Five things to watch on Friday night: Aliquippa, Central Valley in PIAA football semifinals

Each week of action comes with a different set of high school football storylines to follow. Here are five things to watch for Friday in the PIAA semifinals.

1. Aliquippa's Hayes one rush away from passing PIAA legend

Following a performance last week in the WPIAL Class 4A championship game, where he rushed for 135 yards and a pair of touchdowns, Aliquippa freshmen Tiqwai Hayes has a chance to perhaps make an even bigger statement.

According to stats reported to and kept by the Times' sports staff, Hayes enters Friday night with 1,511 yards rushing, putting him just five yards away from the total Rushel Shell — the PIAA's all-time leading rusher — compiled during his freshman season in 2008.

Shell's 1,516 yards he piled up in his first year at Hopewell High School, of course, came under different circumstances. The WPIAL was only four classifications back then, with the Vikings playing in Class 3A. Shell also played in only 11 games in 2008, due to Hopewell losing to Thomas Jefferson in the WPIAL quarterfinals.

Hayes — who announced on Wednesday evening that he received an offer from Penn State — still has this season to complete plus three more to follow, so it's far too early to assume his career at Aliquippa will resemble what Shell did in high school. However, to be in the same vicinity of a star player like the former Hopewell star is certainly noteworthy.

2. Quips defense faces another dual-threat quarterback

Entering last week's WPIAL Class 4A championship game against Belle Vernon, a major area of concern some had for Aliquippa was how its defense would slow down Leopards star quarterback Devin Whitlock. As it turned out, the Quips had no issue at all, holding the senior star to just 99 yards passing and 77 yards rushing, while intercepting him twice.

This week, Aliquippa faces another dual-threat quarterback in Jersey Shore's Brady Jordan. This fall, the junior has totaled nearly 3,000 yards of total offense, throwing for 1,886 and rushing for 1,000. He's also responsible for 30 total touchdowns.

Jordan doesn't have the speed and elusive running style of Whitlock but has done more with his arm. Can the WPIAL's premier defense come up big against another big talent under center? We will have to wait and find out.

3. Warriors' secondary takes on historic passing attack

Speaking of talented quarterbacks, Central Valley will face a player in the midst of one of the greatest passing seasons in PIAA history. Martinsburg Central High School's Jeff Hoenstine enters Friday with an eye-popping 3,355 yards through the air, along with a state-record 56 touchdown passes this fall.

Hoenstine's efficient passing style is something the Warriors defense hasn't seen all year. The junior has completed 69% of his pass attempts, has five teammates with at least 20 receptions, and has been intercepted only four times.

The Central Valley secondary will look to change that.

This season, the Warriors have allowed just one opponent to throw for over 200 yards — Aliquippa's Quentin Goode (248). Central Valley allows an average of just over 83 passing yards a game and has compiled 21 interceptions.

Junior defensive back Jayvin Thompson has led the way for the Warriors' secondary, snagging 11 interceptions, including four last weekend against North Catholic in the WPIAL Class 3A championship game.

With the help from windy, snowy conditions in last week's quarterfinal, Grove City limited Hoenstine to 5-of-12 passing for 55 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. Central still won 35-6.

4. Central Valley looks to join elite company with victory

The Central Valley football program hasn't been around for a long time, but it's already on the cusp of placing its name along side some of the top high school dynasties in the decorated history of Beaver County football.

With a win on Friday night, Central Valley would become just the second program from Beaver County to reach three straight PIAA championship games, joining Rochester, which advanced to the state finals from 2000-2002.

West Allegheny is the only other program in the Times' coverage area to go to three straight state finals, making it to Hershey from 1999-2001.

5. Best Beaver Valley football season in nearly two decades?

High school football fans in the Beaver Valley have nearly always had great football to watch on Friday nights. Year after year, the Times' coverage area will see multiple teams reach the WPIAL finals, a few reach the state semifinals, and in most years at least one program make it to Hershey.

It's been nearly 20 years since two teams from Beaver County reached the state finals in the same season. Wins from Aliquippa and Central Valley on Friday would change that.

The last time two teams from Beaver County competed in a state championship the season was 2002, when Hopewell and Rochester both appeared in the state final. A Vikings team led by future NFL Pro Bowler Paul Posluszny went on to win the Class 3A title, beating Strath Haven 21-0 while Rochester fell to Southern Columbia 31-6 in the Class 1A final.

Can the Quips and Warriors bring a full weekend of Beaver County action in the sweetest place on earth? Both are just 48 minutes of great play from doing so.

Contact Noah Hiles at nhiles@gannett.com. Follow him on twitter @_NoahHiles.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Five things to watch on Friday night: PIAA football semifinals