The WPIAL football playoffs opened Friday night with 11 teams from our two-county area. Two won easily (Fort Cherry, Wash High), two had byes (Canon-McMillan, Peters Township), one rallied late for an upset (Chartiers-Houston), and six were eliminated, one in the final minute of play (Trinity). The Tri-County South was eliminated from the 1A tournament with losses by California, Bentworth, Jeff-Morgan and Avella. Only Bentworth’s game was close into second half as the Bearcats were tied 17-17 with Jeannette into the fourth quarter. Trinity took a 14-7 lead into the middle of the fourth on Aliquippa, only to see the Quips score twice, including the game-winner with just 20 seconds to play. It was the first home playoff game for the Hillers since 2001. Chartiers-Houston registered the first upset of the playoffs, scoring in the 4th quarter to beat South Side in Hookstown, the first playoff victory for Chartiers-Houston since beating Clairton in the opening round of the 2000 playoffs. Wash High jumped in front early and rolled past Beaver Falls, the Little Prexies’ 8th win in their last 9 home playoff games. Sites/times for the next round are expected to be released Saturday. WPIAL Brackets
WPIAL Football Playoffs, Friday, Oct. 31
4A Quarterfinals
#7 Aliquippa 21, #2 Trinity 14 Listen/Watch
2A First Round
#5 Wash High 37, #12 Beaver Falls 8 Listen/Watch,
#4 South Allegheny 61, #13 Waynesburg 13
1A First Round
#1 Fort Cherry 48, #16 Avella 14
#11 Frazier 27, #6 California 12
#10 Jeannette 38, #7 Bentworth 24
#12 Chartiers-Houston 26, #5 South Side 21
#4 Laurel 35, #13 Jeff-Morgan 0
Friday, Nov. 8
6A Semifinals
#4 Canon-McMillan vs. #1 Central Catholic, site/time to be determined
5A Quarterfinals
7:00 pm #7 Bethel Park at #2 Peters Township
2A Quarterfinals
#5 Wash High vs. #4 South Allegheny (site/time to be announced), WJPA-AM (1450), Listen/Watch
1A Quarterfinals
#1 Fort Cherry vs. #9 Neshannock (site/time to be announced), WJPA-FM (95.3), Listen/Watch
#12 Chartiers-Houston vs. #4 Laurel (site/time to be announced)