WPIAL Class 6A preview: A decade in, 6-class system produces little big-school drama

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, August 17, 2025 | 7:01 AM

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Welcome to the 10th season of Class 6A football in the WPIAL and PIAA.

The decision for the state to expand from four to six classes in football, boys and girls basketball and baseball and softball prior to the start of the 2016-17 school year was driven by bigger schools out east, especially in District 1 (suburban Philadelphia) and District 3 (Harrisburg and central part of the state).

Class 6A football in the WPIAL went from 14 teams in the first two-year cycle to the current seven teams, which is up from the low of five teams for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Since the district started taking only four teams to the 6A playoffs in 2020 (five went in 2021), only five teams have qualified for the WPIAL postseason in the highest classification.

Central Catholic, Mt. Lebanon and North Allegheny have qualified all five years, and Canon-McMillan and Seneca Valley have made the playoffs three times.

Every 6A playoff game has been a rematch of a regular-season meeting since 2018.

Wash, rinse and repeat.

Some Class 6A head coaches were asked if there is a way to spice things up in what has become a predictable classification.

• “I really don’t concern myself much with the format. It is what it is,” Central Catholic coach Ryan Lehmeier said. “I think there’s always ways to be proactive and self-reflect year to year and see how we can make things better, but the current format is what we have and that’s what we’re going to prepare to play for.”

• “Honestly, I don’t really see any other way to do it right now,” Hempfield coach Nick Keefer said. “Making the playoffs should be both an honor and a challenge. With only seven teams in 6A, the WPIAL’s hands are pretty much tied when it comes to format. I don’t think the answer is to make it easier to qualify. For those of us who haven’t broken through yet, it just has to serve as motivation to keep improving so we can compete at the level required to earn a playoff spot.”

• “I don’t think there needs to be anything to happen to improve or fix 6A football,” Norwin coach Mike Brown said. “I know we here at Norwin football look at that stat and recognize we need to improve and become one of those teams. That means we need to work harder as a program and compete with schools that are on the same playing field. We are not going to wait for something to change; we need to simply work harder and win important conference games in the latter half of the season.”

• “I don’t think it’s broken,” Canon-McMillan interim coach Brian DeLallo said. “I wish there were more 6A teams on the western side of the state, but it is what it is. If anything, it simplifies the mission. You want to win a WPIAL title? Find a way to get your program on a level that these other perennial powers are on. I look at the stronghold North Allegheny and Central Catholic have on the WPIAL 6A title and see it as a challenge. We aspire to have that kind of consistent excellence at Canon-Mac.”

Some coaches were a little more vocal about the decade-long issues facing Class 6A football.

• “What the WPIAL was dealt with six classes ruined big-school football,” Mt. Lebanon coach Greg Perry said. “We have lost what Fridays were in the fall. Kids from Mt Lebanon grew up playing Bethel Park, Baldwin, South Fayette, Peters Township, Upper St. Clair and Canon- McMillan. Last season, we went to Penn-Trafford and Penn Hills for nonconference games and Hempfield for a 6A game. What parent from either school would allow their kids to drive that distance or the general fan to go to the game? Lebo vs. the South Hills schools, the crowds were great and it allowed schools to make money. Now, there is not really an alternative way.”

• “Since the PIAA moved to six classifications, the football programs in that classification have been cheated out of the opportunity to compete in the same fashion as all of the other classifications,” former Seneca Valley coach Ron Butschle said. “Playing the same teams during the regular season and then again in the playoffs robbed our kids of the excitement that we used to have when there were four classifications and multiple sections. Preparing for and playing a team that was new was great for the kids and the staff. I would have loved nothing more than going back to four classifications.

“I know that will not happen because of the number of 6A schools in the east. Changing the numbers so that some of the bigger 5A schools would move up would be my answer. I think if there were 16 teams with two sections of eight teams, the top four from each section would be deserving of being in the playoffs and you would have the excitement of possibly playing a team that you had not played that year.”

While Hempfield and Norwin look to break through to earn a playoff berth this fall, they along with Mt. Lebanon, Canon-McMillan and Seneca Valley hope to chip into the gap between them and the big two.

Defending champion Central Catholic and 2023 winner North Allegheny have combined to win five of the last six Class 6A district titles and six of the nine overall 6A championships.

Realignment numbers will be announced by the PIAA later this year and at some point during the offseason, the district will unveil the new conferences in each class.

Will 6A have another growth spurt that may help shake up both the regular season and the playoffs?

One is needed, but until then, expect more wash, rinse and repeat.

