Thursday, January 28, 2010

WPIAL releases football schedules

The WPIAL released football schedules for the 2010 season and, in terms of non-conference games, the football committee didn't set up many intriguing match-ups for local teams.

Peters Township failed to draw a Quad-A opponent, as the WPIAL scheduled them against Laurel Highlands, Kittanning and West Mifflin. Trinity plays Central Valley (a merger of Center and Monaca) in Week 4 and Waynesburg drew Beaver Falls, also in Week 4. Fort Cherry, as usual, plays Rochester in Week 2.

Teams in conferences with eight teams or fewer receive an open date (Week 1) from the WPIAL where the school is permitted to schedule any team.

Class AA Charleroi and Class A Monessen are in nine-team conferences which means the two cross-river rivals will not renew the WPIAL's oldest football rivalry. The Cougars and Greyhounds last played on the opening game of 2007. The next meeting will be the 100th between the two.

Ringgold hoped the WPIAL would cross-section the Keystone Conference with the Big Eight Conference so the Rams could play rival Belle Vernon. Ringgold was scheduled against Hampton and Belle Vernon drew New Castle. Both schools have an open date in Week 1 but Ringgold athletic director Lloyd Price said the school agreed to play it's open date against Elizabeth Forward.

To view the entire schedule, click:
http://www.wpial.org/general/sportsalignments2004.asp

Conference games of note:
Great Southern (AAAA) – Peters Township at Canon-McMillan (Oct. 29);
Big Eight (AAA) – McGuffey at Trinity (Oct. 29);
Keystone Conference (AAA) – Ringgold at Hollidaysburg (Sept. 17), Franklin Regional at Ringgold (Oct. 22);
Century Conference (AA) – Washington at South Fayette (Sept. 24);
Interstate Conference (AA) – Greensburg Central Catholic at Charleroi (Sept. 17);
Black Hills Conference (A) – Fort Cherry at Clairton (Oct. 22);
Tri-County South Conference (A) – Beth-Center at Monessen (Oct. 8).

9 comments:

WingTee said...

The meeting of the minds that ruin the WPIAL have struck again. What was the approach to the cross-over games in AA? Did they want some "beat 'em up and break their will to play" games? Here are some of the marquee match-ups they scheduled. PIAA runner-up GCC vs. 3-6 Mohawk? WPIAL runner-up Aliquippa vs. 2-7 East Allegheny? Interstate champion Mount Pleasant vs. losing streak leader Ellwood City? '08 WPIAL runner-up beaver Falls vs. 3-6 Waynesburg? Semi-finalist South Fayette vs. Summitt Academy? Beaver vs. Brownsville? Not to mention the single A game that you shouldn't miss Geibel vs. Springdale. You have to wonder what they were thinking. How can these struggling programs begin to rebuild with beat-downs on their schedule? How great would have been to see the WPIAL championship rematch between Aliquippa and GCC during the regular season? I would think it could only help them seed the play-offs if they had more head-to-head competition between the top teams. By the way, Mike, the new headlines pages look great.

mike_kovak said...

Yep, a real yawn when it comes to non-conference games.

The new pages on our web site were done by our computer people. It is much easier to navigate and more pleasing to the eye for sure.

Anonymous said...

Peters Township is playing Penn-Trafford in week one Mike. I thought they were Quad A.

J.Kuhns said...

Speaking for Waynesburg football, we are looking forward to playing Beaver Falls. In response to Wingtee, as part of rebuilding a program, there really is no reason to hide. It is our ambition to be successful and successful people live outside of their comfort zone. I don't think anything is unrealistic if you believe it can happen. We will welcome Beaver Falls in week 4 and, believe me, they will not "break our will".

R. Keith Taylor said...

I have to drive to Hollidaysburg!!! They need to stay back in district 6.

mike_kovak said...

Week 1 open dates were not on the WPIAL master schedules so I was unaware of PT's opponent in Week 1.

Anonymous said...

I heard a rumor that Washington starts week 1 at home against the defending PIAA Class A State Champion Bears...any truth to that?

Sarcastic Sword said...

Has the WPIAL always scheduled the non-conference games? I always thought that was up to each individual school...

mike_kovak said...

Sword,

Schools are permitted to schedule one game each year if in a conference with eight teams or fewer. After that, the WPIAL takes care of the rest.

Anon 5:36 p.m.,

I've also heard of the Clairton-Washington Week 1 game and intended to ask Wash High AD Joe Nicolella about it after last night's basketball game at Monessen. Things got a little hectic and I did not get the chance.

I'll track that one down though.