WPIAL approves new section alignments for spring sports in 2025, ’26 seasons

By: Chris Harlan
Monday, August 12, 2024 | 9:01 PM

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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