Hey, have you heard?

Karns City is playing a football game Friday.

While most schools in the state are trading that oblong football for a round basketball, the Gremlins will be strapping on the helmets and playing in the PIAA Class AA quarterfinals against powerhouse Aliquippa at 7 p.m. Friday at Geneva College.

I don’t think Karns City minds.

The Gremlins are trying to get past the “WPIAL jinx.”

Karns City is winless in five meetings against the WPIAL champion in the state playoffs.

And Aliquippa is Aliquippa, after all.

There is an aura around the Quips, a sort of 12th man that has helped perpetuate the mystique around the program.

Karns City, though, isn’t buying into that this year.

That is one reason why I think the Gremlins may just have a chance at shocking most pundits in the state.

Following are some reasons why I think Karns City and Aliquippa will win.

Why Karns City could winNothing to lose.Let’s be blunt. Not many are giving the Gremlins much of a shot at beating the juggernaut that is Aliquippa.The Quips certainly have the stars — running back Kaezon Pugh a big one — but they also have a lot to lose.An Aliquippa win is just another blip on the radar. A Karns City win and, well, that’s major, major news.That puts the pressure squarely on the Quips.Just hanging around.If Karns City can frustrate the Quips, it may have a chance.That makes the first half — and the first quarter in particular — so important for the Gremlins.The last time Karns City played Aliquippa in 2012, it fell behind 31-0 in the first quarter and never recovered.If this game is close at the half and in the fourth quarter, Karns City’s chances of winning improve drastically.The Gremlins have shown they can run the football against every team they play.That streak will have to continue Friday.

Why Aliquippa could winThey’re, well, Aliquippa.It’s hard to beat tradition and the Quips have a lot of it.The players on the roster are no strangers to big games. They have played in a lot of them.Just this year, Aliquippa has been tested. The Quips have won seven consecutive games against playoff teams — including, of course, the last four in the WPIAL postseason.Speed.You can’t coach it. Aliquippa has a lot of it.Speed can make up for a lot of problems and the Quips can sometimes turn a bad playing into a good one — or even a great one — because they have gifted athletes.So, with all of that under consideration, I have to make a pick based on my brain, not my heart or gut.And that means this:Aliquippa 41, Karns City 18.Scoop is 103-25 this season.