Breaking down the 2022-23, 2023-24 WPIAL rifle alignment

By: Bill Hartlep
Tuesday, July 12, 2022 | 9:01 AM

The WPIAL released new section alignments for the next two-year cycle in all sports, and changes will be implemented starting this fall.

This summer, the Tribune-Review will break down changes for each of the WPIAL sports.

Here’s a look at the upcoming WPIAL rifle season:

2021-22 WPIAL championships

WPIAL team champion: Hempfield, 800-64x

WPIAL individual champion: Riley Dunn, McGuffey, 200-19x

Notable changes

• The WPIAL rifle alignment stayed the same for the league’s four sections, with 16 total teams set to compete again this winter.

Each section has four teams.

• Each team will shoot against section opponents twice and will have at least eight scheduled nonsection matches.

• The top two teams in each section qualify for the WPIAL team championships.

• The top 16 individual shooters at the WPIAL championships will advance to a state championship competition.

Past champions

• Hempfield has won four of the past five WPIAL team rifle championships.

Butler (2020) and Trinity (2017) also are recent winners. Woodland Hills won titles in 2012, ’14, ’15 and ’16. Hempfield won the 2013 title.

The Spartans have won six total titles.

• Munhall holds the WPIAL record with 23 team titles. Trinity (18), Mt. Lebanon (7), Bethel Park (6), Woodland Hills (6) and Churchill (5) also have won at least 5.

Key dates

Nov. 18: First practice date

Nov. 25: First scrimmage date

Dec. 2: First play date

Feb. 7: WPIAL team championships

Feb. 9: WPIAL individual championships

2022-23, 2023-24 alignment

Section 1: McGuffey, Upper St. Clair, Waynesburg Central, West Greene

Section 2: Avella, Bethel Park, Trinity, Washington

Section 3: Hempfield, Mt. Lebanon, Penn-Trafford, Woodland Hills

Section 4: Armstrong, Butler, Indiana, Plum

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.