Belle Vernon, whose gold turf resembles sand, is ranked first in 3A.Ī look at common opponents says their game could be close since both teams lost to McKeesport by similar scores. Penn-Trafford is ranked third in WPIAL 5A. The WPIAL scheduled 15 nonconference games including an intriguing matchup that has Penn-Trafford headed to Belle Vernon’s “beach” on Friday night. Most schools have a conference game this week but not everyone. The top two teams from each of the three conferences are guaranteed playoff spots and two third-place teams earn wild cards. There are three other 5A conference matchups in Week 3: Gateway at Franklin Regional, Plum at Norwin and South Fayette at Peters Township. Both were WPIAL playoff teams a year ago when the 5A bracket had 12 teams. That means a conference game such as this week’s between North Hills and Woodland Hills in the Northeast could have big implications down the road. The WPIAL playoff bracket in 5A has only eight spots, so there’s little room for error. Two of those three opponents are from Class 5A, the classification where West A spent the last six seasons before dropping to 4A this year. They’ve defeated Moon, 41-0 South Fayette, 40-7 and Ringgold, 49-7. The Indians have outscored their first three opponents 130-14 and Tracy has seven touchdowns. West A coach Dave Schoppe is in his third season and has a two-way standout in senior Nodin Tracy, a running back and linebacker. Yet, things are looking up for the Indians, who now chase their first 4-0 start since 2017, when they host New Castle (1-2) in a Parkway opener at 7 p.m. It wasn’t long ago that West Allegheny was winning WPIAL titles, the latest came in 2016, but the team endured a few lean seasons since. Their regular season game was split over two days because of storms. The Vikings had their own title hopes last season but lost twice to Lebo: 35-14 in Week 6 and 47-7 in the WPIAL finals. Lebanon roster has changed much since the Blue Devils won the title a year ago, but don’t expect Central Catholic to take them lightly when they meet at 7 p.m. There’s only one Class 6A game on the Week 3 schedule and it’s a rematch of the 2021 WPIAL championship. “Week to week, we’re getting better, whether it’s conference play or not.” “We’re just excited to go and play,” Wade said. They’re 53-2 against conference opponents in Wade’s first eight seasons as coach.Ĭlairton opens Eastern Conference play at noon Saturday at Riverview (1-2). The Bears have proven almost unbeatable at this time of year. Combined, those three opponents are 8-1, so don’t count out Clairton yet. The Bears are 0-3 for the first time since 2005 after a tough nonconference start against Westinghouse, Washington and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. “The records really count and it’s all about playoff seeding and all of that stuff, so it does make a little difference.” “The thing about conference play is now it counts, so it adds a little more to it,” Clairton coach Wayne Wade said. By the end of the day Saturday, 94 of 117 teams will have played at least one conference game. Most WPIAL teams had a few exhibition games to prepare, but this week the WPIAL starts conference play in earnest with a nearly full slate.
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