Prexies, Lions get No. 1 seeds for playoffs
Trinity, C-H, Monessen in as wild cards
Thirteen local high school football teams will be included when the WPIAL playoffs begin next weekend. Ten of those teams knew they were in before the pairings were released Saturday afternoon. The other three – Trinity, Chartiers-Houston and Monessen – simply went wild. The Hillers, Bucs and Greyhounds received wild-card sports into the postseason field.
Washington (9-1), fresh off a win over Fort Cherry that gave the Prexies the Black Hills Conference title, received the No. 1 seed in the 16-team Class A field. South Fayette (9-1), which clinched the Big Six Conference championship by winning at Ringgold on Friday night, also received a No. 1 seed. The Lions are the top club in the eight-team Class 4A field.
Washington will open its postseason journey Friday night at home against Frazier (5-5), a wild-card qualifier.
South Fayette will host Kiski (3-7), also a wild-card entrant. The Cavaliers received a spot over Ringgold (5-5) because Kiski beat the Rams 21-14 in overtime in September.
All classifications will begin postseason play Friday except for Class 6A, which has only four teams in the postseason field. Canon-McMillan (5-5), won the tiebreaker for second place in the Quad County Conference and is the No. 2 seed in 6A. The Big Macs will play a home game against third-seeded North Allegheny (5-5) on Nov. 13.
In addition to Washington, South Fayette and Canon-McMillan, six other local teams will begin postseason play at home. They are Trinity in Class 5A, Belle Vernon in 3A, McGuffey in 2A and Beth-center, Fort Cherry and California in Class A.
Trinity (5-5) made the playoff field in its first season in 5A. The Hillers received a wild card and were given the No. 8 seed. They will host No. 9 Latrobe (6-4).
Belle Vernon (9-1), which won the Interstate Conference title with an amazing late comeback Friday at Elizabeth Forward, is the No. 4 seed in Class 3A and will host Shady Side Academy (5-5) in the first round.
Waynesburg (8-2) also qualified in Class 3A out of the Interstate. The Raiders will play at Aliquippa (6-3).
McGuffey (7-3), which completed an amazing turnaround this year after entering the season with 20 consecutive losses, clinched a playoff berth Friday by beating Chartiers-Houston. The Highlanders are seeded eighth in Class 2A and will host No. 9 seed Beaver Falls (6-3).
Chartiers-Houston (4-6) is in the field as a wild card and the Bucs will play at Midwestern Conference winner Western Beaver (6-4).
Of the 16 teams in Class A, seven are from the O-R’s coverage area. Fort Cherry (8-2) is the No. 4 seed and will open at home against No. 13 Avella (6-4), which secured an automatic playoff berth Friday by winning big at Frazier. Fort Cherry and Washington are on the same side of the bracket.
California (8-2) won the Tri-County South championship Friday by edging Beth-Center (9-1). Both the Trojans and Bulldogs will play home games Friday. California is the No. 6 seed and will host Northgate (7-3). Beth-Center is the No. 8 seed and will play Burgettstown (8-2).
Monessen (7-3) received a wild card and the No. 10 seed. The Greyhounds will play at No. 7 Jeannette (7-3).