High School Top 10: Wood & St. Joe's Prep Ready To Take State Titles
UPDATE: On Friday night, Archbishop Wood defeated Central Valley, 33-14 to win the PIAA Class AAA State Championship.
CBS Philly's Area Top 10 Power Ratings For Dec. 12, 2014
1. St. Joseph's Prep (Record: 10-3)
2. Archbishop Wood (Record: 13-1)
3. St. Joseph's (Hammonton, NJ) (Record: 11-0)
4. Imhotep Charter (Record: 11-2)
5. Pennsbury (Record: 13-2)
6. La Salle (Record: 8-3)
7. Coatesville (Record: 13-1)
8. Haddonfield (Record: 12-0)
9. Shawnee (Record: 11-1)
10. Haverford School (Record: 9-1)
Southeastern PA Top 10 Power Ratings For Dec. 12, 2014
1. St. Joseph's Prep (Record: 10-3)
2. Archbishop Wood (Record: 13-1)
3. Imhotep Charter (Record: 11-2)
4. Pennsbury (Record: 13-2)
5. Coatesville (Record: 13-1)
6. Haverford School (Record: 9-1)
7. La Salle (Record: 8-3)
8. Upper Dublin (Record: 11-2)
9. Great Valley (Record: 12-2)
10. Ben Franklin (Record: 10-1)
PHILADELPHIA, PA (CBS) — Every December the argument rages about east and west in Hershey. Which section of the state is better in football, and what it comes down to is a Pittsburgh-Philadelphia area debate.
For the last few years, that argument has been won by Philadelphia's Archbishop Wood and St. Joseph's Prep, and they're in the same position again this weekend to repeat as PIAA large school state champions, Wood going for a third PIAA Class AAA state crown in four years, and Prep going for a second-straight Class AAAA state title.
Wood will be taking on District 7 champion Central Valley (15-0) for the Class AAA state title at 7 p.m. Friday at Hersheypark Stadium, followed by The Prep against Pine-Richland (15-0) Saturday at 6 p.m. at Hersheypark Stadium.
"I get a little tired of this part of the state being overlooked, and not just the state, but throughout the country," Prep coach Gabe Infante said back in August. "The Philadelphia Catholic League is filled with great teams that could play in any league, in my opinion, and do very well. Each year, we get no breaks, believe me."
Wood will be up against a Central Valley team that features 6-foot, 185-pound tailback Jordan Whitehead, who's rushed for 1,899 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Central Valley has also become a very dangerous emotionally charged team, too, healing from the sudden death of senior lineman Dominick Treemarchi, who died Sunday after suffering severe respiratory distress in the back of a car.
Prep will have to stop Penn-bound quarterback Ben DiNucci. The Pine-Richland senior is 66 yards from breaking Pennsylvania's all-time single-season yards passing record, completing 246 of his 355 passes for 3,886 yards and 42 touchdowns.
Predictions:
Archbishop Wood 45, Central Valley 20
St. Joseph's Prep 27, Pine-Richland 21
PIAA State Champions
2013
AAAA: St. Joseph's Prep (12) 35-10 Pittsburgh Central Catholic (7)
AAA: Archbishop Wood (12) 22-10 Bishop McDevitt (3)
AA: South Fayette (7) 41-0 Imhotep Charter (12)
A: Pittsburgh North Catholic (7) 15-14 (OT) Old Forge (2)
2012
AAAA: North Allegheny (7) 63-28 Coatesville (1)
AAA: Cathedral Prep (10) 24-14 Archbishop Wood (12)
AA: Wyomissing Area (3) 17-14 Aliquippa (7)
A: Clairton (7) 20-0 Dunmore (2)
2011
AAAA: Central Dauphin (3) 14-7 North Penn (1)
AAA: Archbishop Wood (12) 52-0 Bishop McDevitt (3)
AA: Lancaster Catholic (3) 17-7 Tyrone (6)
A: Clairton (7) 35-19 Southern Columbia (4)
2010
AAAA: North Allegheny (7) 21-0 La Salle (12)
AAA: Allentown Central Catholic (11) 28-27 Bishop McDevitt (3)
AA: West Catholic (12) 50-14 South Fayette (7)
A: Clairton (7) 36-30 Riverside (2)
2009
AAAA: La Salle (12) 24-7 State College (6)
AAA: Selinsgrove (4) 10-7 Manheim Central (3)
AA: Lancaster Catholic (3) 21-14 Greensburg Central Catholic (7)
A: Clairton (7) 15-3 Bishop McCort (6)
2008
AAAA: Bethlehem Liberty (11) 28-21 (OT) Bethel Park (7)
AAA: Thomas Jefferson (7) 34-7 Archbishop Wood (12)
AA: Wilmington Area (10) 35-24 (2OT) West Catholic (12)
A: Steelton-Highspire (3) 35-16 Clairton (7)
