Feb 18, 2016 5 min read

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Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter Chartiers-Houston's A.J.Myers, picks up yards against Bishop Canevin at Chartiers-Houston on Friday, Oct. 2, 2015.

CELESTE VAN KIRK

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Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter Wash High's Isaiah Robinson intercepts a pass intended for McGuffey's Connor Thompson who tries to take down Robinson during the second quarter of Friday night's game.

Katie Roupe

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Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter McGuffey's Marcus Czulewicz runs for the first down during a game with Charleroi at McGuffey High School on Friday, Sept. 11 ,2015

CELESTE VAN KIRK

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South Fayette quarterback Drew Saxton (No. 12) attempts to elude Xavier Fisher (No. 68). Though he was sacked several times and suffered minus 67 yards rushing, the sophomore signal caller completed 27 of 43 passes for 435 yards and four touchdowns in the Lions' loss to Aliquippa, 44-38, in the WPIAL Class AA title game.

Eleanor Bailey

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Now that the mystery and speculation are over, we can begin to talk about conferences in six classifications and teams to watch in 2016.

There were a few surprises in the larger classifications, but that wasn’t the case in Class 2A. Section 3 or whatever the conference will be named in the coming months, contains Bentworth, Beth-Center, Brownsville, Burgettstown, Charleroi, Chartiers-Houston, Frazier and Washington.

Wash High will be everyone’s pick to win the conference and make a deep run in the playoffs, but I wouldn’t crown the Prexies yet. The conference includes five teams that love to throw the football and all five have their quarterbacks returning in 2016.

In case you didn’t follow Wash High last fall, it isn’t the best against the pass. Bentworth has Josh Hughes returning and Chartiers-Houston’s TJ Johnston will only be a junior, but neither team has a strong enough line.

Frazier is intriguing. The Commodores, who reached the WPIAL Class A semifinals last fall, actually has two quarterbacks returning (Hunter Patterson and Chris Pierce), but three of its six graduating seniors are linemen. They also lost two of their top players on defense (Caleb Cox and Tim Broadwater).

Beth-Center has some nice pieces returning, but again, it will have a tough time matching up with Wash High in the trenches. Brownsville and Charleroi will have athletes back, but won’t have much depth.

Realistically, Wash High is headed for another conference title. The road won’t be littered with blowouts because Frazier could give the Prexies trouble, but it’s difficult to imagine the Prexies as anything less than a top-four seed in the 2A playoffs.

Though Aliquippa and South Fayette are no longer in the same classification, there are a few teams that are standing between Wash High and its first title since 2001. Steel Valley is my pick to win 2A. It has a tremendous line, a prolific running back (DeWayne Murray) and one of the top players in the WPIAL (Paris Ford).

North Catholic and Neshannock will also be very difficult to beat. North Catholic is a year or two away from being a powerhouse program.

A conference filled with local teams will lead to larger attendance and better rivalries, but the level of competition could prevent Wash High from taking the next step. Frankly, the Prexies need a tougher non-conference schedule.

Though the WPIAL will hand them two crossover games (here’s hoping one is against Neshannock), Wash High could schedule a tough game to open the season.

Sure, losing is a possibility and an injury could happen (players often get hurt in scrimmages), but starting the season with top competition is the perfect way to prep for a championship season.

The Highlanders are in Section 3 with Derry, Elizabeth Forward, Mt. Pleasant, Southmoreland, South Park, Waynesburg and Yough. I’m sure their head coach, Ed Dalton, is pleased with that.

That means no Seton-La Salle or Keystone Oaks. McGuffey returns the most talent in the conference, including the top quarterback (Marcus Czulewicz). South Park and Mt. Pleasant will be difficult games, but the Highlanders will be one of the eight teams in 3A to qualify for the postseason.

The Indians are in 6A’s Section 2 with Altoona, Bethel Park, Canon-McMillan, Hempfield, Mt. Lebanon and Norwin. Bethel Park is the favorite to win it, but the schedule means Peters Township could potentially get back into the playoffs.

Canon-McMillan also wins with this setup. Instead of having Central Catholic or Penn Hills, the Big Macs need one win over Bethel Park, Mt. Lebanon or Peters Township, and sweeping the other three, which is very possible.

Traveling to Altoona isn’t fun, but it beats having to play Central Catholic every year.

Ringgold, Trinity and Belle Vernon will remain in the same conference, but a title will go through Thomas Jefferson, which is the favorite to win the 4A championship at Heinz Field.

The top three teams in the conference, in order, are TJ, Ringgold and Belle Vernon, followed by West Mifflin and Trinity. It’s a shame that one of those teams will miss the postseason.

In Section 1, South Fayette got a nice draw with Ambridge, Blackhawk, Highlands, Indiana, Knoch, Mars, Montour and New Castle. It will offer better competition week-to-week than the Century Confernece, but the Lions are the favorite to win it.

Mars’ size up front could pose a big challenge, but the Lions have a ton of talent returning. Replacing Zack Radinick and Hunter Hayes will be the most difficult tasks.

Instead of getting through into the same conference as Clairton again, Monessen is with Fort Cherry, California, Carmichaels, Jefferson-Morgan, Mapletown and West Greene.

The Rangers are the favorite to win it, but the Greyhounds and Maples are next in line. This conference isn’t as strong as Section 1, which includes Clairton and Greensburg Central Catholic, but it will be very competitive from top to bottom.

Don’t count out the Greyhounds.