With two weeks left in the regular season, the WPIAL playoff picture is coming into focus for area boys teams. The top FOUR teams in each section qualify for the playoffs. Ties for qualifying positions are broken by head-to-head results. If the teams split there season series, both qualify. Here’s a rundown for all 19 Washington/Greene County boys teams (section records in parentheses):
6A Section 2
Canon-McMillan (3-3) sits in 4th place, the final qualifying spot, two games out of first and virtually 3 games ahead of Norwin and Hempfield with four games to play.
5A Section 1
Peters Township (4-2) lost its shot at the section title with Friday’s loss to Thomas Jefferson. Indians are three games up on 5th place Connellsville with four games left, all against teams below them in the standings. Trinity (3-3) has a solid hold on 4th place, having swept Connellsville. The Hillers clinch with two wins or with a win and a Connellsville loss. Ringgold (0-6) must win out and get help to qualify.
3A Section 4
Wash High (8-0) has clinched a playoff spot and can all but wrap up the section title at Yough Tuesday night. Due to weather cancellations, the Little Prexies have yet to face Mt. Pleasant but will play the Vikings twice down the stretch. McGuffey (3-5) have been up and down but is solidly in the playoff field at the moment. The Highlanders took Wash High to overtime, split a pair of blowouts with Mt. Pleasant, then lost to last-place Waynesburg. Three of McGuffey’s final four games are against teams trying to catch them in the race for the final playoff spot. Charleroi (2-7) has three games left and must sweep to qualify. Waynesburg (2-7) also must sweep but has that win over McGuffey as an aide in the tie-breakers down the stretch.
2A Section 4
Fort Cherry (8-0) has clinched a berth and sits two games up on second-place Burgettstown and can wrap up the section title with a win Friday at Chartiers-Houston. Burgettstown (6-2) is in second place with four games left. The Blue Devils clinch a playoff spot with any win or Beth-Center loss. Chartiers-Houston (6-3) clinches with a win in any of its three remaining games, or with a Beth-Center loss. Beth-Center (3-5) is currently on the outside of the picture, one game back of 4th place Frazier. The Bulldogs beat the Commodores but have lost three of their last four games since. B-C hosts Frazier to close the regular season, hoping to have stayed alive to that point. Bentworth (2-7) has to win out, plus get lots of help from Frazier and Beth-Center opponents. Carmichaels (0-8) is in the same situation as Bentworth.
1A Section 1
Avella (4-2) sits comfortably in third place, just a game back of the Rochester/Union tie atop the standings. The Eagles can clinch a playoff spot with a win at Cornell Friday night.
1A Section 2
West Greene (5-1) is tied with Monessen atop the standings with the Pioneers having won their first meeting. The teams play again Friday night in Rogersville. West Greene clinches a playoff spot with any win or Mapletown loss. Jeff-Morgan (4-2) sits in third place, one game back of the tie at the top and three games up on Mapletown. The Rockets clinch a berth with any win or Mapletown loss. California (3-3) holds the final playoff spot for the moment with four games to play. The Trojans host Mapletown on Tuesday with a chance to clinch. Mapletown (1-5) must win out and get lots of help.