The WPIAL playoff pairings have been released. As always, Pitt has been and will continue to be active in recruiting the WPIAL for a large amount of the talent on their roster. While there aren't as many prospects coming from the city as there were in years past, the emphasis on procuring local talent is still very key to Narduzzi and company's plans. Without further adieu, here are the notable Pitt targets and where they'll be in the WPIAL playoffs. I'm bringing things down by class. For those not familiar with Pennsylvania's classifications, 6A is the largest and 1A is the smallest.
6A
(1) Central Catholic vs (8) Norwin - Norwin doesn't have much right now, but Central is stocked with talent as per usual. The 2017 names are largely familiar (Kurt Hinish, David Adams, and CJ Thorpe have committed elsewhere already) but the underclassman crop is growing there as well. 2018 QB Troy Fisher, 2018 DT David Green, 2018 DB/RB Khalil Weathers, and 2019 WR Corey Thomas are all on Pitt's radar, but none have been offered yet.
(4) Bethel Park vs (5) Pine Richland - Bethel Park is home to 2018 two-way lineman James Gmiter, a prospect who holds offers from WVU and Wisconsin and is very much on Pitt's radar. He has visited in the past and will continue to do so. Pine Richland has been wracked by injuries, including to their two most notable prospects in 2017 Pitt tight end commit Grant Carrigan and 2018 Notre Dame quarterback commit Phil Jurkovec.
(2) North Allegheny vs (7) Hempfield - North Allegheny has had a really nice talent surge in recent years, manifesting itself in the 2017 class in offensive lineman Josh Lugg, a Notre Dame commit, and tight end Griffin Sestilli, a Temple commit. Lugg has a lot of Pitt ties and they're going to continue recruiting him until they no longer have the chance to. Hempfield's 2018 QB Justin Sliwoski is supposed to be a Divsion I caliber kid, but I haven't seen him yet.
(3) Mt. Lebanon vs (6) Seneca Valley - Mt. Lebo doesn't have anybody in the pipeline to my knowledge and Seneca doesn't have any notable upperclassmen, but their 2019 kids Jake Stebbins and Drew Robertson have been tabbed as potential Division I kids early on.
5A
(1) West Allegheny vs (8) North Hills - West Allegheny is led by a pair of junior 2018 standouts in defensive back Kenny White and athlete/WR Brandon Lipford. White, in particular, has had a huge junior year and looks like a very serious offer candidate for Pitt moving into camp season. 2017 offensive guard Kieran Firment is a Colorado State commit out of WA. There's no notable North Hills players to my knowledge.
(4) Woodland Hills vs (5) Franklin Regional - Woodland Hills is surprisingly bereft of talent right now after losing Miles Sanders and others to graduation. Toledo commit Saeed Holt is a nice player at DB and Derrick Caraway could be an FCS guy. Franklin Regional doesn't seem to have anything.
(2) Armstrong vs (7) Gateway - Oh, how the mighty have fallen. My alma mater ain't what it used to be without that Wilkinsburg talent flowing in, although Gateway does have 2017 wide receiver Jaquan Brisker. Brisker has a Toledo offer. Gateway will play Armstrong and standout tailback Zane Dudek, one of the most productive rushers in WPIAL history and an FCS prospect.
(3) McKeesport vs (6) Upper St. Clair - McKeesport, much like Gateway, ain't what it used to be in terms of talent. The Port has some DI seniors, including Syracuse DT commit Curtis Harper and Youngstown State DE commit Antoine Cook, but the depth of talent from years past has diminished. Upper St. Clair of course is home to Pitt commit Gabe Houy, a college offensive tackle who plays both ways for the Panthers.
4A
(1) Thomas Jefferson vs (8) Montour - Thomas Jefferson is home to three-star linebacker Zane Zandier, one of the more controversial Pitt targets (due to his lack of an offer) in the area. Zandier and his teammates at TJ will be matched up with Montour, a school that is home to 2017 UCF DE commit Mason Cholewa and 2018 WR Ronnie Stevenson, a big-framed prospect who's on the radar of Pitt and PSU early with a Temple offer.
(4) West Mifflin vs (5) Belle Vernon - Neither school has DI prospects to my knowledge.
(2) South Fayette vs (7) New Castle - South Fayette hasn't historically been a DI factory, but they've got a couple 2018 guys who look like they have a chance to go DI in DE Ray Eldridge and LB Noah Plack-Tellerico. I've seen neither and this is word of mouth, however. The best individual talents on the field who will be on New Caste's sideline with 2017 defensive back/QB Geno Stone and 2018 four-star Rivals250. ATH Marcus Hooker. Both Hooker and Stone are on Pitt's radar, although neither has an offer.
(3) Mars vs (6) Ringgold - Neither school has Pitt targets to my knowledge.
3A
(1) Aliquippa vs (8) South Park - Aliquippa is still Aliquippa, despite some bumps in the road this year and a huge loss to Clairton. 2018 four-star ATH Kwantel Raines is just outside of the Rivals100 and Pitt's most important target in his class. He's joined by 2019 standout Marlin Devonshire Jr., a corner who's on the smaller side but someone I'm confident is a Division I player. There's no Division I talent on South Park to my knowledge.
(4) Derry vs (5) Central Valley - There's no Division I talent in this game to my knowledge.
(2) Beaver Falls vs (7) Mount Pleasant - Beaver Falls is home to four-star 2017 defensive lineman Donovan Jeter, a player once considered a Pitt lean who became a Notre Dame commit, a free agent, and then a Michigan commit. Pitt will continue to recruit him until he enrolls on a campus in January. 2018 athlete Malik Shepherd is a dynamic player coming off of his injury who is a Pitt target and an explosive player at wide receiver and defensive back. There's no Division I talent at Mount Pleasant to my knowledge.
