Aliquippa football's win over Mckeesport shows they fear nothing, except failure

Aliquippa quarterback Marques Council Jr. looks downfield during the WPIAL Class 4A title game with McKeesport at Pine-Richland High School. Council threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Qa'Lil Goode despite the heavy pressure from Tigers' defensive lineman Kaedyn Daniels. Josh Rizzo/Pittsburgh Preps and Colleges.

PINE TWP - Qa'Lil Goode articulated a position Aliquippa rarely gets to occupy. The Quips won as underdogs in the WPIAL Class 4A title Saturday afternoon at Pine-Richland High School.

It's an absurd position on its face. Aliquippa won its WPIAL record 21st crown by beating McKeesport 21-12. 

"We love it when people doubt us," Goode said. "We love proving them wrong."

The success of the Aliquippa football program is envious. How a small public school can continue winning despite seeing a severe population decline isn't easy to put a finger on.

Perhaps the Quips' success is driven by the fear of no longer having it. Aliquippa failed to reach the WPIAL final last season, ending a stretch of 16 consecutive appearances.

That motivated Aliquippa senior quarterback Marques Council, a Yale commit, to come back from a knee injury thought to be season-ending for this year's playoffs. The seventh-seeded Quips responded by beating No. 2 Trinity, No. 3 New Castle and the top-seeded Tigers on the way to the title.

"I was so hurt," Council said. "I was so hurt. We hurt as a team. We came into the offseason knowing what we had to do. We were very well-prepared and understood the assignment overall. Losing in the semifinals isn't the best feeling in the world, you know? When you get a chance to come back next year, improve, do better and make it to the championship and win it's the best feeling in the world."

McKeesport seems to be cursed. The Tigers, who are four-time WPIAL champions, won their last title in 2005. The Tigers have lost four times in the WPIAL final since 2016. McKeesport lost the 5A final to West Allegheny in 2016, while dropping the Class 4A games in 2023 and 2024 to Aliquippa and Thomas Jefferson, respectively. The gut punch for McKeesport in this year's title game came in the fourth quarter.

​Trailing by two, 14-12, Aliquippa was facing a 4th-and-9 a the McKeesport 24 with 2 minutes, 15 seconds remaining. McKeesport did everything right. The Tigers got pressure on Council, who was forced to throw off his back foot.

​"We knew we had to take a shot," Aliquippa coach Mike Warfield said. "I was just concerned he would take a sack. I wanted to keep the clock running, but on fourth down the clock was going to stop anyway. We decided to throw it and give 14 a chance to make a play."

Goode had three McKeesport defenders within breathing distance of him.

Didn't matter, touchdown Quips.

"They must have a four-leaf clover," McKeesport coach Matt Miller said. "They win in weird ways, that's for sure. We need to figure it out."

The Quips got a boost when Warfield returned as coach this season. Warfield has led Aliquippa to three state championships and five WPIAL titles in his seven seasons with the program. Warfield helped guide Aliquippa to a transition to Class 4A in 2020.

The Quips, who already elected to play above their enrollment in 3A, were moved up due to the PIAA's competitive balance rule, which is a formula based on transfers into the program and success on the field.

​But Warfield insists he wasn't really gone. No one truly leaves Aliquippa.

"It felt the same, like I said before I wasn't gone, gone," Warfield said. "I just took a little break as far as the every day. Coach (Vashawn) Patrick did a great job. I missed the kids and I missed the preparation. This is great, but I miss the Saturdays through Thursdays with me being with the coaches and trying to figure out how we can put these kids in the best situations to win. We tried to flood them with football all week."

The flood helped Aliquippa break down the dam. McKeesport scored on the first play, but the Quips' methodical offense was able to push them ahead 14-12 by halftime. Goode's touchdown sealed the deal.

Things are different in Aliquippa, but the result is always the same.

The Quips are champs.

Josh Rizzo is the editor and publisher of Pittsburgh Preps and Colleges. Story ideas can be submitted to [email protected] or on X @J_oshRizzo.