By Chris Rossetti

CLARION – If Friday night’s PIAA Class AA quarterfinal playoff game between Moniteau and Aliquippa was a history test, Moniteau would be one child left behind.

But lucky for the Warriors (12-0), who face the Quips at 7 p.m. Friday at Clarion University’s Memorial Stadium, they aren’t facing Mike Ditka, Ty Law, Darrelle Revis, Jonathan Baldwin, Sean Gilbert or any of the many other Aliquippa greats who have gone onto college and NFL fame.

Unfortunately for Moniteau, the names by change but the results don’t for Aliquippa. The Quips are 13-0 this season and have won 46 of their past 50 games. This year’s WPIAL title, which came courtesy of a come-from-behind 14-7 win over another WPIAL powerhouse, Jeannette, was the second in the last four years for the Aliquippa seniors (2008) who also had a pair of WPIAL second-place finishes during their career. It was also the 14^th WPIAL title for the Quips, who have also won a pair of PIAA crowns (1991 – Class AA and 2003 – Class AA) while finishing second in the state twice (1988 – Class AAA; 2000 – Class AA).

Senior quarterback Mikal Hall, a three-year starter, was the hero in the WPIAL championship game last week leading a 96-yard drive in the final three minutes with the Quips trailing 7-6. He threw for 89 yards on the drive including the game-winning touchdown pass to Devon Walker with 29 seconds to play.

Hall is having a solid year going 73 of 131 passing for 1,448 yards and 18 touchdowns. He is 36-3 as the Quips starter helping Aliquippa to a fraction of their 632 all-time victories, the 15^th most ever in the state of Pennsylvania.

But Hall isn’t alone on offense.

Sophomore running back Dravon Henry is considered one of the top sophomore running backs in the WPIAL and had 1,279 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns on the season while receiver Davion Hall – no relation to Mikal – has 24 catches for 290 yards and four touchdowns.

Henry ran for 92 yards in last week’s title game victory while Mikal Hall was 12 of 19 for 152 yards and two touchdowns. Davion Hall had four catches for 48 yards.

Some other players to watch out for on offense for Aliquippa include Walker, who had three catches for 49 yards and a pair of touchdowns last week and running back Terry Swanson, who ran for 111 yards in the WPIAL semifinal win over Greensburg Central Catholic before being limited to 16 yards last week.

And as good as Aliquippa’s offense, which is averaging 37.3 points per game is, the Quips defense is even better. Aliquippa led all WPIAL Class AA schools this year allowing 9.5 points per game. It has been every stinger in the last six games allowing just 27 points with three shutouts. The Quips haven’t allowed a team more than 14 points since giving up a season-high 28 points to Riverside Sept. 16.

Moniteau’s history doesn’t come close to Aliquippa’s, but the Warriors have made history this season with their first District 9 title and the first PIAA playoff win in school history – 39-12 over Oliver.

Senior quarterback Kyle Armagost has been a big reason why.

Armagost, the son of offensive coordinator Randy Armagost, is the first player in District 9 history to pass for 2,000 yards (2,029) and rush for 1,000 yards (1,266) in a season. In fact, the list of 1,000-1,000 quarterbacks in District 9 history come down to Armagost (twice) and Clearfield’s Trey Campman.

On the season, the 6-foot-1 righty is 98 of 189 with 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He also has 20 rushing touchdowns. The first quarterback in District 9 history with 4,000 yards passing and 3,000 yards rushing, Armagost has 4,345 passing yards and 43 touchdowns and 3,017 rushing yards and 42 scores.

He is one of two 1,000-yard rushers for Moniteau. Sophomore Dustin Geagan is the team’s leading rusher with 1,530 yards and 15 touchdowns while adding 254 yards receiving and a score on 10 catches.

Senior Ethan Pry is four yards shy of a 1,000-yard receiving season. He has 44 catches for 996 yards and 12 touchdowns, while Bradyen McCorry is adding 17 grabs for 402 yards and six touchdowns and tight end Joey Deal has 24 catches for 278 yards.

Moniteau’s offense is averaging 37.9 points per game, and the Warrior defense is allowing 12.2 ppg including just 38 points in its past six contests.

The winner of Friday night’s contests plays the winner of the Tyrone-Hickory game also being played Friday night at Mansion Park in Altoona.

NOTES – District 9 Class AA teams have frankly been awful in PIAA playoff games going 5-20 with two of those wins coming in the last two years over Oliver (Brockway in 2010 and Moniteau this season) … A District 9 Class AA team has never beaten a WPIAL Class AA team going 0-4 while being outscored 171-55 with 28 of the points scored coming last year in a 62-28 Brockway loss to South Fayette … This is the second time Aliquippa has faced a District 9 team in the PIAA playoffs. In 2008, the Quips routed Karns city 42-14 … District 9 is also 0-8 all-time in PIAA Class AA quarterfinals.