Every time Aliquippa faced a long field in the first half of its PIAA Class AA quarterfinal game last Friday, the Quips managed to shorten that field.

Quickly.

The Quips scored touchdowns on plays of 49, 72 and 52 yards in their first five possessions in what ultimately was a 42-14 victory against Karns City at Pine-Richland. Their other two possessions? Quick touchdowns off turnovers deep in Karns City territory.

The first two scores were long passes from quarterback Rasheem Jones to Rashad Kenney and the final long touchdown was a 52-yard dash by running back Maurice Carter.

It was just the latest example of Aliquippa's quick-strike, big-play ability.

"We've got the skill players to put points up," said Carter, a senior. "We know we can score fast."

It's obvious the Quips have speed. Kenney and senior receiver Devin Polzot were part of the school's 400-meter relay team that won the PIAA Class AA championship in the spring. When it comes to speed, if Carter and Jones aren't quite in an elite category, they're close.

"When you have two of the guys on the state 400-meter [relay] champions, you better be able to run," Aliquippa coach Mike Zmijanac said. "We have guys who can run. We don't have a Jonathan Baldwin [now a standout freshman at Pitt] out there anymore, but if [opponents] play in your face, you've got to be able to at least throw a couple to make them stop doing that."

The Quips used the pass to put up points quickly last week and can strike on kickoff or punt returns, but they usually rely on runs from scrimmage. Carter averages 8.6 yards per carry (159 rushes for 1,369 yards) and has scored 19 touchdowns, despite playing injured earlier this season.

When Jones completes a pass, it's usually for a big gain. He is 59 for 111 passing for 1,078 yards and eight touchdowns. That's an average of 17.2 yards per completion. Kenney has been a top target and has 25 catches for 675 yards -- 27 yards per reception -- and nine touchdowns.

Senior Terry Patrick also is going to be a 1,000-yard rusher (998 yards on 144 carries) and is second on the team with a 6.9-yards-per-carry average and 15 touchdowns. Also, senior Donte Williams has averaged 5.2 yards on his 404 carries and has seven touchdowns.

Aliquippa's 42 points came in the first half, The Quips almost assuredly would have scored more if not for a running clock due to the mercy rule and the fact that Zmijanac was using several second- and third-string players in the second half. All this came on the heels of an 8-6 win Nov. 22 against Beaver Falls in the WPIAL championship game at Heinz Field.

The Quips are showing they can win games in a variety of ways.

"Every game is different," Zmijanac said after the Karns City win. "Who knows how it's going to unfold? We played an 8-6 Knute-Rockne-vs.-Rip-Engle game last week and now we play an all wide-open game. Whatever the conditions are has something to do with that, too. Last week we couldn't play like that just because of the weather. This was a beautiful February[-type] night here."

Aliquippa has had a lot of beautiful nights since falling to 2-2 Sept. 19 with a loss to Beaver. The Quips entered the season as Class AA's No. 1 team by the Post-Gazette but consecutive losses to Beaver Falls and Beaver eight days apart in mid-September appeared to show Aliquippa was not as good as advertised.

But reports of the Quips' demise were greatly exaggerated. Since those losses, Aliquippa is 10-0 and will play for a spot in the PIAA championship game at 7 p.m. tomorrow against Wilmington (13-1) at Center High School's Sarge Albert Stadium.

The Quips have beaten three consecutive undefeated and more highly seeded teams through the final three rounds of the WPIAL playoffs.

"Starting seven or eight weeks ago, it seems like we started getting better every week," Zmijanac said. "Hopefully that continues."

Injuries undoubtedly played a factor in the early season swoon, but the high-level play in recent weeks has more to do with it than just mere health.

"We're hungry now," Carter said. "After we lost those first two games, I don't think anyone on the team was ready to lose another one."The game

• What: Aliquippa (12-2) vs. Wilmington (13-1).

• When: 7 p.m. tomorrow.

• Where: Sarge Albert Stadium, Center High School.

• The skinny: On the line is a trip to the PIAA Class AA title game 1 p.m. Dec. 13 at Hersheypark Stadium.