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 .

Find out what's happening in Plum-Oakmontwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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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