The WPIAL playoffs have different structures for each classification. In 6A, the top 6 teams in the lone conference make the playoffs. In 4A and 3A, the top 4 teams from each of the two conferences make the playoffs. In 2A, the top four teams from each of the four conferences make the playoffs. Only two classifications require a “Wild Card” this season – 5A and 1A. The calculations in both 5A and 1A are a bit complicated because of Albert Gallatin leaving the WPIAL in 5A and because of some scheduling adjustments made in 1A The explanations and standings are detailed below. Don’t forget to check out the full WPIAL Standings Page for details on the playoff races in every classification.
Class 5A Wild Card Standings
- The top 5 teams in each 5A conference make the playoffs.
- One of the 3 6th place teams earns a Wild Card
- Two of the 3 3rd place teams will get home playoff games based on the Wild Card Standings
- For the Allegheny Eight and Northern Conference, the 7 conference games are the only results that count towards the Wild Card Standings. For the Big East Conference, the 6 conference games plus one crossover game against the Northern Conference counts towards the Wild Card Standings. Since Plum does not play a Northern Conference team, their game against Hempfield counts in the Wild Card Standings.
- A head-to-head non-conference result can break a tie.
Big East Conference Wild Card Standings
| Big East Conference | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Conf Record |
Tiebreakers | Overall Record |
PF | PA | Conf Wins | |
| Gardner | WPIAL | ||||||
 y-Penn-Trafford |
6-0 | 150 | 60 | 8-1 | 358 | 120 |       |
| h-Gateway |
5-1 | 110 | 40 | 7-2 | 326 | 110 |   |
| h-McKeesport |
5-1 | 90 | 40 | 7-2 | 329 | 143 |  |
| x-Franklin Regional |
3-3 | 30 | 0 | 4-3*^ | 166 | 141 | |
| x-Latrobe |
2-5 | 10 | -35 | 4-5 | 173 | 273 | |
| Plum |
1-5 | 0 | -38 | 3-6 | 215 | 328 | |
| Connellsville |
0-7 | 0 | -67 | 1-8 | 131 | 372 | |
* – did not play a Week 0 game
^ – took a bye week in their Albert Gallatin game slot
Remaining Crossover Games: Penn-Trafford vs Hampton (Week 8), Plum vs Hempfield (Week 9)
Third Place Home Game Standings
| Third Place Home Game Standings | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Conf Record |
Tiebreakers | Overall Record |
PF | PA | Conf Wins | |
| Gardner | WPIAL | ||||||
| h-McKeesport |
5-1 | 90 | 40 | 7-2 | 329 | 143 | |
 x-Upper St Clair |
4-2 | 60 | 8 | 6-3 | 276 | 203 |     |
| x-Kiski Area |
3-3 | 80 | -7 | 4-5 | 98 | 191 |   |
Sixth Place Wild Card Standings
| Sixth Place Wild Card Standings | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Conf Record |
Tiebreakers | Overall Record |
PF | PA | Conf Wins | |
| Gardner | WPIAL | ||||||
| West Allegheny |
2-4 | 0 | -27 | 3-5* | 165 | 206 | |
| Hampton |
2-4 | 20 | -14 | 2-7 | 129 | 264 |   |
| Plum |
1-5 | 0 | -38 | 3-6 | 215 | 328 | |
Notes: West Allegheny and Plum are locked in to 6th place finishes in their respective conferences. 6th place in the Northern Conference is still up in the air. West Allegheny defeated Hampton in a non-conference game thus holds the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Class 1A Wild Card Standings
- Top 2 teams from each 1A conference make the playoffs
- Two of the 3 3rd place teams earn a Wild Card
- One of the 3 2nd place teams earns a home playoff game based on the Wild Card Standings
- Wild Card Standings are based on the 7 conference games in the Big Seven and Tri-County South Conferences
- Wild Card Standings for Eastern Conference teams are based on 6 conference games plus one game against a Tri-County South opponent. Since Imani Christian does not play a Tri-County South opponent, their game against Sto-Rox will count towards the Wild Card Standings.
Eastern Conference Wild Card Standings
| Eastern Conference | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Conf Record |
Tiebreakers | Overall Record |
PF | PA | Conf Wins | |
| Gardner | WPIAL | ||||||
 x-Jeannette |
6-0 | 130 | 60 | 9-0 | 412 | 51 |       |
 h-Clairton |
6-0 | 200 | 57 | 7-2 | 334 | 126 |  |
| GCC |
5-2 | 90 | 24 | 6-3 | 244 | 183 |  |
| Springdale |
3-3 | 50 | 0 | 6-3 | 234 | 193 |  |
| Leechburg |
3-3 | 40 | 9 | 4-5 | 224 | 196 |  |
| Riverview |
2-5 | 20 | -39 | 2-6* | 74 | 321 |  |
| Imani Christian |
0-6 | 0 | -51 | 0-9 | 72 | 330 | |
* – did not play a Week 0 game
Remaining Crossover Games: Imani vs Sto-Rox (Week 9)
Second Place Home Game Standings
| Second Place Home Game Standings | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Conf Record |
Tiebreakers | Overall Record |
PF | PA | Conf Wins | |
| Gardner | WPIAL | ||||||
| h-Clairton |
6-0 | 200 | 57 | 7-2 | 334 | 126 | |
 x-California |
5-1 | 120 | 40 | 6-3 | 317 | 197 |  |
 x-Cornell |
5-1 | 90 | 47 | 7-1* | 307 | 88 |      |
Third Place Wild Card Standings
| Third Place Wild Card Standings | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Conf Record |
Tiebreakers | Overall Record |
PF | PA | Conf Wins | |
| Gardner | WPIAL | ||||||
 x-OLSH |
5-1 | 90 | 38 | 7-2` | 275 | 164 | |
| GCC |
5-2 | 90 | 24 | 6-3 | 244 | 183 | |
| Chartiers-Houston |
5-2 | 80 | 22 | 6-3 | 238 | 182 | |
