Four teams earned spots in WPIAL Championship games Friday, while eight more will punch their tickets this week. We look back at some of the top performances throughout this past week’s WPIAL postseason games.
This season, KDKA Radio will again nominate players each week to join the KDKA Radio Super 7 Awards watch list. Every Monday, a new crop of players will be unveiled based on their efforts that previous Friday night. At the end of the year, KDKA Radio will announce the winners of the award for each WPIAL classification, as well as the Pittsburgh City League.
Here are the top performances from Week 11.
Khalil Taylor, Pine-Richland
Khalil Taylor did a little bit of everything Friday night as Pine-Richland rolled into the Class 5A semifinals.
The junior had a 90-yard kick return for a touchdown, an 87-yard punt return for a score, a 9-yard pick-six and a 30-yard touchdown catch as the Rams beat Shaler 42-10 in the 5A quarterfinals.
Taylor, who transferred to Pine-Richland this summer, is regarded as the 102nd best recruit in the country, per 247Sports, and has numerous Power 4 offers.
The Rams will face Moon in Friday’s 5A semifinals.
Cole Neupaver, Peters Township
In an offensive featuring a variety of weapons and ways to beat you, Cole Neupaver has been a constant this year.
On Friday, he put together one of his best games of the season, rushing for 135 yards and four touchdowns, while pulling in a pass for another score in a 42-14 win over rival Bethel Park in the Class 5A quarterfinals.
Neupaver — who quit football in 7th grade to pursue hockey and returned to the gridiron just last season — has rushed for over 1,200 yards this season and scored 22 touchdowns.
The Indians meet Upper St. Clair Friday in the Class 5A semifinals.
John Banbury, Upper St. Clair
Upper St. Clair will bring a talented running back of their own into the semifinals, and one who is heating up at the right time.
John Banbury racked up 142 yards and three touchdowns Friday as the Panthers rallied back to to beat Woodland Hills 36-26.
Also a thumping linebacker, Banbury is continuing the family tradition at Upper St. Clair. His brother, Luke, was a first team all-Ivy League player at Cornell and is now at William & Mary.
The Panthers will look to avenge their 24-20 regular season loss to Peters Township Friday.
Eli Salvini, Fort Cherry
While 4-star recruit Matt Sieg draws much of the headlines at Fort Cherry, the Rangers are quietly developing a physical stable off ball carriers around him.
Eli Salvini showed that off Friday, rushing for 206 yards and two touchdowns as the Rangers rolled over Neshannock, 36-9, in the Class 1A quarterfinals.
Also a wrestler and track athlete, Salvini has racked up over 900 rushing yards and scored 19 touchdowns this season.
The unbeaten Rangers meet Laurel in Friday’s Class 1A semifinals.