Someone bring a cake to Heinz Field Saturday to celebrate a birthday.
Oh, by the way. Bring 100 candles.
The WPIAL football championships turn 100 Saturday when the league stages its four title games at Heinz. The WPIAL crowned Wilkinsburg champion in 1914, but there was no title game. The first championship game was in 1915 when Wilkinsburg beat Fifth Avenue, 12-7.
Since then, championships have been played at high school fields, Pitt Stadium, Forbes Field, Three Rivers Stadium and Heinz Field. They have been staged in the afternoon and night, in rain and snow.
But no matter the weather or time of day, the stars always come out.
The WPIAL championship games have a rich history of players who have gone on to stardom and big things. The list of great players from the games is impressive and long. Pro Football Hall of Fame members, first-round NFL draft picks, many NFL players, countless college football stars and even Major League Baseball players have won WPIAL championships or played in title games over the years.
The memories of those championship games are etched in the minds of some of Western Pennsylvania greats. LaVar Arrington of North Hills and Steve Breaston of Woodland Hills are two of the biggest stars to play in title games over the past few decades.
And oh, do they remember.
Arrington, 37, was a starting freshman halfback for North Hills in 1993 when the Indians played Upper St. Clair in a battle of undefeated teams at Three Rivers Stadium. He played linebacker a little in that game and would go on to become an All-American linebacker at Penn State and a Pro Bowl linebacker in the NFL.
“I still remember getting off the bus at Three Rivers,” said Arrington. “I remember the pep rally at the mall on McKnight Road. I remember walking into the locker room and couldn’t believe I was playing at Three Rivers. I remember lacing up my Nike turf shoes and I put red shoestrings in them. I remember telling my girlfriend at the time that if I scored a touchdown, I would pump my fist three times in the end zone at her — and I did. But it was called back because of a penalty.”
Breaston, 32, was a reserve sophomore at Woodland Hills in 1999 when the Wolverines played McKeesport in the AAAA title game. He was the starting quarterback for Woodland Hills in the next two championships. He played in the final championship game at Three Rivers and the first AAAA final at Heinz. Breaston went on to become a receiver at the University of Michigan and had a six-year NFL career, playing in a Super Bowl with the Arizona Cardinals.
“I remember those [WPIAL] games quite well,” Breaston said. “You appreciate it a lot for the simple fact that you’re in high school playing with guys you grew up with. I was playing with guys I had played with since I was 10 years old.”
Arrington lives these days with his wife, Trish, and three children in West Hollywood, Calif., where he works as an announcer for the NFL Network. He also has Xtreme Procision, a company that makes equipment and clothing apparel to help train youth football players.
In 1993, the ninth-grader Arrington ran for 99 yards on 14 carries in a 21-13 North Hills win.
“I remember truckin’ that [Upper St. Clair defensive back] Mike Tomko on one play. Just ran him over,” said Arrington. “My time in the WPIAL was to me, the greatest time of my life playing football. Hands down.”
Breaston now lives in the Pittsburgh area and helped coach some this season at Woodland Hills. In Breaston’s senior year, he tortured Central Catholic for 219 rushing yards, which is still the most by a quarterback in a game at Three Rivers or Heinz.
“You cherish those moments and really never forget those moments,” said Breaston. “Even when I am with those friends, we talk about it now and then. That time was so pure.”
• PG Interactive: Quick facts about the remaining teams:
Besides Arrington and Breaston, there have been many other great players who have been in WPIAL championships. Here are some of the best and most memorable:
Dan Towler, Donora 1944, 1945
Towler became known as “Deacon Dan” and was one of the main reasons the 1945 Donora team is considered among the best in WPIAL history. Donora gave up only 13 points in the 1945 season. Towler went on to play at Washington & Jefferson before playing six years in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams and leading the league in rushing in 1952.
Willie Thrower, New Kensington 1945-47
Thrower was the first African-American quarterback to play in an NFL game in 1953. He was the quarterback who helped Michigan State win the national championship in 1952. Thrower was famous for his exceptionally big hands, and he played a big role in New Kensington High winning WPIAL titles in 1946 and 1947. In 1947, New Kensington defeated Har-Brack, 28-0, at Forbes Field.
Ed Modzelewski, Har-Brack 1947
Modzelewski, a running back, had a little brother, Dick, who also played for Har-Brack. They were known as “Big Mo” and “Little Mo,” and both went on to play at the University of Maryland. Ed was a first-round draft choice of the Steelers in 1952. The Modzelewskis helped Har-Brack, in Natrona Heights, to the 1947 title game, but the team lost to QB Willie Thrower and New Kensington, 28-0.