2007
AAAA: Pittsburgh Central Catholic (7) 21-0 Parkland (11)
AAA: Thomas Jefferson (7) 28-3 Garnet Valley (1)
AA: Jeannette (7) 49-21 Dunmore (2)
A: Steelton-Highspire (3) 34-15 Serra Catholic (7)
2006
AAAA: Upper Saint Clair (7) 47-13 Bethlehem Liberty (11)
AAA: General McLane (10) 28-23 Pottsville (11)
AA: Wilson Area (11) 29-28 Jeannette (7)
A: Southern Columbia (4) 56-14 West Middlesex (10)
2005
AAAA: McKeesport Area (7) 49-14 Bethlehem Liberty (11)
AAA: Franklin Regional (7) 23-13 Pottsville (11)
AA: South Park (7) 28-17 Wilson Area (11)
A: Southern Columbia (4) 50-19 Duquesne (7)
2004
AAAA: Pittsburgh Central Catholic (7) 49-14 Neshaminy (1)
AAA: Thomas Jefferson (7) 56-20 Manheim Central (3)
AA: Lansdale Catholic (1) 40-17 Grove City (10)
A: Southern Columbia (4) 35-0 Rochester (7)
2003
AAAA: North Penn (1) 37-10 Pittsburgh Central Catholic (7)
AAA: Manheim Central (3) 39-38 (OT) Pine-Richland (7)
AA: Aliquippa (7) 32-27 Northern Lehigh (11)
A: Southern Columbia (4) 49-20 Bishop Carroll (6)
2002
AAAA: Parkland (11) 34-12 Woodland Hills (7)
AAA: Hopewell (7) 21-10 Strath Haven (1)
AA: Mount Carmel Area (4) 18-13 Seton LaSalle (7)
A: Southern Columbia (4) 31-6 Rochester Area (7)
2001
AAAA: Neshaminy (1) 21-7 Woodland Hills (7)
AAA: West Alleghany (7) 28-13 Strath Haven (1)
AA: Washington (7) 19-12 Pen Argyl (11)
A: Rochester (7) 16-0 Southern Columbia (4)
2000
AAAA: Erie Cathedral Prep (10) 41-35 (OT) Central Bucks West (1)
AAA: Strath Haven (1) 31-28 West Allegheny (7)
AA: Mount Carmel Area (4) 26-6 Aliquippa (7)
A: Rochester (7) 22-14 Southern Columbia (4)
1999
AAAA: Central Bucks West (1) 14-13 Erie Cathedral Prep (10)
AAA: Strath Haven (1) 21-7 West Allegheny (7)
AA: Tyrone (6) 13-6 Mount Carmel Area (4)
A: South Side Beaver (7) 27-21 Southern Columbia (4)
1998
AAAA: Central Bucks West (1) 56-7 New Castle (7)
AAA: Allentown Central Catholic (11) 10-0 Moon Area (7)
AA: Mount Carmel Area (4) 44-7 Shady Side Academy (7)
A: Rochester (7) 18-0 Southern Columbia (4)
1997
AAAA: Central Bucks West (1) 44-20 Upper St. Clair (7)
AAA: Berwick Area (2) 17-14 Perry Traditional Academy (8)
AA: South Park (7) 20-0 South Williamsport (4)
A: Sharpsville (10) 10-7 Riverside (2)
1996
AAAA: Downingtown Area (1) 49-14 Woodland Hills (7)
AAA: Berwick Area (2) 34-13 Blackhawk (7)
AA: Mount Carmel Area (4) 25-6 Tyrone Area (6)
A: Farrell (7) 14-12 Southern Columbia (4)
1995
AAAA: Penn Hills (7) 35-14 Lower Dauphin (3)
AAA: Berwick Area (2) 43-6 Sharon Area (10)
AA: Bishop McDevitt (3) 29-0 Burrell (7)
A: Farrell (7) 6-0 Southern Columbia (4)
1994
AAAA: McKeesport Area (7) 17-14 Downingtown Area (1)
AAA: Berwick Area (2) 27-7 Sharon Area (10)
AA: Mount Carmel Area (11) 20-14 (OT) Forest Hills (6)
A: Southern Columbia (4) 49-6 Western Beaver (7)
1993
AAAA: North Hills (7) 15-14 Central Bucks West (1)
AAA: Allentown Central Catholic (11) 40-0 Blackhawk (7)
AA: Dallas (2) 31-7 Washington (7)
A: Duquesne (7) 24-21 South Williamsport (4)
1992
AAAA: Cumberland Valley (3) 28-12 Upper St. Clair (7)
AAA: Berwick Area (2) 33-6 Blackhawk (7) 33-6
AA: Valley View (2) 21-13 East Allegheny (7)
A: Scotland School (3) 24-7 Smethport Area (9)
1991
AAAA: Central Bucks West (1) 26-14 Erie Cathedral Prep (10)
AAA: Erie Strong Vincent (10) 29-20 Conestoga Valley (3)
AA: Aliquippa (7) 27-0 Hanover Area (2)
A: Schuylkill Haven (11) 28-18 Rochester Area (7)
1990
AAAA: North Allegheny (7) 21-14 Ridley (1)
AAA: Bethlehem Catholic (11) 43-7 Seton-LaSalle (7)
AA: Hanover Area (2) 20-19 (OT) Bishop Canevin (7)
A: Marian Catholic (11) 21-13 Farrell (7)
1989
AAAA: Upper Saint Clair (7) 12-7 Wilson (3)
AAA: Perry Traditional (8) 20-8 Berwick Area (2)
AA: Hickory (10) 30-22 Montoursville Area (4)
A: Dunmore (2) 57-18 Keystone (9)
1988
AAAA: Pittsburgh Central Catholic (7) 14-7 Cedar Cliff (3)
AAA: Berwick Area (2) 13-0 Aliquippa (7)
AA: Bethlehem Catholic (11) 26-11 Wilmington Area (7)
A: Camp Hill (3) 18-7 Cambridge Springs (10)
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