ALIQUIPPA, Pa. — A familiar face is back on the sidelines of Aliquippa’s Heinz Field tonight.
Mike Warfield returned to coaching after taking a year away.
That one year was the first in more than a decade that the Quips didn’t make the WPIAL championship.
Every Quip Channel 11 talked to said the same thing - they missed having Mike Warfield’s presence on the sideline last year. Now he’s back with the same message and high expectations.
“I missed the guys. I missed the kids. I missed the preparation,” said Warfield.
It’s a sight that just makes sense in Aliquippa: Mike Warfield walking on Heinz Field and preparing the Quips for another season.
“Coach Pat, he’s a great coach, but Mike’s presence and the adrenaline rush that he gives us all was definitely missed and needed,” said senior quarterback Marques Council Jr.
“Last year, it just felt like it was a missing piece. We knew once he came back this year, it’d be a bigger spark to the team,” said senior RB/LB Lester Longmire.
Warfield’s resume speaks for itself - four WPIAL and three state championships in six years.
Last season - he stepped away for a breather - balancing a life and career outside of football. In his absence, the Quips missed the WPAL championship for the first time in 17 years.
“When it happened, it was such a big motivator, but now we’re moved on to the next chapter,” said Longmire, “We’re definitely coming back for revenge. We didn’t forget about it, but we definitely did push it to the back.”
That hunger is driving this year’s Quips back on the chase for a championship.
“[The] team’s goal is to get a ring. I just want a ring before I go,” said senior RB/linebacker J.J. Work.
Warfield knows those battles are won well before kick-off.
“As long as we take care of Saturday through Thursday, don’t waste the day, and just keep going at it, Fridays will take care of themselves. So that’s what’s important to us. not necessarily wins, not necessarily championships, it’s just coming to work every day and trying to get better every day,” said Warfield.
The Quips did lose some star power to transfer and graduation. Warfield said they’re relying on a collective effort to get the job done this year.
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