WPIAL approves new section alignments for spring sports in 2025, ’26 seasons
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Monday, August 12, 2024 | 9:01 PM
Knowing that boys volleyball coaches prefer room in the schedule for tournaments, the WPIAL on Monday approved a new section alignment with that idea in mind.
There are two classifications in boys volleyball — 2A and 3A — and the WPIAL increased both from three sections to four for the 2025 and ’26 seasons. That decision put fewer teams in each section and limited the number of regular-season games assigned by the WPIAL.
The new sections have five or six schools apiece, meaning the WPIAL gives each team eight or 10 section contests. The total number of WPIAL teams increased this cycle from 39 to 45. The volleyball committee could have chosen to make the current sections larger but preferred this alternative instead.
“(The committee) wanted to have more opportunity for tournaments,” said WPIAL chief operating officer Vince Sortino, who oversees schedules. “Volleyball loves the tournaments, and this also gives them more opportunities to play other schools in exhibition games of their choice.”
The PIAA limits volleyball teams to 22 regular-season contests. However, a one-day tournament or tri-match counts as two contests, and a two-day tournament counts for four.
One notable boys volleyball change in the section alignment saw reigning state champion Shaler drop from 3A to 2A. The Titans join Section 2-2A with Aquinas Academy, Beaver County Christian, Mars and North Catholic.
The WPIAL board also approved updated section alignments for baseball, softball, track and field, lacrosse and boys tennis. Sortino said spring sports schedules will be released later this month.
In baseball, the WPIAL reduced Class 6A to one section with nine teams: Butler, Canon-McMillan, Hempfield, Mt. Lebanon, North Allegheny, North Hills, Norwin, Seneca Valley and Woodland Hills.
In recent seasons, 6A teams played a three-game series against their section opponents. Instead, those teams will play only a two-game section series starting next spring.
Other baseball classifications will continue with a two-game series.
Baseball
Class 6A
Section 1: Butler, Canon-McMillan, Hempfield, Mt. Lebanon, North Allegheny, North Hills, Norwin, Seneca Valley, Woodland Hills
Class 5A
Section 1: Armstrong, Franklin Regional, Latrobe, Kiski Area, Penn Hills, Penn-Trafford, Plum
Section 2: Bethel Park, Chartiers Valley, Moon, Peters Township, South Fayette, Trinity, Upper St. Clair
Section 3: Allderdice, Fox Chapel, Mars, New Castle, Pine-Richland, Shaler, West Allegheny
Section 4: Baldwin, Central Catholic, Connellsville, Gateway, McKeesport, Montour, Thomas Jefferson
Class 4A
Section 1: Ambridge, Beaver, Blackhawk, Central Valley, Hampton, Hopewell, North Catholic
Section 2: Albert Gallatin, Belle Vernon, Elizabeth Forward, Laurel Highlands, Ringgold, Uniontown, West Mifflin
Section 3: Derry, Greensburg Salem, Highlands, Indiana, Knoch, Valley
Class 3A
Section 1: Beaver Falls, Ellwood City, Mohawk, Quaker Valley, Riverside, Sto-Rox
Section 2: Avonworth, East Allegheny, Shady Side Academy, South Allegheny, South Park, Steel Valley
Section 3: Burrell, Deer Lakes, Freeport, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant, Southmoreland, Yough
Section 4: Brownsville, Charleroi, Keystone Oaks, McGuffey, Seton LaSalle, Washington, Waynesburg
Class 2A
Section 1: Bentworth, Beth-Center, Burgettstown, California, Chartiers-Houston, Fort Cherry, Frazier
Section 2: Aliquippa, Freedom, Laurel, Neshannock, New Brighton, Northgate, Shenango
Section 3: Apollo-Ridge, Brentwood, Carlynton, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Riverview, Springdale, South Side
Class A
Section 1: Avella, Carmichaels, Greensburg Central Catholic, Jeannette, Jefferson-Morgan, Mapletown, West Greene
Section 2: Aquinas Academy, Leechburg, Rochester, St. Joseph, Summit Academy, Union, Western Beaver, Winchester Thurston
Section 3: Bishop Canevin, Clairton, Cornell, Eden Christian, Monessen, Serra Catholic, Sewickley Academy
Softball
Class 6A
Section 1: Butler, Canon-McMillan, Hempfield, Mt. Lebanon, North Allegheny, Norwin, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, Woodland Hills
Class 5A
Section 1: Fox Chapel, Mars, New Castle, North Hills, Penn Hills, Plum, Shaler
Section 2: Armstrong, Franklin Regional, Gateway, Latrobe, Kiski Area, McKeesport, Penn-Trafford
Section 3: Chartiers Valley, Montour, Moon, South Fayette, Upper St. Clair, West Allegheny
Section 4: Albert Gallatin, Baldwin, Bethel Park, Connellsville, Peters Township, Thomas Jefferson, Trinity
Class 4A
Section 1: Derry, Freeport, Greensburg Salem, Highlands, Indiana, Knoch, Valley
Section 2: Belle Vernon, Elizabeth Forward, Laurel Highlands, Oakland Catholic, Ringgold, Uniontown, West Mifflin
Section 3: Ambridge, Beaver, Blackhawk, Central Valley, Hampton, North Catholic, Western Beaver
Class 3A
Section 1: Burrell, Deer Lakes, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant, Southmoreland, Yough
Section 2: Avonworth, Beaver Falls, Ellwood City, Hopewell, Mohawk, Quaker Valley
Section 3: Charleroi, East Allegheny, Keystone Oaks, McGuffey, South Park, Steel Valley
Class 2A
Section 1: Aliquippa, Freedom, Laurel, Neshannock, New Brighton, Riverside, Shenango
Section 2: Apollo-Ridge, Brentwood, Northgate, Shady Side Academy, South Allegheny, Springdale
Section 3: Burgettstown, Carlynton, Chartiers-Houston, Fort Cherry, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Seton LaSalle
Section 4: Bentworth, Brownsville, California, Frazier, Washington, Waynesburg
Class A
Section 1: Bishop Canevin, Cornell, Rochester, Sewickley Academy, South Side, Union
Section 2: Avella, Beth-Center, Carmichaels, Jefferson-Morgan, Mapletown, West Greene
Section 3: Ellis School, Greensburg Central Catholic, Jeannette, Leechburg, Monessen, St. Joseph, Serra Catholic
Boys volleyball
Class 3A
Section 1: Baldwin, Bethel Park, Canon-McMillan, Mt. Lebanon, Peters Township, Upper St. Clair
Section 2: Armstrong, Franklin Regional, Latrobe, Hempfield, Norwin, Penn-Trafford
Section 3: Butler, Moon, North Allegheny, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley
Section 4: Central Catholic, Fox Chapel, Gateway, North Hills, Penn Hills, Plum
Class 2A
Section 1: Deer Lakes, Derry, McKeesport, Steel Valley, Summit Academy
Section 2: Aquinas Academy, Beaver County Christian, Mars, North Catholic, Shaler
Section 3: Bishop Canevin, Brentwood, Keystone Oaks, Seton LaSalle, South Park, Thomas Jefferson
Section 4: Ambridge, Hopewell, Montour, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, South Fayette, Trinity
#WPIAL spring sports alignments for 2025 and 2026 seasons pic.twitter.com/iuoLS6Wnlp
— Chris Harlan (@CHarlan_Trib) August 12, 2024
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.
Tags: Shaler
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