Final WPIAL bracketology: Don Rebel, Chris Harlan forecast 2023 football playoff pairings
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Saturday, October 28, 2023 | 3:20 AM
Let the guesswork begin.
The field is set for the 2023 WPIAL football playoffs with four teams in Class 6A, eight in 5A, 13 in 4A, 12 in 3A, 14 in 2A and 16 in A.
Visit TribLive HSSN at 3 p.m. Saturday to see the official playoff brackets announced. Until then, Don Rebel and Chris Harlan provide their two cents with some WPIAL bracketology.
Class 6A
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 4 Mt. Lebanon at No. 1 Central Catholic
No. 3 Canon-McMillan at No. 2 North Allegheny
Harlan says: Canon-McMillan earned the three seed with a win Friday over Mt. Lebanon. Now the big question: Can either of them prevent a Central Catholic vs. North Allegheny rematch of the 2022 WPIAL finals? That’s a tall task.
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 4 Mt. Lebanon at No. 1 Central Catholic
No. 3 Canon-McMillan at No. 2 North Allegheny
Rebel says: This is very simple with the same four playoff teams from last year going right to the semifinals. Remember, these games are in two weeks, not next week.
Class 5A
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 8 Franklin Regional at No. 1 Peters Township
No. 5 Moon at No. 4 Gateway
No. 7 Bethel Park at No. 2 Penn Hills
No. 6 Penn-Trafford at No. 3 Pine-Richland
Harlan says: There aren’t many ways to arrange an eight-team bracket while avoiding conference rematches in the first round. A year after being left out on tiebreakers, Penn Hills enters this year as the No. 2 seed. This bracket would’ve looked far different had Woodland Hills pulled off the upset against them Friday, but the Indians held on.
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 8 Franklin Regional at No. 1 Peters Township
No. 5 Moon at No. 4 Gateway
No. 7 Bethel Park at No. 2 Penn Hills
No. 6 Penn-Trafford at No. 3 Pine-Richland
Rebel says: There has been a lot of chatter about the broken 5A playoff format with only eight teams qualifying and how a good third-place finisher will miss the boat. But let’s not forget there are only 18 teams in the classification. Should 12 of 18 make it? My answer is no. That being said, Upper St. Clair at 8-2 and Woodland Hills by only two tiebreaker points are heartbroken spectators this November.
Class 4A
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 1 Aliquippa – bye
No. 9 Latrobe at No. 8 West Allegheny
No. 13 Chartiers Valley at No. 4 Mars
No. 12 Highlands at No. 5 Central Valley
No. 2 McKeesport – bye
No. 10 Trinity at No. 7 North Catholic
No. 3 Montour – bye
No. 11 Kiski Area at No. 6 Thomas Jefferson
Harlan says: I’ll say the Parkway was the toughest conference this season, so I awarded home games to Aliquippa, Montour, Central Valley and, yes, West Allegheny. Sure, West A finished fourth, but the Indians played tough in losses to Aliquippa (29-22) and Central Valley (29-20). I swapped spots for Thomas Jefferson and Central Valley after the Jaguars lost Friday to McKeesport by 21 points.
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 1 Aliquippa – bye
No. 9 Trinity at No. 8 North Catholic
No. 13 Chartiers Valley at No. 4 Mars
No. 12 Highlands at No. 5 Thomas Jefferson
No. 2 McKeesport – bye
No. 10 West Allegheny at No. 7 Latrobe
No. 3 Montour – bye
No. 11 Kiski Area at No. 6 Central Valley
Rebel says: Now this classification has some solid depth. When fourth place teams like Trinity and West Allegheny are pulling off major upsets or near eyebrow-raisers, then this bracket will be littered with unpredictability. Parkway runner-up Montour gets the nod over GAC champion Mars after the Spartans beat the Fightin’ Planets in Week Zero.
Class 3A
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 1 Belle Vernon – bye
No. 9 Southmoreland at No. 8 Deer Lakes
No. 4 East Allegheny – bye
N0. 12 South Park vs. No. 5 Knoch
No. 2 Avonworth – bye
No. 10 Shady Side Academy at No. 7 Beaver
No. 3 Elizabeth Forward – bye
No. 11 Mt. Pleasant at No. 6 West Mifflin
Harlan says: The first four seeds seem obvious, but there’s a big question at No. 5. It’ll probably come down to Knoch or West Mifflin. East Allegheny won the Allegheny 6 title by defeating Knoch, 14-13, in overtime. Why not seed them equally close?
