Home WPIAL Championship Game History 2016-Present

WPIAL Championship Game History 2016-Present

by Ian

In 2016 the PIAA underwent a massive reform and realigned football throughout the State of Pennsylvania from four to six classifications. The addition of two more classifications altered the playoff formats and made the WPIAL playoffs much more dependent on where teams entered the State Tournament. Previously, 16 teams had made the playoffs in all four classes from 2000-2015.

In the 2016-17 cycle, there were 8 playoff teams in 6A, 5A, 4A, and 3A. This led to some controversy, especially in 3A where the Champion received a bye the following week and did not enter the state playoffs until the semifinals. During that cycle there were 16 playoff teams in 2A and 1A but those two classes had their Championship Games at Robert Morris University and not at Heinz Field. In the 2018-19 cycle, there was only one conference in 6A so only 6 teams made the playoffs. In 4A, 3A, and 1A there were 8 playoff teams while 5A and 2A had 16 playoff teams. During this cycle, the 6A, 4A, 3A, and 1A Championship Games were held at Heinz Field while 5A and 2A found alternate locations.

Here is a look at the Championship Game History during the six-classification era. For Championship Game History for prior eras of football, links are provided at the bottom of the page.

Year Class 6A Class 5A Class 4A Class 3A Class 2A Class 1A
2016 Central CatholicCentral Catholic 42,
Seneca Valley 7
West AlleghenyWest Allegheny 38,
McKeesport 37 (OT)
Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson 42,
New Castle 0
Beaver FallsBeaver Falls 35,
Aliquippa 22
Steel ValleySteel Valley 49,
Neshannock 14
ClairtonClairton 26,
Jeannette 6
2017 Pine-RichlandPine-Richland 42,
Central Catholic 7
GatewayGateway 21,
Penn-Trafford 16
Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson 27,
Montour 0
Quaker ValleyQuaker Valley 2,
Aliquippa 0
WashingtonWashington 37,
Steel Valley 10
JeanetteJeannette 35,
Imani Christian 34
2018 Pine-RichlandPine-Richland 34,
Seneca Valley 7
Penn HillsPenn Hills 28,
West Allegheny 18
South FayetteSouth Fayette 31,
Thomas Jefferson 24
AliquippaAliquippa 42,
Derry 19
Steel ValleySteel Valley 48,
South Side Beaver 6
Our Lady of the Sacred HeartOLSH 28,
Rochester 6
2019 Central CatholicCentral Catholic 10,
Pine-Richland 7
GatewayGateway 21,
Peters Twp 20
Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson 41,
Belle Vernon 7
Central ValleyCentral Valley 13,
Aliquippa 12 (OT)
AvonworthAvonworth 28,
Washington 6
ClairtonClairton 41,
Sto-Rox 19
2020 Central CatholicCentral Catholic 38,
North Allegheny 24
Pine-RichlandPine-Richland 35, Peters Twp 0 Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson 35, Aliquippa 28 (OT) Central ValleyCentral Valley 35, Elizabeth Forward 0 Beaver FallsBeaver Falls 43,
Sto-Rox 30
JeanetteJeannette 45,
Clairton 14
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