Breaking down changes to the 2022-23 WPIAL field hockey alignment

By: Bill Hartlep
Monday, June 27, 2022 | 12:40 PM

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The WPIAL released new section alignments for the next two-year cycle in all sports, and changes will be implemented starting this fall.

This summer, the Tribune-Review will break down changes for each of the WPIAL sports.

Here’s a look at the upcoming WPIAL field hockey season:

2021 WPIAL championships

Class 3A: Pine-Richland 3, North Allegheny 1

Class 2A: Penn-Trafford 1, Fox Chapel 0

Class A: Shady Side Academy 1, Aquinas Academy 0

Notable changes

• The WPIAL field hockey alignment will look very similar for the upcoming two-year cycle. Class 3A will feature the same seven schools, including Peters Township, which elected to play up a class.

• Class 2A will have five teams this fall after Woodland Hills elected not to field a team.

• Class A also lost a team, as Sewickley Academy dropped out, leaving just four teams in the classification — Aquinas Academy, Ellis School, Shady Side Academy and Winchester Thurston.

• The top four teams in each class will qualify for the WPIAL playoffs. Only section games will count toward determining records for the postseason. The team with the best record against teams in its classification will host the two semifinal games in that class.

• The WPIAL champion in each class will advance to the PIAA tournament.

Trending up/down

• While several area field hockey programs are thriving and numbers are up, others have struggled to gain traction.Greensburg Central Catholic’s program left the WPIAL before the 2020 season. Woodland Hills and Sewickley Academy dropped out this cycle, leaving just 16 teams in the WPIAL.

Key dates

Aug. 15: First practice date

Aug. 20: First scrimmage date

Aug. 26: First play date

Oct. 24: Field hockey playoff pairings

Oct. 27: WPIAL semifinals

Nov. 1: WPIAL championship games

Nov. 19: PIAA championship games

2022-23 alignment

Class 3A: Allderdice*, Hempfield, Mt. Lebanon, North Allegheny, Norwin, Peters Township, Pine-Richland

Class 2A: Fox Chapel, Latrobe, Oakland Catholic, Penn-Trafford, Upper St. Clair

Class A: Aquinas Academy, Ellis School, Shady Side Academy, Winchester Thurston

* Cooperative sponsorship

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.