WPIAL Playoff Scenarios (Week 8)

With two weeks to go in the WPIAL season, the playoff picture is coming into focus. We figured we'd give yinz a brief rundown of what to look forward to this week and next week. Game of the Week tonight features a AA showdown between Seton La-Salle and South Fayette in a game that will decide the Century Conference crown. The game will be aired on FSN at 11pm tonight after the Pens game.

AAAA

9 of 16 playoff spots clinched

14 teams still in the running for 7 remaining playoff spots

Big East Conference

Clinched Playoff Berth: Central Catholic (4-0, 7-0), Woodland Hills (4-1, 4-3), Penn Hills (3-1, 4-3)

Still Alive: Kiski Area (2-2, 2-5), Plum (1-3, 4-3), Fox Chapel (1-3, 1-6)

Scenarios:

• Kiski can clinch a playoff spot with a win over Penn Hills and a Plum loss to Fox Chapel this week.
• If not, Kiski and Plum play the final week of the season and the winner will go to the playoffs.
• Fox Chapel needs to beat Plum then hope Plum beats Kiski to force a 3-way tie for 4th place then win a tiebreaker.
• Most likely Scenario: Plum-Kiski game next week decides the final spot.

Foothills Conference

Clinched Playoff Berth: McKeesport (4-0, 6-1), Gateway (4-0, 4-3), Penn-Trafford (3-1, 4-3)

Still Alive: Norwin (2-2, 3-4), Latrobe (1-3, 4-3), Hempfield (1-3, 1-6)

Scenarios:

• Norwin can clinch a playoff spot with a win over Latrobe this week.
• Latrobe must beat Norwin this week then beat Hempfield or hope for a Norwin loss to Penn-Trafford next week.
• Hempfield must hope Latrobe beats Norwin this week then they beat Latrobe next week and can win out in a 3-way tie for 4th place.
• Most likely scenario: Winner of this week's Norwin-Latrobe game gets the final spot.

Great Southern Conference

Clinched Playoff Berth: Mt Lebanon (3-0, 7-0), Upper St Clair (3-0, 6-1)

Still Alive: Peters Twp (1-2, 4-3), Bethel Park (1-2, 3-4), Baldwin (1-2, 2-5), Canon-McMillan (0-3, 1-6)

• This conference is still wide open. Anything can happen, so we're not even going to get into the playoff scenarios.
• 10/22 Games: Bethel Park v Upper St Clair, Canon-McMillan v Baldwin, Mt Lebanon v Peters Twp
• 10/29 Games: Baldwin v Bethel Park, Peters Twp v Canon-McMillan, Mt Lebanon v Upper St Clair
• Most likely scenario: Baldwin, Bethel, and Peters all end up with 2-3 conference records. Tiebreaker city.

Northern Seven Conference

Clinched Playoff Berth: North Allegheny (4-0, 7-0)

Still Alive: North Hills (3-1, 6-1), Shaler (3-1, 5-2), Erie McDowell (3-2, 5-2), Pine-Richland (2-3, 2-5)

Scenarios:

• North Hills, Erie McDowell, and Shaler can clinch a playoff spots this week with wins over Seneca Valley, Butler, and North Allegheny.
• Pine-Richland is pinning their hopes on a Shaler losing this week to NA then beating them next week to get into the playoffs.
• Most likely scenario: North Hills & Erie McDowell clinch this week, Shaler-PR game decides the last spot next week.

AAA

7 of 16 playoff spots clinched

20 teams still in the running for 9 remaining playoff spots

Big Eight Conference

Clinched Playoff Berth: none

Still Alive: Thomas Jefferson (5-0, 6-1), Belle Vernon (4-1, 4-3), Trinity (3-2, 4-3), Chartiers Valley (3-2, 3-4), West Mifflin (3-2, 3-4), South Park (2-3, 2-5)

10/22 Games: Thomas Jefferson v Belle Vernon, Trinity v South Park, Chartiers Valley v West Mifflin
10/29 Games: Thomas Jefferson v West Mifflin, Chartiers Valley v South Park, Trinity v McGuffey, Belle Vernon v Elizabeth Forward

Scenarios:

• The winner of the TJ-Belle Vernon game clinches a playoff spot.
• South Park is eliminated with a loss to Trinity this week.
• Everything else is wide open.
• Most likely scenario: TJ, Belle Vernon, and Trinity make the playoffs. The winner of this week's CV-West Mifflin game grabs the last spot.

