Breaking down changes to the 2023-24 WPIAL boys lacrosse alignment

By: Bill Hartlep
Monday, August 8, 2022 | 12:01 AM

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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 boys lacrosse season:

2022 WPIAL champions

Class 3A: Shady Side Academy

Class 2A: Mars

Notable changes

• WPIAL boys lacrosse had a few changes for the next two-year alignment cycle.

Class 3A dropped from 18 to 16 teams, which will be divided into two sections of eight.

North Hills, a quarterfinalist last season, moved up from Class 2A and will play in Section 2-3A.

Central Catholic and Norwin moved over to Section 1 to even out the sections.

• Class 2A gained three teams that dropped down from 3A — Bethel Park, Latrobe and Penn-Trafford — and will include 22 teams across two large 11-team sections.

All three teams that dropped down will be part of Section 1, along with Moon, which moved over from Section 2-2A.

WPIAL runner-up Quaker Valley, as well as Sewickley Academy and Winchester Thurston, moved over from Section 1 to 2.

• The top six teams in each section will qualify for the WPIAL playoffs. The top two finishers in Class 3A and top three teams from Class 2A will advance to the PIAA tournament.

Joining in

• Seton LaSalle will field a WPIAL team next spring and will join Section 1-2A with Bethel Park, Chartiers Valley, Franklin Regional, Gateway, Greensburg Central Catholic, Latrobe, Moon, Penn-Trafford, South Fayette and Trinity.

Past champions

• Mars has won the past six WPIAL Class 2A boys lacrosse titles, which gives the Fightin’ Planets the most championships in the league’s 13-year history.

Mars also went on to become the first WPIAL team to win a PIAA boys lacrosse championship last spring when it defeated District 1’s Marple Newtown, 9-6, in the state championship game.

Hampton and Mt. Lebanon have each won four WPIAL titles, while North Allegheny, Peters Township and defending Class 3A champion Shady Side Academy have each hoisted the championship trophy twice.

Key dates

March 6: First practice date

March 11: First scrimmage date

March 17: First play date

March 20: First section date

May 24-25: WPIAL championships

June 10: PIAA championships

2023-24 alignment

Class 3A (16 teams)

Section 1: Baldwin, Canon-McMillan, Central Catholic, Hempfield, Mt. Lebanon, Norwin, Peters Township*, Upper St. Clair

Section 2: Allderdice, Butler, Fox Chapel, North Allegheny, North Hills, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, Shady Side Academy*

Class 2A (22 teams)

Section 1: Bethel Park, Chartiers Valley, Franklin Regional, Gateway, Greensburg C.C., Latrobe, Moon, Penn-Trafford, Seton LaSalle, South Fayette, Trinity

Section 2: Freeport, Hampton, Indiana, Knoch, Mars, North Catholic, Plum, Quaker Valley, Sewickley Academy, Shaler, Winchester Thurston

*Voluntary playing up

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.