Mike Ditka, Aliquippa 1955
Ditka was a multisport athlete at Aliquippa, but football was certainly his best sport. He was a 165-pound junior on the 1955 championship team, and the Quips won the title with a 14-13 victory against Mt. Lebanon at Pitt Stadium. Aliquippa scored late in the game on a halfback pass. Ditka went on to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Joe Namath, Beaver Falls 1960
Namath’s Beaver Falls team won the WPIAL title in 1960, even though there wasn’t a championship game. Back then, there were no playoffs, and only undefeated teams got to play for the title. Beaver Falls was the only undefeated team in the largest classification in 1960, so the WPIAL declared the Tigers champions. Namath threw for more than 1,500 yards that season, which was an incredible amount in those days. Namath also was an excellent runner who went on to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Doug Crusan, Monessen 1961
The last NFL team to go through a season undefeated was the Miami Dolphins in 1972. Crusan started 10 games as an offensive lineman that year for the Dolphins. In 1961, Crusan wasn’t an integral part of the Monessen team as a sophomore, but he was one of four players on that roster who went on to play in the NFL. The others were Eric Crabtree, Bill Malinchak and Sam Havrilak. A crowd of 18,868 watched Monessen beat Wilkinsburg, 7-6, in the 1961 championship game at Forbes Field.
Terry Hanratty, Butler 1965
Butler’s 1965 team was famous because its entire backfield played in the NFL. Hanratty was Butler’s quarterback and Rich and Ron Saul the running backs. Butler lost in the WPIAL championship game at Pitt Stadium to Uniontown, 14-7. Hanratty went on to become an All-American quarterback at Notre Dame before spending eight years in the NFL, seven with the Steelers. He was mostly a backup quarterback for the Steelers, but was a member of two Super Bowl champions.
Rich and Ron Saul, Butler 1965
The Saul brothers helped Butler to the 1965 WPIAL title game. Butler scored first in the championship, but Uniontown came back for a 14-7 win. The Sauls both went on to play at Michigan State and then in the NFL — Rich as a lineman and Ron as a linebacker. Another brother, Bill, also played in the NFL.
Bill Fralic, Penn Hills 1977-79
Many believe Fralic might be the greatest offensive lineman to play in the WPIAL. He played at Penn Hills when the Indians were a dynasty under coach Andy Urbanic. Fralic also was a dominating defensive lineman. As a junior, Fralic helped Penn Hills defeat Gateway, 3-0, on a snowy Friday night at Mt. Lebanon. He went on to be an All-American at Pitt and play in the NFL.
Ty Law, Aliquippa 1991
Law won three Super Bowl titles as a defensive back with the New England Patriots. Twenty-four years ago, Law played running back, receiver and defensive back in helping Aliquippa to the WPIAL Class AA title. Aliquippa defeated Riverside, 13-7, at Three Rivers Stadium. Law ran five times for 20 yards and caught one pass for 42 yards.
Brandon Short, McKeesport 1994
Short was one of the most dominant linebackers in WPIAL history. He wreaked havoc with Upper St. Clair in the 1994 Class AAAA title game. He also played offensive guard for the Tigers, who beat Upper St. Clair, 21-14. Short went on to play at Penn State and in the NFL.
Tyler Palko, West Allegheny 1999, 2000-01
Consider his individual and team success, Palko has to be one of the greatest players in WPIAL history. He won more games (48) than any quarterback in WPIAL history and he started three WPIAL title games — and won all three. In his three WPIAL title games, Palko completed 22 of 30 for 489 yards. He also was a standout safety before going on to play quarterback at Pitt and in the NFL.
Neil Walker, Pine-Richland 2002-03
Before he embarked on a baseball career that led him to becoming the Pirates second baseman, Walker was a tremendous receiver-defensive back for Pine-Richland. He was 1-1 in title games, losing to Hopewell and beating Thomas Jefferson. Walker caught six passes in the loss to Hopewell. In the 2003 title game, Thomas Jefferson designed its defense to stop Walker. He didn’t catch a pass, but Pine-Richland won, 21-7.
Paul Posluszny, Hopewell 2001-02
You may know Posluszny as a linebacker with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars these days, but he was a standout linebacker and running back at Hopewell. In 2000, Posluszny rushed for 121 yards on 17 carries in a 23-6 loss to West Allegheny in the WPIAL Class AAA title game. The following year, Posluszny ran for 95 yards on 22 carries in a 20-15 victory against Pine-Richland.
Darrelle Revis, Aliquippa 2003
Heinz Field was “Revis Island” in 2003 when Aliquippa met Jeannette for the WPIAL Class AA title. The versatile Revis caught one pass for a 54-yard touchdown. He also rushed for 67 yards on 11 carries and played defensive back as Aliquippa beat Jeannette, 18-4.
Terrelle Pryor, Jeannette 2006-07
Before he played quarterback at Ohio State, Pryor was a terrific quarterback-defensive back for two WPIAL Class AA championship teams. In the 2006 game against Greensburg Central Catholic, he threw for 179 yards and ran for 143. In 2007 against Beaver Falls, he threw for 81 and ran for 166.
Tyler Boyd, Clairton 2009-12
Boyd, a running back-receiver, was part of four championship teams and started on three. He rushed for a total of 416 yards in title games. He now is a junior at Pitt and one of the best college receivers in the country.
First Published: November 25, 2015, 5:00 a.m.