East Xtra: Here are major changes affecting area schools
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Teams from the Post-Gazette's East Xtra coverage area will have to adjust to new rivalries and develop a greater appreciation for the GPS in their vehicles since the WPIAL approved a realignment that reduces the number of conferences in Class AAAA and Class AAA from four conferences to three.
Sixteen teams will continue to participate in the WPIAL playoffs from each of the organization's four classifications. In Class AA and Class A, the format will remain the same with four teams qualifying for the playoffs from each of the four conferences.
Things will be different in Class AAAA and Class AAA with the top five teams qualifying for the playoffs from each conference along with a wild card that will maintain the 16-team postseason tournament.
Here's a breakdown for each classification as to where teams from the East Xtra area played in 2011 and where they will play in 2012:
Central Catholic: Old conference was Big East Conference. New conference is yet to-be-named Section 1. Vikings will be in a grouping with Butler Area, Fox Chapel Area, North Allegheny, North Hills, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley and Shaler Area.
Penn Hills, Plum and Woodland Hills: Old conference was Big East Conference. New conference is yet to-be-named Section 2. Six of the teams are from the Southern end of Allegheny County and Washington County.
The Foothills Conference remains largely intact with two additions. Joining Connellsville, Gateway, McKeesport Area, Penn-Trafford, Greater Latrobe, Hempfield Area and Norwin will be Kiski Area and Altoona from the Big East Conference.
Albert Gallatin, Uniontown, Laurel Highlands and Ringgold will join most of the teams that formerly competed in the Big Eight Conference. Teams in the new grouping with the four new teams will include Belle Vernon Area, Elizabeth Forward, Thomas Jefferson, Trinity and West Mifflin. South Park dropped to Class AA.
Section 3 will feature some teams that formerly played in the Greater Allegheny and Keystone conferences. Former members of the Greater Allegheny Conference include Knoch, Mars Area, Indiana, Highlands and Hampton. Former Keystone Conference teams in the new grouping will include Greensburg Salem, Derry Area, Franklin Regional and Hollidaysburg.
Both Kittanning and Valley have dropped from Class AAA and the Greater Allegheny Conference and have joined the Allegheny Conference, a grouping that now has nine members. Former members Apollo Ridge and West Shamokin have dropped to Class A.
Both Greensburg Central Catholic and Jeannette have Class A enrollments, but they have decided to remain as Class AA schools, competing in the Interstate Conference.
Apollo-Ridge and West Shamokin dropped from Class AA and have joined the Class A Eastern Conference.
Three of the conferences will feature nine teams. The Black Hills, which includes defending WPIAL Class A and PIAA state champion Clairton, will have 10 teams. Imani Christian is the newest member of the league but is on WPIAL and PIAA probation and will not be eligible for the WPIAL playoffs.
By Joe Koch
First Published January 26, 2012 12:00 am
