Aliquippa coach Mike Zmijanac has tried to downplay his expectations for this year's football team all season long.

They're young and small, he said.

Now that Aliquippa is in the WPIAL Class AA championship game for the second consecutive year, Zmijanac is sticking to that story.

"Nothing changed," he said. "They are just playing better."

Ninth-seeded Aliquippa (11-1) will play 10th-seeded Greensburg Central Catholic (10-2) at 1:30 p.m. today at Heinz Field in the WPIAL Class AA title game.

Either the Quips or the Centurions have played in five of the past six WPIAL Class AA championship games. Both teams were considered among the best in the WPIAL before early-season losses.

Though the Quips won last year's championship, most members of that team graduated.

Greensburg Central Catholic coach Muzzy Colosimo does not think that a younger Aliquippa team is any less dangerous.

"They supposedly have a bunch of young kids, but they're in the same position," Colosimo said. "They keep producing athletes. It seems at the end of the year, if you want [to win] anything, you have to go through Aliquippa."

Aliquippa's only loss came against Midwestern Conference rival Beaver Falls, a loss it avenged last week in a 17-10 semifinal win.

The Quips have not lost since Rasheem Jones -- an all-purpose star -- returned after missing the first five weeks of play for undisclosed reasons.

But Zmijanac does not give all the credit to Jones for Aliquippa's late-season surge.

"His name is Rasheem, not Indiana [Jones]," he said.

Instead, he said his young but talented offensive and defensive lines have been playing to their potential.

That will need to continue, Zmijanac said, if the Quips want to beat the Centurions.

All of Greensburg Central Catholic's linemen are 6 feet or taller and heavier than 215 pounds.

Six of Aliquippa's 11 offensive and defensive linemen are lighter than 215, and eight are shorter than 6 feet.

Zmijanac's linemen will have to rely on their speed to beat the Centurions.

"The teams that win championships or play for championships better have good offensive and defensive lines, otherwise they're going to get whipped," he said.

And the Centurions have enough weapons to capitalize.

Running back David Miller led the WPIAL in scoring for the second consecutive year. He enters the championship game with 31 touchdowns and 1,940 yards rushing on 226 carries.

Greensburg Central Catholic's passing attack is equally potent. Quarterback Trent Hurley, a Bowling Green recruit, has 1,632 yards this season, completing 91 of 177 passes for 16 touchdowns and four interceptions.

Colosimo said his offense needs to remain balanced. Aliquippa relies on speed, especially on defense, and if the Centurions can establish both the run and pass, they can keep the Quips honest, he said.

And, Colosimo said, Greensburg Central Catholic has to maintain its positive touchdown-to-turnover ratio.

He pointed to Aliquippa's quarterfinal game against South Fayette. The Quips took out previously unbeaten South Fayette because they capitalized on every miscue.

• Aliquippa coach Mike Zmijanac is an Aliquippa graduate but did not play football in high school.

• Aliquippa is 10-1 in WPIAL title games over the past 25 years.

• Greensburg Central Catholic has never won a WPIAL title.

• Greensburg Central Catholic running back David Miller has scored 69 career touchdowns.

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