WJPA Sports

The WPIAL Football Committee will release the playoff brackets mid-afternoon Saturday. Once released, we’ll post the match-ups and bracket links here. Here’s a snapshot of the area teams’ playoff status:
6A Quad County—Canon-McMillan has clinched the #2 seed and a home game in the WPIAL semifinals against #3 North Allegheny in two weeks.
5A Allegheny Six–Defending WPIAL champion Peters Township (1-4, 3-7) will not make the tournament. Trinity (2-3, 5-5) is solidly in the wild card picture.  The Hillers’ losses to Thomas Jefferson and West Allegheny kept Trinity from earning an automatic bid but the Hillers are probably in the field and may get another shot at TJ.
4A Big Six—Ringgold (3-2, 5-5) is probably in trouble due to non-conference losses to Kiski (3-7) and Hampton (5-5). Blackhawk is a definite for one wild card spot. Ringgold’s almost certainly on the wrong side of the equation for the other wild card spot.
3A Interstate—Waynesburg (4-2, 8-2) is the third-place qualifier but will likely open on the road in a very competitive bracket top to bottom.
2A Allegheny—Charleroi 91-5, 4-6) will not make the playoffs but the four wins are twice as many as the Cougars have won in any season since last making the playoffs in 2019.
2A Century—McGuffey (4-2, 7-3) claimed the third-place berth with Friday’s win over Chartiers-Houston (3-3, 4-6). CHHS is on the edge of the wild card picture but the top-level strength of the conference will help the Bucs.
1A Black Hills—Wash High (6-0, 9-1) won the conference title and will likely be the #2 seed in the bracket. Fort Cherry (4-2, 8-2) is second and will host a first-round game. Burgettstown (4-2, 8-2) is likely the best third-place team and could get a home game based on the league’s out-of-conference dominance. Bentworth (2-4, 4-6) is in the wild card discussion but lost four of its last five games. The Bearcats do have a win against possible 2A wild card Keystone Oaks.
1A Tri-County South—California (7-0, 8-2) is first, Beth-Center (6-1, 9-1) is second. Avella (5-2, 6-4) grabbed the third automatic berth with Friday’s win at Frazier. The four Greene County teams in the league–Carmichaels (3-4, 4-6), Jeff-Morgan (2-5, 2-8), West Greene (1-6, 2-8) and Mapletown (0-7, 0-10) will not be in the playoffs.

Through five weeks of league play, two teams remain unbeaten in the Presidents Athletic Conference. By the time the clocks are turned back overnight, there will be one. Washington & Jefferson (5-0, 6-1) hosts Grove City (4-0, 5-2) Saturday night at Cameron Stadium. A W&J win clinches a second straight PAC championship and the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs. Grove City won back-to-back titles in 2023 & 2024. W&J is looking for a third consecutive playoff berth, a trip that would be their 29th all-time, third-most in Division III.  Grove City has been to the NCAA tournament each of the past three years. We’ll have the game on WJPA-AM (1450) and online. Pregame starts at 5:30 pm with kickoff shortly after 6 pm. Listen Here!

Wash High rolled up 366 yards on the ground, winning the Black Hills Conference championship over Fort Cherry. California handed Beth-Center its first loss of the year, the Trojans winning the Tri-County South title. Avella won at Frazier, McGuffey won at home against Chartiers-Houston and Burgettstown pulled away from Bentworth, the winners all clinching automatic playoff spots. Canon-McMillan’s win at Mt. Lebanon, coupled with North Allegheny’s win at Norwin, moved the Big Macs up to 2nd place in the 6A Quad County, giving CM a home game in the semifinals in two weeks. Trinity blanked Bethel Park, putting the Hillers squarely in the 5A wild card discussion.  Peters Township’s loss at Thomas Jefferson and Ringgold’s home loss to South Fayette likely ended playoff hopes for the losers. Chartiers-Houston and Bentworth are both in contention for wild card spots but don’t have strong cases. The seasons for Charleroi, and the four Greene County 1A teams definitely ended with Friday night’s games. Watch/Listen Here!

The WPIAL Football committee is set to release the playoff pairings mid-afternoon Saturday. Once released, we’ll get them posted here with action in 1A-5A set to begin next Friday night.

Week 10 Scores:
1A Black Hills
Wash High 35, Fort Cherry 14, Watch/Listen Here
Burgettstown 41, Bentworth 14

1A Tri-County South
California 22, Beth-Center 20, Watch/Listen Here
Avella 48, Frazier 20
Carmichaels 40, Mapletown 26
Jeff-Morgan 62, West Greene 38

2A Allegheny
Charleroi 50, Brownsville 13

2A Century
McGuffey 56, Chartiers-Houston 27, Watch/Listen Here

4A Big Six
South Fayette 44, Ringgold 7

5A Allegheny Six
Thomas Jefferson 28, Peters Township 6
Trinity 20, Bethel Park 0

6A Quad County
Canon-McMillan 34, Mt. Lebanon 7, Watch/Listen Here

Non-Conference
Waynesburg 55, Valley 8

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Tens of thousands of exuberant Brewers fans flooded the streets, watched from parking garages and cheered from office building windows in downtown Milwaukee to celebrate the franchise’s first World Series title. The small-market Brewers gave their long-suffering fans the championship they had been waiting for with a 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday, clinching the Series in five games. It was their first time playing in the Fall Classic in 44 years. Players on buses chugged cans of Miller Lite beer, walked the parade route high-fiving fans and hoisted the Commissioner’s Trophy as the cheers echoed through the streets.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers fired defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley on Friday following the team’s 27-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Evero is the first NFL coordinator fired this season. Carolina entered the week ranked 22nd in overall defense and last in the league against the run. Defensive line coach Todd Wash has been named interim defensive coordinator and will call the defensive plays, according to the Panthers.