The final week of the regular season is in the books. The 64 teams that will take part in the WPIAL playoffs have been decided. The brackets and seeding will be released at the official WPIAL Football Pairings Meeting on Monday night.
In 6A, 5A, and 4A, there are only 2 conferences so the top 4 teams from each conference reached the postseason with the top 2 from each conference hosting first round playoff games. In 3A, there are 3 conferences and only 8 playoff teams so the top 2 from each conference made the playoffs along with 2 “Wild Card” teams (the 3rd place teams with the best records). The 3A conference champions and one of the three second place teams will get home playoff games. In Classes 2A and 1A, there are 3 conferences and 16 teams make the playoffs so the top 5 teams plus one “Wild Card” team (the 6th place team with the best record) qualified for the postseason. The top two teams from each conference plus two of the three third place teams get home playoff games. For fully detailed standings, check out my WPIAL Standings Page.
For now, here is a quick look at the teams that reached the 2016 postseason and their notable playoff history. For reference, there were only 3 classifications of WPIAL football prior to 1980 and the PIAA Championship was not instituted until 1988. Classifications in the new 6-class model are labeled with numbers (i.e. “4A”) while prior to 2016 they are labeled with just letters (i.e. “AAAA”).
Class 6A
Northern Seven Conference
Central Catholic Vikings
Conference Record: 6-0 Overall Record: 9-1
How they got here: Northern Seven Conference Champs. Undefeated in WPIAL play with their only loss coming to St John’s (DC) in Week 0. Allowed just 11 points per game to WPIAL opponents.
Recent History: Central Catholic is making their 14th consecutive playoff appearance. The Vikings have reached Heinz Field each of the last 3 seasons, have won 2 of the last 3 WPIAL titles, and are the defending AAAA State Champions.
Best Playoff Result: Won WPIAL Championship in 2003, 2004, 2007, 2013, and 2015. Won PIAA title in 1988, 2004, 2007, and 2015.
North Allegheny Tigers
Conference Record: 5-1 Overall Record: 8-2
How they got here: Second place in the Northern Seven Conference, defeated Pine-Richland 47-10 in Week 9. QB Ethan Maenza became the 5th player in WPIAL history to pass and rush for 1000 yards in a season.
Recent History: North Allegheny is making their 13th consecutive playoff appearance. They have not lost in the first round of the playoffs since 2005.
Best Playoff Result: Won WPIAL Championship in 1990, 2010, 2011 and 2012. Won PIAA title in 1990, 2010 and 2012.
Pine-Richland Rams
Conference Record: 4-2 Overall Record: 6-4
How they got here: Finished 3rd in the conference. Went 2-2 after QB Phil Jurkovec was injured in Week 5. WR Ray Falcone leads the WPIAL in receiving yards.
Recent History: Pine-Richland is making their 4th consecutive playoff appearance. The Rams won the WPIAL title in 2014 and lost in the AAAA semi-finals to Penn-Trafford last year.
Best Playoff Result: Won WPIAL Championship in 2003 (AAA) and 2014. Richland High School won the WPIAL title in 1969 and 1970. Lost in PIAA Championship Game in both 2003 (AAA) and 2014.
Seneca Valley Warriors
Conference Record: 3-3 Overall Record: 6-3
How they got here: Defeated Penn Hills 32-7 in Week 5 to secure the 4th and final spot in the Northern Seven Conference.
Recent History: Seneca Valley is making their 5th playoff appearance in the last 6 years. They missed the playoffs in 2014 and lost in the first round to McKeesport last year.
Best Playoff Result: Reached the AAA Championship Game in 1989, losing to Aliquippa 17-9.
Southeastern Conference
Mt Lebanon Blue Devils
Conference Record: 5-1 Overall Record: 7-3
How they got here: Defeated Bethel Park in Week 9 35-14 to win the Southeastern Conference title.
Recent History: Mt Lebanon is making their 16th playoff appearance in the last 19 years. They have not reached the semi-finals since 2005.
Best Playoff Result: Won WPIAL Championship in 1966 (AAA), 1970 (AAA), 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, and 2000. Lost to Erie Prep in the PIAA semifinals in 2000.
Bethel Park Black Hawks
Conference Record: 5-1 Overall Record: 5-4
How they got here: Lost to Mt Lebanon in the Week 9 Conference Championship game. Had close losses to inter-conference playoff teams North Allegheny, Pine-Richland, and Seneca Valley.
Recent History: Bethel Park is making their 16th consecutive playoff appearance. In that stretch they have only made it past the quarterfinals twice.
Best Playoff Result: Won WPIAL Championship in 2008. Lost to Liberty in 2008 PIAA Championship Game in overtime.
Hempfield Spartans
Conference Record: 4-2 Overall Record: 5-5
How they got here: Defeated Norwin 29-22 in Week 9 to secure third place. Also defeated Conference Champion Mt Lebanon in an early-season shootout.
Recent History: This is Hempfield’s 4th playoff appearance in the last 5 years. The Spartans have not won a playoff game since 1997.
Best Playoff Result: Lost the 1966 WPIAL AAA Championship Game to Mt Lebanon 18-14.
Norwin Knights
Conference Record: 3-3 Overall Record: 5-5
How they got here: Finished 4th in the conference. Lost to Hempfield in Week 9 in a game that decided 3rd place. 0-5 against playoff teams.
Recent History: Norwin made the playoffs for the third straight season. This is only their 7th playoff appearance since 2000. The Knights are 1-6 in the playoffs in that span.
