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WPIAL Classification Figures Are Out
By By Rich Emert
Nauticom Sports

The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League's Football Steering Committee will meet next week to hammer out the league's conference structure for the 2000 and 2001 seasons.

The last time the WPIAL realigned football conferences it had a problem because there were just 27 schools in Class AAA. That meant the WPIAL had to go with three Class AAA conferences with nine teams in each. It looks as if for the next two seasons, there will be four Class AAA conferences with seven teams in each.

Before Christmas, the PIAA released the classification enrollment figures for the 2000-01 and 2001-02 school years. Football always attracts the most attention in the state and the following is the breakdown:

One to 187, Class A; 188-303, Class AA; 304-456, Class AAA; and 457 and above, Class AAAA.

The WPIAL has released the enrollment figures for its member schools for the next two seasons, which is why the football steering committee is ready to go to work. WPIAL Executive Director Larry Hanley has asked member schools that want to play up in classification to express those desires to the league office.

Under PIAA rules, a school may play up in classification in any sport. It may not play below its classification.

Peters Township and Canon-McMillan enrollment figures - The numbers used to determine classification are the numbers of boys or girls in a school district in grades 9-11 - have them at 456. Both could compete in Class AAA, but have asked to play in Quad-A. North Catholic has 185 boys, three under the cutoff for Class AA, but the Trojans are expected to stay in Class AA.

With Peters Township and Canon-McMillan, there are 30 schools in Quad-A. That's enough for four conferences. Since the WPIAL probably will not change the format where the top four teams from each conference qualify for the playoffs, 16 of the 30 will make it into post-season action.

The number of Quad-A schools could increase by two. Hanley said the football steering committee promised to talk with officials of Altoona and Hollidaysburg. Those schools, located in PIAA District 6, asked to join the WPIAL for football only a couple of years ago. West Shamokin High, the consolidation of Dayton and Shannock Valley, will compete in District 9 for football.

The following are the boys enrollment figures for WPIAL schools for the 2000-01 school year:

Butler, 1,050; North Allegheny, 1,042; Seneca Valley, 896; Hempfield, 864; Connellsville, 758; Penn Hills, 752; Shaler, 730; Baldwin, 711; Bethel Park, 704; Woodland Hills, 698; North Hills, 693; Mt. Lebanon, 687; Pittsburgh Central Catholic, 657; McKeesport, 625; Norwin, 586; Gateway, 580; Penn-Trafford, 560; Plum, 552; Kiski Area, 551; Greater Latrobe, 532; Fox Chapel, 528; Albert Gallatin, 525; Trinity, 523; Franklin Regional, 506; Indiana, 498; Laurel Highands, 490; Upper St. Clair, 486; and Ringgold, 480.

Canon-McMillan, 456; Peters Twp., 456; Greensburg Salem, 441; New Castle, 434; Pine-Richland, 438; Montour, 436; Chartiers Valley, 431; Knoch, 418; Hampton, 414; West Mifflin, 411; Uniontown, 410; Hopewell, 403; Moon Area, 403; Keystone Oaks, 392; West Allegheny, 387; Highlands, 386; Thomas Jefferson, 385; Ambridge, 384; Blackhawk, 383; Kittanning, 379; Derry Area, 365; Elizabeth Forward, 360; McGuffey, 345; Belle Vernon, 343; Ellwood City, 339; Valley, 338; Yough, 330; Deer Lakes, 318; and Mt. Pleasant, 309.

Southmoreland, 303; Mars Area, 297; Brownsville, 288; South Park, 288; Burrell, 284; Steel Valley, 279; Beaver, 278; Waynesburg, 266; East Allegheny, 265; Freeport, 250; Beaver Falls, 250; Washington, 248; Riverside, 246; New Brighton, 243; Seton-La Salle, 233; Quaker Valley, 232; Shady Side Academy, 229; Center, 228; Mohawk, 226; South Allegheny, 226; Charleroi, 223; Apollo-Ridge, 217; Carlynton, 211; Northgate, 211; Brentwood, 201; Aliquippa, 199; Ford City, 199; Summit Academy, 197; Beth-Center, 197; Shenango, 195; Laurel, 192; and Jeannette, 189.

