A Year of Transition
The landscape of high school football in the WPIAL has been reshaped by a wave of leadership changes, with 23 new head coaches announced for the 2026 season. The turnover follows a dip to 17 new coaches in 2024 after a peak of 26 in 2023, and a rebound to 26 in 2025 before settling at the current figure.
Among the most notable returns is Bob Palko, who comes back to West Allegheny after three years on the staff at Penn State. Mike Evans, who paused his career to battle cancer, is set to resume duties at Canon‑McMillan, while Eric Kasperowicz shifts from Mars to North Hills to lead the Tigers.
Several programs are experiencing their second straight year of new leadership. Kiski Area, Laurel Highlands, Northgate and Rochester will each field fresh faces again, underscoring the persistent churn at the district level.
The Class A Big 7 Conference will see eight of its ten teams introduce new coaches this fall, including Northgate, Rochester, Shenango, Summit Academy and Union, a shift that promises both new strategies and heightened competition.
The moves also involve several high‑profile replacements. Dan Bradley, who relocated from Ellwood City to Ambridge, replaces Sherman McBride; Trevor George takes over at Blackhawk in place of Jake Wickline; Mike Evans steps in at Canon‑McMillan where he replaces Brian DeLallo; and Ken Perkins assumes the helm at Carmichaels, succeeding Ryan Krull.