ACROSS THE NORTH HILLS OF PITTSBURGH - With only one week left to play in the 2021 WPIAL season, let's look back at how some of the high school football teams across the North Hills of Pittsburgh have fared so far this year.
First, let's head up Route 19 to Wexford, PA, the home of North Allegheny. The Tigers have had an average year in comparison to their traditional standards, which included three straight WPIAL Championships in the early 2010s. Under Art Walker, they routinely compete for a conference title, but will not do so this year. The team suffered losses at the hands of Pickerington Central (OH), Central Catholic, and Mt. Lebanon. NA enters the final week of play with a 6-3 overall record and possesses a guaranteed spot in the 6A playoffs. They will travel to Seneca Valley for their final game of the season.
Speaking of Seneca Valley, the Raiders have competed well all season long and have earned a 6-3 overall record along with a playoffs spot. The team added multiple former Pine Richland assistants to their coaching staff this off-season and it has yielded positive results. Seneca was defeated by Moon Area, Central Catholic, and Mt. Lebanon earlier this season.
Right next door in Gibsonia, fellow Northern neighbor and rival Pine Richland is under new leadership this year. First-year head coach Steve Campos is now at the helm following the departure of their decorated former coach, Eric Kasperowicz. The Rams started their season slow by losing three straight games but bounced back with a four-game winning streak that was eventually snapped by North Hills. PR holds a 5-4 overall record and will travel to Fox Chapel next weekend with a share of the 5A Northeast Conference title on the line. They have clinched a playoffs spot.
Travel just 15 minutes South to Ross and West View, the home of North Hills football. The Indians, led by Pat Carey, have had a successful year but have experienced some heartbreaking losses along the way. They traveled to Penn Hills mid-season and had what looked like a big conference victory locked up with 20 seconds to go in the game. Penn Hills stormed back and defeated the Indians on a last-second touchdown pass. The highlight of North Hills season came via a late-season upset victory against rival Pine Richland. The Indians enter their final week with a 5-3 overall record and will play Shaler Area next weekend for a share of the 5A Northeastern conference title with PR on the line. NH has also clinched a playoff spot.
Just down Babcock Boulevard lies Shaler territory. The Titans have fallen on hard times but have fought admirably throughout the season. They started their year with two straight wins against New Castle and Mars. Things then proceeded to go downhill as they lost seven straight games, a skid that put them out of reach of a WPIAL playoff spot. The Titans were defeated by Penn Hills last week and will wrap up their season with a home matchup against North Hills this weekend.
A short drive on Union Avenue will take you to Avalon and Bellevue who are represented by the Northgate Flames. The team's 3-6 overall record does not tell their whole story. Northgate’s program has come a long way and has made tremendous progress recently. The community is excited. The reason being this season brought their first football win in over four years.
Final regular-season matchups will be played this coming Friday. The WPIAL will then release the seeding and playoffs bracket the following Tuesday. The 2021 WPIAL football playoffs are set to kick off on Nov. 5.
Wins and losses aside, high school football in our area is consistently competitive, this year is no exception. Many teams across the North Hills region have high hopes of making it to Heinz Field to represent their community and compete for a championship. It will be exciting to see how things play out.
Ben Spriggs is senior communications and media student at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he also writes for the campus paper. Ben is a graduate of North Hills High School. He can be reached at
