Playoff picture coming into focus
The six-classification system changed WPIAL football this season and changed the league’s playoff system. But the total number of teams entering the postseason is the same as it has been since 1998. The WPIAL will still take 64 teams to the playoffs, and 53 spots have been filled entering the final weekend of the season.
Class 6A, 5A and 4A have two conferences each and the top four teams from each conference qualify. Class 3A has three conferences, and eight teams will qualify. The top two teams in each conference qualify, plus two wildcard third-place teams. Class 2A and 1A will have 16 teams in the playoffs. The top five teams in each conference qualify, plus one wild-card sixth-place team.
Head-to-head competition breaks ties between two or more teams. If head-to-head does not break a tie between three or more teams, Gardner Points will be used to break the deadlock. If that doesn’t break the tie, WPIAL tiebreaker points will be applied.
Aliquippa and Thomas Jefferson have qualified for the 22nd season in a row, the longest streaks in the WPIAL.
Here is a look at the playoff picture heading into the final weekend.
Class 6A
Northern Seven Conference — Central Catholic (5-0) is first. The winner of North Allegheny (4-1) at Pine-Richland (4-1) is second and the loser third. Seneca Valley (3-3) is fourth.
Southeastern — The winner of Mt. Lebanon (4-1) at Bethel Park (5-0) is first. If Mt. Lebanon wins, Bethel Park is second, the winner of Hempfield (3-2) at Norwin (3-2) is third and the loser fourth. If Bethel Park and Hempfield win, Hempfield is second, Mt. Lebanon third and Norwin fourth. If Bethel Park and Norwin win, Mt. Lebanon is second, Norwin third and Hempfield fourth.
Class 5A
Allegheny Nine — West Allegheny (7-0) is first. The winner of Upper St. Clair (6-1) at Woodland Hills (6-1) is second and the loser third. North Hills (4-3) is fourth.
Big East — Armstrong (61) has clinched a spot and can finish first by beating Kiski Area (4-3). McKeesport (6-1) and Gateway (5-2) also have clinched. If Gateway beats Franklin Regional (3-2) and Armstrong defeats Kiski Area, Gateway is third and Franklin Regional fourth. Penn-Trafford (4-3) is still alive, but must beat McKeesport to have a chance.
Class 4A
Big Nine — Thomas Jefferson (6-0), West Mifflin (6-1), Belle Vernon (6-2) and Ringgold (5-2) have clinched. The winner of Thomas Jefferson at West Mifflin is first. If West Mifflin wins, Thomas Jefferson is second, Belle Vernon third and Ringgold fourth. If Thomas Jefferson and Ringgold win, West Mifflin would be second, Belle Vernon third and Ringgold fourth.
Northwest Nine — South Fayette (7-0) has clinched first and Mars (6-1) second. The other two spots are open. If New Castle (5-2) wins at Blackhawk (4-3), then New Castle is third and Montour (4-3) fourth. If Blackhawk beats New Castle and South Fayette beats Montour, Blackhawk is third and New Castle fourth. If Blackhawk and Montour win, the spots will be decided by tiebreaker points and then headto-head. New Castle has 23 tiebreaker points, Montour 18 and Blackhawk 4.
Class 3A
Allegheny — Keystone Oaks (6-0) is first and ApolloRidge (5-2) second. Valley (42) and Seton-LaSalle (4-2) are alive for third and a wildcard berth. Valley finishes third with a win against Freeport. Seton-LaSalle gets third with a win and a Valley loss.
Beaver Valley — Aliquippa (4-1) has clinched a spot. If Beaver (4-1) beats Beaver Falls (4-1), Beaver is first, Aliquippa second and Beaver Falls third. If Beaver Falls and Aliquippa win, then Aliquippa is first, Beaver Falls second and Central Valley third. If Beaver Falls and Hopewell win, then Beaver Falls is first, Aliquippa second and Central Valley (4-2) third. Central Valley (4-2) can finish no higher than third, which puts the Warriors alive for a wild-card spot.
Interstate — Derry (6-0) has clinched first. If Mount Pleasant (4-2) beats Southmoreland, then Mount Pleasant is second. South Park (4-2) and Yough (3-3) are still alive for second or wild-card berths. Yough plays at South Park.
Class 2A
Century — Washington (60) is first. Chartiers-Houston (5-1), Frazier (4-2), Burgettstown (4-3) and Beth-Center (3-3) also have clinched. If Frazier beats Chartiers-Houston, then Frazier is second, Chartiers-Houston third, Burgettstown fourth and BethCenter fifth. If Char-Houston wins and Washington beats Beth-Center, then Char-Houston is second, Burgettstown third, Frazier fourth and BethCenter fifth.
Midwestern — Neshannock (6-0) has clinched first and Riverside (5-1) second. South Side Beaver (3-4) and Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic (3-3) have also clinched spots, and one of them will finish sixth and get the wildcard spot. Laurel (4-3) and Freedom (3-3) also have clinched. If North Catholic beats Freedom, North Catholic is third, Laurel fourth, Freedom fifth and South Side Bever the wild-card team. If Freedom wins, then Laurel is third, Freedom fourth, South Side Beaver fifth and North Catholic sixth.
Three Rivers — Steel Valley (6-0), Brentwood (5-1), East Allegheny (5-1), Serra (3-3) and Avonworth (3-3) have all clinched. Steel Valley plays Brentwood for first place. If Steel Valley wins, East Allegheny is second and Brentwood third. If Avonworth beats Vincentian or Serra loses, Avonworth is fourth.
Class 1A
Big Seven — Rochester (7-0) is first and Northgate (6-1) second. The winner of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (5-2) at Sto-Rox (5-2) is third and the loser fourth. The winner of Shenango (3-4) and Union (2-5) gets fifth place and a playoff spot.
Eastern — The winner of Clairton (6-0) at Jeannette (60) is first and the loser second. Bishop Canevin (5-2) has clinched third and Imani Christian (2-4) also has clinched. The winner of Springdale (2-4) at Greensburg Central Catholic (2-4) qualifies. If GCC wins, then GCC is fourth and Imani Christian fifth. If Springdale wins and Imani beats Leechburg, then Imani is fourth and Springdale fifth.
Tri-County South — Carmichaels (7-0) is first, Fort Cherry (5-1) second, California (4-2) third and Mapletown (3-3) fourth. If West Greene (2-4) beats California, West Greene is fifth. If California wins, Fort Cherry beats Jefferson-Morgan and Mapletown beats Monessen, then Avella (2-5) is fifth. Jefferson-Morgan (1-5) is still alive, but needs to win and also needs help.