WPIAL football playoff picture after Week 6

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, October 6, 2019 | 9:36 PM

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The stretch run has commenced as the WPIAL football season heads into the final three weeks of the regular season.

All the games now feel a little bit more important as teams fight for conference championships, home field advantage, playoff positioning and postseason berths.

The TribLive High School Sports Network will keep you updated with each passing week as to who is in and who is still alive.

All the key games over the final three weeks can be heard on Trib HSSN.

In Class 6A, the top six teams make the playoffs, with the top two teams earning a quarterfinals bye.

In Class 5A, the top five teams in each conference make the playoffs, with one sixth-place team earning a wild card berth. The top two teams and two of the three third-place teams will host a first-round playoff game.

In Class 4A and 3A, the top four teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs, with the top two teams earning a quarterfinals home game.

In Class 2A, the top four teams in each conference make the playoffs, with the top two teams hosting first-round playoff games.

In Class A, the top two teams in each conference make the playoffs with two of the third-place teams earning wild card berths. The three conference champions and one second-place team will host quarterfinals games.

Only conference records are shown.

Class 6A

Clinched: North Allegheny (6-0), Central Catholic (4-1), Mt. Lebanon (4-1), Pine-Richland (4-1), Seneca Valley (3-3)

Still alive: Canon-McMillan (1-4), Norwin (1-4), Hempfield (1-5), Butler (0-5)

Conference schedule

Week 7 – Pine-Richland at Mt. Lebanon, Hempfield at North Allegheny, Central Catholic at Butler, Norwin at Canon-McMillan

Week 8 – Pine-Richland at Seneca Valley, Canon-McMillan at Central Catholic, Mt. Lebanon at Norwin, Hempfield at Butler

Week 9 – North Allegheny at Pine-Richland, Central Catholic at Mt. Lebanon, Norwin at Seneca Valley, Butler at Canon-McMillan

The Lowdown

Only one playoff spot is still up for grabs, and the Norwin at Canon-McMillan game on Friday will bring tiebreakers into the picture if the Knights win, or put the Big Macs in a great spot to return to the playoffs.

Class 5A Big East

Clinched: Penn-Trafford (5-0), Gateway (3-1), McKeesport (3-1)

Still alive: Franklin Regional (2-1), Latrobe (1-4), Plum (1-4), Connellsville (0-4)

Conference schedule

Week 7 – Franklin Regional at Connellsville, Plum at Latrobe

Week 8 – McKeesport at Franklin Regional, Connellsville at Gateway

Week 9 – Gateway at McKeesport, Penn-Trafford at Franklin Regional

The Lowdown

Franklin Regional will clinch with a win at Connellsville on Friday. The winner of the Plum at Latrobe game Friday will clinch.

Class 5A Northern

Clinched: Penn Hills (5-0)

Still alive: Mars (3-1), North Hills (3-1), Shaler (2-2), Kiski Area (2-3), Hampton (2-4), Fox Chapel (1-3), Armstrong (0-4)

Conference schedule

Week 7 – Penn Hills at Shaler, Fox Chapel at Mars, North Hills at Armstrong

Week 8 – Kiski Area at Mars, Shaler at North Hills, Armstrong at Fox Chapel

Week 9 – North Hills at Penn Hills, Mars at Hampton, Armstrong at Kiski Area, Shaler at Fox Chapel

The Lowdown

Mars and North Hills can clinch on Friday with a win.

Class 5A Allegheny Eight

Clinched: Bethel Park (4-0)

Still alive: Moon (3-1), Peters Township (3-1), Upper St. Clair (3-1), Baldwin (3-2), West Allegheny (2-4), Chartiers Valley (0-4), Woodland Hills (0-5)

Conference schedule

Week 7 – Bethel Park at Baldwin, Upper St. Clair at Moon, Chartiers Valley at Peters Township

Week 8 – Peters Township at Bethel Park, Moon at Woodland Hills, Upper St. Clair at Chartiers Valley

Week 9 – Bethel Park at Upper St. Clair, Moon at West Allegheny, Peters Township at Baldwin, Woodland Hills at Chartiers Valley

The Lowdown

The big story in this conference besides the success of Moon is the struggles of perennial playoff teams West Allegheny and Woodland Hills. One, if not both, could be home for the playoffs.

