Class 6A football will have just 9 teams next year

The number of teams in WPIAL Class 6A football next season won’t reach double figures.

The PIAA released classifications Friday for all teams in all sports around the state. One of the most notable changes concerning Western Pennsylvania high school sports is that only nine teams will be in WPIAL Class 6A next year.

Since the PIAA changed to six classifications in 2016, the WPIAL has had 14 teams playing Class 6A football. The nine teams in 6A next year will be North Allegheny, Seneca Valley, Butler, Hempfield, Mt. Lebanon, Central Catholic, Norwin, Pine-Richland and Canon-McMillan.

Dropping to Class 5A will be Bethel Park, Peters Township, Penn Hills and Shaler. Altoona has been in WPIAL 6A for football only, but has decided not to be in the WPIAL next year.

“Honestly, I haven’t even looked at the new classes yet,” said Tim O’Malley, executive director of the WPIAL. “I have a hard enough time right now worrying about the weather [Saturday for the WPIAL championships at Heinz Field].”

The PIAA realigns classifications in all sports every two years. The classifications for next year are based on boys and girls enrollments for students currently in grades 9-11.

It should be pointed out that teams can opt to play “up” in class. For example, Aliquippa is a Class 1A school based on enrollment, but chooses to play “up” in Class 3A in football. Schools can’t play down in classification.

Among changes:

• Class 5A football would have 22 teams, up from the current 18.

• Mars football would move from Class 4A to 5A.

• Carmichaels would move up from Class 1A to 2A.

• WPIAL boys basketball

would have 17 Class 6A teams.

• Penn Hills, Woodland Hills and North Hills would drop to Class 5A in boys basketball. But those teams could elect to stay buplein Class 6A.

• Beaver Falls would go from 4A to 3A in boys basketball

Due to the possibility of schools playing up, the WPIAL can’t formulate any plans for playoffs for a few months. Schools have to inform the PIAA by next month if they plan to play up in class.

“Our strategic planning committee meets Dec. 12 to discuss the new classes,” O’Malley said. “We have to take a wait-and-see approach right now because we do not know who will choose to play up. I don’t know what we would do in 6A football if we only had nine teams. We would have to do some things to adjust.”