliquippa selections to the Pa. Football Writers' All-State Class 4A team on . I joined the band. The Quips have 767 players on their Football all-time roster. He also holds offers from Power 5 schools, such as Pitt,Penn State, West Virginia, Michigan and Cincinnati. With no other jobs to be found, most people moved away from the area to find work elsewhere. ISBN 9780802190093. He ran for over 1,700 yards and 23 touchdowns, earning Freshman All-American honors from Max Prepsand 2022 Preseason Max Preps Sophomore All-American Football Team. Enrollment is simple. Gilbert would play for Washington and Carolina before ending his career with Oakland in 2003. He tried to join the Detroit Lions in 2014, but he was waived after he failed a physical exam. He would set rushing records during his time at the University of Pittsburgh. "If you just look at a piece of paper, its just words. He's currently a free agent after the Chiefs released him in February. He wanted to quit the team. With or without the contributions of its three new players, the Quips, in the eyes of the PIAA, have done enough to move up to Class 5A. Price came to Aliquippa in 2016 to do a deep study of how high school football impacts a once-thriving steel town that had hit brutally hard times. Mike Ditka graduated from Aliquippa in 1957. I know hell have his team prepared and we haveto match it. The PIAA announced that Aliquippa would move up to 5A. The victory marked the second time in four years that the Quips had won both the WPIAL and state titles in the same season. He would be released from the Titans in 2014. Add in 27,663 passing yards and 173 TD passes and you get a Pro Football Hall of Famer. The appeals process for Athletic Transfers is done entirely through paperwork. The Quips are known for winning and hope to continue to do so. They're worn down mentally and physically. At the end of each season, the PIAA goes through the rosters of each program with six or more success points and searches for names that weren't there the prioryear. Rivals.com also elevated him to four-star status this past March, as well. Warfield said that during his time as head coach, Hayes is the most impactful player in their first year for Aliquippa. That's no issue. Both of them truly loved Aliquippa. In the Class 2A State Championship football game, he led Aliquippa to a come-from-behind 3227 win over Northern Lehigh by scoring five touchdowns, including three rushing touchdowns, a punt return, and the return of a blocked Northern Lehigh field goal attempt. But, if you got speed on you, well thats something that you are or arent. Although Aliquippa's success and transfer numbersboth exceeded formula limits, Warfield assumed the PIAA would remember that his team was already voluntarily playing well above its size. I should've played football. Follow Joshua on Twitter:@ByJoshCarney. The game will mark Southern Columbia's seventh straight appearance in a 2A state final, and the program's 20th overall. On 12/2, the Aliquippa varsity football team won their neutral playoff game against Allentown Central Catholic (Allentown, PA) by a score of 31-10. 7: Pitts KJ Marshall and Vason Stevenson. The Dolphins defeated the Bills 24-17. With those newcomers aside, the rest are deemed Athletic Transfers. National Signing Day Show: How Much Does Recruiting Matter to Pitt? That season, Revis earned another trip to the Pro Bowl but was ultimately released by Tampa Bay, then landing with the New England Patriots. In spite of all the initial backlash, Warfield is now leading the Quips to new heights that they havent reached before and success that home fans thought they shouldve achieved all along. "I'm just there to provide guidance and information. When I got to high school in '52, my uncle was the assistant principal (he also wrote "Wave, Red and Black," the alma mater) and he came to me one day in study hall and said "You have your choice. "It's definitely something that we will look into," Mertz said. Aliquippa voluntarily chose to play in 3A initially and then moved up to 4A due to the rule. If they stay pretty much on par, and don't go up to six points, they'll stay in that class. The four-time Pro Bowler has 205 tackles and 39 sacks through his first four seasons. As he was examined on the bench, Warfield moved Isaiah Martinez from linebacker to fill Crowder's spot up front. He would win another Super Bowl during this period as the Cowboys made the playoffs eight times. 2023 www.timesonline.com. Baltimore Colts Halfback Lenny Moore (24) carries around left end for a one yard gain. All rights reserved. He ended his career with the Denver Broncos in 2009. 3 overall in 2008, Ryan was named Offensive Rookie of the Year in his debut season. These kids dont have a lot, most have nothing to look forward to but football, so they put all of their pride into that game, and theyll be damned if they let you take their pride from them. The team has about 35 to 40 players and that number could decrease as the season progresses due to injuries. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Why he's here: The 6-foot-4, 318-pound Evans was one of the NFL's top guards for much of his run with New Orleans. Pennsylvania hs football state semi primer. (Photo by Otto Gruele Jr/Allsport/Getty Images), Teams: San Francisco 49ers (1979-92), Kansas City Chiefs (1993-94). RT @NateBreisinger: Winning has become common amongst this class of Aliquippa players. The Pro Football Hall of Famer and Super Bowl XLI champion set a single-season NFL record with 143 catches during the 2002 campaign. Refusing to let the Bulldogs gain any momentum on offense, Quipsdefensive lineman Naquan Crowder battled through a double team to fight his way into the Bulldogs' backfield. The Aliquippa football program . Among its top players are senior guard D.J. does anyone remember jackie cleminson, quarter back when ditka played,where is jackie now/. Why he's here: The well-traveled Marshall has totaled 959 catches, 12,215 receiving yards and 82 receiving TDs during his NFL career. When Aliquippa's concern for the cumulative wear and tear its players would go through playing a full schedule against teams four classifications bigger in size, the PIAA admitted that more attention should go into the potential risk that comes from moving up so many times in a physical sport like football. The dynamic Dorsett totaled 12,739 rushing yards, 398 receptions and 91 total TDs in his 12-year career. The Quips also have five players listed as Athletic Transfers. The school leadership's biggest concern about the transfer to another class is the safety of the players. It's a fairly small city with a population that is a little over 9,000, according to the 2020 census. Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, is located about 29 miles outside of Pittsburgh. The Warriors currently hold a 28-game winning streak, which includes back-to-back WPIAL and PIAA 3A titles the past two seasons. Andre Reed #83 of the Buffalo Bills is grabbed by Patrick Surtain #23 of the Miami Dolphins during the AFC Wild Card Gameat Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida. He entered the 2007 NFL Draft as one of the top cornerback prospects in the draft pool, and he was selected by the New York Jets. His son, my dad, John "Tudy" Miller was a State Senator from 1950 until 1968. Posluszny's final season came in 2017. While a member of the Aliquippa football team, Revis was .