Best Playoff Result: Reached the semi-finals in 1999, losing to McKeesport.
Class 5A
Allegheny Nine Conference
West Allegheny Indians
Conference Record: 8-0 Overall Record: 9-0
How they got here: Entering Week 6, West Allegheny, Upper St Clair and Woodland Hills were all undefeated in conference play. West A beat Upper St Clair 33-7 in Week 6 and mercy rule’d Woodland Hills 52-13 in Week 8 (in the Wolvarena!) to clinch the conference title. West A boasts the best defense in 5A, holding opponents under 7 points per game.
Recent History: West Allegheny is making their 8th consecutive playoff appearance and 19th in the last 20 years. They had reached Heinz Field in 3 consecutive seasons before losing to Thomas Jefferson in the Quarterfinals last year.
Best Playoff Result: Coach Bob Palko has won more WPIAL titles than any other coach. West Allegheny won the WPIAL Championship in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2009, 2012, and 2013. Won the 2001 PIAA Championship 28-13 over Strath Haven (who had beaten them in the PIAA title game the prior two seasons).
Woodland Hills Wolverines
Conference Record: 7-1 Overall Record: 8-2
How they got here: Rebounded from their Week 8 loss to West Allegheny to defeat Upper St Clair 28-21 in Week 9 and clinch 2nd place and a home playoff game.
Recent History: Woodland Hills is making their 21st consecutive playoff appearance. They reached the AAAA semi-finals in 5 of the last 7 years, making it to Heinz Field 4 times. The Wolverines lost in the semi-finals to eventual State Champion Central Catholic last year.
Best Playoff Result: Won WPIAL Championship in 1996, 1999, 2001, 2002, and 2009. Lost in PIAA Championship Game in 1996, 2001 and 2002.
Upper St Clair Panthers
Conference Record: 6-2 Overall Record: 6-3
How they got here: Lost 3 of their last 4 after a 5-0 start to finish 3rd in the conference.
Recent History: Upper St Clair is making their 18th consecutive playoff appearance. The Panthers have lost in the first round each of the last two seasons.
Best Playoff Result: Won WPIAL Championship in 1988, 1989, 1992, 1997, and 2006. Tied for the 1974 (AAA) and 1975 (AAA) WPIAL title (no overtime). Won the PIAA Championship in 1989 and 2006.
North Hills Indians
Conference Record: 5-3 Overall Record: 6-4
How they got here: Played West Allegheny to their closest game of the season (24-16 in Week 2). Their wins over Fox Chapel and Moon in Weeks 3 and 4 proved to be enough to get the Indians to the playoffs. North Hills has the lowest-scoring offense of any 5A playoff team, averaging just 25 points per game.
Recent History: North Hills is making their 5th consecutive playoff appearance and 17th in the last 18 years. They have not won a playoff game since 2010.
Best Playoff Result: Won WPIAL Championship in 1982, 1987, and 1993. Tied for the WPIAL title in 1985 (no overtime). Won PIAA title in 1993.
Big East Conference
Armstrong Riverhawks
Conference Record: 7-1 Overall Record: 9-1
How they got here: In just the second year of existence, won the Conference Title outright thanks to a Week 2 overtime victory over McKeesport and McKeesport losing in Week 9 to Penn-Trafford. RB Zane Dudek broke the WPIAL single-season rushing record with 2,921 yards.
Recent History: Last year was the first year for Armstrong football after the merger of Kittanning and Ford City. Armstrong qualified for the playoffs and lost in the first round to Thomas Jefferson.
Best Playoff Result: Kittanning’s best result was a 13-0 loss in the 1975 AA Championship Game to Beth-Center. Ford City reached the semifinals in 2005, 2006 and 2010.
McKeesport Tigers
Conference Record: 6-2 Overall Record: 7-2
How they got here: Finished 2nd in the conference by winning the tiebreaker with Franklin Regional based on a head-to-head win in Week 1. Averaged over 35 points per game, the second-highest in 5A.
Recent History: McKeesport is making their 19th consecutive playoff appearance. They were knocked out by the team that reached Heinz Field (Pine-Richland and Penn-Trafford) each of the last two years.
Best Playoff Result: Won WPIAL Championship in 1938 (AAA), 1994 and 2005. Won PIAA title in 1994 and 2005.
Franklin Regional Panthers
Conference Record: 6-2 Overall Record: 7-2
How they got here: Defeated Gateway in Week 9 to secure a playoff spot. Had the third-best defense in 5A, allowing just 15 points per game and were the only team to slow down Armstrong RB Zane Dudek, holding him to “just” 163 yards (130 under his average). Have not lost since their Week 2 loss to Kiski, winning 7 straight including dealing Armstrong their only loss.
Recent History: Franklin Regional is making their 13th consecutive playoff appearance. They have reached at least the quarterfinals in 6 of the last 7 years and the semifinals in 3 of the last 5.
Best Playoff Result: Won WPIAL Championship in 2005, beating Thomas Jefferson 31-14. Won PIAA Championship in 2005, beating Pottsville 23-13.
Gateway Gators
Conference Record: 5-3 Overall Record: 6-4
How they got here: Won tiebreaker with Penn-Trafford based on their 23-6 Week 6 victory. Lost their last two game to McKeesport and Franklin Regional to fall to 4th place.
Recent History: Gateway missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 2001. During their 13-year run of playoff appearances, the Gators reached Heinz Field 4 times but did not win a WPIAL title.
