Final WPIAL bracketology: Don Rebel, Chris Harlan forecast 2023 football playoff pairings

By: Chris Harlan
Saturday, October 28, 2023 | 3:20 AM

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Let the guesswork begin.

The field is set for the 2023 WPIAL football playoffs with four teams in Class 6A, eight in 5A, 13 in 4A, 12 in 3A, 14 in 2A and 16 in A.

Visit TribLive HSSN at 3 p.m. Saturday to see the official playoff brackets announced. Until then, Don Rebel and Chris Harlan provide their two cents with some WPIAL bracketology.

Class 6A

Chris Harlan’s bracket

No. 4 Mt. Lebanon at No. 1 Central Catholic

No. 3 Canon-McMillan at No. 2 North Allegheny

Harlan says: Canon-McMillan earned the three seed with a win Friday over Mt. Lebanon. Now the big question: Can either of them prevent a Central Catholic vs. North Allegheny rematch of the 2022 WPIAL finals? That’s a tall task.

Don Rebel’s bracket

No. 4 Mt. Lebanon at No. 1 Central Catholic

No. 3 Canon-McMillan at No. 2 North Allegheny

Rebel says: This is very simple with the same four playoff teams from last year going right to the semifinals. Remember, these games are in two weeks, not next week.

Class 5A

Chris Harlan’s bracket

No. 8 Franklin Regional at No. 1 Peters Township

No. 5 Moon at No. 4 Gateway

No. 7 Bethel Park at No. 2 Penn Hills

No. 6 Penn-Trafford at No. 3 Pine-Richland

Harlan says: There aren’t many ways to arrange an eight-team bracket while avoiding conference rematches in the first round. A year after being left out on tiebreakers, Penn Hills enters this year as the No. 2 seed. This bracket would’ve looked far different had Woodland Hills pulled off the upset against them Friday, but the Indians held on.

Don Rebel’s bracket

No. 8 Franklin Regional at No. 1 Peters Township

No. 5 Moon at No. 4 Gateway

No. 7 Bethel Park at No. 2 Penn Hills

No. 6 Penn-Trafford at No. 3 Pine-Richland

Rebel says: There has been a lot of chatter about the broken 5A playoff format with only eight teams qualifying and how a good third-place finisher will miss the boat. But let’s not forget there are only 18 teams in the classification. Should 12 of 18 make it? My answer is no. That being said, Upper St. Clair at 8-2 and Woodland Hills by only two tiebreaker points are heartbroken spectators this November.

Class 4A

Chris Harlan’s bracket

No. 1 Aliquippa – bye

No. 9 Latrobe at No. 8 West Allegheny

No. 13 Chartiers Valley at No. 4 Mars

No. 12 Highlands at No. 5 Central Valley

No. 2 McKeesport – bye

No. 10 Trinity at No. 7 North Catholic

No. 3 Montour – bye

No. 11 Kiski Area at No. 6 Thomas Jefferson

Harlan says: I’ll say the Parkway was the toughest conference this season, so I awarded home games to Aliquippa, Montour, Central Valley and, yes, West Allegheny. Sure, West A finished fourth, but the Indians played tough in losses to Aliquippa (29-22) and Central Valley (29-20). I swapped spots for Thomas Jefferson and Central Valley after the Jaguars lost Friday to McKeesport by 21 points.

Don Rebel’s bracket

No. 1 Aliquippa – bye

No. 9 Trinity at No. 8 North Catholic

No. 13 Chartiers Valley at No. 4 Mars

No. 12 Highlands at No. 5 Thomas Jefferson

No. 2 McKeesport – bye

No. 10 West Allegheny at No. 7 Latrobe

No. 3 Montour – bye

No. 11 Kiski Area at No. 6 Central Valley

Rebel says: Now this classification has some solid depth. When fourth place teams like Trinity and West Allegheny are pulling off major upsets or near eyebrow-raisers, then this bracket will be littered with unpredictability. Parkway runner-up Montour gets the nod over GAC champion Mars after the Spartans beat the Fightin’ Planets in Week Zero.

Class 3A

Chris Harlan’s bracket

No. 1 Belle Vernon – bye

No. 9 Southmoreland at No. 8 Deer Lakes

No. 4 East Allegheny – bye

N0. 12 South Park vs. No. 5 Knoch

No. 2 Avonworth – bye

No. 10 Shady Side Academy at No. 7 Beaver

No. 3 Elizabeth Forward – bye

No. 11 Mt. Pleasant at No. 6 West Mifflin

Harlan says: The first four seeds seem obvious, but there’s a big question at No. 5. It’ll probably come down to Knoch or West Mifflin. East Allegheny won the Allegheny 6 title by defeating Knoch, 14-13, in overtime. Why not seed them equally close?

