Although some WPIAL football playoff teams will be decided by the league’s football committee, many postseason spots are filled heading into the final weekend of the season.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the shortened season, the WPIAL cut its playoff field this year. The WPIAL will take 44 teams to the postseason, the fewest since the league had only 32 teams in the 1995 playoffs. Back then, only the top two teams from each conference made the playoffs. In 1996, the WPIAL started taking the top three teams from each conference to the playoffs.
The WPIAL announced last week that the football committee would select playoff teams in conferences where postponed games affect playoff qualifiers. However, some teams will play their full amount of conference games and playoff spots will decided, as usual, by conference records. If a tie exists between two teams, head-to-head competition breaks the deadlock.
In cases where three or more teams tie for a playoff spot, head-to-head is still the first tiebreaker, followed by Gardner Points and then WPIAL tiebreaker points. About half of the 44-team field already is settled heading into the final weekend.
The WPIAL will announce playoff pairings Saturday night, a first for the league because pairing and seedings were usually announced on the Monday after the final weekend of the regular season.
Here is a look at the playoff picture in all six WPIAL classifications:
CLASS 6A
Playoff format: This classification has only one conference and four teams will make the playoffs. The WPIAL has said the selection committee will decide the four teams.
Quad County Conference: Norwin is the only one of the eight teams in this conference that hasn’t had at least one game canceled because of a COVID-19 case. The uneven amount of games for teams is why the WPIAL will select the four teams.
The Mt. Lebanon at Seneca Valley game Friday is big. If Mt. Lebanon wins, things should be fairly simple for the WPIAL. North Allegheny (4-0), Mt. Lebanon (3-2), Central Catholic (3-2) and Seneca Valley (4-1) would almost certainly be the four teams selected.
But what does the WPIAL do if Seneca Valley wins? Mt. Lebanon would then be 3-3 in conference games and Canon-McMillan would also be 3-3 if it beats Norwin. WPIAL executive director Amy Scheuneman said the WPIAL will use head-to-head competition when applicable to break a tie. Therefore, Mt. Lebanon would be out.
If Baldwin would somehow upset Central Catholic, it would create a big mess.
CLASS 5A
Playoff format: The top two teams in each of the three conferences get a playoff spot. The WPIAL will select two wild card teams to also make the playoffs. The WPIAL said the two wild cards teams could come from the same conference, but that seems unlikely.
Allegheny Six Conference: Peters Township (4-0) has clinched first. The winner of the game between South Fayette (3-1) and Upper St. Clair (3-1) gets second and it’s almost certain that the loser will get one of the wild card spots.
Big East: Penn-Trafford (3-0) and Gateway (3-0) are unbeaten in conference play, but their game was canceled because of a COVID-19 case at Penn-Trafford. Both Penn-Trafford and Gateway defeated Woodland Hills (2-2) and Franklin Regional (2-2), so the WPIAL will give the two playoff spots to Penn-Trafford and Gateway. If Woodland Hills defeats Latrobe on Friday, it’s likely Woodland Hills will get a wild card spot because it defeated Franklin Regional and also won two important non-conference games against Penn Hills and North Hills.
Northeast: Pine-Richland (4-0) has clinched first place and will likely be the No. 1 overall seed in Class 5A. Penn Hills (3-1) has clinched second. The winner of Friday’s North Hills (2-2) vs. Fox Chapel (2-2) game will finish third, but it’s highly unlikely that team would get one of the wild card spots.
CLASS 4A
Playoff format: The top two teams from each of the three conferences qualify and the WPIAL will also select two wild card teams.
Big Eight: Thomas Jefferson (5-0) is first no matter the outcome of Friday’s game against McKeesport (4-1). Even if Thomas Jefferson loses and there is a three-way tie for first with Belle Vernon (5-1), Thomas Jefferson finishes first. Belle Vernon is second, no matter the outcome of the McKeesport-Thomas Jefferson game. McKeesport is third and alive for wild card consideration.
Greater Allegheny: Plum (6-0) is first and Mars (5-1) second. Hampton (4-2) is third and alive for wild card consideration.
