WPIAL FOOTBALL REALIGHNMENT

WPIAL FOOTBALL REALIGNMENT: 2010 & 2011
1/21/2010 - Don Rebel
Say hello to a couple of neighbors from the east and one from the north as the WPIAL officially rolled out the red carpet for three new 'football only' members in Altoona, Hollidaysburg and Erie McDowell. That was one of the highlights from Tuesday afternoon as the WPIAL Board of Control unanimously passed the new football alignment that will be used for the 2010 and 2011 high school football seasons.

Erie McDowell from District 10 and Altoona from District 6 will play a WPIAL Class AAAA football schedule while Hollidaysburg from District 6 will play a Class AAA schedule. Unlike the last four years for McDowell when they played a WPIAL schedule but were not eligible for the WPIAL playoffs, the Trojans, Mountain Lions and Golden Tigers are all eligible for the journey on the Highway to Heinz in 2010 and 2011.

Another new school in Class AAA will be Central Valley. The new school begins play in the fall of 2010 upon the closing of both Center High School and Monaca High School in six months.

There also will be a new face on the Class A landscape as Our Lady of Sacred Heart will field a football team starting in 2010.

As is the case in each sport, WPIAL executive director Tim O'Malley said the football steering committee had a tough time keeping first a geographical balance with an eye on also keeping a competitive balance.

Two schools, Southmoreland and Yough dropped from Class AAA to Class AA while four schools moved up from AA to AAA. They are McGuffey, South Park, Kittanning and Valley.

Three schools: Bishop Canevin, Cornell and Sto-Rox dropped from Class AA to Class A while Burgettstown and Laurel will move up from A to AA.

The WPIAL will release the 2010 football schedules on Thursday, January 28th.

Here is the new alignment with the changes noted.

CLASS AAAA: 27 TEAMS - TOP 4 TEAMS IN EACH CONFERENCE QUALIFY FOR PLAYOFFS:

NORTHERN SEVEN CONFERENCE - 7 TEAMS:

Butler Golden Tornado

Erie McDowell Trojans (in from District 10)

North Allegheny Tigers

North Hills Indians

Pine-Richland Rams

Seneca Valley Raiders

Shaler Titans

FOOTHILLS CONFERENCE - 7 TEAMS:

Connellsville Falcons

Gateway Gators

Hempfield Spartans

Latrobe Wildcats

McKeesport Tigers

Norwin Knights

Penn-Trafford Warriors

BIG EAST CONFERENCE - 7 TEAMS:

Altoona Mountain Lions (in from District 6)

Fox Chapel Foxes

Kiski Area Cavaliers

Plum Mustangs

Penn Hills Indians

Pittsburgh Central Catholic Vikings

Woodland Hills Wolverines

GREAT SOUTHERN CONFERENCE - 6 TEAMS:

Baldwin Highlanders

Bethel Park Black Hawks

Canon-McMillan Big Macs

Mount Lebanon Blue Devils

Peters Township Indians

Upper St. Clair Panthers


CLASS AAA: 31 TEAMS - TOP 4 TEAMS IN EACH CONFERENCE QUALIFY FOR PLAYOFFS:

BIG EIGHT CONFERENCE - 8 TEAMS:

Belle Vernon Leopards

Chartiers Valley Colts

Elizabeth Forward Warriors

McGuffey Highlanders (up from Class AA Interstate)

South Park Eagles (up from Class AA Century)

Thomas Jefferson Jaguars

Trinity Hillers

West Mifflin Titans

KEYSTONE CONFERENCE - 8 TEAMS:

Albert Gallatin Colonials

Derry Trojans

Franklin Regional Panthers (over from AAA Greater Allegheny)

Greensburg-Salem Golden Lions

Hollidaysburg Golden Tigers (in from District 6)

Laurel Highlands Mustangs

Ringgold Rams (over from AAA Big Seven)

Uniontown Red Raiders

PARKWAY CONFERENCE - 8 TEAMS:

Ambridge Bridgers

Blackhawk Cougars

Central Valley Warriors (new school)

Hopewell Vikings

Montour Spartans

Moon Tigers

New Castle Red Hurricanes

West Allegheny Indians

GREATER ALLEGHENY CONFERENCE - 7 TEAMS:

Hampton Talbots

Highlands Golden Rams

Indiana Little Indians

Kittanning Wildcats (up from AA Allegheny)

Knoch Knights

Mars Planets

Valley Vikings (up from AA Allegheny)


CLASS AA: 34 TEAMS - TOP 4 TEAMS IN EACH CONFERENCE QUALIFY FOR PLAYOFFS:

CENTURY CONFERENCE - 8 TEAMS:

Burgettstown Blue Devils (up from A Black Hills)

Keystone Oaks Golden Eagles

Quaker Valley Quakers

Seton-LaSalle Rebels

South Allegheny Gladiators (over from AA Interstate)

South Fayette Lions

Steel Valley Ironmen

Washington Little Prexies (over from AA Interstate)

ALLEGHENY CONFERENCE - 8 TEAMS:

Apollo-Ridge Vikings

Burrell Buccaneers

Deer Lakes Lancers

Ford City Sabers

Freeport Yellowjackets

Shady Side Academy Indians

Summit Academy Knights

West Shamokin Wolves

MIDWESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE - 9 TEAMS:

Aliquippa Quips

Beaver Bobcats

Beaver Falls Tigers

Ellwood City Wolverines

Freedom Bulldogs

Laurel Spartans (up from A Big 7)

Mohawk Warriors

New Brighton Lions

Riverside Panthers

INTERSTATE CONFERENCE - 9 TEAMS:

Brownsville Falcons

Charleroi Cougars

East Allegheny Wildcats

Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions

Jeannette Jayhawks

Mount Pleasant Vikings

Southmoreland Soctties (down from AAA Keystone)

Waynesburg Raiders

Yough Cougars (down from AAA Keystone)


CLASS A: 34 TEAMS - TOP 4 TEAMS IN EACH CONFERENCE QUALIFY FOR PLAYOFFS:

EASTERN CONFERENCE - 9 TEAMS:

Avonworth Antelopes

Bishop Canevin Crusaders (down from AA Century)

Leechburg Blue Devils

North Catholic Trojans

Northgate Flames (down from AA Century)

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Chargers (first year team)

Riverview Raiders

Springdale Dynamos

Wilkinsburg Tigers

BLACK HILLS CONFERENCE - 8 TEAMS:

Avella Eagles

Bentworth Bearcats

Brentwood Spartans (over from A Eatsern)

Carlynton Cougars (over from A Eastern)

Chartiers-Houston Buccaneers

Clairton Bears

Fort Cherry Rangers

Serra Catholic Eagles

BIG 7 CONFERENCE - 8 TEAMS:

Cornell Raiders (down from AA Century)

Neshannock Lancers

Rochester Rams

Shenango Wildcats

South Side Beaver Rams

Sto-Rox Vikings (down from AA Century)

Union Scotties

Western Beaver Golden Beavers

TRI-COUNTY SOUTH CONFERENCE - 9 TEAMS:

Beth-Center Bulldogs

California Trojans

Carmichaels Mighty Mikes

Frazier Commodores (over from A Black Hills)

Geibel Gators

Jefferson-Morgan Rockets

Mapletown Maples

Monessen Greyhounds

West Greene Pioneers