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Central Catholic or Gateway will make sure of that.

The two schools, who meet next week in their much-anticipated opener, are ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in Quad A in the 2004 Trib high school football poll.

No. 1 Central Catholic will play at No. 2 Gateway at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

"We will find out real early who is the top team in Western Pennsylvania," USA Today prep reporter Chris Lawlor said.

Lawlor said Central Catholic, the defending WPIAL Class AAAA champion, will be ranked in the USA Today Super 25 when the poll is released this week. Gateway will be slotted among the top 10 in the East Region.

The other No. 1 teams in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review poll are Canon-McMillan in Class AAA, defending PIAA champion Aliquippa in Class AA, and Western Beaver in Class A.

Central Catholic returns quarterback Shane Murray, tailback Eugene Jarvis and tight end John Pelusi from last year's 13-2 WPIAL Class AAAA champion, and attracted 112 players to its summer mini-camp.

"We're very thankful that we're in the national rankings, because Central Catholic's alumni base is national and for them to see that, I'm happy," coach Art Walker Jr. said. "On the other side, it emphasizes the target on your back."

Opponents will take aim early. One week after playing Gateway, the Vikings will return to Monroeville to meet nationally-ranked St. Joseph's Prep in the Pennsylvania Kickoff Classic.

Canon-McMillan gets the edge over No. 2 Moon and No. 3 Thomas Jefferson in Class AAA. The Big Macs finished second in the Quad West last year, but landed -- by one student -- in Class AAA during the off-season realignment.

In Class AA, Aliquippa is favored to become the first Class AA team to repeat as WPIAL champion since Steel Valley in 1989.

In Class A, a half-dozen teams could claim the top spot, but the nod goes to Western Beaver, which returns 1,600-yard rusher Warren Taylor from last year's Big Seven champion.

The Golden Beavers also landed a pair of wide receiver/defensive back transfers from nearby Midland -- Junior Marcus Wise and Demar Hosey, a 6-3, 175-pound sophomore. Hosey's father, 6-6 Dennis, played basketball at West Virginia from 1978-81.

"Western is the team to beat," said coach Gene Matsook of Big Seven rival and pre-season Class A No. 6 Rochester. "There's no doubt."

Pre-season rankings

Class AAAA

1. Central Catholic 13-2

2. Gateway 9-2

3. McKeesport 6-4

4. Penn Hills 9-3

5. Baldwin 6-4

6. Upper St. Clair 12-1

7. Woodland Hills 7-4

8. North Hills 9-3

9. Mt. Lebanon 8-3

10. North Allegheny 3-7

Class AAA

1. Canon-McMillan 8-2

2. Moon 10-2

3. Thomas Jefferson 12-1

4. Pine-Richland 14-1

5. West Allegheny 5-5

6. Blackhawk 10-2

7. Franklin Regional 3-7

8. Hampton 7-4

9. West Mifflin 5-5

10. Indiana 6-4

Class AA

1. Aliquippa 14-1

2. Seton-La Salle 6-3

3. Greensburg Central Catholic 8-2

4. Jeannette 12-1

5. South Park 8-3

6. Burrell 3-6

7. Northgate 9-2

8. Beaver Falls 4-5

9. Waynesburg 6-4

10. Freedom 9-3

Class A

1. Western Beaver 9-2

2. Clairton 9-3

3. Duquesne 8-3

4. Monessen 10-1

5. Springdale 10-4

6. Rochester 9-3

7. Riverview 5-5

8. Farrell 4-5-1

9. South Side Beaver 7-3

10. Chartiers-Houston 5-5

City League

1. Perry 11-2

2. Brashear 10-2

3. Oliver 5-4

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