Saturday, February 15, 2025, 1:53PM |  34°
MENU
Advertisement
Pine-Richland's Phil Jurkovec reacts on the ground after fouling Butler in a game earlier this season. Pine-RIchland is No. 4 and Butler No. 5 in the latest Post-Gazette WPIAL 6A rankings.
1
MORE

Post-Gazette basketball rankings: WPIAL Class 6A hard to figure

Steph Chambers/Post-Gazette

Post-Gazette basketball rankings: WPIAL Class 6A hard to figure

The top two teams in the Post-Gazette WPIAL Class 6A boys basketball rankings are the same for the second consecutive week. But trying to decide what teams should be 3 through 5 isn’t easy.

Penn Hills and Mt. Lebanon are No. 1 and 2, respectively. After that, things get complicated, with Woodland Hills and three teams from Section 1 — Central Catholic, Butler and Pine-Richland. You can make points for putting any of those four teams in the top five, but also points against those teams.

Consider:

Advertisement

• Central Catholic is in first place in Section 1 record with a 5-0 mark (6-5 overall) and the Vikings won at Pine-Richland last Friday. But Pine-Richland played without Phil Jurkovec, who was in Texas for a football all-star game. Central Catholic hasn’t played Butler yet. That game happens Friday night.

Nine states in the country use a shot clock for high school boys and girls basketball.
Mike White
Timely debate: Most high school basketball coaches want a shot clock

• Butler has a nice record at 11-1, but how do you rank Butler ahead of Pine-Richland? Butler lost at home to Pine-Richland by 16 points, and they are tied in section standings at 3-1. Also, Central Catholic has played a tougher non-WPIAL schedule than Butler. Three of Central Catholic’s losses are to Erie McDowell, Philadelphia Constitution and Allderdice. McDowell is very good, Constitution is the No. 1-ranked Class 2A team in the state. Allderdice is the No. 1-ranked City League team.

• Pine-Richland is 8-3, and two of the losses have been in games without Jurkovec. The other was to Lincoln Park, the No. 1-ranked WPIAL 3A team. You can’t forget Pine-Richland’s 16-point win at Butler. 

• Woodland Hills is 11-1 and has a couple nice section wins against Fox Chapel and Latrobe. But Woodland Hills lost to Seneca Valley, a Section 1 team. Seneca Valley is only 2-2 in Section 1 (8-3 overall) and lost to Central Catholic. So where should Woodland Hills be ranked?

Advertisement

The bottom line is there might not be a right answer with 3 through 5 in this week’s 6A rankings. The Post-Gazette scholastic sports staff crunched some numbers, shared some thoughts and came up with this: Woodland Hills gets No. 3 this week, Pine-Richland No. 4 and Butler No. 5.

Does this rankings stuff really matter? Not at all this week because two games Friday night should settle some things. Central Catholic plays at Butler while Woodland Hills plays at Penn Hills. Those games should make the 6A rankings much easier to do next week.

Elsewhere in the WPIAL boys rankings, there is a new No. 1 team in Class A. Vincentian went from No. 2 to the top spot after knocking off Union, previously ranked No. 1. 

In the WPIAL girls rankings, there are some big changes in Class 5A. Chartiers Valley was No. 1 and Oakland Catholic No. 2. But both are out of the top five. Trinity is the new No. 1 team while West Allegheny and Mars moved into the top five.