Best Playoff Result: Gateway won the WPIAL AAA Championship in 1969, 1972, 1974, and 1986. Gateway tied North Hills 0-0 in the 1985 Championship Game before the WPIAL had overtime.
Class 4A
Big Nine Conference
Thomas Jefferson Jaguars
Conference Record: 8-0 Overall Record: 9-0
How they got here: Blitzed through the regular season. Have not lost to a WPIAL opponent since Week 2 of last season. Had the highest scoring offense (52 points per game) and best scoring defense (6 points per game) in 4A. Pitched 5 shutouts and scored at least 48 points in all but one game.
Recent History: Thomas Jefferson is making their 22nd consecutive playoff appearance, tied with Aliquippa for the longest active streak. They have reached the semifinals in 17 of the last 18 years and won the WPIAL AAA Championship last year. Lost to Erie Cathedral Prep in the PIAA Quarterfinals last year.
Best Playoff Result: Won WPIAL Championship in 1980, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2015. Won PIAA Championship in 2004, 2007, and 2008.
West Mifflin Titans
Conference Record: 6-2 Overall Record: 8-2
How they got here: Started the season 7-0 but lost 2 of their last 3 after RB Howie Reid suffered a broken ankle in Week 7. Won the 3-way tie with Belle Vernon and Ringgold based on Tiebreaker Points to earn a home playoff game.
Recent History: West Mifflin is making their 7th consecutive playoff appearance. They reached Heinz Field in 2012.
Best Playoff Result: West Mifflin North won the WPIAL Championship in 1963, beating Butler 12-6. West Mifflin lost in WPIAL Championship Games in 2000, 2004, and 2012.
Belle Vernon Leopards
Conference Record: 6-2 Overall Record: 7-2
How they got here: Finished in a 3-way tie with Ringgold and West Mifflin for second place. Defeated Ringgold head-to-head in Week 3 so the Leopards finish in third place.
Recent History: Belle Vernon is making their 8th consecutive playoff appearance. Last year, they won their first playoff game since 2000, defeating Chartiers Valley. The Leopards lost in the Quarterfinals to Franklin Regional last year.
Best Playoff Result: Won WPIAL Championship in 1995, beating Franklin Regional 22-6. That year, they lost to Sharon in overtime in the PIAA semifinals.
Ringgold Rams
Conference Record: 6-2 Overall Record: 7-2
How they got here: Won their last 4 games after a Week 5 loss to Thomas Jefferson, including a victory over West Mifflin. It will be interesting to see where they are seeded as the Rams defeated New Castle (who finished 3rd in the Northwest Nine Conference) 41-27 in non-conference play.
Recent History: Ringgold is making their 7th consecutive playoff appearance. They reached the semifinals in 2014 and lost to Mars in the Quarterfinals last year.
Best Playoff Result: Won WPIAL Championship in 1982 (AAAA), beating New Castle 6-3.
Northwest Nine Conference
South Fayette Lions
Conference Record: 8-0 Overall Record: 10-0
How they got here: South Fayette’s Week 1 35-14 win over Mars was enough to carry them to the Conference Title. Their 28-21 come-from-behind victory over Blackhawk was their only win by fewer than 20 points.
Recent History: South Fayette is making their 8th consecutive playoff appearance. The Lions have won 3 of the last 7 WPIAL AA titles and have been to Heinz Field each of the last 3 seasons. South Fayette lost to Aliquippa in the AA Championship Game last year.
Best Playoff Result: Won WPIAL Class A Championship in 1936. Awarded WPIAL Class A Championship based on Gardner Points in 1964 (no Championship Game played). Won WPIAL AA Championship in 2010, 2013 and 2014. Won PIAA Championship in 2013 and 2014.
Mars Fighting Planets
Conference Record: 7-1 Overall Record: 8-2
How they got here: Lost to South Fayette in Week 1 and Thomas Jefferson in cross-conference play. Have the second-lowest scoring offense (30 points per game) of any 4A playoff team.
Recent History: Mars is making their 12th consecutive playoff appearance and 20th in the last 24 years. They have reached at least the quarterfinals in 9 of the last 10 years, losing in the semifinals to Central Valley last year.
Best Playoff Result: Reached the WPIAL AA Championship Game in 1996 and 2002. Lost 26-16 to Aliquippa in 1996 and 20-6 to Seton-La Salle in 2002.
New Castle Red Hurricanes
Conference Record: 6-2 Overall Record: 6-4
How they got here: Started the regular season 4-0 but lost 3 of their last 5. Defeated Blackhawk 35-13 in a Week 9 Casket Match to qualify for the playoffs. Have the worst scoring defense (24 points against per game) of any 4A playoff team.
Recent History: New Castle is making their 4th consecutive playoff appearance. They have not won a playoff game since 2009.
Best Playoff Result: Beat Charleroi in 1924 AAA WPIAL Championship Game. Tied Jeannette and McKeesport for 1932 WPIAL AAA Championship (no Championship Game played). Awarded 1933 and 1934 WPIAL AAA Championship based on Gardner Points (no Championship Game played). Won WPIAL AAA Championship in 1942, 1948, 1949, 1967, and 1973. Tied Upper St Clair 0-0 for the 1975 WPIAL Championship (no overtime). Won 1998 WPIAL Quad-A Championship. Lost 56-7 to Central Bucks West in the 1998 PIAA Quad-A Championship Game.
Montour Spartans
Conference Record: 4-4 Overall Record: 4-5
How they got here: Lost 3 of their last 4 but defeated Blackhawk 38-14 in Week 8 to secure the head-to-head tiebreaker for the last playoff spot.