Class 5A wild card

Remember, since the Big East Conference has one less team without Albert Gallatin, their nonconference games vs. Allegheny Eight will count as conference games for the wild card only. Plum does not play a game against an Allegheny Eight team, so its game against Hempfield counts as a seventh conference game when it comes to the wild card.

Class 5A third-place home game

The top two teams in each conference plus two third-place finishers will earn a home game in the first round.

Class 4A Northwest Eight

Clinched: None

Still alive: South Fayette (4-0), Blackhawk (4-2), Knoch (4-2), Montour (2-2), New Castle (2-2), Highlands (2-3), Beaver (1-4), Ambridge (0-4)

Conference schedule

Week 7 – South Fayette at Highlands, New Castle at Knoch, Montour at Ambridge

Week 8 – Ambridge at South Fayette, New Castle at Highlands, Beaver at Montour

Week 9 – Montour at South Fayette, Blackhawk at Beaver, Ambridge at New Castle

The Lowdown

South Fayette and Knoch can clinch with wins on Friday.

Class 4A Big Eight

Clinched: Belle Vernon (4-1)

Still alive: Thomas Jefferson (4-0), Greensburg Salem (3-1), West Mifflin (3-1), Trinity (2-4), Laurel Highlands (1-3), Indiana (1-4), Ringgold (0-4)

Conference schedule

Week 7 – Laurel Highlands at Thomas Jefferson, West Mifflin at Belle Vernon, Greensburg Salem at Ringgold

Week 8 – Thomas Jefferson at Greensburg Salem, Ringgold at West Mifflin, Laurel Highlands at Indiana

Week 9 – West Mifflin at Thomas Jefferson, Ringgold at Belle Vernon, Indiana at Greensburg Salem, Trinity at Laurel Highlands

The Lowdown

Thomas Jefferson, Greensburg Salem and West Mifflin can all clinch with wins on Friday.

Class 3A Tri-County West

Clinched: None

Still alive: Aliquippa (4-0), Central Valley (4-0), South Park (3-1), Beaver Falls (3-2), Keystone Oaks (2-3), Hopewell (1-3), Quaker Valley (1-4)

Out: Waynesburg (0-5)

Conference schedule

Week 7 – South Park at Aliquippa, Central Valley at Hopewell, Waynesburg at Beaver Falls

Week 8 – Aliquippa at Keystone Oaks, South Park at Central Valley, Hopewell at Quaker Valley

Week 9 – Central Valley at Aliquippa, Beaver Falls at Hopewell, Quaker Valley at South Park, Waynesburg at Keystone Oaks

The Lowdown

Aliquippa, Central Valley and Beaver Falls can all clinch with a win on Friday.

Class 3A Big East

Clinched: None

Still alive: North Catholic (5-0), Derry (4-1), Elizabeth Forward (3-2), Burrell (3-3), Deer Lakes (3-3), Freeport (3-3), Mt. Pleasant (2-4), Yough (1-4)

Out: Uniontown (0-5)

Conference schedule

Week 7 – North Catholic at Uniontown, Yough at Derry, Mt. Pleasant at Elizabeth Forward, Freeport at Burrell

Week 8 – North Catholic at Yough, Derry at Deer Lakes, Uniontown at Elizabeth Forward, Freeport at Mt. Pleasant

Week 9 – Derry at Burrell, Deer Lakes at North Catholic, Elizabeth Forward at Yough, Mt. Pleasant at Uniontown

The Lowdown

Last year, Derry, Elizabeth Forward and North Catholic were tri-champions. With North Catholic beating both Derry and Elizabeth Forward, it doesn’t look like history will repeat itself.

Class 2A Allegheny

Clinched: Avonworth (4-0), Apollo-Ridge (4-1), Shady Side Academy (3-1)

Still alive: East Allegheny (2-1), Steel Valley (1-3), Summit Academy (0-4), Valley (0-4)

Conference schedule

Week 7 – Avonworth at East Allegheny, Apollo-Ridge at Steel Valley, Valley at Summit Academy

Week 8 – Shady Side Academy at East Allegheny, Steel Valley at Summit Academy

Week 9 – Avonworth at Shady Side Academy, East Allegheny at Valley

The Lowdown

East Allegheny owns the tiebreaker over Steel Valley, and the Wildcats can clinch with a win on Friday.