Here are this week’s Post-Gazette rankings for the WPIAL and City League:

BOYS

WPIAL CLASS 6A

1. Penn Hills 13-0

2. Mt. Lebanon 11-1

3. Woodland Hills 10-1

4. Pine-Richland 8-3

5. Butler 11-1

WPIAL CLASS 5A

1. Mars 8-2

2. Moon 9-1

3. Franklin Regional 9-2

4. Chartiers Valley 6-4

5. Trinity 8-3

WPIAL CLASS 4A

1. Quaker Valley 9-0

2. Ambridge 9-2

3. New Castle 8-3

4. Belle Vernon 8-3

5. Indiana 8-1

WPIAL CLASS 3A

1. Lincoln Park 5-4

2. Seton-LaSalle 7-3

3. Aliquippa 8-4

4. Washington 7-3

5. Shady Side Academy 7-4

WPIAL CLASS 2A

1. Sewickley Academy 9-1

2. O.L.S.H. 10-1

3. Jeannette 7-1

4. Serra 9-2

5. Chartiers-Houston 8-2

WPIAL CLASS 1A

1. Vincentian 6-5

2. Clairton 8-1

3. Union 6-4

4. Cornell 9-3

5. Eden Christian 9-1

CITY LEAGUE

1. Allderdice 7-2

2. Westinghouse 9-1

3. Carrick 10-2

GIRLS

WPIAL CLASS 6A

1. North Allegheny 10-0

2. Peters Township 10-1

3. Latrobe 8-2

4. Bethel Park 7-3

5. Norwin 5-6

WPIAL CLASS 5A

1. Trinity 10-3

2. Hampton 7-2

3. West Allegheny 7-3

4. Mars 8-3

5. Thomas Jefferson 10-2

WPIAL CLASS 4A

1. C.W. North Catholic 10-0

2. Blackhawk 10-0

3. Central Valley 9-1

4. Keystone Oaks 9-3

5. Beaver 8-3

WPIAL CLASS 3A

1. Bishop Canevin 7-3

2. Neshannock 10-0

3. East Allegheny 11-0

4. Mohawk 7-3

5. Avonworth 8-4

WPIAL CLASS 2A

1. Vincentian 10-1

2. Chartiers-Houston 8-3

3. O.L. Sacred Heart 8-2

4. Leechburg 8-2

5. Brentwood 10-2

WPIAL CLASS 1A

1. West Greene 10-0

2. Winchester Thurston 5-3

3. Quigley Catholic 5-6

4. Sewickley Academy 6-1

5. Rochester 7-3

CITY LEAGUE

1. Obama Academy 7-2

2. Westinghouse 6-1

3. Allderdice 4-7

First Published: January 11, 2018, 6:54 p.m.

RELATED
SHOW COMMENTS (0)  
Join the Conversation
Commenting policy | How to Report Abuse
If you would like your comment to be considered for a published letter to the editor, please send it to letters@post-gazette.com. Letters must be under 250 words and may be edited for length and clarity.
Partners
Advertisement
In Fayette County, voters express renewed hope under the Trump administration, praising his early actions like spending cuts and immigration crackdowns, and grading his first few weeks an "A." Many in the county, where Trump secured 68.4% of the vote, support his executive orders on immigration and federal spending, believing he is fulfilling campaign promises and taking decisive action.
1
news
As Trump's executive orders sow confusion and chaos for some, Western Pa. supporters who voted for him approve
The North Shore offices of the Post-Gazette
2
business
Federal judge denies NLRB's injunction attempt against the Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward (97) looks on with head coach Mike Tomlin, left, prior to the NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Philadelphia.
3
sports
Steelers position analysis: Defensive line the most glaring need heading into NFL draft
Mark Sevco has been named president of Allegheny Health Network
4
business
Former UPMC executive joins Allegheny Health Network
Endy Rodriguez #25 of the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrates after hitting a home run in the 6th inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on September 22, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
5
sports
Endy Rodriguez will primarily catch for Pirates in immediate future — and looks the part post-rehab
Pine-Richland's Phil Jurkovec reacts on the ground after fouling Butler in a game earlier this season. Pine-RIchland is No. 4 and Butler No. 5 in the latest Post-Gazette WPIAL 6A rankings.  (Steph Chambers/Post-Gazette)
Steph Chambers/Post-Gazette
Advertisement
LATEST sports
Advertisement
TOP
Email a Story