North Catholic, 185; Bentworth, 182; Fort Cherry, 181; Greensburg Central Catholic, 179; Burgettstown, 177; Sto-Rox, 174; Canevin, 173; South Fayette, 172; Neshannock, 171; West Shamokin, 171; Riverview, 167; South Side Beaver, 165; Avonworth, 163; Carmichaels, 161; Springdale, 153; Elderton, 152; Chartiers-Houston, 150; Frazier, 149; Wilkinsburg, 144; West Greene, 143; Western Beaver, 136; California, 134; Serra Catholic, 130; Monessen, 127; Rochester, 126; Geibel, 120; Leechburg, 118; Jeffersom-Morgan, 114; Clairton, 113; Sewickley Academy, 113; Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, 108; Monaca, 106; Union, 106; Farrell, 104; Avella, 96; Quigley, 92; Mapletown, 90; Vincentian, 84; Cornell, 79; Duquesne, 75; Winchester-Thurston, 58; St. Joseph, 52; and Beaver County Christian, 41.

Here are the boys classification breakdowns for the other major sports. Basketball: 1-149, Class A; 150-255, Class AA; 256-418, Class AAA; 419 and up, Class AAAA. Baseball: 1-189, Class A; 190-369, Class AA; 370 and up, Class AAA. Soccer: 1-231, Class A; 232-409, Class AA; and 410 and up, Class AAA.

For girls, the major sport is basketball. Enrollment breakdowns for that sports for the next two years are: 1-147, Class A; 148-246, Class AA; 247-389, Class AAA; 390 and up, Class AAAA. Softball and volleyball are the only girls' sports with three classifications. The softball breakdowns are: 1-189, Class A; 190-351, Class AA; and 352 and up, Class AAA. The volleyball breakdowns are: 1-174, Class A; 175-355, Class AA; and 356 and up, Class AAA.

The following are the girls' enrollment figures for WPIAL schools for the 2000-01 year:

Butler, 1,016; North Allegheny, 997; Hempfield, 791; Seneca Valley, 769; Mt. Lebanon, 711; Penn Hills, 709; Shaler, 704; Woodland Hills, 687; Baldwin, 674; Connellsville, 671; Bethel Park, 668; North Hills, 664; Norwin, 624; McKeesport, 603; Kiski Area, 577; Fox Chapel, 552; Plum, 538; Gateway, 538; Penn-Trafford, 521; Upper St. Clair, 501; Trinity, 490; Albert Gallatin, 487; Greater Latrobe. 480; Canon-McMillan, 442; Laurel Highlands, 436; New Castle, 429; Indiana, 423; Greensburg Salem, 417; Uniontown, 417; Franklin Regional, 413; Ringgold, 412; Hopewell, 407; Ambridge, 407; Peters Twp., 405; and Montour, 403.

West Mifflin, 388; Moon Area, 380; Elizabeth Forward, 377; Hampton, 376; Highlands, 374; Keystone Oaks, 368; Oakland Catholic, 365; Pine-Richland, 363; Kittanning, 354; Derry Area, 354; Chartiers Valley, 353; Belle Vernon, 353; Thomas Jefferson, 351; Blackhawk, 350; Mt. Pleasant, 337; Knoch, 334; West Allegheny, 320; Yough, 318; McGuffey, 310; South Park, 303; Southmoreland, 302; Valley, 296; Ellwood City, 293; Mars, 293; Burrell, 284; Waynesburg, 267; Steel Valley, 265; Brownsville, 255; Riverside, 253; Beaver, 248; Beaver Falls, 247; Deer Lakes, 245; Quaker Valley, 241; and Mohawk, 241.

Washington, 228; New Brighton, 227; East Allegheny, 227; Freeport, 225; Center, 223; Carlynton, 221; South Allegheny, 220; Ford City, 220; Charleroi, 219; Apollo-Ridge, 215; Seton-La Salle, 211; Laurel, 200; South Fayette, 199; Freedom, 197; North Catholic, 193; Northgate, 192; Riverview, 191; Canevin, 190; Jeannette, 186; Neshannock, 178; Fort Cherry, 175; Burgettstown, 173; Aliquippa, 171; West Shamokin, 170; Shenango, 168; Beth-Center, 167; Sto-Rox, 160; Greensburg Central Catholic, 160; Bentworth, 158; Springdale, 157; Serra Catholic, 157; South Side Beaver, 153; and Brentwood, 153.

Shady Side Academy, 150; Avonworth, 149; Frazier, 149; Carmichaels, 148; Wilkinsburg, 148; Chartiers-Houston, 148; Rochester, 147; West Greene, 143; Western Beaver, 134; Elderton, 127; Jefferson-Morgan, 125; Ellis School, 123; Leechburg, 120; Clairton, 120; Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, 119; Sewickley Academy, 118; Geibel, 115; California, 115; Farrell, 114; Mt. Alvernia, 109; Monessen, 109; Duquesne, 102; Vincentian, 97; Uniontown, 97; Monaca, 97; Mapletown, 93; Avella, 90; Winchester-Thurston, 79; Cornell, 75; Quigley, 62; St. Joseph, 60; and Beaver County Christian, 56.

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