PIAA semifinal projections

There aren't any area teams playing football this weekend but that doesn't mean there aren't football games this weekend. For the sake of changing things up, we're going to list the projections in the order that the state finals will take place next week at Hersheypark Stadium.

Class A
Clairton 18, Farrell 7 -- Both defenses have been outstanding but it's the Bears who get the edge and halt Farrell's 12-game winning streak.
Steelton-Highspire 28, Schuylkill Haven 17 -- We've been picking on the Rollers this postseason. First it was a Riverside state title pick. Then it was a projection that had Bishop McCort downing Steel-High. Not this week. Natural grass won't slow Steel-High.

Class AAA
Thomas Jefferson 31, West York 14 -- The Bulldogs haven't seen a team like this all year. We've said all along woe is the District 3-AAA champion. We aren't changing our tune now.

Archbishop Wood 24, Selinsgrove 16 -- Where did the Vikings come from? They've been overlooked all year but after taking out the Seals, there will be no more sleeping on the Philadelphia Catholic League rep. (Not to beat our chests but we picked a TJ-Wood final when districts started).

Class AA
Aliquippa 39, Wilmington 6 -- Karns City beat Wilmington, 22-21. Aliquippa beat Karns City, 42-14, and led, 35-0, early in the second quarter. You do the math.

West Catholic 30, Lancaster Catholic 19 -- Burrs are too quick, too athletic and too finely-tuned for the Cruasders to handle. Take a bow for 13 straight wins, Lancaster Catholic, but all good things must come to an end.

Class AAAA
Wilson 17, Bethel Park 9 -- Wilson has a nasty defense that might not give up a touchdown to the Black Hawks, who haven't exactly destroyed people in the postseason. The good vibrations continue in Sinking Spring for one more week until the Knights come calling.

North Penn 28, Bethlehem Libery 19 -- Doesn't matter what the Hurricanes say, they don't want North Penn right now. The Knights will be state champions in two weeks and haven't been tested in quite a long time. Liberty's a nice team but North Penn is a runaway freight train.