Recent History: Montour is making their 10th consecutive playoff appearance. They have reached Heinz Field 3 times in that span but lost in the first round each of the last 3 years.
Best Playoff Result: Won WPIAL Championship in 1958 (A), 1963 (AA), 1964 (AA), and 2011. Lost 41-32 to Bishop McDevitt in the 2011 PIAA semifinals.
Class 3A
Allegheny Conference
Keystone Oaks Golden Eagles
Conference Record: 7-0 Overall Record: 8-1
How they got here: Swept through the Allegheny Conference with an average margin of victory of 30 points. Their only loss was a 77-49 shootout with Beaver where QB Alex Smith broke the WPIAL single-game record for yards from scrimmage. Smith was second in the WPIAL in passing this season.
Recent History: Keystone Oaks made the playoffs last year for the first time since 2010, losing to Aliquippa in the first round.
Best Playoff Result: One semifinal appearance, a 24-19 loss to GCC in 2009. Dormont was awarded the 1939 AA Championship based on Gardner Points (no Championship Game). Dormont tied Hurst 14-14 in the 1942 AA Championship Game and tied Glassport 13-13 in the 1943 AA Championship Game (no overtimes). Dormont won the 1945 AA Championship, beating Derry 30-19.
Apollo- Ridge Vikings
Conference Record: 5-2 Overall Record: 7-3
How they got here: Started the season 1-2, including a loss to Deer Lakes, but went 6-1 after Duane Brown returned from his offseason knee injury. Averaged 37 points per game after Brown’s return with their only loss coming to Keystone Oaks. Their Week 8 win over Valley proved to be the deciding game for them to win the head-to-head tiebreaker for second place and make the playoffs.
Recent History: Apollo-Ridge is making their 5th consecutive playoff appearance. They have reached the quarterfinals two straight years before losing a 33-29 thriller to Beaver Falls last year.
Best Playoff Result: Apollo-Ridge has never made it past the quarterfinals. They reached the quarterfinals in 2007 (A), 2013 (A), and 2014 (AA). Apollo lost in the WPIAL Class A Championship Game to Verona in 1962 and Oakmont in 1965.
Beaver Valley Conference
Aliquippa Quips
Conference Record: 5-1 Overall Record: 8-2
How they got here: Won the Beaver Valley Conference Title based on their Week 1 head-to-head victory over Beaver Falls. The Quips loss to Beaver in Week 3 was their first regular season loss to a WPIAL opponent since 2009. Defeated Central Valley 22-14 in Week 8 to secure their playoff spot. It will be interesting to see if the WPIAL penalizes the Quips in the seeding for their non-conference loss to Clairton or if they are placed at the top of the 3A field as the Champions of the best conference.
Recent History: Aliquippa is making their 22nd consecutive playoff appearance, tied with Thomas Jefferson for the longest active streak. The Quips have reached Heinz Field in each of the last 8 seasons and are the defending WPIAL AA Champions. Aliquippa lost 49-14 to Southern Columbia in the PIAA Championship Game last year.
Best Playoff Result: Won the most WPIAL Championships of any school (16). Won WPIAL AAA Championship in 1952, 1955, 1964, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, and 1989. Won WPIAL AA Championship in 1991, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2008, 2011, 2012, and 2015. Won 1991 and 2003 PIAA AA Championships.
Beaver Falls Tigers
Conference Record: 5-1 Overall Record: 8-1
How they got here: Won 8 straight games after their Week 1 loss to Aliquippa. Defeated Beaver 20-15 in Week 9 to secure their playoff spot and knock out Beaver. Have the second-best defense in 3A, averaging 16 points against per game.
Recent History: Beaver Falls is making their 10th consecutive playoff appearance. Last year’s they avenged their 2013 first round loss to Apollo-Ridge by beating the Vikings in the first round but lost to Steel Valley in the Quarterfinals. The Tigers have not been to Heinz Field since 2008.
Best Playoff Result: Awarded the WPIAL AAA Championship in 1928 and 1960 based on Gardner Points (no Championship Game). Won 1984 WPIAL AA Championship over Riverside 14-13.
Central Valley Warriors
Conference Record: 4-2 Overall Record: 7-2
How they got here: After a Week 0 loss to South Fayette, won 6 straight games including a 42-35 win over Beaver where they got a goal-line stop at the end of the game that eventually proved to be the deciding factor in Central Valley making the playoffs and Beaver missing the postseason. Lost their last 2 conference games to Beaver Falls and Aliquippa to fall into a tie for third place with Beaver.
Recent History: Since the merger of Center and Monaca School Districts in 2010, Central Valley has made at least the semifinals every season. They won the 2014 WPIAL Championship and have reached Heinz Field each of the last three seasons.
Best Playoff Result: Won WPIAL Championship in 2010 and 2014. Monaca won the Class A WPIAL Championship in 1975, 1982, and 1985. Lost 33-14 to Archbishop Wood in the 2014 PIAA Championship Game.
Interstate Conference
Derry Trojans
Conference Record: 7-0 Overall Record: 10-0
How they got here: Enter the playoffs as the only undefeated team in 3A. The Trojans had 3A’s top statistical defense, allowing just 12 points per game.
Recent History: Derry has not made the playoffs since 2009, their only postseason appearance in the last 14 years. Derry has not won a playoff game since 1995.
Best Playoff Result: Derry Township was awarded the 1930 WPIAL A Championship based on Gardner Points. Derry lost in the 1945 AA Championship Game to Dormont 30-19.
