Best in Show: PUP high school football rankings (Oct. 6)

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

Class 6A

1. Central Catholic (5-2)

2. North Allegheny (6-1)

3. Hempfield (3-4)

4. Seneca Valley (2-4)

5. Canon-McMillan (2-5)

The skinny: Central Catholic’s 56-7 win at Shaler was its fifth in a row since an 0-2 start. The Vikings have scored at least 54 points three times in their unbeaten run. With Central Catholic and North Allegheny likely being postseason bound, the rest of the teams continue to fight for the two remaining playoff spots. Hempfield has picked up back-to-back narrow wins against Canon-McMillan and Norwin, and this week travels to Seneca Valley for a key game.

Class 5A

1. Upper St. Clair (7-0)

2. Pine-Richland (6-0)

3. Bethel Park (7-0)

4. Peters Township (6-1)

5. North Hills (6-1)

The skinny: What a run it has been for Upper St. Clair, which has knocked off unbeaten teams (Peters Township and South Fayette) two weeks in a row. Up next? Another undefeated foe, as the Panthers play at Bethel Park. A terrific USC defense will be tested by a Bethel Park team that averages a WPIAL-best 51 points a game. North Hills replaces South Fayette. The Indians have won three games in a row and their only loss was a 29-24 setback at Pine-Richland.

Class 4A

1. Aliquippa (4-1)

2. Montour (6-0)

3. Thomas Jefferson (7-0)

4. McKeesport (3-4)

5. Mars (3-4)

The skinny: The “Game of the Year” in Class 4A will come Oct. 18 when Montour plays host to Aliquippa. The Quips have strung together two wins since their loss to Penn Hills. Meanwhile, Montour has outscored its past two opponents, 100-14. The Greater Allegheny Conference, which does not have a team sitting at .500 or better, continues to sort itself out. McKeesport and Mars are 2-0 in conference play. Mars returns to the rankings after consecutive wins.

Class 3A

1. Imani Christian (7-0)

2. Avonworth (5-2)

3. Central Valley (3-4)

4. Beaver (5-2)

5. Deer Lakes (6-1)

The skinny: Beaver registered one of the most impressive wins of Week 6 by winning at previously undefeated Deer Lakes, 42-0. Beaver’s losses were to Imani Christian and Central Valley, both on the road. Things don’t get any easier for Deer Lakes, which must try to quickly regroup as it prepares to play at No. 1 Imani Christian. The Saints own the No. 1 scoring offense (42.5 points per game) and No. 1 scoring defense (10.2 ppg) in Class 3A. 

Class 2A

1. Seton LaSalle (6-0)

2. South Park (6-1)

3. Ellwood City (6-0)

4. South Allegheny (6-1)

5. Steel Valley (4-3)

The skinny: Ellwood City, 6-0 for the first time since 1984, picked up a strong win Saturday when it toppled Western Beaver, 26-20. The Golden Beavers had won four in a row and topped the Wolverines, 41-18, a season ago. Will anyone challenge Seton LaSalle in the Century Conference? The Rebels have won their conference games by scores of 48-8, 49-14, 55-0 and 49-0. They next get Shady Side Academy, which gave up 105 points the past two weeks.

Class 1A

1. Fort Cherry (7-0)

2. Clairton (7-0)

3. Bishop Canevin (5-1)

4. Leechburg (7-0)

5. Monessen (6-1)

The skinny: Not only was there no movement in the Class 2A rankings, but things remain the same in Class 1A, too. Bishop Canevin plays host Friday to Fort Cherry in a big Black Hills Conference game. Fort Cherry defeated the Crusaders by scores of 48-41 and 33-21 a season ago, the second matchup coming in the WPIAL semifinals. Clairton, a 70-0 winner at Springdale, upped its shutout streak to six. Leechburg is 7-0 for the first time since 1980.

City League

1. Westinghouse (5-1)

2. University Prep (3-3)

3. Allderdice (4-3)

The skinny: The City League regular-season title will be on the line Friday when Westinghouse takes on University Prep at Cupples Stadium. Westinghouse has won 15 consecutive games against City League opponents and has not lost a City League regular-season game since falling to University Prep on Sept. 5, 2019. This is a rematch of last year’s City League championship won by Westinghouse, 42-14.