CLASS AAAA
Noon tomorrow
Palumbo Center
NEW CASTLE HURRICANES (27-0) vs. UNIONTOWN RED RAIDERS (25-1)
Head Coach: John Sarandrea vs. Head Coach: Dave Shuck
NOTEWORTHY: Shuck said after the semifinals that this will be his last season as Uniontown's coach. "I've probably felt a little more pressure this year than ever because I know this is the last year for a lot of our players and this is it for me, as well," he said. ... Sarandrea is trying for his fifth WPIAL title since he took over in 1993. Uniontown is trying for its first championship since 1981. ... Shuck doesn't believe it's fair that New Castle already has played two playoff games at Palumbo and Uniontown none. ... Vaughns averages 19.3 points and Jenkins 14.8. Vaughns has 1,619 career points, Jenkins 1,180 and Jacobs 1,071. ... Joseph averages 18 points for New Castle. ... Uniontown lost in last year's title game to Chartiers Valley and in the semifinals to Penn Hills two years ago. "We've won section titles, but we haven't won a big game like the WPIAL or state," Jacobs said.
PREDICTION: Uniontown by 1.
CLASS AAA
9 P.M. today
Palumbo Center
HIGHLANDS RAMS (25-1) vs. STEEL VALLEY IRONMEN (23-3)
Head Coach: Rich Falter vs. Head Coach: Rick Dunmire
NOTEWORTHY: This is Steel Valley's first championship appearance. Highlands won the championship in 1995 under Falter. ... Bonislawski averages 17.2 points and Brad Witucki 15.1. Bonislawski is a quarterback who has signed with Connecticut. ... Steel Valley's Getsy is a quarterback who has signed with Pitt. Getsy has been a starter since his freshman year. ... Highlands averages 73 points a game. Steel Valley has scored 50 or less in three of its past four games.
PREDICTION: Highlands by 4.
CLASS AA
2 P.M. tomorrow
Palumbo Center
STO-ROX VIKINGS (23-1) vs. BEAVER FALLS TIGERS (24-2)
Head Coach: Bill Minear vs. Head Coach: Doug Biega
NOTEWORTHY: Johnson averages 16.4 points and Slappy 15.3. Johnson has averaged 20.6 the past 11 games. ... Mott has led Sto-Rox in scoring four of the past six games. ... Sto-Rox is trying to become only the fourth team in WPIAL history to win eight WPIAL titles. ... Minear is an art teacher at Sto-Rox Elementary.
PREDICTION: Beaver Falls by 2.
CLASS A
7 P.M. Today
Palumbo Center
MONESSEN GREYHOUNDS (21-5) vs. DUQUESNE DUKES (23-3)
Head Coach: Joe Salvino vs. Head Coach: Montel Staples
NOTEWORTHY: Corbett averages 20.7 points and Demery 16.6. Brandon Jackson averages 22.0 for Moneseen and A.J. Jackson 18.7. ... Dent has scored 15 points or more 10 times in the past 14 games. ... Duquesne has won 11 WPIAL championships. Farrell (13) is the only WPIAL school with more. ... Monessen is the defending WPIAL champion, and one of these teams has won the title seven times in the past 10 seasons.
PREDICTION: Monessen by 2.
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