Aliquippa Demolishes Mars to Make 16th Straight WPIAL Championship Game

WEXFORD, Pa. — Aliquippa has shown its prowess on the gridiron throughout 2023 and did so once again in their 47-24 demolition of Mars in a downpour at Newman Stadium Friday night in the WPIAL Class 4A Semifinals.

The Quips (11-0) move on to the WPIAL Championship game for the 16th consecutive season. This is also the sixth straight year that the Quips have made it to the WPIAL Championship with head coach Mike Warfield in charge of the program. The Fighting’ Planets (10-3) have improved in Eric Kasperowicz’s second season as head coach. They were 1-9 in 2021 before he came, 6-5 last season and now have a 10 win season for the first time in many years.

Mars started out the better of the two teams, as junior quarterback Luke Goodworth completed a 30-yard pass to senior wide receiver Evan Wright to move into Aliquippa territory. Goodworth would complete a pass on fourth down and then allowed the running attack to take over for Mars, with Wright scoring on fourth down and goal at the 0ne-yard line.

The Quips scored immediately afterwards, as junior wide receiver/defensive back Arison Walker took the ensuing kickoff 84-yards for a score.

Aliquippa’s defense then took over and forced five straight punts from Mars to end the half. With the defense keeping Mars off the field, the Aliquippa offense took advantage.

Senior quarterback Quentin Goode led a drive down the field and finished it off with a 24-yard pass to Pitt commit in linebacker/tight end Cameron Lindsey, giving the Quips a 12-7 lead late in the second quarter.

Junior running back/defensive back and Penn State commit Tiqwai Hayes showed his talent, bouncing off a few tackles and speeding past Mars defenders to score a 74-yard rushing touchdown for Aliquippa to make it 18-7 early in the second quarter.

Goode completed a short pass to senior running backs/defensive back John Tracy, who broke two tackles and then sped down the sideline for a 78-yard score to make it 26-7 for the Quips after the two-point conversion.

TOUCHDOWN: Here’s one of the best plays of the year courtesy of Aliquippa RB2 John Tracy.

Tracy hauls in a dump-off from Quentin Goode on 3rd-and-8, then absolutely obliterates a pair of would-be tacklers before galloping down the sideline for a 78-yard TD.

Quips now up 26-7: pic.twitter.com/X2O3OOYC6j

— Steve Rotstein (@SteveRotstein) November 18, 2023

Aliquippa would finish the first half up 34-7, as Lindsey ran it in from four-yards out for his second score of the game, which Hayes contributed to with a 46-yard rush prior into the red zone.

Hayes would score his second rushing touchdown right out of halftime, going 48-yards untouched on his second carry of the drive.

Goode threw his third touchdown with a short pass to Walker, who went 26-yards for the score, making two Fightin’ Planets defenders miss along the way to make it 47-10 and start the mercy rule, with a running clock.

TOUCHDOWN: Arison Walker shows off some nice moves after the catch for his second score of the night, this one coming on a 26-yard TD pass from Quentin Goode.

Mercy rule is on as Aliquippa now leads Mars 47-10 late in the third quarter: pic.twitter.com/xasx3vKjBS

— Steve Rotstein (@SteveRotstein) November 18, 2023

Mars would score a late touchdown, as Goodworth completed a pass to junior wide receiver/defensive back Liam Hein that he took 40-yards into the end zone, albeit, against the backups of Aliquippa. Mars also scored a touchdown at the very end of the game as well, but that didn’t mean much with the 23-point victory for Aliquippa.

Aliquippa will take on either No. 2 Mckeesport next Friday at Acrisure Stadium in the WPIAL 4A Championship Game at 8 p.m.

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