Last week, I published an article with the Top 25 WPIAL Programs of the Decade. That post got some great feedback, including some requests for a breakdown of how I determined the “Prestige Points” and a full list of all 129 teams that competed this decade. When I started this project to rank all of the WPIAL programs this decade, my goal was to create an objective metric that measured the success of teams on the field, regardless of classification. Therefore, I did not give an bonus points for teams that opted to play up in higher classifications. Every team to win a WPIAL Championship finished in the Top 50. Quaker Valley was the only PIAA Champion to not finish in the Top 25. Every team with multiple WPIAL titles this decade finished in the Top 15 and the five teams with 4 or more WPIAL titles comprised the Top 5.
Prestige Points
To determine the rankings, I created a “Prestige Points” metric. Points were awarded in the following manner:
- 1 point – Regular Season Wins, Conference Wins, Playoff Appearances
- 2 points – Quarterfinals Appearance
- 4 points – Semifinals Appearance
- 8 points – WPIAL Championship Game Appearance
- 16 points – WPIAL Championship
- 25 points – PIAA Championship
The Full Rankings
| Rank | Program | Overall Record | Playoff Appearances | WPIAL Semifinals | WPIAL Finals | WPIAL Titles | PIAA Titles | Total Prestige |
| 1 | Clairton | 129-13 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 511 |
| 2 | Aliquippa | 127-13 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 431 |
| 3 | South Fayette | 120-13 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 407 |
| 4 | Thomas Jefferson | 111-16 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 375 |
| 5 | Central Catholic | 114-20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 368 |
| 6 | North Allegheny | 106-21 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 340 |
| 7 | Central Valley | 98-29 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 297 | |
| 8 | Jeannette | 100-21 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 283 |
| 9 | West Allegheny | 89-30 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 280 | |
| 10 | Pine-Richland | 85-36 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 277 |
| 11 | North Catholic | 93-26 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 255 |
| 12 | Washington | 100-19 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 251 | |
| 13 | Steel Valley | 78-33 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 241 |
| 14 | Gateway | 86-34 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 233 | |
| 15 | Beaver Falls | 81-31 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 219 |
| 16 | Penn-Trafford | 90-26 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 210 | |
| 17 | Avonworth | 83-32 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 205 | |
| 18 | Woodland Hills | 77-40 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 196 | |
| 19 | Montour | 72-40 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 194 | |
| 20 | McKeesport | 83-29 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 187 | |
| 21 | Penn Hills | 66-43 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 180 |
| 22 | Sto-Rox | 70-42 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 179 | |
| 23 | Upper St Clair | 78-35 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 178 | |
| 24 | Neshannock | 79-33 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 175 | |
| 25 | Rochester | 74-35 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 172 | |
| 26 | Franklin Regional | 76-32 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 168 | |
| 27t | Mars | 79-32 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 166 | |
| 27t | Seton-La Salle | 76-32 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 166 | |
| 29 | Belle Vernon | 68-37 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 161 | |
| 30 | West Mifflin | 69-40 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 159 | |
| 31 | Quaker Valley | 52-49 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 147 |
| 32 | Mt Lebanon | 68-41 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 146 | |
| 33 | Beaver | 72-35 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 145 | |
| 34 | Seneca Valley | 61-46 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 142 | |
| 35 | Beth-Center | 67-36 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 135 | |
| 36 | Mt Pleasant | 63-42 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 133 | |
| 37 | Brentwood | 65-41 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 132 | |
| 38 | Bethel Park | 61-43 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 129 | |
| 39 | Ringgold | 59-45 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 128 | |
| 40 | Freeport | 58-41 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 124 | |
| 41t | New Castle | 56-47 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 122 | |
| 41t | GCC | 61-42 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 122 | |
| 41t | Monessen | 58-45 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 122 | |
| 44t | Frazier | 58-45 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 120 | |
| 44t | Derry | 54-51 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 120 | |
| 46 | OLSH | 48-53 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 119 | |
| 47 | Peters Twp | 56-50 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 116 | |
| 48 | Knoch | 56-44 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 115 | |
| 49t | Springdale | 57-48 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 114 | |
| 49t | Riverside | 53-49 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 114 | |
| 51t | North Hills | 57-47 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 113 | |
| 51t | Shady Side Academy | 57-42 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 113 | |
| 53 | California | 53-50 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 112 | |
| 54 | Bishop Canevin | 53-51 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 110 | |
| 55 | Carmichaels | 54-43 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 108 | |
| 56 | Highlands | 53-46 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 104 | |
| 57 | Apollo-Ridge | 52-50 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 102 | |
| 58 | South Park | 45-53 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 101 | |
| 59t | Fort Cherry | 48-53 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 96 | |
| 59t | East Allegheny | 50-52 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 96 | |
| 61t | Elizabeth Forward | 47-49 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 95 | |
| 61t | McGuffey | 53-48 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 95 | |
