Best in Show: PUP high school football rankings (Sept. 29)

Each week the Pittsburgh Union Progress will issue its high school football rankings throughout the season, with all rankings voted on by the PUP sports staff.

Class 6A

1. Central Catholic (4-2)

2. North Allegheny (5-1)

3. Hempfield (2-4)

4. Canon-McMillan (2-4)

5. Mt. Lebanon (1-5)

The skinny: Preseason No. 1 Central Catholic resumes its throne after handing North Allegheny its first loss by a 27-14 score in the PUP’s Game of the Week. That being said, the Vikings manhandled the Tigers in the regular season last year, but it was North Allegheny that had the last laugh in the WPIAL final — and many expect the teams to meet again in this year’s title game. Hempfield rejoins the rankings after a thrilling 33-27 overtime win at Canon-McMillan, while Mt. Lebanon also reappears at No. 5 after picking up its first win under new coach Greg Perry, taking down Seneca Valley, 32-8.

Class 5A

1. Upper St. Clair (6-0)

2. Pine-Richland (5-0)

3. Bethel Park (6-0)

4. South Fayette (6-0)

5. Peters Township (5-1)

The skinny: For the first time this season, we have a shakeup at the top of the Class 5A pecking order. Upper St. Clair vaults from No. 3 to the No. 1 spot after knocking off top-ranked defending champion Peters Township in a 21-7 defensive slugfest. Pine-Richland also has a solid claim to the top spot, but the Rams remain at No. 2 for now after blowing out Fox Chapel, 71-0. Bethel Park scored a go-ahead touchdown with four seconds remaining to stave off an upset bid by Moon and escape with a 39-36 win, and South Fayette also kept its perfect record intact by shutting out Baldwin at home, 38-0.

Class 4A

1. Aliquippa (3-1)

2. Montour (5-0)

3. Thomas Jefferson (6-0)

4. McKeesport (2-4)

5. New Castle (4-1)

The skinny: Aliquippa bounced back from its first loss in almost two years by routing New Castle, 62-21, to deal the Red Hurricanes their first loss of the season. Montour and Thomas Jefferson both continued their hot starts in lopsided fashion, as the Spartans won at Blackhawk, 49-8, while the Jaguars defeated rival Belle Vernon, 42-14. McKeesport switches spots with New Castle and climbs to No. 4 after trouncing Hampton, 54-7.

Class 3A

1. Imani Christian (6-0)

2. Deer Lakes (6-0)

3. Avonworth (4-2)

4. Central Valley (2-4)

5. Beaver (4-2)

The skinny: Imani Christian solidified its grasp on the top spot with a 48-28 win at North Catholic, while Deer Lakes rose to the No. 2 spot and continued the best start in school history with a 27-26 comeback win against then-No. 5 Highlands. Avonworth returns to the rankings after a brief hiatus thanks to a 21-14 win against Central Valley, which falls from No. 3 to No. 4. Meanwhile, Beaver drops from No. 4 to No. 5 despite scoring a 49-0 win against McGuffey, with the Warriors holding a head-to-head win against the Bobcats from Week 4.

Class 2A

1. Seton LaSalle (5-0)

2. South Park (5-1)

3. Ellwood City (5-0)

4. South Allegheny (5-1)

5. Steel Valley (3-3)

The skinny: No changes here as Seton LaSalle shut out Waynesburg, 55-0, to keep a firm hold on its No. 1 ranking, while South Park also flexed its defensive muscles with a 37-0 road win at Washington. Elsewhere, Ellwood City earned its first 5-0 start in 38 years with a shutout of its own against New Brighton, 33-0. South Allegheny’s storybook season continued with a 49-28 win against Ligonier Valley, 49-28, and Steel Valley toppled Shady Side Academy, 49-0.

Class 1A

1. Fort Cherry (6-0)

2. Clairton (6-0)

3. Bishop Canevin (4-1)

4. Leechburg (6-0)

5. Monessen (5-1)

The skinny: Fort Cherry and Clairton each maintained their scorching-hot starts, as the defending champion Rangers thwarted Burgettstown, 42-0, while the Bears notched their fifth consecutive shutout with a 43-0 win against Jeannette on Saturday. Bishop Canevin crushed Chartiers-Houston, 70-0, and Leechburg kept up its best start in 43 years by routing Springdale, 54-0. Finally, Monessen makes its way back into the “Best in Show” after the Greyhounds took down previously unbeaten South Side on Saturday, 32-17.

City League

1. Westinghouse (5-1)

2. University Prep (2-3)

3. Allderdice (4-2)

The skinny: Westinghouse issued a statement to the rest of the City League with a resounding 50-6 triumph against Allderdice on Thursday night, sending the Dragons down from No. 2 to No. 3 in the rankings. That one-sided affair opened the door for University Prep to claim the No. 2 spot after a 70-0 beatdown against Brashear.