Mt Pleasant Vikings
Conference Record: 5-2 Overall Record: 7-3
How they got here: Defeated South Park 24-7 in Week 2, which proved to be the deciding game to give the Vikings the second spot in the conference.
Recent History: Mt Pleasant is making their 8th consecutive playoff appearance and 13th in the last 14 years. They lost in the first round last year to Seton-La Salle after a 3-year run of Quarterfinals appearances. The Vikings have not reached a Semifinal since 1996.
Best Playoff Result: Won the WPIAL AAA Championship in 1983 (beating Aliquippa 16-14) and 1986 (beating Kiski 14-13).
South Park Eagles
Conference Record: 5-2 Overall Record: 5-4
How they got here: Defeated Yough in a Week 9 Casket Match 41-14 to finish third in the conference. Edged Valley on Tiebreaker Points (+26 to +18). Rebounded from a 1-4 start to win their last 4 games. Are the lowest-scoring team in the 3A playoffs at 23 points per game.
Recent History: This is their 3rd playoff appearance in the last 4 years. Lost in the first round to Aliquippa in 2013 and in the quarterfinals to South Fayette in 2014.
Best Playoff Result: Won the WPIAL AA Championship in 1997 and 2005. Also won the PIAA AA Championship in both of those seasons. Won the 1955 Class A Championship as Snowden Township High School, before the name of the Township was changed to South Park in 1966.
Classs 2A
Century Conference
Washington Little Prexies
Conference Record: 7-0 Overall Record: 9-0
How they got here: Washington rolled through the Century Conference, averaging 43 points per game and allowing just 7 per game. No team came within 21 points of the Prexies this year.
Recent History: Washington is making their 6th consecutive playoff appearance and 7th in the last 8 years. They were knocked out by Aliquippa in 3 of the last 6 years. The Prexies lost to Freeport in the Quarterfinals last year.
Best Playoff Result: Tied Johnstown 0-0 for the 1917 WPIAL AAA Championship. Won the 1920 and 1926 WPIAL AAA Championship. Declared the 1923 WPIAL AAA Champion. Won the 1993 and 2001 WPIAL AA Championship. Won the 2001 PIAA Championship, defeating Pen Argyl 19-12.
Chartiers-Houston Bucs
Conference Record: 6-1 Overall Record: 7-3
How they got here: The Bucs rode a stout defense that gave up just under 12 points per game in conference play to a second place finish. They have experience in close games as 4 of their 6 conference wins were by fewer than 10 points.
Recent History: Lost in the first round each of the last two years. This is their 5th playoff appearance in the last 7 years. The Bucs have not won a playoff game since 2000, going 0-11 in that span.
Best Playoff Result: Won WPIAL Class A Championship in 1968, 1971, and 1972. Chartiers won the WPIAL Class A Championship in 1945.
Burgettstown Blue Devils
Conference Record: 4-3 Overall Record: 4-5
How they got here: Beat Frazier 27-19 in Week 1 giving them the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Commodores for third place. Earned a home playoff game by beating CWNC on Gardner Points.
Recent History: Burgettstown made the playoffs last season for the first time since 2009. The Blue Devils have not won a WPIAL playoff game since before 1980.
Best Playoff Result: Awarded the 1929 WPIAL Class B (now Single-A) Championship based on Gardner Points (no Championship Game). Won the 1941 WPIAL AA Championship Game 34-7 over Crafton.
Frazier Commodores
Conference Record: 4-3 Overall Record: 5-5
How they got here: Won 4 of their last 5 games after a 2-4 start to the season.
Recent History: Frazier is making their 6th consecutive playoff appearance. Last year, they defeated South Side Beaver and Shenango before falling to Clairton in the semifinals. The Commodores overtime win over South Side Beaver was the first playoff victory by a Tri-County South team since 2010.
Best Playoff Result: Lost the 1983 WPIAL Class A Championship Game to Western Beaver 29-16.
Beth-Center Bulldogs
Conference Record: 3-4 Overall Record: 3-6
How they got here: Defeated Brownsville and Charleroi in Weeks 7 and 8 to secure the last playoff spot in the conference. Have the lowest-scoring offense of any 2A playoff team at just 15 points per game.
Recent History: Beth-Center is making their 13th consecutive playoff appearance. They have not won a playoff game since 2010.
Best Playoff Result: Won the 1975 WPIAL AA Championship, defeating Kittanning 13-0.
Midwestern Conference
Neshannock Lancers
Conference Record: 7-0 Overall Record: 9-1
How they got here: Have the third highest-scoring offense in 2A. Their only loss this season came in non-conference play against 3A Quaker Valley.
Recent History: Neshannock is making their 5th consecutive playoff appearance and lost in the Quarterfinals to Jeannette last year after reaching the semifinals each of the prior 3 seasons.
Best Playoff Result: Neshannock’s semifinal appearances in 2012, 2013 and 2014 are their best playoff runs in school history. They lost to the eventual WPIAL champion in each time (Clairton in 2012 and 2014 and North Catholic in 2013).
Riverside Panthers
Conference Record: 6-1 Overall Record: 7-2
How they got here: Came back from a loss to Neshannock in Week 6 to beat CWNC 28-26 in Week 7 and clinch second place in the conference. The Panthers have the 4th best defense in 2A, allowing just 15 points per game.
Recent History: This is their 2nd playoff appearance in the last 3 years. Defeated Beth-Center in the first round of the Class A playoffs in 2014 and lost to Avonworth in the Quarterfinals.
