WPIAL Class A Playoff Bracketology

Image courtesy of MSAsports.net

It's not March yet, but it's always fun to do some bracketology! This time, we'll try to break down the 16-team brackets for WPIAL class A high school football playoffs. 

Now why did we choose this region? Well, one, we're from western PA. Second, I attended one of the schools in the playoffs. And third and most importantly, it's going to be the most fun and most challenging bracket to create.

So without further adieu, let's get it going!


The Process


First, let's explain the process. The WPIAL teams are not simply ranked 1-16 to make the brackets. The top four teams in each of the four conferences make up the 16-team field. The top two teams in each conference are guaranteed first round home games. So essentially we have four teams seeded #1 in their conference, four that are #2, etc.

Here's where it gets tricky. The worst "#2 team" DOES NOT automatically play the best "#3 team" in the first round. That worst #2 team, which would be seeded #8 in the playoffs, would in theory play the #9 seeded team, which becomes the best team to finish in third place in its conference. That's not how it works.

Instead, the committee will go one step at a time. They will first look to see who are the best TWO teams in the playoffs. They will be placed in the opposite sides of the brackets. Then, the committee determines who are the top FOUR teams. Those teams would fit into the brackets in the 3-14 and 4-13 games, regardless of their actual rank. (for example, if Team A, B, and C come from the same conference but are determined to be the best three teams in the WPIAL, then Team A would get 1-seed for winning the conference, Team B the 2-seed, and Team C the 14-seed because Team C cannot receive a home game). Finally, the committee determines the top EIGHT teams, who fill in the remaining 5-8 spots (or if a team finished 3rd or 4th in their conference then they get the corresponding seed...if they're ranked 5th then they'll be seeded 12th because they cannot be the home team).

Got it? You sure? Good!


The Teams

Now, let's see who is playoff bound:

Big 7:

Sto-Rox (8-1)
Rochester (8-1)
Neshannock (8-1)
Union (6-3)

Black Hills:

Clairton (9-0)
Monassen (8-1)
Brentwood (6-3)
Bishop Canevin (6-3)

Tri-County South:

Bethlehem-Center (8-1)
Jefferson-Morgan (7-2)
Carmichaels (7-2)
Frazier (7-2)

Eastern:

North Catholic (7-2)
Springdale (6-3)
Apollo-Ridge (6-3)
Avonworth (5-4)


Standard Bracket - How it WILL NOT HAPPEN

So here's how the brackets would look IF THE TEAMS WERE RANKED BY THEIR CONFERENCE SEEDING. That is, Rank the #1 seeds (1. Clairton, 2. Sto-Rox, 3. Beth-Center, 4. North Catholic), then rank the #2 seeds (5. Rochester, 6. Monassen, 7. Jefferson-Morgan, 8. Springdale), then rank #3 and #4 seeds similarly. Adjust accordingly when necessary to eliminate in-conference match-ups in the first round.

1. Clairton (9-0)
16. Avonworth (5-4)

8. Springdale (6-3)
9. Neshannock (8-1)

5. Rochester (8-1)
12. Brentwood (6-3)

4. North Catholic (7-2)
13. Bishop Canevin (6-3)

6. Monassen (8-1)
11. Apollo-Ridge (6-3)

3. Bethlehem-Center (8-1)
14. Union (6-3)

7. Jefferson-Morgan (7-2)
10. Carmichaels (7-2)

2. Sto-Rox (8-1)
15. Frazier (7-2)



Adjustments

The issues come as follows: Sto-Rox, Rochester, and Neshannock are being distinguished as the three best teams in the WPIAL behind Clairton. In the standard bracket, Neshannock would have to take on Clairton in the second-round, and Rochester would face the winner next. Not to mention that North Catholic would have a #4 seed at worst, while Neshannock would have a #9 seed at best. Neshannock beat North Catholic 42-7 just two weeks ago. The WPIAL adjustments are much needed there.

So instead, let's look at the WPIAL style of seeding:

Top Two Teams: Clairton and Sto-Rox.  Since both are conference champions, they get the #1 and #2 seed, respectively.

Next Two Teams: Rochester and Neshannock.  Rochester qualifies for a home game, so they will get the #3 seed. However, Neshannock cannot get the #4 seed, so they will be slotted instead as the #13 seed in the brackets. They will then play (in theory) worst of the home-field teams. This will set up semi-final matchups of Clairton/Neshannock and Sto-Rox/Rochester.

Next Four Teams: Bethlehem-Center, Monassen, North Catholic, Union. Of these three, only Union is not a home-team qualifier for the playoffs. Thus, they get the #9 seed and will play the second-worst of the home-field teams.

The Final Eight Teams: Jefferson-Morgan and Springdale finished second in their respective conferences and will face Union and Neshannock in their first-round games as a result. Brentwood, Bishop Canevin, Carmichaels, Frazier, Apollo-Ridge, and Avonworth will be ranked and fill in the rest of the brackets, again staying mindful of in-conference games in the first round.

Official Bracket - How it WILL happen

Piecing it all together, here is my official prediction for the WPIAL Class A playoffs. Good luck to all 16 teams on the Road to Heinz Field!

1. Clairton (9-0)
16. Avonworth (5-4)

8. Jefferson-Morgan (6-3)
9. Union (6-3)

5. Bethlehem-Center (8-1)
12. Bishop Canevin (6-3)

4. Springdale (6-3)
13. Neshannock (8-1)

6. Monassen (8-1)
11. Apollo-Ridge (6-3)

3. Rochester (8-1)
14. Frazier (7-2)

7. North Catholic (7-2)
10. Brentwood (6-3)

2. Sto-Rox (8-1)
15. Carmichaels (7-2)



How it actually is

Here's the official announced brackets as of 7:50 pm today!

1. Clairton (9-0)
16. Frazier (7-2)

8. Springdale (6-3)
9. Brentwood (6-3)

5. Monessen (8-1)
12. Apollo-Ridge (6-3)

4. Jefferson-Morgan (7-2)
13. Neshannock (8-1)

6. North Catholic (7-2)
11. Bishop Canevin (6-3)

3. Rochester (8-1)
14. Avonworth (5-4)

7. Bethlehem-Center (8-1)
10. Union (6-3)

2. Sto-Rox (8-1)
15. Carmichaels (7-2)