The question posed to Beaver Falls coach Ryan Matsook and Aliquippa coach Mike Zmijanac went like this: Would they rather play against their most bitter rival in the WPIAL championship game, or a team they aren't all that familiar with?

The question is appropriate this week because these Class AA Midwestern Athletic Conference teams -- and fierce nemeses -- will meet. Beaver Falls (12-0) plays Aliquippa (10-2) at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Heinz Field for the Class AA title.

First, Matsook's take:

"I was afraid if we were to play Shady Side Academy in the finals, there might be an emotional letdown," he said, alluding to Aliquippa's semifinal opponent. "I can guarantee you this: When our kids walk out onto Heinz Field and see Aliquippa, there is not going to be any emotional letdown."

As for Zmijanac, he couldn't care less who occupies that other locker room inside Heinz Field.

"Someone has to be there on the other side," he said. "It makes no difference to me who is in the [WPIAL championship] game as long as one of the teams is Aliquippa. I don't care if it is Little Sisters of the Poor against Aliquippa, as long as it is someone against Aliquippa."

Whatever approach is preferred, nothing can negate the fact that these two teams -- and moreover these two Beaver County communities -- are tremendously familiar with each another.

The distance from the center of Beaver Falls to downtown Aliquippa is about 11 miles. Players from both sides have played each other since youth leagues.

The section basketball games between the schools are usually sellouts.

"We are so familiar with them, that there is a kind of calmness because of that, too," Matsook said. "It is a situation where, if you are a kid and you play against kids you never have before, maybe someone will do something you don't expect. That won't happen with these teams. The Aliquippa kids know who to look out for on our side, and we know who to look out for with them. So we won't be nervous in that regard. There's no way we can show up and not be prepared, because these kids have all been playing against each other their whole lives."

The most recent of those meetings came in Week 3 at Aliquippa on a Thursday night with not only the rivalry's requisite packed house, but also FSN Pittsburgh televising the contest live. Beaver Falls won, 27-12, on the strength of junior running back Cody Cook's 185 yards on 19 carries and senior Todd Thomas' 101 yards.

It was only the third time Beaver Falls defeated Aliquippa in the past 15 meetings.

So, how much can be extracted now, in preparing for the WPIAL title game, from that Week 3 encounter? The answers from the coaches were divergent on this question, as well.

Matsook said, "Not a lot, I wouldn't think, because they didn't have their home run hitter, [running back] Maurice Carter in that game because he was suspended. Now, they are more explosive with him back. And, you know, they have really improved this season as the year has gone along, so I don't know how much value is in that film from the first time we played them this year."

Conversely, Zmijanac said, "Certainly, we will watch the film of that game at length. We will see what we did right and what we did wrong and see what we have improved on and what we still need to improve on. But, I can tell you this, Maurice Carter playing or not playing was a non-factor."

Carter has amassed 1,131 yards for the Quips this season, one in which they lost that Beaver Falls game, went on to lose the following week to Beaver but have since ripped off eight consecutive victories.

Beaver Falls hasn't lost since last year's WPIAL title game, when the Tigers got drilled by Jeannette, 61-12. Before Matsook left Heinz Field that day, he made sure to set his sights on getting back to this year's title game.

"I brought all the key underclassmen into the media interview room after that Jeannette game," Matsook said. "I made them face questions, I wanted them to see what everything was all about because I wanted them to believe we weren't a one-hit wonder. Now, we're back, and we need to take that next step."