Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League Explained

Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League
Founded:1907
Conference:Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association
Region:Western Pennsylvania
Commissioner:Scott Seltzer, Executive Director[1]

The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL, pronounced) is an interscholastic athletic association in Western Pennsylvania. It is District 7 of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association.

History

The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) was founded in 1907 by a group of educators from four public and private Pittsburgh schools who sought increased regulation and governance of student athletic eligibility and interscholastic athletic competition. The founding schools in the league included Shady Side Academy, Allegheny Prep, Pittsburgh Fifth Avenue High School, and Pittsburgh Central High School. William R. Crabbe of Shady Side Academy acted as a central force in the formation of the League and served as its first president.[2]

At its inception the league was poorly received by the public and the press, and found it difficult to enforce its rules. However, the league slowly spread throughout the Pittsburgh area. The league controlled the growth to small numbers that they could handle. As such, the only organization absorbed as a whole was the old Allegheny Valley League. Following the local success of WPIAL, the idea was brought to the whole state in 1914 when the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) was founded. Within PIAA, WPIAL has been designated as District 7, and since 1982, WPIAL/District 7. Although officially known as District 7, the WPIAL is grandfathered to keep the older name due to it predating the PIAA.[3]

Originally numbering three high schools, WPIAL had a high of 156 participating school as late as the 1981–82 school year. As of October 2012, there are 137 high schools and 148 junior high school members in the WPIAL.

Member schools

The league is responsible for administering the interscholastic athletic participation/competition of public school districts and private schools located in Allegheny (except Pittsburgh Public Schools), Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence, Washington, Westmoreland counties in Western Pennsylvania.

Exceptions as of the 2022-23 school year include:

Sports

Note: While some sports are dominated by one sex, there is no rule that mandates sex segregation in PIAA sports, even if a school has teams for each sex.

Fall: Football, Golf, Tennis (girls), Cross Country, Volleyball (girls), Field Hockey, Soccer

Winter: Rifle, Gymnastics, Swimming & Diving, Wrestling, Basketball

Spring: Lacrosse (girls), Tennis (boys), Softball, Baseball, Volleyball (boys), Track & Field

Football champions, 2016–present

Boys' basketball champions, 2000–present

Class AAAAAA (6A):

Class AAAAA (5A):

Class AAAA (4A):

Class AAA (3A):

Class AA (2A):

Class A (1A):

Girls' basketball championship games, 2001 - present[4]

