The WPIAL finals are set and eight teams around the area will face-off Nov. 27, at Heinz Field. Listed below are the games and times.

Class AAAA—Gateway (12-0) vs. Woodland Hills (11-1)—8 p.m. Gateway’s last loss was to Bethel Park in this very game last year. They will look to redeem themselves this season against the Wolverines who are undefeated against WPIAL teams this season.

GATORS ADVANCE —Gateway’s Dayonne Nunley returns a kickoff for a touchdown against North Hills in the WPIAL AAAA semifinal game at Fox Chapel High School Nov. 20. Gateway defeated North Hills 42-20 to advance to the WPIAL championship game at Heinz Field.

There are ugly wins and hideous losses. The Pittsburgh Steelers were ambushed by the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday in K.C. This defeat was sort of “Freddy Kruggerish.”

Now let’s get right to the ugly. Special teams, special ed teams or irregular teams, whatever words you wish to describe this area, were again the Achilles heel that did the Black and Gold in. Another kickoff was returned for a TD and an ill-advised throw from Big Ben with at least four red jerseys hanging out in the end zone also played a significant part in the unraveling of the defending world champions. Linebacker Andy Studebaker made his debut as a starter for the Chiefs. He was not under the baptism of fire that everyone expected but instead was the arsonist with the torch who almost singlehandedly burned the post-season chances of the Steelers to cinders.

AUBREY BRUCE

(Wharton, N.J.)—SportsLink and Football University recently announced that Dontae Broadus, an eighth-grader from Turtle Creek has been selected to play in the second annual “Football University Youth All-American Bowl” taking place in San Antonio, Texas, Jan. 10  The game will be broadcast live on the Web. The bowl honors the top seventh- and eighth-graders in the nation, bringing them together to play in an all-star format on a national stage. It is modeled after the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and will be held in the same city during the same week. Both games are produced by SportsLink.

It was the biggest game of the year and it, rightfully so, had the biggest finish. The Schenley Spartans outlasted Oliver, 34-32, in a double OT marathon to take their second title since 1950.

“It’s good for the kids,” said Schenley’s head coach Jason Bell. “When we were in the stretch run, especially in the double overtime, the team wasn’t nervous at all. It was by far our worst performance of the season but our guys came through beautifully.”

2009 CITY LEAGUE CHAMPIONS—Schenley players and cheerleaders celebrate winning the City League title Nov. 13 after defeating Oliver 34-32 in two overtimes at Cupples Stadium. See page C-4 for story and more photos.

Schenley will play Punxsutawney in a PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association) Class AAA play-in round matchup at Dubois, Pa., Nov. 20 at 7 p.m.

“We’re going to try to use our speed up there,” said Bell. “We have our big play guys in Jerome Mathews and DeAndre Black. With their skills and speed, I’m confident that they will make some things happen for us.”