| 61t | Keystone Oaks | 49-48 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 95 | |
| 61t | Laurel | 51-47 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 95 | |
| 65 | Chartiers-Houston | 50-50 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 94 | |
| 66 | Blackhawk | 44-53 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 88 | |
| 67 | Burgettstown | 43-54 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 85 | |
| 68t | South Side Beaver | 38-65 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 83 | |
| 68t | Indiana | 42-57 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 83 | |
| 70 | New Brighton | 42-57 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 82 | |
| 71 | Greensburg Salem | 41-58 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 81 | |
| 72 | Shenango | 41-56 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 79 | |
| 73 | Trinity | 39-54 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | |
| 74t | Western Beaver | 41-57 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 77 | |
| 74t | Charleroi | 42-56 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 77 | |
| 76 | Hampton | 38-62 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 76 | |
| 77 | Freedom | 37-68 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 75 | |
| 78 | Union | 38-61 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 72 | |
| 79t | Moon | 38-59 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 70 | |
| 79t | Northgate | 35-63 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 70 | |
| 81t | West Greene | 35-64 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 69 | |
| 81t | Burrell | 38-58 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 69 | |
| 83 | Imani Christian* | 29-26 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 68 | |
| 84 | Jefferson-Morgan | 35-60 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67 | |
| 85t | Norwin | 34-65 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 64 | |
| 85t | Serra | 34-67 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 64 | |
| 87t | Kiski | 30-69 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63 | |
| 87t | Hopewell | 34-66 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63 | |
| 87t | Valley | 33-60 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63 | |
| 90t | Hempfield | 31-67 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 59 | |
| 90t | Southmoreland | 32-63 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 59 | |
| 92 | Ellwood City | 32-63 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 58 | |
| 93 | Fox Chapel | 29-69 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 57 | |
| 94t | Plum | 30-68 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 55 | |
| 94t | Ford City* | 27-22 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 55 | |
| 94t | Deer Lakes | 29-65 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 55 | |
| 97 | Mapletown | 29-67 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 54 | |
| 98 | Cornell* | 26-32 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 53 | |
| 99t | Laurel Highlands | 27-72 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52 | |
| 99t | Bentworth | 29-66 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52 | |
| 101t | Hollidaysburg* | 25-32 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | |
| 101t | Armstrong* | 27-24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | |
| 101t | Mohawk | 26-68 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | |
| 104t | Avella | 26-71 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49 | |
| 104t | Chartiers Valley | 28-69 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49 | |
| 104t | Baldwin | 30-64 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49 | |
| 104t | Yough | 24-71 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49 | |
| 104t | Riverview | 28-64 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49 | |
| 109 | South Allegheny | 26-72 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 | |
| 110 | Latrobe | 29-67 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 | |
| 111 | Altoona* | 24-53 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | |
| 112 | Kittanning* | 21-26 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | |
| 113 | Summit Academy | 21-73 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | |
| 114t | Canon-McMillan | 22-75 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | |
| 114t | Waynesburg | 22-71 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | |
| 116 | Connellsville | 22-74 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | |
| 117 | Shaler | 20-78 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | |
| 118 | Leechburg | 21-73 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | |
| 119 | Carlynton | 19-74 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | |
| 120 | West Shamokin* | 18-42 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | |
| 121 | Ambridge | 17-77 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | |
| 122 | McDowell* | 15-6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | |
| 123 | Uniontown | 13-81 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | |
| 124 | Butler | 15-78 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | |
| 125 | Brownsville | 11-84 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | |
| 126 | Wilkinsburg* | 10-44 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | |
| 127 | Albert Gallatin* | 11-79 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | |
| 128 | Geibel* | 4-32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | |
| 129 | Vincentian* | 3-25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Teams noted with asterisks (*) did not compete in the WPIAL for all ten seasons of the decade. Their stats on the list are only for the seasons in which they competed in the WPIAL. Erie McDowell left the WPIAL and returned to D10 in 2012 and only had two WPIAL seasons this decade. In 2012, Cornell formed a cooperative agreement with Quaker Valley which ended in 2016 with the move to 6 classifications. Cornell’s program restarted in 2016. Imani Christian started playing a WPIAL schedule in 2012 but temporarily folded their program from 2013 until 2016. Geibel Catholic folded their program in 2014 after a number of forfeits the previous season. In 2015, Ford City and Kittanning merged to form Armstrong. Vincentian folded in 2016 though they re-formed to play an independent schedule. Wilkinsburg High School closed its doors and merged with the City of Pittsburgh in 2016, ending one of the oldest programs in the WPIAL. With the move to 6 classifications in 2016, West Shamokin and Hollidaysburg both left the WPIAL and Altoona would follow two years later. Finally, Albert Gallatin left the WPIAL in 2019 to play an independent schedule.