(3) Keystone Oaks vs (6) Apollo-Ridge - I might be showing my age here but I don't remember either team ever having a DI prospect when I was in high school and they still don't.
6A
(1) Central Catholic vs (8) Norwin - Norwin doesn't have much right now, but Central is stocked with talent as per usual. The 2017 names are largely familiar (Kurt Hinish, David Adams, and CJ Thorpe have committed elsewhere already) but the underclassman crop is growing there as well. 2018 QB Troy Fisher, 2018 DT David Green, 2018 DB/RB Khalil Weathers, and 2019 WR Corey Thomas are all on Pitt's radar, but none have been offered yet.
(4) Bethel Park vs (5) Pine Richland - Bethel Park is home to 2018 two-way lineman James Gmiter, a prospect who holds offers from WVU and Wisconsin and is very much on Pitt's radar. He has visited in the past and will continue to do so. Pine Richland has been wracked by injuries, including to their two most notable prospects in 2017 Pitt tight end commit Grant Carrigan and 2018 Notre Dame quarterback commit Phil Jurkovec.
(2) North Allegheny vs (7) Hempfield - North Allegheny has had a really nice talent surge in recent years, manifesting itself in the 2017 class in offensive lineman Josh Lugg, a Notre Dame commit, and tight end Griffin Sestilli, a Temple commit. Lugg has a lot of Pitt ties and they're going to continue recruiting him until they no longer have the chance to. Hempfield's 2018 QB Justin Sliwoski is supposed to be a Divsion I caliber kid, but I haven't seen him yet.
(3) Mt. Lebanon vs (6) Seneca Valley - Mt. Lebo doesn't have anybody in the pipeline to my knowledge and Seneca doesn't have any notable upperclassmen, but their 2019 kids Jake Stebbins and Drew Robertson have been tabbed as potential Division I kids early on.
5A
(1) West Allegheny vs (8) North Hills - West Allegheny is led by a pair of junior 2018 standouts in defensive back Kenny White and athlete/WR Brandon Lipford. White, in particular, has had a huge junior year and looks like a very serious offer candidate for Pitt moving into camp season. 2017 offensive guard Kieran Firment is a Colorado State commit out of WA. There's no notable North Hills players to my knowledge.
(4) Woodland Hills vs (5) Franklin Regional - Woodland Hills is surprisingly bereft of talent right now after losing Miles Sanders and others to graduation. Toledo commit Saeed Holt is a nice player at DB and Derrick Caraway could be an FCS guy. Franklin Regional doesn't seem to have anything.
(2) Armstrong vs (7) Gateway - Oh, how the mighty have fallen. My alma mater ain't what it used to be without that Wilkinsburg talent flowing in, although Gateway does have 2017 wide receiver Jaquan Brisker. Brisker has a Toledo offer. Gateway will play Armstrong and standout tailback Zane Dudek, one of the most productive rushers in WPIAL history and an FCS prospect.
(3) McKeesport vs (6) Upper St. Clair - McKeesport, much like Gateway, ain't what it used to be in terms of talent. The Port has some DI seniors, including Syracuse DT commit Curtis Harper and Youngstown State DE commit Antoine Cook, but the depth of talent from years past has diminished. Upper St. Clair of course is home to Pitt commit Gabe Houy, a college offensive tackle who plays both ways for the Panthers.
4A
(1) Thomas Jefferson vs (8) Montour - Thomas Jefferson is home to three-star linebacker Zane Zandier, one of the more controversial Pitt targets (due to his lack of an offer) in the area. Zandier and his teammates at TJ will be matched up with Montour, a school that is home to 2017 UCF DE commit Mason Cholewa and 2018 WR Ronnie Stevenson, a big-framed prospect who's on the radar of Pitt and PSU early with a Temple offer.
(4) West Mifflin vs (5) Belle Vernon - Neither school has DI prospects to my knowledge.
(2) South Fayette vs (7) New Castle - South Fayette hasn't historically been a DI factory, but they've got a couple 2018 guys who look like they have a chance to go DI in DE Ray Eldridge and LB Noah Plack-Tellerico. I've seen neither and this is word of mouth, however. The best individual talents on the field who will be on New Caste's sideline with 2017 defensive back/QB Geno Stone and 2018 four-star Rivals250. ATH Marcus Hooker. Both Hooker and Stone are on Pitt's radar, although neither has an offer.
(3) Mars vs (6) Ringgold - Neither school has Pitt targets to my knowledge.
3A
(1) Aliquippa vs (8) South Park - Aliquippa is still Aliquippa, despite some bumps in the road this year and a huge loss to Clairton. 2018 four-star ATH Kwantel Raines is just outside of the Rivals100 and Pitt's most important target in his class. He's joined by 2019 standout Marlin Devonshire Jr., a corner who's on the smaller side but someone I'm confident is a Division I player. There's no Division I talent on South Park to my knowledge.
(4) Derry vs (5) Central Valley - There's no Division I talent in this game to my knowledge.
(2) Beaver Falls vs (7) Mount Pleasant - Beaver Falls is home to four-star 2017 defensive lineman Donovan Jeter, a player once considered a Pitt lean who became a Notre Dame commit, a free agent, and then a Michigan commit. Pitt will continue to recruit him until he enrolls on a campus in January. 2018 athlete Malik Shepherd is a dynamic player coming off of his injury who is a Pitt target and an explosive player at wide receiver and defensive back. There's no Division I talent at Mount Pleasant to my knowledge.
(3) Keystone Oaks vs (6) Apollo-Ridge - I might be showing my age here but I don't remember either team ever having a DI prospect when I was in high school and they still don't.