Greater Allegheny Conference

Clinched Playoff Berth: Knoch (4-0, 7-0), Mars (4-0, 6-1)

Still Alive: Indiana (3-2, 5-2), Highlands (2-2, 4-3), Hampton (1-3, 1-6), Kittanning (1-3, 1-6)

Scenarios:

• Highlands plays Hampton next week in a game that will probably decide the last playoff spot.
• Kittanning needs to beat Hampton this week and Indiana next week to get in.
• Indiana clinches a spot with a Hampton win over Kittanning this week.
• Most likely scenario: Indiana and the winner of the Highlands-Hampton game make the playoffs.

Keystone Conference

Clinched Playoff Berth: Ringgold (5-0, 7-0), Franklin Regional (5-0, 6-1), Greensburg Salem (4-1, 6-1)

Still Alive: Hollidaysburg (2-3, 4-3), Uniontown (2-3, 3-4), Derry Area (1-4, 1-6), Laurel Highlands (1-4, 1-6)

Scenarios:

• Hollidaysburg beat Uniontown head-to-head, giving them the inside track on the last spot, but have to play both Laurel Highlands and Derry the next two weeks, keeping the playoff hopes of those two schools alive.
• Most likely scenario: Hollidaysburg gets the last spot.

Parkway Conference

Clinched Playoff Berth: Montour (5-0, 7-0), West Allegheny (5-0, 6-1)

Still Alive: Blackhawk (3-2, 5-2), Hopewell (2-3, 3-4), Central Valley (2-3, 4-3), Moon (1-4, 3-4), New Castle (1-4, 3-4), Ambridge (1-4, 2-5)

Scenarios:

• Blackhawk can clinch a playoff spot with a win over Central Valley this week.
• Good luck figuring the rest of this conference out. Hopewell has the tiebreaker over CV thanks to their win this past week.

AA

8 of 16 playoff spots have been clinched

14 teams still in the running for the 8 remaining playoff spots

Allegheny Conference

Clinched Playoff Berth: Ford City (5-0, 7-0)

Still Alive: Deer Lakes (4-1, 5-2), Freeport (3-2, 4-3), Burrell (3-2, 4-3), Shady Side Academy (3-2, 4-3), Summit Academy (2-3, 3-4)

10/22 Games: Burrell v Deer Lakes, Shady Side Academy v Summit Academy, Freeport v West Shamokin
10/29 Games: Deer Lakes v Shady Side Academy, Ford City v Burrell, Freeport v Summit Academy

Scenarios:

• Deer Lakes clinches their first playoff appearance in school history with a win over Burrell
• Summit Academy is eliminated with a loss to Shady Side Academy this week.
• Most likely scenario: Deer Lakes, Freeport, and Shady Side Academy make the playoffs.

Century Conference

Clinched Playoff Berth: Seton La-Salle (5-0, 7-0), South Fayette (5-0, 7-0)

Still Alive: Steel Valley (3-2, 5-2), Keystone Oaks (3-2, 5-2), South Allegheny (2-3, 2-5), Quaker Valley (1-4, 1-6)

10/22 Games: Seton La-Salle v South Fayette, Keystone Oaks v Burgettstown, Steel Valley v Quaker Valley, South Allegheny v Washington
10/29 Games: Seton La-Salle v Keystone Oaks, Steel Valley v South Allegheny

Scenarios:

• Steel Valley clinches a playoff spot with a win and a South Allegheny loss to Washington.
• Keystone Oaks clinches a playoff spot with a win and a South Allegheny loss to Washington.
• Quaker Valley is eliminated with a loss to Steel Valley this week.
• South Allegheny must beat Washington this week and Steel Valley next week to make the playoffs.
• Most likely scenario: Steel Valley and KO make the playoffs.

