PIAA football playoffs set to kick off this weekend

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, November 15, 2018 | 6:00 PM

While the WPIAL concludes the “Highway to Heinz” on Saturday and continues both the “Route to Norwin” in Class 5A and “The Road to RMU” in Class 2A next week, this weekend begins the official opening of “The Road to Hershey.”

While many district playoffs across the commonwealth continue, Friday and Saturday is the official first round to the 2018 PIAA football playoffs.

Of the six defending champions from 2017, Pine-Richland in 6A, Archbishop Wood in 5A, Cathedral Prep in 4A and Southern Columbia in 2A are all still alive in their hopes of winning more state gold.

For both Archbishop Wood and Cathedral Prep, it would be their third straight PIAA football crown.

Quaker Valley in Class 3A and Jeannette in Class A were eliminated in the WPIAL playoffs and won’t be participating in the PIAA postseason.

Here’s a look at the PIAA first round schedule:

CLASS 6A

WPIAL finals – Seneca Valley vs. Pine-Richland at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Nov 17 at 8 p.m.

District 2 vs. 6 — Delaware Valley vs. State College at Hazleton HS on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 2 p.m.

District 12 finals – Northeast vs. St. Joe’s Prep at Northeast Supersite in Philadelphia on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 6 p.m.

District 11 finals – Bethlehem Freedom vs. Emmaus at Northampton HS on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

District 3 semifinals – Harrisburg 36, Wilson Area 12

District 3 semifinals – Central Dauphin 27, Manheim Township 0

District 1 semifinals – Downingtown West at North Penn on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

District 1 semifinals – Garnet Valley at Coatesville on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

CLASS 5A

WPIAL semifinals – Gateway vs. West Allegheny at West Mifflin HS on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

WPIAL semifinals – Penn Hills vs. Peters Township at Norwin HS on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

District 2 vs. 6 — Hollidaysburg vs. Wallenpaupack at Danville HS on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 1 p.m.

District 12 finals – Simon Gratz vs. Archbishop Wood at Northeast Supersite in Philadelphia on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 1 p.m.

District 1 semifinals – West Chester Rustin at Penn Wood on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

District 1 semifinals – Unionville at Upper Dublin on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

District 3 semifinals – Cedar Cliff at Manheim Central on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

District 3 semifinals – York William Penn at Cocalico on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

CLASS 4A

WPIAL finals – Thomas Jefferson vs. South Fayette at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Nov 17 at 5 p.m.

District 9 vs. 10 — Clearfield vs. Cathedral Prep at Clarion University on Friday, Nov 16 at 7 p.m.

District 3 semifinals – Conrad Weiser at Bishop McDevitt on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

District 3 semifinals – Milton Hershey at Berks Catholic on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

District 2 finals – Dallas at Valley View on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m.

District 12 finals – Imhotep Charter vs. Cardinal O’Hara at Germantown Supersite on Friday, Nov. 16 at 6 p.m.

District 11 finals – Bethlehem Catholic vs. Saucon Valley at Nazareth HS on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m.

District 1 vs. 4 — Pottsgrove vs. Jersey Shore at Northern Lehigh HS on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

CLASS 3A

WPIAL finals – Aliquippa vs. Derry at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 2 p.m.

*Aliquippa vs. Derry winner gets a quarterfinals bye

District 5 vs. 6 — Bedford vs. Bald Eagle at Windber HS on Friday, Nov 16 at 7 p.m.

District 10 finals – Grove City vs. Sharon at Slippery Rock University on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

District 3 finals – Bermudian Springs vs. Middletown at Cedar Crest on Friday, Nov 16 at 7 p.m.

District 11 vs. 12 — North Schuylkill vs. Conwell Egan at Lehighton HS on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

District 2 finals – Lakeland at Scranton Prep on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

District 4 finals – Montoursville at Danville on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

CLASS 2A

WPIAL semifinals – Charleroi vs. South Side at Big Mac Stadium in Canonsburg on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m.

WPIAL semifinals – Steel Valley vs. Freedom at Montour HS on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m.

District 9 finals – Ridgway vs. Brockway at DuBois HS on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

District 10 vs. 5 — Wilmington vs. Chestnut Ridge at Slippery Rock University on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 1 p.m.

District 6 finals – Ligonier Valley vs. Richland at Mansion Park in Altoona on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m.

District 2 vs. 12 — Dunmore vs. West Catholic at Northern Lehigh HS on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 1 p.m.

District 4 finals – Mt. Carmel at Southern Columbia on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

York Catholic 28, Delone Catholic 21 in overtime

CLASS A

WPIAL finals – Our Lady of the Sacred Heart vs. Rochester at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 11 a.m.

*OLSH vs. Rochester winner gets a quarterfinals bye

District 5 vs. 10 — Shade vs. Farrell at Somerset HS on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

District 9 finals – Smethport vs. Coudersport at Bradford HS on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

District 2 vs. 11 — Lackawanna Trail vs. Tri Valley at Scranton HS on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m.

District 3 vs. 4 — Halifax vs. Muncy at West Perry HS on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

District 6 semifinals – United at Northern Cambria on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

District 6 semifinals – Bishop Guilfoyle at Juniata Valley on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m.

Don Rebel is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Don at .