Projecting the WPIAL Playoffs Before Week 9 @NathanGrella @PaBackyard

Tagged under: District 7, News

Nate Grella | October 24, 2021

After Week 8, there were several major shakeups in both the rankings, and in the playoff projections, so let’s get into them!

1A- 15 Teams make the playoffs, 1 team receives a bye

1A is almost all but set as far as the rankings in conference.  The Eastern Conference Top 5 is pretty solid. 1-4 in the TCS is set and Monessen and Avella will play this Friday for the final spot. Cornell and Rochester both won so will stay at 1 and 2 in the Big Seven. OLSH lost to Northgate and is likely to lose in Week 9 so will likely drop down to the final playoff spot. Ft. Cherry holds the tie-breaker over Shenango.

Eastern Conference Projected Final Rankings

1- Clairton

3- Bishop Canevin

4- Greensburg Central Catholic

11- Leechburg

12- Springdale

Tri-County South Projected Final Rankings

6- West Greene

8- Carmichaels

10- California

14- Mapletown

15- Monessen

Big Seven Projected Final Rankings

2- Cornell

5- Rochester

7- Fort Cherry

9- Shenango

13- OLSH

1A Projected First Round Games (Clairton Receives Bye)

Shenango Wildcats @ Carmichaels Mighty Mikes

OLSH Chargers @ Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions

Springdale Dynamos @ Rochester Rams

Monessen Greyhounds @ Cornell Raiders

California Trojans @ Fort Cherry Rangers

Mapletown Maples @ Bishop Canevin Crusaders

Leechburg Blue Devils @ West Greene Pioneers

2A- 16 Teams Taken 3 Teams taken from both the Allegheny and Three Rivers Conference, 4 From the Century, 5 from the Midwestern and the last team taken from either the Allegheny or Three Rivers based on Gardner Points

2A’s final rankings will be decided in Week 9. Serra Catholic and Steel Valley face off to decide the top spot in the Allegheny. A Ligonier Valley win over Shady Side sealed their right to not sweat over Gardner Points. Shady Side should still make it in as the Last Team In. Laurel has wrapped up the Midwestern conference, however, Neshannock, Freedom and Mohawk will all be tied for the third spot after this Friday. Based on Gardner points, Neshannock should end up on top out of the three. The top three in the Century are all but decided, with Washington likely to beat McGuffey this Friday. The final spot may be a complicated choice, but I think Waynesburg beats Beth Center this Friday handily and makes it in on Gardner Points. The Three Rivers is all locked up and South Side and Western Beaver will face off for the second spot this Friday.

Allegheny Projected Final Rankings

2- Serra Catholic

4- Steel Valley

10- Ligonier Valley

Midwestern Projected Final Rankings

3- Laurel

6- Beaver Falls

8- Neshannock

12- Freedom

13- Mohawk

Century Projected Final Rankings

5- Washington

9- Chartiers Houston

11- McGuffey

15- Waynesburg Central

Three Rivers Projected Final Rankings

1- Sto-Rox

7- Western Beaver

14- South Side Beaver

16 Last Team In- Shady Side

2A Projected First Round Games

Shady Side Bulldogs @ Sto-Rox Vikings

Chartiers-Houston Buccaneers @ Neshannock Lancers

Mohawk Warriors @ Steel Valley Ironmen

Freedom Bulldogs @ Washington Prexies

Ligonier Valley Rams @ Western Beaver Beavers

South Side Beaver Rams @ Laurel Spartans

McGuffey Highlanders @ Beaver Falls Tigers

3A- 12 Teams Make the Playoffs, 4 Teams Receive a Bye

Not a lot of change in 3A for most of the conferences. Ambridge beat Quaker Valley in a Win and get in Scenario in the Northwestern Six. The Interstate is pretty much set assuming Southmoreland takes care of business against South Park. Deer Lakes is likely to drop out of the playoffs assuming Burrell takes care of business against Valley this Friday.

