Projecting the WPIAL Playoffs Before The Pairings Reveal @NathanGrella @PaBackyard

Tagged under: District 7

Nate Grella | October 30, 2021

Well here we are. Tonight, October 30th, the WPIAL will reveal their playoff pairings. We know the results, we know the teams who have qualified, now it’s down to the matchups and seedings. Here is where I think that everyone will end up after the big Dog and Pony Show.

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

There is one casket match remaining on Saturday afternoon between Springdale and Riverview. Assuming that the Dynamos take care of business, they will hold the final spot in the Eastern Conference. After Cornell’s loss to OLSH last night, I think Bishop Canevin takes the 2 seed. Burgettstown beating Fort Cherry will certainly pose a challenge in ranking the bottom tier teams, as the Blue Devils played West Greene earlier in the season, meaning the committee will likely want to slot those two apart. Rochester may feel the biggest consequence of that.

Eastern Conference Final Rankings

1- Clairton

2- Bishop Canevin

5- Leechburg

9- Greensburg Central Catholic

12- Springdale

Tri-County South Final Rankings

6- West Greene

8- Carmichaels

10- California

14- Mapletown

15- Monessen

Big Seven Final Rankings

3- Cornell

7- Rochester

8- OLSH

11- Shenango

12- Burgettstown

1A Projected First Round Games (Clairton Receives Bye)

OLSH Chargers @ Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions

Springdale Dynamos @ West Greene Pioneers

Burgettstown Blue Devils @ Leechburg Blue Devils

Monessen Greyhounds @ Bishop Canevin Crusaders

California Trojans @ Rochester Rams

Mapletown Maples @ Cornell Raiders

Shenango Wildcats @ Carmichaels Mighty Mikes

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

Steel Valley shocked the WPIAL community by taking down Serra Catholic. That win should take the Ironmen up to the second seed in 2A. Look to see if the committee keeps the Eagles ahead or behind unbeaten conference champs Washington and Laurel. Western Beaver and South Side play today for the second ranking in the Three Rivers. If the Rams win, swap their places in the rankings and matchups. The Buccaneers might be sweating out a home playoff game, but with the Lancers losing last night and Mohawk having a less than stellar out-of-conference schedule, the Bucs will probably get it.

Allegheny Final Rankings

2- Steel Valley

5- Serra Catholic

10- Ligonier Valley

Midwestern Final Rankings

3- Laurel

6- Beaver Falls

12- Mohawk

13- Neshannock

15- New Brighton

Century Final Rankings

4- Washington

8- Chartiers Houston

11- McGuffey

16- Beth Center

Three Rivers Final Rankings

1- Sto-Rox

7- Western Beaver

9- South Side Beaver

14 Last Team In- Shady Side

2A Projected First Round Games

Beth Center Bulldogs @ Sto-Rox Vikings

South Side Area Rams @ Chartiers-Houston Buccaneers

Neshannock Lancers @ Washington Prexies

Mohawk Warriors @ Serra Catholic Eagles

New Brighton Golden Lions @ Steel Valley Ironmen

Ligonier Valley Rams @ Western Beaver Beavers

Shady Side Bulldogs @ Laurel Spartans

McGuffey Highlanders @ Beaver Falls Tigers

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

The game that really flipped 3A on it’s head in Week 9 was South Allegheny’s upset of Mt. Pleasant. It will be interesting to see how far the Vikings far after that loss. Also look to see if they try to keep Avonworth and Central Valley on separate sides of the bracket, or if Elizabeth Forward is able to get the 3 seed.

Northwestern Six Final Rankings

1- Central Valley

4- Avonworth

6- Keystone Oaks

12- Ambridge

Allegheny Seven Final Rankings

2- North Catholic

5- Freeport

8- East Allegheny

10- Burrell

Interstate Final Rankings

3- Elizabeth Forward

7- Southmoreland

9- South Allegheny

11- Mt. Pleasant

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

South Allegheny Gladiators @ East Allegheny Wildcats

Ambridge Bridgers @ Freeport Yellow Jackets

Burrell Bucs @ Southmoreland Scotties

Mt. Pleasant Vikings @ Keystone Oaks Golden Eagles

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

Belle Vernon stretched their muscles Friday night and beat McKeesport handily to retain their status as the 1 seed in 4A. The question will rise if the committee will put Hampton in the bye over the Tigers after the big loss. Also to what end will the committee try to separate Thomas Jefferson, McKeesport and Belle Vernon from each other in the bracket? I think they may overload the bottom half of the bracket to keep the Leopards from any Big 8 rematches before the championship game.

Parkway Final Rankings

2- Aliquippa

6- Beaver

9- New Castle

13- Montour

Greater Allegheny Final Rankings

4- Hampton

5- Armstrong

8- Highlands

10- Indiana

11- Plum

Big 8 Final Rankings

1- Belle Vernon

3- McKeesport

7- Thomas Jefferson

12- Laurel Highlands

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

New Castle Hurricanes @ Highlands Golden Rams

Montour Spartans @ Hampton Talbots

Laurel Highlands Mustangs @ Armstrong RiverHawks

Indiana Indians @ Thomas Jefferson Jaguars

Plum Mustangs @ Beaver Bobcats

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

If there’s one thing no one expected with the way 5A has played out this season, it was the expected. Chalk for 5A Friday night meant no change to the rankings or playoff projections. Penn Hills won the Northeast on tiebreaker points, however, I still think Pine Richland gets ranked higher based on win strength. Gateway probably gets the bye over the Indians too, just based on their result from earlier this season.

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

The only change to the 6A bracket was the result of the Seneca Valley and North Allegheny game, which moved up the Raiders into the 3 seed and gave them a first round bye as well. Canon Mac will visit the Tigers for the 6A “Play in Game”

Quad County Projected Final Rankings

1- Mt. Lebanon

2- Central Catholic

3- Seneca Valley

4-North Allegheny Tigers

5- Canon McMillan Big Macs

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

Canon McMillan Big Macs @ North Allegheny Tigers

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