Don Rebel’s bracket

No. 1 Belle Vernon – bye

No. 9 South Park at No. 8 Southmoreland

No. 4 East Allegheny – bye

No. 12 Shady Side Academy at No. 5 West Mifflin

No. 2 Avonworth – bye

No. 10 Mt. Pleasant at No. 7 Knoch

No. 3 Elizabeth Forward – bye

No. 11 Deer Lakes at No. 6 Beaver

Rebel says: I would be stunned if Elizabeth Forward didn’t join the three conference champions in getting a first-round bye. I have a lot of love in the seeding for the four teams from the Western Hills Conference earning spots in the top nine. An impressive Week 9 win for Southmoreland earns them a home playoff game.

Class 2A

Chris Harlan’s bracket

No. 1 Steel Valley — bye

No. 9 Serra Catholic at No. 8 Beaver Falls/Western Beaver winner

No. 13 Burrell at No. 4 Washington

No. 12 Waynesburg at No. 5 Mohawk

No. 2 Neshannock — bye

No. 10 Beaver Falls/Western Beaver loser at No. 7 Keystone Oaks

No. 14 Ellwood City at No. 3 Imani Christian

No. 11 Derry at No. 6 McGuffey

Harlan says: Defending champion Steel Valley and unbeaten Neshannock seem like locks for the top two spots, but then it gets more interesting. Mohawk, Imani Christian and Washington could come next in any order. I give the edge to Imani, whose only losses were to Steel Valley, 17-6, and to Harrisburg-area power Steelton-Highspire. Century Conference champ Washington is seeded next, followed by two-loss Mohawk. There is one pertinent game still to be played: Western Beaver hosts Beaver Falls at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

Don Rebel’s bracket

No. 1 Steel Valley — bye

No. 9 Beaver Falls/Western Beaver loser at No. 8 Serra Catholic

No. 13 Ellwood City at No. 4 Washington

No. 12 Waynesburg Central at No. 5 Imani Christian

No. 2 Neshannock — bye

No. 10 Keystone Oaks at No. 7 Beaver Falls/Western Beaver winner

No. 14 Burrell at No. 3 Mohawk

No. 11 Derry at No. 6 McGuffey

Rebel says: A lot of guesswork by the committee was taken away with Steel Valley winning the Allegheny Conference title outright, thus the Imani Christian at Serra Catholic “no decision” game didn’t come into play as tri-champions. Midwestern Athletic Conference keeps up the tradition of being extremely competitive up and down with top four teams in the top nine.

Class A

Chris Harlan’s bracket

No. 16 Monessen at No. 1 Fort Cherry

No. 9 West Greene at No. 8 Greensburg Central Catholic

No. 13 Laurel at No. 4 Clairton

No. 12 Rochester at No. 5 Cornell

No. 15 Jefferson-Morgan at No. 2 South Side

No. 10 Jeannette at No. 7 California

No. 14 Leechburg at No. 3 Bishop Canevin

No. 11 Burgettstown at No. 6 Union

Harlan says: Fort Cherry and South Side both are undefeated, but the Black Hills Conference looked stronger this season than the Big 7, earning the Rangers the No. 1 seed. Among the crossover games between those two conference, Cornell defeated Union, 30-14, in Week 2. Hence, the Raiders are seeded one spot ahead of the defending champion Scotties. Only conference champions are guaranteed first-round home games nowadays, so West Greene of the Tri-County South loses out here despite an 8-2 record.

Don Rebel’s bracket

No. 16 Monessen at No. 1 Fort Cherry

No. 9 Jeannette at No. 8 West Greene

No. 13 Burgettstown at No. 4 Clairton

No. 12 Leechburg at No. 5 Union

No. 15 Jefferson-Morgan at No. 2 South Side

No. 10 Cornell at No. 7 Greensburg Central Catholic

No. 14 Laurel at No. 3 Bishop Canevin

No. 11 Rochester at No. 6 California

Rebel says: Last fall, Union proved how good the depth was in Class A by winning gold as the No. 10 seed. That might not happen this season, but you could make a legit argument that six or seven teams have a legit shot to walk away with this year’s crown in the district’s smallest classification.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.