It's like Deja vu for Aliquippa football as the team is being forced up another classification before next season.
The Quips won the Class 4A state title this fall and were runners-up in 2022, so now the PIAA plans to move them up to 5A under its competitive-balance rule.
While the school has already appealed this decision, head coach Mike Warfield said, “The rule was never implemented for us initially.”
“They never started us from our enrollment and that’s the only argument we have. Now, as far as this year’s concern is based on our success points . . . we went to the championship two years in a row.”
Aliquippa football has been through this process twice already. In 2020, to move the Quips from Class 3A to 4A.
In 2022, the PIAA targeted Aliquippa for promotion, but the school appealed and the team remained in 4A.
Warfield doesn’t feel as optimistic this time around, saying they can’t argue health and safety this time around as part of the appeal.
We reached out to the PIAA for comment, and while they were not able to grant us an interview, a spokesman tells us that the qualification process is 'incomplete' and is still being worked out.