Oct 28, 2015 8 min read

By Bob Gregg

For the Observer-Reporter

Rumor has it that the PIAA voted to “turn the world of interscholastic athletics totally upside down.” While the long-term impact of the PIAA’s six-class vote remains to be seen, there are four WPIAL football championships to be decided in the short term.

The first steps in that decision process will be taken Monday when the WPIAL football committee announces the playoff brackets. From there, some 60 postseason games will lead to the crowning of four champions on the grass at Heinz Field Nov. 28.

Each of the four classifications will advance 16 teams to the postseason based on section record, head-to-head results, Gardner Points, the WPIAL Tiebreaker System and, if necessary, a coin flip. Quad-A and Triple-A, with three sections, will advance the top five teams from each conference plus one wild-card team. Double-A and Class A each have four conferences with the top four teams qualifying.

The Gardner Point system awards 100 points for each section win plus 10 bonus points for each win a beaten team finishes with. The WPIAL Tiebreaker system is a score differential with a maximum of 10 points earned or lost based on each section game’s final score.

With one game left to play for each team, here’s a look at teams who have clinched playoff berths and those who are still in the running in each conference along with the wild card and home playoff game races. Records section records along with tiebreaker points if appropriate. Games that impact the final qualifying spots are listed. All games are Friday unless noted. And, new this year, it is possible that a non-conference game can impact the selection of teams as well as the seeding.

Foothills Conference – Penn-Trafford (7-0) at Norwin (4-3), Kiski (5-2) at McKeesport (6-1), Plum (4-3) at Latrobe (0-7), Altoona (2-5) at Connellsville, Hempfield at Fox Chapel (non-conference).

Penn-Trafford is first, McKeesport is second with a win, third with a loss. Kiski is in and takes second with a win, third with a loss and a Penn-Trafford win. Plum and Norwin and can finish from third to fifth. Hempfield and Altoona are alive in the wild-card race.

Northern Eight – North Allegheny (5-1, +47) at North Hills (3-3), Butler (1-5) at Central Catholic (5-1, +50), Seneca Valley (3-3) at Shaler (2-4), Hempfield at Fox Chapel, Pine-Richland (6-1) at Peters Township (the latter two games are non-conference).

If North Allegheny and Central Catholic both win, they’ll share the conference title with Pine-Richland. All three would host first-round games. Seneca Valley and North Hills have clinched spots. Shaler is still alive for a conference berth with a win and a North Hills win. If North Hills loses, then the Titans are in the wild-card chase.

Southeastern – Woodland Hills (6-0) at Penn Hills (3-3), Mt. Lebanon (5-1) at Upper St. Clair (4-2), Baldwin (0-6) at Bethel Park (4-2). Pine-Richland at Peters Township (non-conference).

Woodland Hills is first. Mt. Lebanon is second with a win or with a Bethel Park win. Bethel Park is third with a win or with a Mt. Lebanon win. Penn Hills is fifth. Peters Township must win to stay in the wild-card picture

Wild card – Hempfield has three wins, but an Altoona win at Connellsville eliminates the Spartans. Peters Township and Shaler (with wins) and Seneca Valley (with a loss) are also in the running. Gardner Points would break the tie with Peters Twp. getting the nod if they knock off Pine-Richland.

Home games – The top two teams in each conference host opening-round games along with two of the third-place finishers. The Northern Eight third-place team takes one of those spots. The Southeastern third-place team gets the other with a win, if McKessport tops Kiski. Otherwise, McKeesport wins the race.

Big Nine – Belle Vernon (8-0 at Elizabeth-Forward (3-5), Ringgold (7-1) at Trinity (4-4), Thomas Jefferson (6-2) at West Mifflin (6-2), Albert Gallatin (0-8) at Laurel Highlands (4-4).

Belle Vernon is first, Ringgold is second. The TJ-West Mifflin winner is third, loser fourth. Laurel Highlands is fifth with a win or a Ringgold win. Trinity clinches the wild-card spot with a win, fifth place if Laurel Highlands loses.

Parkway – Central Valley (6-1) at West Allegheny (7-0), Montour (5-2) at Moon (2-5), Ambridge (3-4) at Chartiers Valley (4-3), Hopewell (2-5) at New Castle (3-4).

West Allegheny is first with a win, second with a loss. Central Valley is first with a win, third with a loss, if Montour beats Moon. Chartiers Valley clinches with a win or a New Castle loss. Ambridge clinches with a win and a New Castle loss. If Ambridge and New Castle win, tiebreaker points will determine fourth, then head-to-head for fifth. The final team would be in the wild-card discussion. Hopewell and Moon are still alive but only as possible fifth-place finishers. They cannot catch either Trinity or Laurel Highlands in the wild-card race.