Class 2A Century

Clinched: McGuffey (5-0), Washington (4-0), Charleroi (4-1), Southmoreland (4-2)

Out: Brownsville (1-3), Carmichaels (1-4), Frazier (0-4), Beth-Center (0-5)

Conference schedule

Week 7 – Charleroi at McGuffey, Beth-Center at Washington, Brownsville at Frazier

Week 8 – Washington at Southmoreland, Brownsville at Charleroi, Frazier at Carmichaels

Week 9 – Washington at McGuffey, Beth-Center at Frazier, Carmichaels at Brownsville

The Lowdown

Playoff teams are set. One head-to-head matchup between four teams that have clinched will help dictate the final order.

Class 2A Midwestern Athletic

Clinched: Freedom (5-0)

Still alive: Neshannock (3-1), New Brighton (3-1), Riverside (3-2), Shenango (3-2), Western Beaver (2-2)

Out: Ellwood City (0-5), Mohawk (0-6)

Conference schedule

Week 7 – Freedom at Neshannock, Ellwood City at Riverside, New Brighton at Western Beaver

Week 8 – Shenango at New Brighton, Western Beaver at Neshannock, Mohawk at Ellwood City

Week 9 – Freedom at Western Beaver, Riverside at New Brighton, Neshannock at Shenango

The Lowdown

A great race with five teams separated by one game fighting for three playoff spots

Class 2A Three Rivers

Clinched: Brentwood (5-0), Burgettstown (5-0)

Still alive: South Side (3-2), South Allegheny (2-2), Carlynton (1-3), Serra Catholic (1-3), Seton LaSalle (1-3)

Out: Fort Cherry (0-5)

Conference schedule

Week 7 – South Allegheny at Serra Catholic, South Side at Seton LaSalle, Carlynton at Brentwood

Week 8 – Brentwood at Burgettstown, Fort Cherry at South Side, South Allegheny at Carlynton, Seton LaSalle at Serra Catholic

Week 9 – Burgettstown at South Allegheny, Serra Catholic at Fort Cherry, Carlynton at Seton LaSalle

The Lowdown

Brentwood at Burgettstown in Week 8 will decide the conference championship. South Side can clinch with a win Friday.

Class A Eastern

Clinched: None

Still alive: Clairton (4-0), Jeannette (3-0), Greensburg Central Catholic (4-1), Springdale (1-2), Leechburg (1-3), Riverview (1-3)

Out: Imani Christian (0-5)

Conference schedule

Week 7 – Jeannette at Greensburg Central Catholic, Springdale at Riverview, Leechburg at Imani Christian

Week 8 – Clairton at Springdale, Riverview at Jeannette

Week 9 – Jeannette at Clairton, Springdale at Leechburg

The Lowdown

Jeannette at GCC on Friday and Jeannette at Clairton in Week 9 will help finalize the final order of the top half of the conference.

Class A Big 7

Clinched: None

Still alive: Sto-Rox (5-0), Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (4-1), Cornell (4-1), Laurel (3-1), Union (3-3),

Out: Bishop Canevin (0-4), Northgate (0-4), Rochester (0-4)

Conference schedule

Week 7 – Bishop Canevin at Sto-Rox, Laurel at Cornell, Rochester at Northgate

Week 8 – Sto-Rox at Laurel, Union at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Northgate at Bishop Canevin

Week 9 – Cornell at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Northgate at Laurel, Bishop Canevin at Rochester

The Lowdown

Sto-Rox can clinch a playoff berth with a win on Friday. At this point, there’s a good chance one of the wild cards comes from the Big 7.

Class A Tri-County South

Clinched: West Greene (6-0)

Still alive: Chartiers-Houston (4-1), California (3-1), Bentworth (2-3), Jefferson-Morgan (2-3), Monessen (2-3)

Out: Avella (0-4), Mapletown (0-4)

Conference schedule

Week 7 – Chartiers-Houston at Avella, Bentworth at California, Mapletown at Monessen

Week 8 – Chartiers-Houston at California, Jefferson-Morgan at West Greene, Mapletown at Avella

Week 9 – Avella at Monessen, California at Mapletown, Jefferson-Morgan at Bentworth

The Lowdown

West Greene is the conference champion and will win it outright with a win in Week 8. Chartiers-Houston at California will likely decide second place and a playoff berth. Bentworth, Jefferson-Morgan and Monessen are alive in name only as it’s highly unlikely a three-loss team will qualify for a wild card.

Class A wild cards

Two third-place teams in Class A will earn a playoff spot via a wild card.

Class A second-place home game

One second-place team in Class A will enjoy a home quarterfinals playoff game.