!Year!Class!Winner!Defeated!Score!Location
20246ANorwinNorth Allegheny56 - 41Petersen Events Center
5ASouth FayetteArmstrong70 - 63
4ANorth CatholicBlackhawk40 - 37
3AShady Side AcademyAvonworth52 - 45
2AGreensburg Central CatholicSerra Catholic62 - 41
1AUnion AreaSt. Joseph50 - 43
20236ANorth AlleghenyUpper St. Clair71 - 45Petersen Events Center
5ASouth FayetteOakland Catholic64 - 49
4ANorth CatholicBlackhawk51 - 35
3AAvonworthLaurel48 - 40
2AShenangoFreedom Area44 - 34
1AUnion AreaAquinas Academy52 - 35
20226AMt. LebanonUpper St. Clair55 - 44Petersen Events Center
5ASouth FayetteChartiers Valley57 - 48
4ABlackhawkKnoch55 - 35
3ANorth CatholicFreedom Area48 - 43
2ANeshannockOLSH55 - 31
1ABishop CanevinAquinas Academy59 - 40
20216ANorth AlleghenyUpper St. Clair70 - 36Peters Twp. High School
5AChartiers ValleyTrinity62 - 40
4ABeaver AreaQuaker Valley45 - 29
3AMohawkNorth Catholic54 - 48North Allegheny High School
2ANeshannockSerra Catholic54 - 44
1ARochesterWest Greene71 - 41Peters Twp. High School
20206ANorth AlleghenyBethel Park54 - 40Petersen Events Center
5AChartiers ValleyTrinity58 - 40
4ANorth CatholicSouthmoreland61 - 44
3AMohawkBeaver Area44 - 26
2ABishop CanevinLaurel50 - 41
1ARochesterWest Greene59 - 43
20196APeters TownshipNorth Allegheny43 - 40Petersen Events Center
5AChartiers ValleyThomas Jefferson50 - 44
4ANorth CatholicCentral Valley75 - 57
3ANeshannockShady Side Academy47 - 42
2AOLSHBrentwood50 - 48
1ARochesterWest Greene62 - 56
20186ANorth AlleghenyPeters Township79 - 48Petersen Events Center
5AGatewayOakland Catholic29 - 27
4ANorth CatholicBeaver Area50 - 49
3ABishop CanevinEast Allegheny56 - 52
2AVincentian AcademyChartiers-Houston62 - 47
1AWinchester ThurstonWest Greene76 - 57
20176ANorth AlleghenyBethel Park50 - 39Petersen Events Center
5AChartiers ValleyOakland Catholic52 - 36
4ANorth CatholicBlackhawk65 - 36
3ABishop CanevinNeshannock65 - 36
2ACharties-HoustonVincentian Academy47 - 35
1AWinchester ThurstonCornell52 - 41
20164ANorwinNorth Allegheny63 - 57Petersen Events Center
3ASouth FayetteTrinity59 - 52
2ABishop CanevinGreensburg C.C.53 - 33
1AVincentian AcademyNorth Catholic68 - 54
20154ANorwinPenn Hills54 - 34Petersen Events Center
3ABlackhawkSouth Fayette65 - 54
2ASeton LaSalleBishop Canevin51 - 35
1AVincentian AcademyNorth Catholic74 - 35
20144APenn-TraffordHempfield56 - 45A. J. Palumbo Center
3ABlackhawkSouth Park62 - 55
2ASeton LaSalleBurrell55 - 34
1AVincentian AcademySerra Catholic66 - 46
20134ABethel ParkChartiers Valley48 - 34A. J. Palumbo Center
3ASouth ParkElizabeth Forward50 - 32
2ABishop CanevinSeton LaSalle56 - 47
1AVincentian AcademySerra Catholic53 - 46
20124AMt. LebanonOakland Catholic58 - 49A. J. Palumbo Center
3AHopewellSouth Park50 - 34
2ASeton LaSalleBishop Canevin73 - 60
1AVincentian AcademyNorth Catholic54 - 50
20114AShalerMt. Lebanon41 - 35A. J. Palumbo Center
3ABlackhawkAmbridge63 - 49
2ASeton LaSalleJeanette74 - 29
1ANorth CatholicFort Cherry49 - 43
20104AMt. LebanonBaldwin59 - 43A. J. Palumbo Center
3ANew CastleHopewell66 - 61
2AJeannetteSeton LaSalle39 - 36
1AVincentian AcademyNorth Catholic57 - 31
20094AMt. LebanonFox Chapel50 - 24A. J. Palumbo Center
3ANew CastleWest Mifflin54 - 47
2ASto-RoxSeton LaSalle51 - 34
1ANorth CatholicMt. Alvernia48 - 44
20084AUpper St. ClairPeters Township69 - 40A. J. Palumbo Center
3AHamptonWest Mifflin45 - 41
2ASouth ParkOLSH47 - 37
1AMt. AlverniaMonessen74 - 68
20074ANew CastleOakland Catholic46 - 44A. J. Palumbo Center
3AHopewellMontour44 - 26
2AGreensburg C.C.Ford City47 - 37
1ANorth CatholicVincentian Academy61 - 35
20064AOakland CatholicMt Lebanon49 - 36Petersen Events Center
3AHopewellMoon Area43 - 26
2AGreensburg C.C.OLSH46 - 26
1AMonessenSerra Catholic40 - 34
20054AOakland CatholicBethel Park58 - 49A. J. Palumbo Center
3AMoonMountour33 - 29
2AAvonworthGreensburg C.C.58 - 52
1ASerra CatholicClairton56 - 31
20044ANew CastleOakland Catholic36 - 32A. J. Palumbo Center
3ANorth CatholicMars68 - 40
2ACarlyntonFreeport42 - 20
1AMonessenSerra Catholic63 - 47
20034AUpper St. ClairOakland Catholic55 - 45A. J. Palumbo Center
3ANorth CatholicMoon Area51 - 42
2AGreensburg C.C.Carlynton49 - 40
1ASerra CatholicMonessen68 - 54
20024AOakland CatholicUpper St. Clair63 - 50Charles L. Sewall Center
3AMoonNorth Catholic54 - 44
2AVincentian AcademyGreensburg C.C.55 - 48
1AClairtonMt. Alvernia52 - 49
20014AOakland CatholicAmbridge66 - 48A. J. Palumbo Center
3AWest MifflinBlackhawk63 - 53
2AVincentian AcademyWashington62 - 55
1AClairtonMonessen64 - 50

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Erhard. Ethan. Scott Seltzer plans to stay as WPIAL Executive Director. The Yellow Jacket. November 17, 2023. July 15, 2024.
  2. Ph.D. . Jonathan L. . Silver . Approaching the Pinnacle of Privilege: The History of Shady Side Academy, 1883–Present . 2004 . Carnegie Mellon University . 132.
  3. Web site: History of the WPAIL. WPAIL. July 31, 2012.
  4. Web site: WPIAL Girls' Basketball Champions . 2024-03-05 . wpial.org . en.