Pennsylvania Playoffs Begin

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

The eastern half of Pennsylvania wraps-up the regular season Friday night, while the western half of the state begins the post-season.

The WPIAL takes center stage out west with some of the best teams in the state ready to take one of the toughest trips to the state title games in Hershey in December. The WPIAL champ wins a spot in the state semifinals.

In the latest Patriot-News high school football rankings, three WPIAL teams are ranked #1 going into the post-season. Gateway, which ranked #3 by USA Today, is the top dog in AAAA, while Thomas Jefferson is #1 in Class AAA and Beaver Falls is ranked #1 in AA. Steelton-Highspire in Harrisburg is #1 team in the state's small classification.

Click here for a great story from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for a story on the evolution of the WPIAL playoffs.

WPIAL Playoffs Opening Round

Class AAAA
Penn-Trafford vs. Pittsburgh Central Catholic
Pine-Richland at Penn Hills
Mt. Lebanon at Gateway
Upper St. Clair at McKeesport
Hempfield at Bethel Park
Shaler at Canon-McMillan
Fox Chapel at North Hills
Woodland Hills at North Allegheny

Class AAA
Marts at Chartiers Valley
Union at Thomas Jefferson
Laurel Highlands at Highlands
Trinity at Indiana
Hopewell at Greensburg Salem
Montour at Yough
Franklin Regional at New Castle
Ringgold at Blackhawk

Class AA
Bishop Canevin at Shady Side Academy
Keystone Oaks at Ford City
Beaver Area at Sto-Rox
Center at Seton-LaSalle
Freeport at Greensburg Central Catholic
Valley at Jeannette
East Allegheny at Aliquippa
McGuffey at Beaver Falls

Class A
Carmichaels at Monaca
Chartiers-Houston at Rochester
Brentwood at Clairton
North Catholic at Fort Cherry
California at Avonworth
South Side Beaver at Springdale
Serra Catholic at Monessen
Western Beaver at Beth-Center