Best Playoff Result: Reached the WPIAL AA Championship 5 times in a 10-year span between 1984 and 1993. Won the 1985 AA title, defeating Swissvale 21-15.
CWNC Trojans
Conference Record: 4-3 Overall Record: 5-4
How they got here: Won 3 in a row in the middle of the season but lost to Riverside in Week 7 and South Side Beaver in Week 8, which cost them a home playoff game. Defeated Freedom in Week 9 to secure third place.
Recent History: CWNC is making their 5th consecutive playoff appearance and 10th in the last 11 years. The Trojans have reached the semifinals each of the last 4 seasons and won the WPIAL and PIAA Championship in 2013.
Best Playoff Result: Won the WPIAL Class A Championship in 2013, defeating Sto-Rox 14-0. Won the PIAA Class A Championship in 2013, defeating Old Forge 15-14 in overtime.
Laurel Spartans
Conference Record: 4-3 Overall Record: 7-3
How they got here: Finished tied with CWNC at 4-3 but lost to the Trojans in Week 7 which puts the Spartans 4th. Won their last 3 games.
Recent History: This is just the 3rd playoff appearance for the Spartans in the last 9 years, their most recent coming in 2013.
Best Playoff Result: Won the 1980 WPIAL Class A Championship, defeating Clairton 14-12. Lost in the AA Championship game in 1977 and the Class A Championship Game in 1989.
Freedom Bulldogs
Conference Record: 3-4 Overall Record: 3-7
How they got here: Won just 3 games all season, but they were all conference games so they were enough to put the Bulldogs in 5th place. Defeated South Side Beaver 50-12 in Week 6 to secure the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Recent History: This is just the 5th playoff appearance for Freedom since 1980. They last made the playoffs in 2012.
Best Playoff Result: The Bulldogs have only won 2 playoff games in school history, both coming in 2003 when they defeated Shenango and South Park before losing to Aliquippa in the AA Quarterfinals.
South Side Beaver Rams
Conference Record: 3-4 Overall Record: 4-5
How they got here: Earned the 2A Wild Card as the top 6th-place team thanks to a Week 8 win over CWNC.
Recent History: South Side Beaver reached the quarterfinals in 2014, ending a 4-year playoff drought, and lost to Frazier in overtime in the first round last year.
Best Playoff Result: Won 1970 and 1999 WPIAL Class A Championships. Won 1999 PIAA Class A Championship, defeating Southern Columbia 27-21.
Three Rivers Conference
Steel Valley Ironmen
Conference Record: 7-0 Overall Record: 9-0
How they got here: Absolutely dominated everyone they faced. No team came within 30 points of the Ironmen. Highest scoring team in the entire WPIAL, averaging 57 points per game and held opponents under 7 points per game. Pitched 4 shutouts and no 2A team scored more than once in a game against them.
Recent History: Steel Valley is making their 9th playoff appearance in the last 11 years. The Ironmen reached the semifinals last year, losing 27-19 to South Fayette.
Best Playoff Result: Won 1982 WPIAL AAA Championship, 1988 and 1989 WPIAL AA Championships. Lost 17-7 to Hickory in the 1989 PIAA semifinals.
East Allegheny Wildcats
Conference Record: 6-1 Overall Record: 7-3
How they got here: Defeated Brentwood in Week 3 and rode that victory to a second-place finish. Their only losses after Week 0 were to Steel Valley and Neshannock. Won 4 of their last 5 games.
Recent History: East Allegheny is making their first playoff appearance since 2011. They have not won a playoff game since 2000.
Best Playoff Result: Won the 1992 WPIAL AA Championship, defeating Riverside 33-13. Lost in the 1992 PIAA Championship Game to Valley View 21-13.
Brentwood Spartans
Conference Record: 5-2 Overall Record: 7-3
How they got here: Won 6 in a row to put themselves in position to face Steel Valley for the Conference Title in Week 9. Their loss to Steel Valley (and Week 2 loss to East Allegheny) dropped them to 3rd but the Spartans will still get a home playoff game.
Recent History: Brentwood missed the playoffs last year but this is their 12th appearance in the last 15 years. Their last playoff win was in 2012.
Best Playoff Result: Have been to two WPIAL Championship Games. Lost to Farrell 14-8 in the 1976 AA Championship Game and lost to Monaca 21-13 in the 1985 Class A Championship Game.
Avonworth Antelopes
Conference Record: 4-3 Overall Record: 5-4
How they got here: After a 2-4 start to the season where their 2 wins came by a total of 6 points, Avonworth won their last 3 games to solidify their playoff spot. Avonworth has the worst scoring defense of any 2A playoff team, allowing nearly 29 points per game.
Recent History: Avonworth is making their 8th consecutive playoff appearance. They reached the Class A Championship Game in 2014 and have only lost in the first round once in the last 8 years.
Best Playoff Result: Tied Union 13-13 in the 1959 Class A Championship Game (no overtime). Lost to Clairton 46-14 in the 2014 WPIAL Class A Championship.
Serra Catholic Eagles
Conference Record: 3-4 Overall Record: 5-5
How they got here: Won 3 in a row in Weeks 5, 6, and 7 over South Allegheny, Vincentian, and Carlynton to clinch a playoff spot.
Recent History: This is Serra’s first playoff appearance since 2009. The Eagles reached the postseason in 4 straight years from 2006-2009, winning the 2007 WPIAL Class A title.
