26 • SUNDAY, AUGUST 19, 2018 • TRIBUNE-REVIEW
After 2 seasons of lopsided outcomes in playoffs, Class 2A shapes up to be more closely contested
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CLASS 2A
Class 2A has been nothing
if not predictable in the two
years since expansion to six
classifications.
In 2016, Steel Valley rolled to
a perfect record by mercy ruling
all 15 opponents in winning
WPIAL and PIAA titles.
Last year, the average margin
of victory in the 15 WPIAL playoff
games was 22 points, with
Washington dethroning Steel
Valley by 27 points in the finals.
This season might not be as
one-sided as Class 2A has grown
from 23 to 31 teams, one of only
two (5A is the other) of the six
classifications that is bigger for
the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
Bigger isn’t always better, but
with seven teams falling from
Class 3A, five teams moving up
from Class A (four of which
were playoff teams a year ago)
and six teamsmoving to another
2A conference, it definitely
seems to add more balance in
a classification that needed it.
Washington is defending a district
championship for the first
time since 2002. Despite some
key losses to graduation, Little
Prexies coach Mike Bosnic said
they are ready.
“We have been very successful
over the past several seasons
and have a great tradition at
Wash High,” he said. “We are
used to having targets on our
back. It will be more incentive
for teams this year being defending
WPIAL champs.”
Charleroi finished 9-2 last
year and McGuffey, down from
Class 3A, also should contend in
the Century Conference.
The deepest of the four conferences
may be the new-look
Allegheny Conference.
Steel Valley, East Allegheny
and Avonworthwere all Class2A
playoff teams a year ago, and
they are joined by Apollo-Ridge,
Shady Side Academy and Valley,
dropping from 3A, and Summit
Academy, up from Class A.
The Ironmen are looking for a
third straight trip to the finals at
Robert Morris. Linebacker and
running back Todd Hill expects
to keep the wins coming.
“This year, we’re working
hard,” he said.“We’ve got a couple
of younger players coming
up who are working. Our whole
team has experience, so we’re
going to come back hard to get
the W.”
Having just missed the playoffs
a year ago, the sky is the
limit for Shady Side Academy
behind senior quarterback and
defensive back Skyy Moore,who
believes despite his on-field success,
it means nothing without
team success.
“Our goal as a team was to
do more than not make the
playoffs,” he said. “So this year,
we want to go to the playoffs
and compete for the WPIAL
championship.”
After winning the Class 3A
Allegheny Conference and falling
in the semifinals to eventual
champion Quaker Valley, Seton
LaSalle is one of the teams to
beat in the Three Rivers Conference,
along with South Side
Beaver. The Rams missed the
playoffs last year but return
their quarterback, the team’s
top three rushers, as well as
their leading receiver from a
year ago.
The most wide-open 2A section
is the Midwestern Athletic
Conference. Five of the eight
teams qualified for the playoffs
last fall.
Neshannock is a year removed
from playing for a WPIAL title
and has some talent back froma
6-5 campaign, but Riversidemay
be the team to beat.
The Panthers finished 9-3 a
year ago, with convincing playoff
wins over Frazier and Avonworth
before a heartbreaking,
13-10 loss to Riverside in the
semifinals.
by DON REbEL
Dan Walker leads Washington in its WPIAL Class 2A title defense.
THE FAVORITE
1. Washington (13-1)
The Little Prexies lost standouts
Nick Welsh and Isaiah Schoonmaker
to graduation but return junior
quarterback Zach Swartz, who threw
for more than 2,000 yards a year
ago. Wash High begins the season
with a 38-game regular-season
winning streak.
Preseason rankings
2. Riverside (9-3)
3. Steel Valley (11-1)
4. Shady Side Academy (6-3)
5. Charleroi (9-2)
*RECORDS ARE FROM 2017
THE STARS
TODD HILL
Steel Valley, sr., RB/LB
Hill, a Howard recruit, is a four-year
starter who was the leading tackler
for the Ironmen in 2017 and averaged
6.5 yards per carry with six touchdowns.
SKYY MOORE
Shady Side Academy, sr., QB/DB
Skilled on both sides of the ball,
Moore picked off four passes as a DB
last fall. He also threw for 1,184 yards
and 11 scores and rushed for 1,321
yards and 24 touchdowns.
GENO PELLEGRINI
Charleroi, sr., QB/DB
The four-year starter at quarterback
had a huge 2017 season, hitting on
116 of 195 passes for 2,333 yards and
24 touchdowns. He also rushed for
355 yards and nine touchdowns.
DINO TOMLIN
Shady Side Academy, sr., WR/DB
The son of Steelers coach Mike
Tomlin is making a name for himself.
Tomlin caught 30 passes for 714
yards and nine touchdowns a year
ago.
DANIEL WALKER
Washington, sr., WR/S
Walker helped the Little Prexies win
a WPIAL championship after moving
back to Washington from Georgia.
He averaged 18.7 yards per catch.
DON’T MISS
8.31 Washington at Charleroi
The Century Conference opener will
determine the team to beat.
9.14 Shady Side Academy at
Steel Valley
One of the toughest regular-season
challenges for Steel Valley in two
years comes in this Allegheny Conference
Week 3 battle.
10.12 Riverside at Ellwood City
The neighboring rivals will meet in a
conference game for the first time in
five years.