Aliquippa football returns to action after public offseason

ALIQUIPPA, Pa. — With last year’s state title already memorialized at Heinz Field, the Quips return following a particularly public offseason.

The Quips remain in Class 4A following a judge’s ruling in the school’s contentious legal battle with the PIAA, which pushed to move the team to 5A.

Following the ruling, beloved head coach Mike Warfield took a leave of absence. Longtime assistant coach Vashawn Patrick takes his place.

Still, the more things change, the more they seem to stay the same at one of the state’s premiere programs.

“The standard is the standard around Aliquippa,” said Patrick, who spent the last 16 seasons on the sidelines at his alma mater.

Players say after an offseason in the spotlight, they’re happy to get back to football.

“We always deal with pressure, so we’re kind of used to it.” said senior wide receiver and defensive back Arison Walker. “We know the expectations and we just gotta get the job done.”

Those expectations are no different under new leadership. Growing pains under a new head coach are almost always anticipated, but not at Aliquippa.

“They’re the exact same, in my opinion. I don’t see a difference at all,” said senior linebacker Cleaster Longmire. “Very intense, all the time. Very intense. He’s always going to be hard on you, but at the end of the day it’s all love.”

Like Warfield, Patrick is an Aliquippa grad. It’s a perspective he’s come to appreciate as a coach.

“I’ve been through all the situations that they’re going through as a young teen, a young Black man, especially in this community. I give them scenarios that I’ve been through trying to relate to them and they seem to respond that way.”

The Quips now set out to defend their 4A title, with some of their biggest battles already behind them.

“We didn’t care where we played in, we was gonna be there Friday, ready to go,” said Walker. " We’re just happy that we got everything settled. We’re good to go.”

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