Class 6A

Preseason rankings

1. Central Catholic (12-3)

It had been a three-year dry spell, but the Vikings added their ninth WPIAL football championship last fall by dethroning two-time champion North Allegheny. Central Catholic graduated its leading passer (Jy’Aire Walls) and leading rusher (Elijah Faulkner) but will turn to sophomore quarterback Owen Herrick, who already has an offer from Syracuse despite sitting out last season. Following an all-conference season at defensive back, sophomore Chrys Black is set to take over at running back for the Vikings. Central Catholic returns 13 starters.

2. North Allegheny (10-2)

3. Mt. Lebanon (3-8)

4. Canon-McMillan (3-7)

5. Hempfield (4-6)

The stars

Ashton Blatt

Central Catholic, Sr., DE

The 6-foot 4, 230-pound senior edge rusher was a second-team all-conference defensive end last season, leading the Vikings with seven sacks, 13 tackles for a loss and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Blatt is a University of North Carolina commit.

Lincoln Hoke

North Allegheny, Sr., OL/DL

Hoke, a 6-foot-2, 260-pound Pitt recruit, was an all-conference player last fall at defensive tackle for a second straight season and a member of the all-state first team. Hoke is following in the footsteps of brothers Cade (2019 graduate of North Allegheny) and Nathan (2021 NA grad) as well as his father, former Steelers defensive lineman Chris Hoke.

Patrick Smith

Mt. Lebanon, Sr., QB/LB

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound quarterback and linebacker connected on 132 of 227 passes for 1,610 yards and 12 touchdowns, led the Blue Devils in rushing with 173 carries for 1,091 yards and led the team in scoring with 15 touchdowns. Smith is a Penn commit.

Colsen Gatten

Central Catholic, Sr., LB

The 6-foot-1, 220-pound Duke recruit was a first-team all-conference linebacker a year ago when he had 51 tackles and three interceptions. He was ranked the 25th-best player in Pennsylvania by 247sports.com. He is the son of Aaron Gatten, who is a WPIAL Hall of Famer after starring at Washington and Penn State.

T.J. Sabatucci

Canon-McMillan, Sr., TE/DE

Sabatucci, a Buffalo recruit, is physical with deceptive speed. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound tight end, H-back and edge rusher caught 17 passes for 226 yards, an average of 13.3 yards per reception, with three touchdowns as a first-team all-conference pick last season. Big Macs interim head coach Brian DeLallo calls him “the hardest working and best player on the team.”

Don’t miss

9.19: Mt. Lebanon at Canon-McMillan

This should be another key game between the South Hills representatives in Class 6A who are both expected to be in the postseason hunt. In the 2024 meeting, senior kicker Zach Barzd booted three field goals, including a 32-yard game winner in overtime, as Canon-McMillan edged host Mt. Lebanon, 17-14. Instead of the big win propelling the Big Macs and damaging the Blue Devils, Canon-McMillan lost four of its final five games afterward to miss the playoffs while Mt. Lebanon went 3-2 following the loss to finish tied for third place in 6A.

9.26: Central Catholic at North Allegheny

This rematch of the 2022, 2023 and 2024 WPIAL 6A championship games could once again decide the 2025 regular season title and could be a preview of a fourth straight golden showdown in November. The Tigers beat the Vikings in the 2022 and 2023 finals while Central Catholic dethroned North Allegheny to claim the district crown last postseason. In the 2024 regular season meeting in Week 5, Elijah Faulkner rushed for 127 yards as the Vikings came back to defeat the Tigers, 27-14.

10.3: Hempfield at Norwin

The Westmoreland County rivals returned to Class 6A football last fall with mixed reviews. Norwin won its first two games before dropping its final seven contests. Hempfield lost its first two games then finished 4-4 overall, one game out of a playoff spot. When these two met in Week 6, the Spartans edged the Knights behind 143 yards passing and a touchdown and 103 yards rushing and a score from quarterback Dominic Detruf to win, 34-28.

10.24: Seneca Valley at North Allegheny

This battle of northern rivals will wrap up the first regular season for new Seneca Valley coach Don Barclay. The new coach will be trying to do something he did not do when he was a Raiders player: beat North Allegheny. From 2003-2006, the Tigers won all four games, three of which were competitive. Last season in Week 9, Seneca Valley needed a win to stay alive for the postseason but lost at home to NA behind two touchdowns from Brady Brinkley, 38-0. It was 60 years ago that these two teams played to a 13-13 tie in 1965. Then 25 years later, the two ended up tied again, 13-13 in 1990.

Tags: Canon-McMillan, Central Catholic, Hempfield, Mt. lebanon, North Allegheny, Norwin, Seneca Valley