WPIAL survey asks: Should every football team make the playoffs?

By: Chris Harlan
Friday, November 22, 2019 | 4:17 PM

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Would you be interested in every WPIAL football team making the playoffs?

That’s one of nine questions the WPIAL asked member schools in a survey that will shape schedules, conferences and playoff formats for the 2020 and 2021 football seasons.

Today was the deadline to respond.

The WPIAL would need to greatly expand its current playoffs to allow every team into the postseason. This year, 62 of 119 WPIAL teams qualified.

The survey also explored the idea of returning the WPIAL to something similar to a four classification format rather than the current six, asking whether schools would be willing to play opponents from a higher or lower classification. If so, the PIAA could continue to use six classifications, but the WPIAL would have four evenly divided “divisions.”

Additionally, the WPIAL has considered taking a regional approach to choosing conferences in the upcoming realignment, grouping schools more by geography rather than enrollment. A single conference could have teams from one or more PIAA classification.

Realignment takes place every two years. That process starts in December once the PIAA releases updated enrollment numbers.

Two survey questions also asked whether the WPIAL should change its scheduling process. Currently, the WPIAL gives each football team a full nine-game, regular-season schedule beginning in Week 1.

Here are the survey questions:

Are you in favor of keeping with status quo? This includes: 1) WPIAL assigning a 9 game schedule Weeks 1-9; 2) Schools playing section games in the PIAA assigned classification; 3) Schools receiving cross-over games to complete the schedule assigned at random with the possibility of cross-over game being scheduled with various classifications.

Yes

No

Is your school district interested in a more “Regional Approach” even if it meant playing up or down in PIAA assigned classification?

Yes, we are interested in looking at “Regional Schedules”

No, I support status quo

Whether in favor of status quo or if a regionalization approach is attempted, how far UP in classification would you be willing to play?

0 – You do not want to play up at all.

1 – You would be willing to play one classification above your assigned class. (For example: 5A playing a 6A team)

2 – You would be willing to play two classifications above your assigned class. (For example: 2A playing a 4A team)

3 – You would be willing to play three classifications above your assigned class. (For example: 3A playing a 6A team)

4 – You would be willing to play four classifications above your assigned class. (For example: 1A playing a 5A team)

Whether in favor of status quo or if a regionalization approach is attempted, how far DOWN in classification would you be willing to play?

0 – You do not want to play down at all.

1 – You would be willing to play one classification below your assigned class. (For example: 2A playing a 1A team)

2 – You would be willing to play two classifications below your assigned class. (For example: 3A playing a 1A team)

3 – You would be willing to play three classifications below your assigned class. (For example: 4A playing a 1A team)

4 – You would be willing to play four classifications below your assigned class. (For example: 5A playing a 1A team)

Would your school be interested in returning to a “4 Division” approach which would be separated equally by enrollment numbers? This would be like the way it was prior to the increase to 6 classifications?

Yes

No

How would you like to see WPIAL Playoff Brackets (and eventual champions) determined?

4 brackets from a Regional/Divisional Approach

6 brackets from a Regional Approach

6 brackets from the Status Quo Approach

In which week would you like the WPIAL to begin scheduling games? Be aware some of these scenarios may not be possible depending on the number of schools assigned to each classification by the PIAA.

Week 0 (All games will be scheduled by WPIAL)

Week 1 (Status Quo)

Week 2 (Schools would schedule Week 0 and Week 1 on their own)

Week 3 (Schools would schedule Week 0, Week 1 and Week 2 on their own)

Would you be interested in exploring the option of every team making the playoffs?

Yes

No

Would your school be accepting of starting the season (section game) during week 0 if necessary?

Yes

No

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.