Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League

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The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) is an interscholastic athletic association in Western Pennsylvania. It is District 7 of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association. The league is colloquially known as "WIP-ee-al". As of 2006, the Executive Director is Tim O'Malley.

Contents 1 History 2 Member Schools 3 Sports 4 Current champions

[edit] History

Maura Donley The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) was founded in 1906 by a small group of educators who recognized the need to provide a set of eligibility rules and regulations in order to insure a level playing field for interscholastic athletic competition among the schools in Western Pennsylvania. WPIAL schools would hire the best local players to play for their teams. In 1903, Allegheny Prep, Pittsburgh Central High School, and Shady Side Academy began working on developing the league. In 1906, E. W. Rynearson of Pittsburgh Fifth Avenue with Headmaster Jones of Allegheny Prep and W. R. Crabbe of Shady Side Academy wrote the first eligibility rules.

In the beginning, the league was poorly received by the public, and the league found it difficult to enforce the 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.^[1]

Originally numbering three high schools, WPIAL had a high of 156 participating school as late as the 1981-82 school year. Currently there are 138 high schools and 147 junior high school members in the WPIAL.[1]

[edit] Member Schools

The league is made up of 136 public school districts and private schools located in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence, Washington, Westmoreland and Indiana counties.

Exceptions include:

• Ligonier Valley School District in Westmoreland County, which opts to participate in District 6. However, Ligoner High School is expected to move to District 7 in 2011.
• Pittsburgh Public Schools in Allegheny County, which create District 8.
• Slippery Rock and Moniteau high schools in Butler County, who participate in District 10 and 9 respectfully.
• Wilmington Area in Lawrence and Mercer Counties, a District 10 member.

Alphabetical List of WPIAL Member Schools:

http://www.wpial.org/memberschools.asp

Addresses and school district website links:

http://www.hsfootballweb.com/wpial.htm

[edit] 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

[edit] Current champions

The following are champions for the 2008-09 academic school year:

2009-2010

Football at Heinz Field

Class A - Clairton defeated Rochester 14-13

Class AA - Greensburg Central Catholic defeated Aliquippa 33-7

Class AAA - West Allegheny defeated Hopewell 36-28

Class AAAA - Woodland Hills defeated Gateway 10-0

Boys Basketball at A.J. Palumbo Center, Duquesne University

Class A - Sewickely Academy defeated Serra Catholic 71-57

Class AA - North Catholic defeated Jeanette 54-41

Class AAA - Hampton defeated Highlands 84-59

Class AAAA - Peters Township defeated Mt. Lebanon 60-54

Girls Basketball at A.J. Palumbo Center, Duquesne University

Class A - North Catholic defeated Mt. Alvernia 48-44

Class AA - Sto-Rox defeated Seton LaSalle 51-34

Class AAA - New Castle defeated West Mifflin 54-47

Class AAAA - Mt. Lebanon defeated Fox Chapel 50-24

Boys Baseball at CONSOL Energy Park

Class A - Serra Catholic defeated Carmichaels 7-1

Class AA - Shady Side Academy defeated North Catholic 3-2

Class AAA - Moon defeated Chartiers Valley 3-2

Class AAAA - North Allegheny defeated Pine-Richland 6-3

Girls Softball

Class A- Vincentian Academy defeated Avonworth 3-1

Class AA- Riverside defeated Sto-Rox 8-0

Class AAA- Franklin Regional defeated Trinity 2-0

Class AAAA- Hempfield defeated Shaler 3-2

Boys Soccer

Class A - Seton Lasalle defeated Shady Side Academy 2-0

Class AA - Mars defeated Thomas Jefferson 3-2

Class AAA - Peters Township defeated Fox Chapel 2-0

Girls Soccer

Class AA - Mt. Lebanon defeated Peters Township 3-2

Class AAA - South Park defeated Springdale 1-0

Girls Volleyball

Class A - Beaver County Christian defeated Giebel 3-2

Class AA - West Allegheny defeated Hopeweel 3-1

Class AAA - North Allegheny defeated Pine-Richland 3-1

Boys Volleyball

Class AA - Ambridge defeated Deer Lakes 3-0

Class AAA - North Allegheny defeated Penn Hills 3-0

Boys Lacrosse

Division I- Mt. Lebanon defeated Shady Side Academy 3-2

Division II- Hampton defeated Greensburg Central Catholic 13-9

Girls Lacrosse

Division I- Peters Township defeated Upper St. Clair 18-5

Division II- Quaker Valley defeated Shady Side Academy 12-11

Boys Wrestling

Class AA- Mt. Pleasant defeated Burrell 33-25

Class AAA- Connellsville defeated Kiski 33-22

• Official WPIAL site
• High School Football - WPIAL