Northwestern Six Projected Final Rankings

1- Central Valley

3- Avonworth

5- Keystone Oaks

11- Ambridge

Allegheny Seven Projected Final Rankings

2- North Catholic

7- Freeport

9- East Allegheny

12- Burrell

Interstate Projected Final Rankings

4- Elizabeth Forward

6- Mt. Pleasant

8- Southmoreland

10- South Allegheny

3A Projected First Round Games (Central Valley, North Catholic, Elizabeth Forward, Avonworth Receive Byes)

East Allegheny Wildcats @ Southmoreland Scotties

Burrell Bucs @ Keystone Oaks Golden Eagles

South Allegheny Gladiators @ Freeport Yellow Jackets

Ambridge Bridgers @ Mt. Pleasant Vikings

4A- 13 Teams make the playoffs, Three conference winners receive byes.

McKeesport upset Thomas Jefferson at home in semi-dominant fashion in Week 8, and assuming they defeat a difficult Belle Vernon at the Beach on Friday, they will get the one seed in 4A. If the opposite happens, Belle Vernon will receive the one. Whoever the one seed is I think they try to keep Aliquippa and the team they just beat on the opposite side of the bracket. The Plum news last week has all but kept them out of the playoffs. Expect the GA to go chalk this week and keep the rankings consistent from this Friday. Chartiers Valley and Montour will play a Win and Get In game this Friday. I like the Colts.

Parkway Projected Final Rankings

3- Aliquippa

7- Beaver

9- New Castle

11- Chartiers Valley

Greater Allegheny Projected Final Rankings

5- Hampton

6- Armstrong

8- Highlands

10- Greensburg-Salem

13- Indiana

Big 8 Projected Final Rankings

1- McKeesport

2- Belle Vernon

4- Thomas Jefferson

12- Trinity

4A Projected First Round Games (Belle Vernon, Aliquippa, McKeesport Receive Byes)

New Castle Hurricanes @ Highlands Golden Rams

Indiana Indians @ Thomas Jefferson Jaguars

Laurel Highlands Mustangs @ Hampton Talbots

Greensburg-Salem Golden Lions @ Beaver Bobcats

Chartiers Valley Colts @ Armstrong RiverHawks

5A- 12 Teams Make the Playoffs, 4 Teams Receive a Bye

Hoo boy. Here we go. With Moon’s win over Bethel Park, the Tigers are most likely going to get the Conference Title and the 1 seed. USC and Bethel Park play for the second spot in Week 9. Peters Township is likely to beat South Fayette and get the final spot. The Big East is practically done. The three way tie in the Northeast will be settled with Gardner Points. North Hills could get the Title on Gardner Points after Pine Richlands close loss to Kiski last week. However, I think that Pine Richland gets the benefit of the doubt from the committee and gets the 3 seed with resume wins over Gateway and Upper St. Clair on the resume. Gateway should get the 5 because of beating Penn Hills and Upper St. Clair early in the year. North Hills over Woodland Hills for that reason as well.

Allegheny Six Projected Final Rankings

1- Moon

7- Upper St. Clair

8- Bethel Park

11- Peters Township

Big East Projected Final Rankings

2- Penn Trafford

4- Gateway

9- Woodland Hills

12- Franklin Regional

Northeast Projected Final Rankings

6- North Hills

3- Pine Richland

5- Penn Hills

10- Fox Chapel

5A Projected First Round Games (Moon, Gateway, Penn Trafford, Pine Richland Receive Byes)

Woodland Hills Wolverines @ Bethel Park Blackhawks

Franklin Regional Panthers @ Penn Hills Indians

Peters Township Indians @ North Hills Indians

Fox Chapel Foxes @ Upper St. Clair Panthers

6A- 5 Teams Make Playoffs, Seeds 1-3 receive a bye

Despite Canon Macs shocking loss to Norwin last week, the Big Macs are still heavy favorites for the 5 seed. All they need is a Baldwin loss to Mt. Lebo to clinch. North A and Seneca Valley will face off this Friday for the 3 seed.

Quad County Projected Final Rankings

1- Mt. Lebanon

2- Central Catholic

3- North Allegheny

4- Seneca Valley

5- Canon McMillan Big Macs

6A Projected First Round Games (Mt. Lebanon, Central Catholic, North Allegheny receive a Bye)

Canon McMillan Big Macs @ Seneca Valley Raiders

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