Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League

Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League
Conference	Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association
Founded	1907
Commissioner	Amy Scheuneman, Executive Director[1]
Region	Western Pennsylvania
Official website	www.wpial.org

The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL, pronounced /ˈwɪpiəl/) is an interscholastic athletic association in Western Pennsylvania. It is District 7 of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association.

History

The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) was founded in 1907 by a group of educators from four public and private Pittsburgh schools who sought increased regulation and governance of student athletic eligibility and interscholastic athletic competition. The founding schools in the league included Shady Side Academy, Allegheny Prep, Pittsburgh Fifth Avenue High School, and Pittsburgh Central High School. William R. Crabbe of Shady Side Academy acted as a central force in the formation of the League and served as its first president.[2]

At its inception the league was poorly received by the public and the press, and found it difficult to enforce its 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.[3]

Originally numbering three high schools, WPIAL had a high of 156 participating school as late as the 1981–82 school year. As of October 2012, there are 137 high schools and 148 junior high school members in the WPIAL.[3]

Member schools

The league is responsible for administering the interscholastic athletic participation/competition of public school districts and private schools located in Allegheny (except Pittsburgh Public Schools), Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence, Washington, Westmoreland counties in Western Pennsylvania.

Exceptions as of the 2022-23 school year include:

Slippery Rock Area School District and Moniteau School District in Butler County participate in District 10 and District 9 respectively.
Wilmington Area School District in Lawrence and Mercer counties participates in District 10.
Since 2012, four high schools from Pittsburgh Public Schools in Allegheny County, which makes up PIAA District 8, compete in the WPIAL for baseball, softball, soccer, swimming, tennis, golf, and cross country.
Indiana Area School District, despite being located in Indiana County, which is part of District 6, competes in the WPIAL.

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

Football champions, 2016–present

2022
- Class AAAAAA (6A): North Allegheny
- Class AAAAA (5A): Pine-Richland
- Class AAAA (4A): Aliquippa
- Class AAA (3A): Belle Vernon
- Class AA (2A): Steel Valley
- Class A (1A): Union
2021
- Class AAAAAA (6A): Mount Lebanon
- Class AAAAA (5A): Penn-Trafford
- Class AAAA (4A): Aliquippa
- Class AAA (3A): Central Valley
- Class AA (2A): Serra Catholic
- Class A (1A): Bishop Canevin
2020
- Class AAAAAA (6A): Central Catholic
- Class AAAAA (5A): Pine-Richland
- Class AAAA (4A): Thomas Jefferson
- Class AAA (3A): Central Valley
- Class AA (2A): Beaver Falls
- Class A (1A): Jeannette
2019
- Class AAAAAA (6A): Central Catholic
- Class AAAAA (5A): Gateway
- Class AAAA (4A): Thomas Jefferson
- Class AAA (3A): Central Valley
- Class AA (2A): Avonworth
- Class A (1A): Clairton
2018
- Class AAAAAA (6A): Pine-Richland
- Class AAAAA (5A): Penn Hills
- Class AAAA (4A): South Fayette
- Class AAA (3A): Aliquippa
- Class AA (2A): Steel Valley
- Class A (1A): Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (OLSH)
2017
- Class AAAAAA (6A): Pine-Richland
- Class AAAAA (5A): Gateway
- Class AAAA (4A): Thomas Jefferson
- Class AAA (3A): Quaker Valley
- Class AA (2A): Washington
- Class A (1A): Jeannette

2016
- Class AAAAAA (6A): Central Catholic
- Class AAAAA (5A): West Allegheny
- Class AAAA (4A): Thomas Jefferson
- Class AAA (3A): Beaver Falls
- Class AA (2A): Steel Valley
- Class A (1A): Clairton

Boys' basketball champions, 2000–present

Class AAAAAA (6A):

2022: New Castle

2021: Upper St Clair
2020: Butler
2019: Mt. Lebanon
2018: Penn Hills
2017: Pine Richland

Class AAAAA (5A):

2021: New Castle
2020: Laurel Highlands
2019: Mars
2018: Mars
2017: Moon

Class AAAA (4A):

2021: Lincoln Park
2020: Highlands
2019: New Castle
2018: New Castle
2017: New Castle
2016: Pine-Richland
2015: Mt. Lebanon
2014: Mt. Lebanon
2013: New Castle
2012: Gateway
2011: Gateway
2010: Mt. Lebanon
2009: Peters Township
2008: Pittsburgh Central Catholic
2007: Bethel Park
2006: Mt. Lebanon
2005: Upper St. Clair
2004: Mt. Lebanon
2003: Penn Hills
2002: Mt. Lebanon
2001: Chartiers Valley
2000: Penn Hills

Class AAA (3A):

2021: Ellwood City
2020: North Catholic
2019: Lincoln Park
2018: Lincoln Park
2017: North Catholic
2016: Beaver Falls
2015: Indiana
2014: Central Valley
2013: Montour
2012: New Castle
2011: Montour
2010: Chartiers Valley
2009: Hampton Township
2008: Blackhawk
2007: West Allegheny
2006: Moon
2005: Moon
2004: Moon
2003: Blackhawk
2002: Steel Valley
2001: Brownsville
2000: Blackhawk

Class AA (2A):

2021 OLSH
2020 OLSH
2019 OLSH
2018 Sewickley Academy
2017: Sewickley Academy
2016: Aliquippa
2015: Aliquippa
2014: Seton-LaSalle
2013: Beaver Falls
2012: Beaver Falls
2011: Monessen
2010: North Catholic
2009: North Catholic
2008: Jeannette
2007: Aliquippa
2006: Aliquippa
2005: Beaver Falls
2004: Aliquippa
2003: Aliquippa
2002: Sto-Rox
2001: Sto-Rox
2000: Aliquippa

Class A (1A):

2021 Bishop Canevin
2020 Vincentian Academy
2019 Nazareth Prep
2018: Vincentian Academy
2017: Monessen
2016: North Catholic
2015: Monessen
2014: Lincoln Park
2013: Vincentian Academy
2012: Lincoln Park
2011: Vincentian Academy
2010: Sewickley Academy
2009: Sewickley Academy
2008: Serra Catholic
2007: Leechburg
2006: Clairton
2005: Duquesne
2004: Sewickley Academy
2003: Union Township
2002: Monessen
2001: Monessen
2000: Cornell

References

Emert, Rich (March 28, 2012). "HOME NEWS LOCAL SPORTS OPINION A & E LIFE BUSINESS VIDEO PHOTO Q&A: WPIAL Executive Director Tim O'Malley". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Silver, Jonathan L. (2004). Approaching the Pinnacle of Privilege: The History of Shady Side Academy, 1883–Present (Ph.D.). Carnegie Mellon University. p. 132.
"History of the WPAIL". WPAIL. Retrieved July 31, 2012.

External links

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[1] Emert, Rich (March 28, 2012). "HOME NEWS LOCAL SPORTS OPINION A & E LIFE BUSINESS VIDEO PHOTO Q&A: WPIAL Executive Director Tim O'Malley". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

[2] Silver, Jonathan L. (2004). Approaching the Pinnacle of Privilege: The History of Shady Side Academy, 1883–Present (Ph.D.). Carnegie Mellon University. p. 132.

[history-3] "History of the WPAIL". WPAIL. Retrieved July 31, 2012.