High School

"Built by Bethel" documentary on Western Pennsylvania football drops on YouTube tonight

A documentary detailing an example of the history and background of WPIAL Football as seen through the lens of the 2024 Bethel Park football team, which finished No. 18 in the final High School on SI Pennsylvania Top 25 Poll, begins airing tonight on Youtube

John Beisser

Ryan Petras #1 of the Bethel Park Black Hawks is wrapped up for a tackle by Jared Moyer #18 and Nicolas Prozzoly #1 of the Moon Tigers in the first half during the game at Tiger Stadium on Friday Night in Moon Township, Pennsylvania.
Ryan Petras #1 of the Bethel Park Black Hawks is wrapped up for a tackle by Jared Moyer #18 and Nicolas Prozzoly #1 of the Moon Tigers in the first half during the game at Tiger Stadium on Friday Night in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. / Justin Berl/For BCT / USA TODAY NETWORK

In a in-depth documentary produced by Prospect Media, the texture of the Western Pennsylvania football landscape is examined through the lens of the 2024 Bethel Park Blackhawks, who were ranked 18th in the final 2024 High School on SI Pennsylavnia Poll.

The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) has long been regarded as one of the most competitive high school football leagues in the nation. How much has WPIAL Football added to the rich history of the game?

Consider that some of the Iconic names produced by the WPIAL who are enshrined in thePro Football Hall of Fame include the likes of Joe Namath (Beaver Falls HS), Joe Montana (Ringgold HS), Dan Marino (Central Catholic HS), Tony Dorsett (Hopewell HS), Curtis Martin (Allderdice HS), Mike Ditka (Aliquippa HS), and Ty Law (Aliquippa), to name just a few.

The documentary goes in depth about one of the state's most successful programs and gives a deep dive, inside look on how a Western Pennsylvania high school football program operates.

2024 WPIAL Football Champions

Class AAAAAA (6A): Central Catholic  

Class AAAA (4A): Thomas Jefferson

Class AAA (3A): Avonworth

Class AA (2A): South Park

Class A (1A): Fort Cherry

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Published
John Beisser
JOHN BEISSER

A recipient of seven New Jersey Press Association Awards for writing excellence, John Beisser served as Assistant Director in the Rutgers University Athletic Communications Office from 1991-2006, where he primarily handled sports information/media relations duties for the Scarlet Knight football and men's basketball programs. In this role, he served as managing editor for nine publications that received either National or Regional citations from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). While an undergraduate at RU, Beisser was sports director of WRSU-FM and a sportswriter/columnist for The Daily Targum. From 2007-2019, Beisser served as Assistant Athletic Director/Sports Media Relations at Wagner College, where he was the recipient of the 2019 Met Basketball Writers Association "Good Guy" Award. Beisser resides in Piscataway with his wife Aileen (RC '95,) a four-year Scarlet Knight women's lacrosse letter-winner, and their daughter Riley. He began contributing to High School On SI in 2025.

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