The Laurel football team has reached the WPIAL Class A semifinals. But if the Spartans are to make another championship run, they will have to do it against bigger schools.

The PIAA has released its new classification guidelines for the next two school years (2010-11 and 2011-12). Classifications are based on school enrollments for students currently in grades 9-11.

In the new classifications, Laurel will be Class AA in football. That is one of the most notable changes involving WPIAL football teams.

In some other changes, McGuffey, South Park and Valley will move up from Class AA to AAA football next season.

Also, Sto-Rox, Aliquippa and Jeannette are all Class A in terms of enrollment. Schools, however, can choose to play "up" in class, but they have to inform the WPIAL of their decision by next month.

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WPIAL school enrollment figures and breakdown by sport

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Some of the more noteworthy changes are in WPIAL boys' basketball. Chartiers Valley, a top Class AAA team, will move up to Class AAAA next season.

Playing in the largest classification is not new for Chartiers Valley because the Colts played AAAA from 2000-06.

"I just hope the WPIAL puts us back in the [AAAA] section with Upper St. Clair, Mt. Lebanon and Bethel Park," Chartiers Valley coach Tim McConnell said. "We developed some great rivalries with those teams. We're fine with this if we're back in that section.

"Where I think playing Quad-A will make the biggest difference will be on the state level. I think Quad-A states will be a lot harder. Those schools out in the Philadelphia area are a lot bigger, and they have a lot more Division I college guys."

Also in boys' basketball next season, South Fayette will move up to Class AAA. South Fayette is expected to have one of the top AA teams this season.

Washington also will move up to Class AAA. The Little Prexies were a PIAA Class AA semifinalist last season.

Central Valley, a new WPIAL school next year, will be in Class AAA in football, and boys' and girls' basketball. Center and Monaca will close after this school year and merge to form Central Valley.

Mike White's "High School Sports Edition" videos are featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.