Beth-Center, California, Fort Cherry, Trinity and Wash High all won opening-round football playoff games Friday night, advancing to the WPIAL quarterfinals. Trinity led 6-0 at the half, then added a pair of touchdowns after intermission to earn a shot at #1 Pine-Richland next week. Wash High scored early and often at home and set up a meeting with Beth-Center, the Bulldogs coming in off a blowout of Burgettstown. Fort Cherry rolled into the quarterfinals where the Rangers will play Laurel for the third time in less than a year. California trailed 7-0 at the half before scoring touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters to advance in the 1A bracket against Clairton. McGuffey led 7-0 at intermission but Beaver Falls scored four time after the break, ending the Highlanders’ season. Chartiers-Houston lost at Western Beaver bringing the Bucs’ season to a close. Waynesburg fell behind Aliquippa early and never recovered. Friday’s winners advance to play next weekend, along with Canon-McMillan who had the night off, preparing to host North Allegheny next Friday night in the WPIAL 6A semifinals. Brackets were expected to be updated Saturday but that has been delayed, possibly until Sunday morning. Click for WPIAL brackets
WPIAL First Round Scores
1A #8 Beth-Center 34, #9 Burgettstown 8, Watch/Listen Here
1A #1 Wash High 58, Frazier 8, Watch/Listen Here
1A #4 Fort Cherry 50, #13 Avella 6, (Watch/Listen Here
1A #6 California 16, #11 Northgate 7
2A #9 Beaver Falls 28, #8 McGuffey 7, Watch/Listen Here
2A #5 Western Beaver 44, #12 Chartiers-Houston 22
3A #7 Aliquippa 52, #10 Waynesburg 14
5A #8 Trinity 21, #9 Latrobe 0