The beginning of this football season was different for WPIAL teams. They started practicing a week earlier than the rest of the state.

But the end of the season will also be different. The reason is a change in the PIAA playoffs.

Ever since the PIAA playoffs started in 1988, the WPIAL champion in all four classifications automatically advanced to the PIAA semifinals. This year, the WPIAL champions will qualify for only the PIAA quarterfinals.

The reason for the PIAA change is the organization wanted to balance the number of teams from each side of the state. So, some districts that traditionally played in the east, will now play through the west, and vice versa.

If the WPIAL did not start the season a week earlier than the rest of the state, the league would have had to change its playoff format, which has 16 teams in each classification.

"We understood the changes that were made [in the PIAA playoffs]," WPIAL president Tim O'Malley said. "The biggest thing we wanted to do was maintain our playoff format."

The four WPIAL championships will be played at Heinz Field Saturday, Nov. 20. The PIAA playoffs start the following weekend.

Here are the PIAA quarterfinal matchups for teams in the western half of the bracket:

Class AAAA -- WPIAL champion vs. the winner of a game between the City League champion and the District 9-10 champion. The winner moves on to play the District 3-6 winner in the semifinals.

Class AAA -- WPIAL champ vs. the winner of the game between the District 4 and 6 winners. In the other quarterfinal, the District 10 champion plays the winner of the game between the City League and District 9 champion.

Class AA -- WPIAL champion vs. the District 5-6 winner. In the other game, the District 10 champion plays the District 9 champion.

Class A -- WPIAL champion vs. the District 5 winner. In the other game, the District 9 champion plays the District 10 winner.

The most significant changes in the PIAA playoffs are in Class AAAA and A. In Class A, District 6 will now play in the eastern half of the bracket. District 6 includes the Altoona area. Bishop Carroll, a PIAA finalist last year, was from District 6 and defeated WPIAL champion Springdale in the semifinals.

In Class AAAA, the WPIAL champion could play a District 3 team in the semifinals. District 3, which includes the Harrisburg and Lancaster areas, played in the eastern bracket in the past.

District 3 usually has some formidable competition. This season, Harrisburg is ranked No. 4 in the Post-Gazette's Class AAAA rankings.

"The quality of competition to get to the PIAA final has certainly gone up," O'Malley said. "But apparently with some of the rankings I've seen, some of our [WPIAL] teams are held in high regard this year."

For the WPIAL Class AAAA playoffs, the top six teams from both the Quad East and Quad North will qualify. The top four teams in the Quad Southwest also will qualify.

In Class AAA and A, the top four teams in each of the four conferences will qualify for the postseason.

Class AA has five conferences. Thus, the top three teams in each conference will qualify, plus one "wild card" team.