2025 PIAA Class 3A Championship Preview: Avonworth (14-0) vs. Northwestern Lehigh (15-0)

This marks the fourth year that Cumberland Valley High School’s Chapman Field will be hosting the three-day PIAA state football championships.

This year, three defending state champions return, all looking to repeat: At Class 1A, District 6 champion Bishop Guilfoyle; At 3A, District 11 titlist Northwestern Lehigh; and at 5A, District 3 champion Bishop McDevitt.

There will be two rematches: undefeated District 7 champion Avonworth against defending state champion Northwestern Lehigh at 3A and defending state champion McDevitt against District 12 champion Roman Catholic at 5A.

Of the 12 teams playing in the six classifications, three are undefeated: Both 3A state finalists Avonworth (14-0) and Northwestern Lehigh, and 4A finalist Twin Valley (14-0).

Two teams will be making their first appearances in a state final, which happens to be for the Class 4A state championship between Southern Lehigh and Twin Valley, while coaching legend Jim Roth goes for his unprecedented 15th state championship for Southern Columbia, which takes on District 10 champion Farrell for the 2A championship.

Seven of the 12 teams that have reached the state championship are public school teams (Clairton, Southern Columbia, Farrell, Southern Lehigh, Twin Valley, Avonworth and Northwestern Lehigh), while five are private (Bishop Guilfoyle, Bishop McDevitt, Roman Catholic, Pittsburgh Central Catholic and La Salle College High School). Three of the games will feature an all-public matchup: Southern Columbia/Farrell at 2A, Avonworth/Northwestern Lehigh at 3A and Southern Lehigh/Twin Valley at 4A, while Class 5A (McDevitt/Roman) and 6A (Pittsburgh Central Catholic/La Salle) are all-private-school matchups. The one private-against-public matchup is at 1A between defending state champion Bishop Guilfoyle against Clairton.

District 7 has the largest representation in the state finals with three teams (1A-Clairton, 3A-Avonworth, and 6A-Pittsburgh Central Catholic), followed by two teams each from District 12 (5A-Roman Catholic, and 6A-La Salle), District 3 (4A-Twin Valley, and 5A-McDevitt) and District 11 (4A-Southern Lehigh, and 3A Northwestern Lehigh), with one each from District 6 (1A-Bishop Guilfoyle), District 4 (2A-Southern Columbia) and District 10 (2A-Farrell).

While Southern Lehigh and Twin Valley will be making their first appearances in the state championship, of the remaining 10 schools, Avonworth (3A) and Roman Catholic (5A) will be joining those two teams in search of their first state championship. Clairton (1A) has not won a state title since 2012 (20-0 over Dunmore in the 1A championship), La Salle has not won a state title since 2009 (24-7 over State College for the 4A championship under the 4A system), becoming the first Philadelphia Catholic League team to do so, Pittsburgh Central Catholic has not won since 2015 (21-18 over Parkland for the 4A championship under the 4A system), Farrell last won in 2019 (10-7 in overtime over Guilfoyle for the 1A crown) and Southern Columbia last won in 2023 (21-20 over Westinghouse for the 2A championship).

Joseph Santoliquito is a hall of fame, award-winning sportswriter who has been covering high school football since 1992 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on Twitter @JSantoliquito [twitter.com]. Follow EasternPAFootball.com on Twitter @EPAFootball [twitter.com].

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Class 3A Saturday at 1 p.m. at Cumberland Valley HS

(District 7) Avonworth (14-0) vs. (District 11) Northwestern Lehigh (15-0)

This could potentially be the best game of the weekend. It is a rematch of last year’s Class 3A state final, won by Northwestern Lehigh, 36-33, in overtime, thanks to the heroics of Eli Zimmerman’s 10-yard touchdown run. Tigers’ coach Josh Snyder has built a reputation as one of the best coaches in the state, leading the Northwestern Lehigh program to its third-straight state championship game. Northwestern Lehigh are the current owners of the state’s longest winning streak, entering this game winning its last 31-straight games. The Tigers’ last loss came two years ago, 38-7, to Belle Vernon in the 2023 3A championship. Northwestern Lehigh has back a loaded team, led by senior quarterback Shane Leh, who has thrown for 2,581 yards and 33 touchdowns, against just two interceptions. He is averaging 16.8 yards a completion and has three very capable receivers to go to in senior Mason Bollinger and juniors Brady Zimmerman and Michael Lagowy, who have combined to make 133 catches for 2,207 yards and 23 touchdowns. The Tigers received a brief scare in the state semifinals, down for one of the rare times this year before responding with 42 unanswered points in Northwestern Lehigh’s 48-13 victory over District 3 champion Trinity. Leh completed 11 of 13 for 193 yards and three touchdowns in the game.

Avonworth has never won a state title. This will be the Antelopes’ third overall appearance in the state championship, and second-straight after losing to Northwestern Lehigh last season. Luca Neal is the Antelopes’ go-to star. He had 117 yards receiving and a touchdown in Avonworth’s 31-15 state semifinal victory over Penn Cambria. He’s caught 46 passes for 966 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. Senior quarterback Carson Bellinger has completed 105 of 154 passes this season for 2,291 yards and 29 touchdowns against two interceptions. The Antelopes have outscored their opponents 565 (40.3 pts a game) to 123 (8.7/per game). Avonworth has given up double figures in just four of the 14 games it has played, with a season high 24 surrendered against North Catholic in the District 7 Class 3A semifinals. Northwestern Lehigh has three shutouts and has given up a season-high 28 points twice this season.

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