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 1 Belle Vernon – bye
No. 9 South Park at No. 8 Southmoreland
No. 4 East Allegheny – bye
No. 12 Shady Side Academy at No. 5 West Mifflin
No. 2 Avonworth – bye
No. 10 Mt. Pleasant at No. 7 Knoch
No. 3 Elizabeth Forward – bye
No. 11 Deer Lakes at No. 6 Beaver
Rebel says: I would be stunned if Elizabeth Forward didn’t join the three conference champions in getting a first-round bye. I have a lot of love in the seeding for the four teams from the Western Hills Conference earning spots in the top nine. An impressive Week 9 win for Southmoreland earns them a home playoff game.
Class 2A
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 1 Steel Valley — bye
No. 9 Serra Catholic at No. 8 Beaver Falls/Western Beaver winner
No. 13 Burrell at No. 4 Washington
No. 12 Waynesburg at No. 5 Mohawk
No. 2 Neshannock — bye
No. 10 Beaver Falls/Western Beaver loser at No. 7 Keystone Oaks
No. 14 Ellwood City at No. 3 Imani Christian
No. 11 Derry at No. 6 McGuffey
Harlan says: Defending champion Steel Valley and unbeaten Neshannock seem like locks for the top two spots, but then it gets more interesting. Mohawk, Imani Christian and Washington could come next in any order. I give the edge to Imani, whose only losses were to Steel Valley, 17-6, and to Harrisburg-area power Steelton-Highspire. Century Conference champ Washington is seeded next, followed by two-loss Mohawk. There is one pertinent game still to be played: Western Beaver hosts Beaver Falls at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 1 Steel Valley — bye
No. 9 Beaver Falls/Western Beaver loser at No. 8 Serra Catholic
No. 13 Ellwood City at No. 4 Washington
No. 12 Waynesburg Central at No. 5 Imani Christian
No. 2 Neshannock — bye
No. 10 Keystone Oaks at No. 7 Beaver Falls/Western Beaver winner
No. 14 Burrell at No. 3 Mohawk
No. 11 Derry at No. 6 McGuffey
Rebel says: A lot of guesswork by the committee was taken away with Steel Valley winning the Allegheny Conference title outright, thus the Imani Christian at Serra Catholic “no decision” game didn’t come into play as tri-champions. Midwestern Athletic Conference keeps up the tradition of being extremely competitive up and down with top four teams in the top nine.
Class A
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 16 Monessen at No. 1 Fort Cherry
No. 9 West Greene at No. 8 Greensburg Central Catholic
No. 13 Laurel at No. 4 Clairton
No. 12 Rochester at No. 5 Cornell
No. 15 Jefferson-Morgan at No. 2 South Side
No. 10 Jeannette at No. 7 California
No. 14 Leechburg at No. 3 Bishop Canevin
No. 11 Burgettstown at No. 6 Union
Harlan says: Fort Cherry and South Side both are undefeated, but the Black Hills Conference looked stronger this season than the Big 7, earning the Rangers the No. 1 seed. Among the crossover games between those two conference, Cornell defeated Union, 30-14, in Week 2. Hence, the Raiders are seeded one spot ahead of the defending champion Scotties. Only conference champions are guaranteed first-round home games nowadays, so West Greene of the Tri-County South loses out here despite an 8-2 record.
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 16 Monessen at No. 1 Fort Cherry
No. 9 Jeannette at No. 8 West Greene
No. 13 Burgettstown at No. 4 Clairton
No. 12 Leechburg at No. 5 Union
No. 15 Jefferson-Morgan at No. 2 South Side
No. 10 Cornell at No. 7 Greensburg Central Catholic
No. 14 Laurel at No. 3 Bishop Canevin
No. 11 Rochester at No. 6 California
Rebel says: Last fall, Union proved how good the depth was in Class A by winning gold as the No. 10 seed. That might not happen this season, but you could make a legit argument that six or seven teams have a legit shot to walk away with this year’s crown in the district’s smallest classification.
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.
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