Best Playoff Result: Won two WPIAL Class A Championships, defeating Clairton 12-0 in 1981 and defeating Springdale 10-6 in 2007. Lost to Steelton-Highspire 34-15 in the 2007 PIAA Class A Championship.
Class 1A
Big Seven Conference
Rochester Rams
Conference Record: 8-0 Overall Record: 9-0
How they got here: Defeated Northgate 30-26 on a last-minute touchdown in Week 5 to solidify their spot at the top of the conference. Followed it up with a victory over OLSH in Week 6 then scored 50+ in each of their last 3 games to roll to the Conference Title.
Recent History: Rochester was one of the dominant programs in Class A in the 1990s and 2000s, reaching 11 Championship Games and winning 7 WPIAL titles between 1990 and 2010. The Rams fell on hard times recently and this is their first playoff appearance since 2012.
Best Playoff Result: Won the WPIAL Class AA title in 1991, 1992, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2004. Tied Westinghouse 0-0 in the 1921 AA Championship Game. Won the PIAA Class A Championship in 1998, 2000, and 2001.
Northgate Flames
Conference Record: 7-1 Overall Record: 8-1
How they got here: Finished second in the conference and will get a home playoff game. Their only loss was on a last-minute touchdown against Rochester in Week 5. Had the 3rd highest scoring offense in 1A at 44 points per game and the 3rd best defense at just 9 points against per game.
Recent History: This is Northgate’s first playoff appearance since 2011 and just their second in the last 13 years.
Best Playoff Result: Reached the Class A semifinals in 1984, losing to Duquesne.
OLSH Chargers
Conference Record: 6-2 Overall Record: 7-2
How they got here: Beat Sto-Rox 27-18 in Week 9 to finish 3rd in the conference and earn a home playoff game. Scored 42+ in their 6 other wins but scored only 18 total points in their 2 losses to Northgate and Rochester.
Recent History/Best Playoff Result: This is the first playoff appearance since OLSH started playing WPIAL football in 2010. Previously, their best result was a 5-4 finish in 2011 where they missed the playoffs by losing a 3-way tie with Northgate and North Catholic for fourth place. Their 7 wins this season are as many as they had in the last 4 years combined.
Sto-Rox Vikings
Conference Record: 5-3 Overall Record: 6-4
How they got here: Won their first 3 games of the season then lost 3 in a row, including back-to-back losses to Rochester and Northgate that knocked Sto-Rox out of contention for the Conference Title. Won 3 in a row before their Week 9 loss to OLSH which dropped the Vikings to 4th.
Recent History: Sto-Rox played in AA the last two years and missed the playoffs. Prior to that, they reached the Championship Game in three straight seasons (losing to Clairton twice and North Catholic once).
Best Playoff Result: McKees Rocks was awarded the 1935 and 1936 AA Championships based on Gardner Points. Stowe won the 1937 AA Championship, defeating Ramsay 13-0. Sto-Rox was awarded the 1966 AA Championship based on Gardner Points and won the 1987 AA Championship.
Shenango Wildcats
Conference Record: 4-4 Overall Record: 4-5
How they got here: Defeated 19-18 Union in a Week 9 Casket Match to finish 5th in the conference. Rebounded from an 0-4 start to the season to win 4 of their last 5 and make the playoffs.
Recent History: Shenango reached the quarterfinals each of the last two seasons, which was their first playoff appearances since 2007 when they played in AA.
Best Playoff Result: Reached the WPIAL Class A semifinals in 1980 and 1987. Lost to Clairton in 1980 and Monaca in 1987.
Eastern Conference
Clairton Bears
Conference Record: 5-0 Overall Record: 8-1
How they got here: Mercy rule’d every team they faced except Jeannette in Week 9 (including Aliquippa in the most-anticipated game of the season). Beat Jeannette 32-13 in the Conference Championship Game. Had the highest-scoring offense in 1A, averaging 53 points per game.
Recent History: Clairton is making their 11th consecutive playoff appearance. They have won 8 of the last 10 Class A Championships. The Bears are the two-time defending WPIAL Champions and have not lost to a WPIAL opponent since 2013. They lost to Berlin-Brothersvalley in the PIAA Quarterfinals last year.
Best Playoff Result: Awarded the 1929, 1931, and 1954 WPIAL AAA Championship based on Gardner Points (no Championship Game). Won the WPIAL Class A Championship in 1989, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2015. Won PIAA Class A Championship in 2009, 2012, 2011, and 2012.
Jeannette Jayhawks
Conference Record: 6-1 Overall Record: 9-1
How they got here: Lost to Clairton in Week 9 to finish second in the conference. Before Clairton scored 32 points against them, Jeannette had allowed just 24 points all season (and just 3 to conference opponents). Pitched 6 consecutive shutouts from Week 3 to Week 8.
Recent History: Jeannette lost to Clairton in the WPIAL Championship last season. The Jayhawks have only missed the playoffs twice since 1994 (most recently in 2013). They played in AA until 2014 when they moved down to Class A.
Best Playoff Result: Tied McKeesport and New Castle for the 1932 AAA title on Gardner Points (no Championship game). Won the 1939 and 1956 WPIAL AAA Championship. Won the WPIAL AA Championship in 1971, 1981, 1983, 2006, and 2007. Won PIAA AA Championship in 2007, defeating Dunmore 49-21.
Bishop Canevin Crusaders
Conference Record: 5-2 Overall Record: 7-2
How they got here: Bishop Canevin lost to Clairton (by 50) and Jeannette (by 40) but scored 30+ in their other 7 games. It will be interesting to see where the WPIAL seeds the Crusaders after they defeated Tri-County South Conference Champion Carmichaels 44-13 in Week 9.
