Uniontown drops to Class AAA
While Uniontown chose not to defend its WPIAL Class AAAA boys basketball championship, the Red Raiders are not the only local team that will play in a different section or classification next season. Uniontown dropped its boys program down to Class AAA and was placed in Section 3, where the Red Raiders will battle Belle Vernon, Brownsville, Derry, Mt. Pleasant, Southmoreland, Waynesburg and Yough for playoff berths.
Uniontown’s move was one of five changes in Class AAA boys alone. The WPIAL alignment will be in effect for the next two seasons. McGuffey, the defending Section 3-AAA champ, was moved to Section 4, as was South Allegheny, which moves up to Class AAA for the next two seasons. Quaker Valley and Summit Academy also moved up to Class AAA and into Section 2.
Classification is based on enrollment in the top four grades. Separate numbers are used for boys and girls classification, which explains why some schools, like Uniontown and Brownsville, have boys teams in one classification and girls teams in another. Despite a Class AA enrollment, Steel Valley will play Class AAA, where it won the WPIAL title last season.
The Red Raiders were replaced in Section 2-AAAA by a team familiar with the section. Peters Township, the last team not named Uniontown to win a Section 2-AAAA title, comes back to oppose Albert Gallatin, Connellsville, Laurel Highlands, Canon-McMillan, Trinity and Ringgold.
The only other change in Class AAAA boys shows West Mifflin moving up from Class AAA to Section 5-AAAA. Beaver moved from Class AAA to Section 6-AA.
Carmichaels, a Class AA playoff team last season, moved down to Section 2-A, where it will go against Geibel Catholic, California, Jefferson-Morgan, Mapletown, West Greene and Avella.
Defending Section 2-A champion Clairton was moved to Section 3-A, where it will oppose Frazier, Monessen, Cornell and two new WPIAL teams, Trinity Christian Academy and Wilson Christian Academy.
Two other new teams, Cheswick Christian Academy and Winchester Thurston, will compete in a new Section 4-A with Duquesne, Greater Works Academy, Serra Catholic, St. Joseph and Vincentian.
The girls’ basketball realignment shows Peters Township returning to Section 2-AAAA to rejoin Albert Gallatin, Connellsville, Laurel Highlands, Uniontown, Canon-McMillan, Ringgold and Trinity.
Three girls’ teams are moving up to Class AAAA, Pine-Richland in Section 3 and Chartiers Valley and Thomas Jefferson in Section 5.
In Class AAA, Elizabeth Forward moves into Section 3 to replace Brownsville, which dropped to Class AA. Belle Vernon, Southmoreland, Waynesburg, Mt. Pleasant, McGuffey, Derry and Yough remain in Section 3-AAA.
Ambridge and Hopewell moved down to Class AAA, while Center and Mohawk moved up. All four of those teams are in Section 2-AAA.
Brownsville was placed in Section 5-AA, where it will join Beth-Center, Bentworth, Charleroi, Chartiers-Houston, South Side Beaver, Washington and section newcomer Burgettstown.
Beaver Falls also moved down to Class AA, while Rochester moved up. Both are in Section 2-AA.
The girls Class A alignment shows the most changes, with six teams dropping down from Class AA and four schools fielding teams for the first time.
Three of the teams dropping, Carmichaels, Frazier and West Greene, were placed in Section 2, where they will battle Geibel Catholic, California, Jefferson-Morgan, Mapletown and Avella.
Defending Section 2 champion Clairton moves to Section 3 and opposes Duquesne, Ellis School, Monessen and newcomers Trinity Christian Academy, Wilson Christian Academy and Winchester Thurston.
An all-new Section 4-A includes four teams – Elderton, Leechburg, Serra Catholic and Wilkinsburg – that dropped from Class AA and Greater Works Academy, Mt. Alvernia and St. Joseph.