Wildcats To Face Steelers In PIAA Class-2A Opening Round

Photo courtesy of Cheryl Marshall – 2024 District Nine Class-A Champion Wildcats

The PIAA has announced sites, dates and times of this week’s State Football Championship First Round playoff action.

Our 11-0 District Nine champion Central Clarion Wildcats will be taking on the 7-5 District 10 champion Farrell Steelers at Farrell’s Lou Falconi Field at Anthony J. Paulekas Stadium, in the Class-2A opener at 7:00 p.m. on Friday (November 15th).

Farrell downed Sharpsville 28-18, yesterday (Saturday, November 9th), at Hickory’s Frank Barger Stadium.

The winner of the Central Clarion – Farrell game, will face the winner of the District 6 championship game, which pits the 12-0 Cambria Heights Highlanders and the 10-2 Richland Rams in the quarterfinals. The District 6 championship will also take place this coming Friday at 7:00 p.m., set to be held at Altoona’s Mansion Park.

This is the third straight time the Wildcats have made the state playoffs, having played District 8 (Pittsburgh City League) champion Westinghouse in 2022 and 2023, in the opening round.

This will be the second time the Wildcats or the teams that comprise them, Clarion Area Bobcats and Clarion-Limestone Lions have faced the Steelers in the opening round of the state playoffs, the last coming in on Friday, December 4th, 2009 as the Bobcats dropped a close 19-14 contest in Class-1A at Slippery Rock University.

Farrell has won four Single A, state championships, two representing District 7 (WPIAL), in 1995 and 1997 and two representing District 10, in 2018 and 2019.

Combined, the Clarion-Limestone and Clarion Area football programs won eight District Nine championships. The Lions Won District Nine titles in Single-A in 1990, 1993, 2002 and 2003 and the Bobcats in Single-A in 1997, 2009, 2013, and Double-A in 2017.

There were different systems set up in early years, so Clarion-Limestone was not afforded the opportunity to participate in the state playoffs in 1990. In the early years of the PIAA state football playoffs, four teams officially made the state tournament in each classification to represent four regions. Under the new system Clarion Area has competed in the state playoffs each year they won districts.

So a lot of great state playoff history behind Friday’s Game. It looks like a super matchup.

Tickets for the game can be purchased on the PIAA Website.

https://www.piaa.org/sports/tickets.aspx?from=mobileNav

It’ll be great if you can come out and support the Wildcats!!!!

(Here we go, Wildcats, Here We Go!!!! Thanks to Cheryl Marshall for her photo!!)