Recent History: Bishop Canevin made the playoffs last year, losing in the quarterfinals to CWNC. The Crusaders have reached the postseason in 12 out of the last 17 years.
Best Playoff Result: Won the 1990 WPIAL AA Championship, defeating Washington 21-20. Lost in the 1990 PIAA AA Championship Game to Hanover Area 20-19 in overtime.
Imani Christian Saints
Conference Record: 3-4 Overall Record: 4-5
How they got here: Lost 4 in a row in the middle of the season but beat Springdale and Leechburg in Weeks 8 and 9 to reach the playoffs. Their head-to-head win over Springdale put Imani in 4th place.
Recent History: Imani Christian joined the WPIAL in 2012 and was competitive in the Black Hills Conference, finishing in a 3-way tie for 3rd (but were inelligible for the playoffs). In 2013 they were unable to field a team and had to forfeit all of their games. They were not part of the WPIAL the last two seasons but returned in 2016 and are now playoff-eligible.
Best Playoff Result: This is Imani Christian’s first WPIAL playoff appearance.
Springdale Dynamos
Conference Record: 3-4 Overall Record: 5-5
How they got here: The Dynamos beat GCC 34-13 in a Week 9 Casket Match to secure 5th place and earn a playoff berth.
Recent History: Springdale is making their 3rd consecutive playoff appearance and has reached the postseason in 14 of the last 15 years.
Best Playoff Result: Tied Glassport for the 1932 WPIAL Class A title (no Championship game). Won the WPIAL AA Championship in 1946 and 1973. Won the WPIAL Class A Championship in 2003. Lost to Bishop Carroll 28-20 in the PIAA Class A semifinals in 2003.
Riverview Raiders
Conference Record: 2-5 Overall Record: 3-6
How they got here: Won the 1A Wild Card on Gardner Points over West Greene. Their wins over GCC and Avella in Weeks 6 and 7 proved to be the deciding games in the Raiders earning the Wild Card. Finished 6th in the conference based on the head-to-head win over GCC.
Recent History: This is Riverview’s first playoff appearance since 2007. The Raiders have not won a playoff game since 2001.
Best Playoff Result: Reached the WPIAL Championship Game 3 times between 1994 and 1997, winning the Class A title in 1997 by defeating Fort Cherry 19-14. Lost in the PIAA semi-finals to Sharpsville in 1997.
Tri-County South Conference
Carmichaels Mighty Mikes
Conference Record: 7-0 Overall Record: 7-2
How they got here: Carmichaels won the Conference Title by defeating Fort Cherry 16-7 in Week 8 to finish conference play undefeated. It will be interesting to see where the WPIAL seeds the Mighty Mikes as they lost to both OLSH and Bishop Canevin, who finished 3rd in their respective conferences.
Recent History: Carmichaels lost in the first round last year and will be making their 17th appearance in the last 19 years. Only once in that time did they make it out of the first round, a 2002 run to the semifinals.
Best Playoff Result: Won the WPIAL Class A Championship in 1952, defeating Wilmerding 12-6. Tied 0-0 with Rostraver in the 1962 WPIAL AA Championship (no overtime).
Fort Cherry Rangers
Conference Record: 6-1 Overall Record: 8-1
How they got here: Started the season 7-0 before losing to Carmichaels in Week 8 with the Conference Title on the line. Scored 30+ in 7 games and did not allow any team to score more than 20.
Recent History: This is Fort Cherry’s second playoff appearance in the last 5 years. The last two times they reached the playoffs (2011 and 2013) they made the quarterfinals.
Best Playoff Result: Reached the Class A Championship Game in 1997 and 2001, losing to Riverview and Rochester.
California Trojans
Conference Record: 5-2 Overall Record: 6-4
How they got here: Finished 3rd in the conference but did not get a home playoff game based on Wild Card records. Lost to Imani in cross-conference play.
Recent History: California is making their first playoff appearance since 2011. Prior to that, the Trojans had made the playoffs in 12 of 13 years but only won two games.
Best Playoff Result: Won the 1949 AA Championship, defeating Dormont 38-6. Lost the AA Championship Game in 1965 and the Class A Championship Game in 1986.
Mapletown Maples
Conference Record: 4-3 Overall Record: 5-5
How they got here: Won 3 of their first 4 games but lost 4 of their last 6. Secured 4th place in the conference with their win over Jefferson-Morgan in Week 6.
Recent History: Mapletown is making their second playoff appearance in the last 3 years, but just their 7th since 1980.
Best Playoff Result: Mapletown has not won a playoff game in their 6 playoff appearances since 1980. In 1983 and 1988, only 8 teams made the playoffs so their losses came in the quarterfinals.
Avella Eagles
Conference Record: 2-5 Overall Record: 2-8
How they got here: Avella’s 2 wins proved to be enough for them to finish 5th in the TCS. Their Week 2 victory over West Greene gave them the head-to-head tiebreaker. Allowed 36 points per game, the most of any 1A playoff team.
Recent History: Avella made the playoffs in 2013 for the first time since 1976. This is now their 3rd appearance in the last 4 years.
Best Playoff Result: In 1941, Avella and Millvale tied for the Class A Championship but did not play a game to determine the champion. Avella tied Montour 7-7 in the 1957 Class A Championship Game (no overtime) and defeated Washington Twp 13-0 to win the 1961 Championship.
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