Greater Allegheny – Franklin Regional (6-1) at Gateway (3-4), Hampton (5-2) at Mars (6-1), Knoch (2-5) at Armstrong (4-3), Indiana (2-5) at Hollidaysburg (4-3). Franklin Regional, Mars, Hampton, Armstrong and Hollidaysburg have all clinched. Gateway is alive for the wild card but must win to stay there. Franklin Regional is first with a win or a Mars loss. Mars is first with a win plus a Gateway win. If Hampton and Gateway win, then a three-way tie results but FR wins on head-to-head. Hampton would be second, Mars third. Armstrong is fourth with a win or Hollidaysburg loss. Hollidaysburg is fourth with a win plus a Knoch win.

Wild card – Trinity, Chartiers Valley, Gateway, Ambridge and Hopewell are all in the running. If Gateway and Ambridge lose, then Trinity clinches at least the wild card. Gateway wins it with a victory plus a Trinity loss. Chartiers Valley is the wild card if the Colts lose along with Trinity and Gateway.

Home games – Like Quad-A, the top two teams in each conference host opening-round games along with two of the third-place finishers. Thomas Jefferson clinches a home game with a win. West Mifflin, Central Valley, Mars/Hampton are in contention.

Allegheny- Freeport (7-0) at Valley (5-2), Shady Side Academy (2-5) at Highlands (5-2), West Shamokin (2-5) at Apollo-Ridge (4-3), Burrell (3-4) at Deer Lakes (4-3).

Freeport is first. Valley is second with a win, out with a loss plus Highlands, Apollo-Ridge and Deer Lakes wins. Apollo-Ridge clinches with a win over West Shamokin. Deer Lakes needs a win plus a Freeport or West Shamokin win. Burrell clinches with a win plus a West Shamokin win.

Century – Two-time defending WPIAL & PIAA champion South Fayette (8-0) is first and Steel Valley (6-1) is second. Seton-La Salle (5-2) at Keystone Oaks (5-2) winner is third, loser fourth.

Interstate – Washington (7-0) is first and Mount Pleasant (6-1) second. McGuffey (5-2, +37) has clinched and is third with a win at Wash High, with a Derry Area (4-3, +5) loss to Waynesburg or if Burgettstown (4-3, +1) wins at Brownsville. Derry is third with a win plus McGuffey and Burgettstown losses. Burgettstown is fourth with a win or a Derry loss.

Midwestern – Aliquippa (8-0) at Beaver Falls (8-0) winner is first, loser second. Beaver Area (5-2) is third, New Brighton (4-3) fourth.

Home games – The top two teams in each conference host opening-round games. Freeport, South Fayette, Steel Valley, Washington, Mount Pleasant, Aliquippa and Beaver Falls have all clinched home games. The Allegheny runner-up is the only undecided host.

Big Seven – Shenango (7-0) is first and plays a non-conference game against North Catholic. Neshannock (5-1), South Side Beaver (4-2) and Union (4-2) have all clinched. Neshannock is second with a win at Union or with a South Side Beaver home win against Western Beaver. Union is second with a win plus a Western Beaver win, but is fourth otherwise. South Side cannot finish higher than third.

Black Hills – North Catholic (7-0) is first. Bishop Canevin (4-2) is second unless the Crusaders lose to Brentwood (2-4) Saturday and Northgate (3-3) beats Avonworth (4-2), then third. Avonworth is second in that scenario, fourth with a loss and a Fort Cherry (2-4) win over Chartiers-Houston (3-3), but is third otherwise. Chartiers-Houston is fourth with a win at Fort Cherry or with Avonworth and Bishop Canevin wins. Northgate is third with a win and a Fort Cherry win. With a loss, it can finish fourth on tie-breaker points, as well as wins by Fort Cherry and Bishop Canevin.

Eastern – Clairton (7-0) is first. Jeannette (6-1) at Greensburg Central Catholic (6-1) winner is second and loser is third. Springdale is fourth.

Tri-County South – Frazier (7-0) is first. Bentworth (6-1) at Beth-Center (6-1) winner is second and the loser is third. Carmichaels (4-3) at Jefferson-Morgan (4-3) winner is fourth.

Home game – The top two teams in each conference will host opening-round games. Shenango, North Catholic, Clairton and Frazier will host, along with the Jeannette/GCC and Bentworth/Beth-Center winners and the runners-up in the Big 7 and Black Hills Conferences.

Bob Gregg is sports director of WJPA Radio.