Interstate Conference

Clinched Playoff Berth: Greensburg Central Catholic (6-0, 7-0), Jeanette (6-0, 6-1)

Still Alive: East Allegheny (5-2, 5-2), Mount Pleasant (4-2, 4-3), Southmoreland (3-3, 3-4)

Scenarios:

• East Allegheny can clinch a playoff berth with a win against GCC this week.
• Mt Pleasant-Southmoreland game next week will likely decide the last playoff spot.
• Mt Pleasant clinches a playoff spot this week with a win over Waynesburg and a Southmoreland loss to Yough.
• Most likely scenario: Mt Pleasant and East Allegheny make the playoffs

Midwestern Conference

Clinched Playoff Berth: Aliquippa (7-0, 7-0), Beaver Area (5-1, 6-1), Beaver Falls (5-1, 6-1)

Still Alive: Ellwood City (4-2, 5-2), Riverside (3-3, 4-3)

Scenarios:

• Ellwood City can clinch a playoff spot with a win over Beaver Falls and a Riverside loss to New Brighton
• Most likely scenario: Casket match between Ellwood City and Riverside next week will decide the last playoff spot

A

4 of 16 playoff spots have been clinched

19 teams still in the running for 12 remaining playoff spots

Big Seven Conference

Clinched Playoff Berth: Rochester (5-0, 7-0), Cornell (4-1, 6-1)

Still Alive: Sto-Rox (3-2, 5-2), Western Beaver (3-2, 5-2), Neshannock (2-3, 4-3), Shenango (2-3, 3-4), Union (1-4, 2-5)

Scenarios:

• Sto-Rox clinches a playoff berth with a win over Shenango this week
• Western Beaver clinches a playoff berth with a win over South Side Beaver this week
• Most likely scenario: Sto-Rox and Western Beaver make the playoffs

Black Hills Conference

Clinched Playoff Berth: none

Still Alive: Clairton (5-0, 7-0), Chartiers-Houston (4-1, 6-1), Fort Cherry (4-1, 4-3), Brentwood (3-2, 5-2), Serra Catholic (3-2, 3-4)

Scenarios:

• Clairton clinches the Conference Championship with a win over Fort Cherry this week
• Chartiers-Houston clinches a playoff spot with a win over Avella this week
• Fort Cherry clinches a playoff spot with a win over Clairton this week OR if Brentwood beats Serra Catholic
• Brentwood clinches a playoff spot with a win over Serra Catholic this week
• Most likely scenario: Clairton, Char-Houston, Ft Cherry, and Brentwood make the playoffs

Eastern Conference

Clinched Playoff Berth: none

Still Alive: Avonworth (5-1, 6-1), Bishop Canevin (5-1, 6-1), Springdale (5-1, 6-1), North Catholic (4-2, 5-2), Riverview (4-2, 5-2)

Scenarios:

• North Catholic clinches a playoff spot with a win over Northgate this week.
• Bishop Canevin clinches a playoff spot with a win over Riverview this week.
• Avonworth clinches a playoff spot with a win over OLSH this week OR a Riverview loss.
• Springdale clinches a playoff spot with a win over Leechburg this week and a Riverview loss.
• Most likely scenario: Avonworth, Bishop Canevin, Springdale, and North Catholic make the playoffs

Tri-County South Conference

Clinced Playoff Berth: Monessen (6-0, 6-1), Beth-Center (5-1, 5-2)

Still Alive: California (4-2, 4-3), Frazier (4-2, 4-3), Carmichaels (3-3, 4-3), Geibel (3-3, 3-4)

Any two of these four teams could make the playoffs.

10/22 Games: California v Frazier, Carmichaels v Geibel
10/29 Games: California v Geibel, Carmichaels v Mapleton, Frazier v Monessen

Scenarios:

• This conference is a mess. Anything can happen. Carmichaels has the head-to-head advantage over Frazier. California has the head-to-head over Carmichaels.
• California clinches a playoff spot with a win and a Geibel loss this week.
• Frazier clinches a playoff spot with a win and a Geibel win this week.
• Most likely scenario: California and Carmichaels make the playoffs, then get killed in the first round.