Notable changes to the 2024-25, 2025-26 WPIAL wrestling alignment
By:
Monday, August 26, 2024 | 10:50 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 wrestling season:
2023-24 WPIAL championships
Class 3A: Connellsville
Class 2A: Burrell
Notable changes
The WPIAL took a different approach with wrestling realignment this cycle, creating more sections with fewer teams in each.
There are 18 sections evenly divided between Class 3A and 2A, featuring 42 teams in Class 3A and 41 in 2A.
That’s a change from the last cycle, which had six sections in each class.
The 18 sections form six sectionals — Southern, Northern and Eastern — with three sections in each.
• The top six wrestlers from each sectional advance to the WPIAL individual tournament.
The WPIAL team tournaments qualify the top two teams from each section and two wild cards chosen by the wrestling committee.
• There were a few teams that changed classifications this cycle.
Blackhawk and Montour moved up to compete in Section 1-3A, Hampton and Indiana moved up to Section 5-3A and Belle Vernon (7-3A) and Albert Gallatin (8-3A) also bumped up.
In and out
• Penn Hills is back as a full-fledged WPIAL team after a two-year hiatus and will compete in Section 6-3A.
Chartiers-Houston also has returned after not wrestling a WPIAL schedule in the last cycle and will compete in Section 1-2A.
• Other new teams this season are Avella and Lincoln Park in Section 2-2A, Brownsville in Section 3-2A and Neighborhood Academy in 9-2A. Penn Hills (5-5), Lincoln Park (4-4), Brownsville (1-4), Chartiers-Houston (0-1) and Neighborhood Academy (0-21) competed as independent teams last season.
• Fort Cherry will not have a WPIAL schedule this cycle after finishing 3-9 overall and 2-5 in Section 1-2A last season.
Past champions
Burrell added to its championship total last season with its 18th title, which is third most in WPIAL history behind Canon-McMillan (22) and Waynesburg Central (21).
After winning 15 straight championships from 2007-21, the Bucs now have won 16 titles in the past 18 years.
Connellsville captured the Class 3A crown and now has eight WPIAL championships.
Girls Season 2
The PIAA started sponsoring girls wrestling as an official sport last winter.
Twenty-one WPIAL schools fielded teams for dual meets: Beaver, Burrell, Butler, Canon-McMillan, Connellsville, Fort Cherry, Kiski Area, Latrobe, Moon, Mt. Lebanon, New Castle, North Allegheny, Norwin, Pine-Richland, Plum, Seneca Valley, Southmoreland, Trinity, Upper St. Clair, Valley and Woodland Hills.
That will continue this winter along with the individual tournament to decide WPIAL, regional and PIAA champions.
Key dates
Nov. 15: First practice date
Nov. 23: First scrimmage date
Nov. 29: First play date
Dec. 11: First section date
Feb. 1: WPIAL team championships
Feb. 3-8: PIAA team championships
Feb. 15: WPIAL girls individual championships
Feb. 21-22: WPIAL boys 2A individual championships
Feb. 28-March 1: WPIAL boys 3A individual championships
Feb. 28-March 1: Southwest Regional boys 2A individual championships
March 6-8: PIAA individual championships
2024-25, 2025-26 alignment
Class 3A
Southern Sectional
Section 1: Blackhawk, Montour, Moon, West Allegheny
Section 2: Canon-McMillan, Chartiers Valley, South Fayette, Trinity, Waynesburg
Section 3: Baldwin, Bethel Park, Mt. Lebanon, Peters Township, Upper St. Clair
Northern Sectional
Section 4: Butler, Mars, North Allegheny, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley
Section 5: Armstrong, Fox Chapel, Hampton, Indiana, Kiski Area
Section 6: Central Catholic, North Hills, Penn Hills, Shaler
Eastern Sectional
Section 7: Belle Vernon, McKeesport, Ringgold, Thomas Jefferson, West Mifflin
Section 8: Albert Gallatin, Connellsville, Hempfield, Latrobe
Section 9: Franklin Regional, Gateway, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Plum
Class 2A
Southern Sectional
Section 1: Chartiers-Houston, McGuffey, Washington, West Greene
Section 2: Avella, Burgettstown, Hopewell, Lincoln Park, South Side
Section 3: Bentworth, Beth-Center, Brownsville, Frazier, Jefferson-Morgan
Northern Sectional
Section 4: Ellwood City, Knoch, Laurel, North Catholic, Summit Academy
Section 5: Ambridge, Beaver, Central Valley, Freedom
Section 6: Avonworth, Carlynton, Keystone Oaks, Quaker Valley
Eastern Sectional
Section 7: Elizabeth Forward, South Allegheny, South Park, Southmoreland, Yough
Section 8: Derry, Greensburg Salem, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant
Section 9: Burrell, Highlands, Neighborhood Academy, Riverview, Valley
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.
Tags: Avella, Brownsville, Burrell, Chartiers-Houston, Connellsville, Fort Cherry, Lincoln Park, Neighborhood Academy, Penn Hills
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