Parkway: Aliquippa (4-0) has clinched first and Chartiers Valley (3-1) second. Montour (2-2) is third and alive for wild card consideration.
CLASS 3A
Playoff format: The top two teams from each of the three conferences qualify and the WPIAL will also select two wild card teams.
Allegheny: North Catholic (5-0), Freeport (3-0) and East Allegheny (2-1) are the top three teams. Freeport plays North Catholic on Friday. If North Catholic defeats Freeport, North Catholic is first. But the problem comes in with second place because the Freeport-East Allegheny game was canceled due to a COVID-19 case at Freeport. If North Catholic defeats Freeport, the WPIAL could select both East Allegheny and Freeport to the playoff field.
Interstate: Elizabeth Forward (4-0) had one game canceled because of a COVID-19 case but should be seeded first. Mount Pleasant (4-1) and South Park (3-2) play Friday for the second seed. If Mount Pleasant wins, South Allegheny would be third and alive for a wild card spot. If South Park wins, Mount Pleasant is third.
Northwest: Central Valley (4-0) is a heavy favorite to beat Avonworth (3-1) and finish first. If Central Valley wins and Keystone Oaks (2-1) defeats Hopewell (2-2), then Keystone Oaks would get the nod as the second-place team because it defeated Avonworth. If Central Valley and Hopewell win, then Keystone Oaks, Hopewell and Avonworth would have two losses.
CLASS 2A
Playoff format: This classification has four conferences. The champion of each conference gets a playoff spot and the WPIAL will choose four other wild card teams. Although the four second-place teams aren’t guaranteed a wild card spot, it seems likely the WPIAL would choose one from each conference.
Allegheny: Apollo-Ridge (2-0) and Serra (2-0) are clearly the top two teams. But their game this past Friday was canceled. Thus, the WPIAL can simply put both in the playoffs.
Century: McGuffey (5-0) has clinched first. The winner of Frazier (4-1) at Washington (4-1) will be second.
Midwestern: Beaver Falls (6-0) is first. There is a logjam for the second-place spot between Laurel (4-2), Neshannock (4-2) and New Brighton (4-2). If Beaver Falls beats Neshannock on Friday, New Brighton beats Riverside, and Laurel beats Ellwood City, then Laurel and New Brighton tie for second, but Laurel gets the spot because it defeated New Brighton.
Three Rivers: Sto-Rox (3-1) and Western Beaver (3-1) are the top two teams. Sto-Rox (3-1) finishes first with a win against Brentwood (2-2) Friday. If Sto-Rox loses and Western Beaver defeats Carlynton on Saturday, and South Side Beaver (2-2) defeats Seton LaSalle, Western Beaver would be first. Then there would be a three-way tie for second, but Sto-Rox would get second with more Gardner Points.
CLASS 1A
Playoff format: The top two teams from each of the three conferences qualify and the WPIAL will also select two wild card teams.
Big Seven: The winner of Friday’s game between Shenango (6-0) and Rochester (5-1) is first and the loser second. Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (4-2) is third.
Eastern: Clairton (5-0), Jeannette (5-1) and Springdale (5-1) are alive for the playoffs. If Clairton defeats Springdale on Friday, Clairton is first and Jeannette second. If Springdale would pull the upset, and Jeannette beats Greensburg Central Catholic, then three teams would have one loss.
Tri-County South: California (5-0) is first. The winner of Friday’s game between Carmichaels (5-1) and Avella (4-2) is second. Bentworth (3-3) and Jefferson-Morgan (3-3) are still alive for third.
CITY LEAGUE
Playoff format: The top four teams make the playoffs.
Westinghouse (4-0) has clinched first and plays the fourth-place team in the semifinals. Allderdice (2-1) has clinched second and plays the No. 3 team. Brashear (1-2) and University Prep (1-2) play Thursday and the winner is third while the loser is fourth.
Mike White: mwhite@post-gazette.com and Twitter @mwhiteburgh
First Published: October 20, 2020, 10:00 a.m.