With two weeks left in the WPIAL season, playoff races are in full swing. Pine-Richland was the first team to clinch a playoff spot, back in Week 6. This past week, Fort Cherry became the first team to clinch a conference title after beating Bishop Canevin. Entering the penultimate week of the season, only 13 of the 49 guaranteed playoff spots have been clinched. Additionally, there are 15 Wild Card spots in 5A through 1A that will be selected by the WPIAL Committee. This analysis focuses only on the “guaranteed” playoff spots earned by finishing among the top teams in a given conference.
Check out our WPIAL Standings Page for the current standings, including tiebreakers. Here’s a look at the teams that can clinch playoff spots this week.
6A Playoff Scenarios
Who Gets In: Top 4 qualify for the playoffs
Already In:
- Central Catholic and North Allegheny have clinched playoff spots
Conference Title:
- Central Catholic clinches the conference title with a win over Seneca Valley
Week 8 Scenarios:
- Seneca Valley clinches a playoff spot with a win over Central Catholic OR with a Mt. Lebanon loss
- Hempfield clinches a playoff spot with a win over Mt. Lebanon
5A Playoff Scenarios
Who Gets In: Top 3 from each conference qualify for the playoffs plus 3 Wild Cards
Allegheny Six Conference
Already In: Upper St Clair
Conference Title:
- Upper St Clair clinches the conference title with a win over Moon
Week 8 Scenarios:
- Peters Twp clinches a playoff spot with a win over Baldwin AND a Bethel Park win
- Bethel Park clinches a playoff spot with a win over South Fayette
Big East Conference
Already In: Woodland Hills
Conference Title:
- Woodland Hills clinches the conference title with a win over Franklin Regional
Week 8 Scenarios:
- Penn-Trafford clinches a playoff spot with a win over Armstrong OR a Latrobe loss
- Franklin Regional clinches a playoff spot with a win over Woodland Hills OR a Latrobe loss
Northeast Conference
Already In: Pine-Richland
Conference Champion: Pine-Richland has clinched the conference title
Week 8 Scenarios:
- North Hills clinches a playoff spot with a win over Penn Hills
4A Playoff Scenarios
Who Gets In: Top 2 from each conference qualify for the playoffs plus 2 Wild Cards
Big Six Conference
Already In: none
Conference Title:
- Thomas Jefferson clinches the conference title with a win over Chartiers Valley
Week 8 Scenarios:
None other than TJ’s opportunity to clinch. Belle Vernon-Trinity in Week 9 will decide the final automatic qualifier.
Greater Allegheny Conference
Already In: none
Conference Title:
- McKeesport clinches the conference title with a win over Indiana AND a Knoch loss
Week 8 Scenarios:
- Mars clinches a playoff spot with a win over Hampton AND a Knoch loss AND a McKeesport win
Parkway Conference
Already In: none
Conference Title:
- Aliquippa clinches the conference title with a win over Montour
- Montour clinches the conference title with a win over Aliquippa AND a West Allegheny loss
Week 8 Scenarios:
None other than the above-referenced conference title scenarios
3A Playoff Scenarios
Who Gets In: Top 3 from each conference qualify for the playoffs plus 3 Wild Cards
Allegheny Seven Conference
Already In: Imani Christian
Conference Title:
- Imani Christian clinches the conference title with a win over Burrell AND a Freeport loss
Week 8 Scenarios:
- Deer Lakes clinches a playoff spot with a win over Valley AND a Burrell loss
- Freeport clinches a playoff spot with a win over East Allegheny AND a Burrell loss
Interstate Conference
Already In: Elizabeth Forward
Conference Title:
- Elizabeth Forward clinches the conference title with a win over Southmoreland AND a Mt Pleasant loss
- Southmoreland clinches the conference title with a win over Elizabeth Forward
Week 8 Scenarios:
- Southmoreland clinches playoff spot with a win over Elizabeth Forward OR a Greensburg Salem loss
- Mt Pleasant clinches a playoff spot with a win over Derry AND EITHER a Southmoreland win or a Greensburg Salem loss
Western Hills Conference
Already In: none
Conference Title:
- Avonworth clinches the conference title with a win over North Catholic AND a Beaver loss
Week 8 Scenarios:
- Central Valley clinches a playoff spot with a win over Hopewell
- Beaver clinches a playoff spot with a win over Quaker Valley AND a Hopewell loss
2A Playoff Scenarios
Who Gets In: Top 3 from each conference qualify for the playoffs plus 4 Wild Cards
Allegheny Conference
Already In: South Park, South Allegheny
Conference Title:
- South Park clinches the conference title with a win over Apollo-Ridge
Week 8 Scenarios:
- Steel Valley clinches a playoff spot with a win over Ligonier Valley
Century Conference
Already In: Seton LaSalle
Conference Title:
- Seton LaSalle clinches the conference title with a win over Keystone Oaks AND a Washington loss
Week 8 Scenarios:
- Keystone Oaks clinches a playoff spot with a win over Seton LaSalle OR a loss by EITHER Waynesburg or Washington
- Washington clinches a playoff spot with a win over Carlynton AND a Waynesburg loss
Midwestern Conference
Already In: Ellwood City
Conference Title:
- Ellwood City clinches the conference title with a win over Union OR a Western Beaver loss
Week 8 Scenarios:
- Western Beaver clinches a playoff spot with a win over New Brighton
1A Playoff Scenarios
Who Gets In: Top 3 from each conference qualify for the playoffs plus 4 Wild Cards
Big Seven Conference
Already In: Neshannock
Conference Title:
Neshannock plays Laurel in Week 9, so the conference title can not be clinched this week
Week 8 Scenarios:
- Laurel clinches a playoff spot with a win over South Side Beaver
- South Side Beaver clinches a playoff spot with a win over Laurel AND a Rochester loss
Black Hills Conference
Already In: Fort Cherry
Conference Champion: Fort Cherry has clinched the conference title
Week 8 Scenarios:
- Bishop Canevin clinches playoff spot with a win over Monessen (Saturday)
- Monessen clinches a playoff spot with a win over Bishop Canevin (Saturday) AND a Cornell loss
Eastern Conference
Already In: Clairton
Conference Title:
- Clairton clinches the conference title with a win over Riverview (Saturday)
Week 8 Scenarios:
- GCC clinches a playoff spot with a win over Frazier AND a Brentwood loss
- Leechburg clinches a playoff spot with a win over Brentwood
Tri-County South Conference
Already In: California, Jefferson-Morgan
Conference Title:
The Week 9 game between California and Jefferson-Morgan will decide the conference title
Week 8 Scenarios:
– West Greene clinches a playoff spot with a win over Carmichaels
