Sports
WPIAL Approves New Football Alignment
Two nine-team conferences and one eight-team conference will comprise Class AAAA, which includes Plum.
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Tuesday approval for a new football alignment.
The alignment was approved Tuesday for all classes and will be in place for a two-year cycle, starting next fall.
The most significant change from previous years is forming three conferences in Class AAAA and Class AAA, rather than the typical four-conference alignment, the newspaper reported.
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The top five teams in each conference in Class AAAA and Class AAA will now qualify for the WPIAL playoffs, as well as the best sixth-place team.
In Class AAAA, there will be two nine-team conferences and one eight-team conference—which includes .
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In Class AAA, there are three nine-team conferences.
Class AA and Class A—Riverview High School is in Class A—will continue with four conferences. There are 35 teams in AA and 37 in A.
McDowell will compete in District 10 next year, and Cornell players will compete for Quaker Valley in a co-op.
Below is the new WPIAL football alignment for 2012-13:
Class AAAA (26 teams)
Section 1: Butler, Central Catholic, Fox Chapel, North Allegheny, North Hills, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, Shaler
Section 2: Baldwin, Bethel Park, Canon-McMillan, Mt. Lebanon, Penn Hills, Peters Township, Plum, Upper St. Clair, Woodland Hills
Section 3: Altoona, Connellsville, Gateway, Greater Latrobe, Hempfield, Kiski Area, McKeesport, Norwin, Penn-Trafford
Class AAA (27 teams)
Section 1: Albert Gallatin, Belle Vernon, Elizabeth Forward, Laurel Highlands, Ringgold, Thomas Jefferson, Trinity, Uniontown, West Mifflin
Section 2: Ambridge, Blackhawk, Central Valley, Chartiers Valley, Hopewell, Montour, Moon, New Castle, West Allegheny
Section 3: Derry, Franklin Regional, Greensburg Salem, Hampton, Highlands, Hollidaysburg, Indiana, Knoch, Mars
Class AA (35 teams)
Section 1: Burgettstown, Keystone Oaks, Quaker Valley, McGuffey, Seton-La Salle, South Allegheny, South Fayette, South Park, Steel Valley
Section 2: Burrell, Deer Lakes, East Allegheny, Ford City, Freeport, Kittanning, Shady Side Academy, Summit Academy, Valley
Section 3: Aliquippa*, Beaver, Beaver Falls, Ellwood City, Freedom, Mohawk, New Brighton, Riverside
Section 4: Brownsville, Charleroi, Greensburg Central Catholic*, Jeannette*, Mt. Pleasant, Southmoreland, Washington, Waynesburg, Yough
*— elected to play at a higher classification
Class A (37 teams)
Section 1: Apollo-Ridge, Avonworth, Leechburg, North Catholic, Northgate, Riverview, Springdale, West Shamokin, Wilkinsburg
Section 2: Laurel, Neshannock, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Rochester, Shenango, South Side Beaver, Sto-Rox, Union, Western Beaver
Section 3: Avella, Bentworth, Beth-Center, Carmichaels, Frazier, Geibel, Jefferson-Morgan, Mapletown, West Greene
Section 4: Brentwood, Bishop Canevin, California, Carylnton, Chartiers-Houston, Clairton, Fort Cherry, Imani Christian, Monessen, Serra Catholic
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