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Tuesday, July 5, 2022 | 11:15 a.m.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Hampton’s Kevyn Fish runs to the finish line in the Class AAA girls race during the WPIAL Cross Country Championships on Thursday, October 28, 2021 at the University of California, Pennsylvania.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Latrobe’s Emerson Skatell finished third in the WCCA Women’s Cross Country Championships Oct. 13 at Westmoreland Community College.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Kiski Area’s Eliza Miller wins the WCCA Women’s Cross Country Championships on Wednesday, October 13, 2021 at Westmoreland Community College.
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The WPIAL has released new section rosters for the next two-year cycle across all sports, and the changes will be implemented starting this fall.
This summer, the Tribune-Review will break down the changes for each of the WPIAL sports.
Here is a preview of the next WPIAL cross-country season:
2021 WPIAL Championships
Boys
Class 3A Tag Team Champion: North Allegheny
Class 3A Individual Champion: CJ Singleton, Butler, 16:26.3
Class 2A Tag Team Champion: Hampton
Class 2A Individual Champion: Ryan Pajak, Ringgold, 16:58.9
Class A Tag Team Champion: Riverview
Class A Individual Champion: Sean Aiken, Eden Christian Academy, 17:09.3
Girls
Class 3A Tag Team Champion: North Allegheny
Class 3A Individual Champion: Mia Cochran, Moon, 18:18.6
Class 2A team champion: Montour
Class 2A Individual Champion: Jolena Quarzo, Brownsville, 19:04.1
Class A Tag Team Champion: OLSH
Class A Individual Champion: Corinn Brewer, Greensburg CC, 21:17.8
Notable changes
The WPIAL teams are again divided into two divisions, mainly divided by geography. Division I has six sections and Division II has five.
Sectional Championships will be awarded at the end of the regular season, and teams will then compete in the WPIAL Championships based on entry in three classifications (3A, 2A, A).
Several teams will be in different classes for the next two-year cycle.
On the boys’ side, Latrobe, Albert Gallatin, Connellsville, Chartiers Valley, Kiski Area, Woodland Hills and West Allegheny have been upgraded from Class 3A to 2A. Ligonier Valley, McGuffey and Burrell went from 2A to A. Mars went from 2A to 3A and Beaver Falls went from A to 2A.
On the girls side, West Allegheny and Woodland Hills went from 3A to 2A, and Ligonier Valley, Ellwood City and South Allegheny went from 2A to A. Thomas Jefferson went from 2A to 3A and Beaver Falls went from A to 2A .
Among the major section changes, Indiana and Franklin Regional swapped sections, with FR moving to Section 4 and Indiana moving to Section 1 with a large group of Westmoreland County teams in Division I.
Also in Division I, Moon and Chartiers Valley swapped places in Sections 5 and 6.
Hampton moved up to Division II and will compete in Section 4, where he will join three teams coming out of Section 2: Aquinas Academy, Avonworth and North Catholic, along with remnants Burrell, Deer Lakes, Freeport, Highlands, Knoch, Riverview and Shady Side Academy.
The WPIAL Championships will once again take place at the Roadman Course in Cal, Pennsylvania on October 27.
The top four teams from Class A and the top three from Classes 3A and 2A qualify for the state championships. For Individuals, the top 20 finishers outside of Class A team qualifiers and the top 15 in Class 3A and 2A qualify for the PIAA competition.
New teams
Rochester, Hillel Academy and Calvary Chapel will field WPIAL Class A cross-country teams this fall.
Key dates
August 15: First training date
August 20: First scrimmage date
August 26: First game date
September 13: Date of the first section
October 27: WPIAL Championships
November 5: PIAA Championships
2022-23 roster
Division I (52 teams)
• Section 1: Derry, Indiana*, Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Yough
• Section 2: Albert Gallatin, Connellsville, Elizabeth Forward, Laurel Highlands, McKeesport, Ringgold, Thomas Jefferson, Uniontown, West Mifflin
• Section 3: Butler, Central Catholic/Oakland Catholic, Mars, North Allegheny, North Hills, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, Shaler
• Section 4: Armstrong, Fox Chapel, Franklin Regional, Gateway, Kiski Area, Penn Hills, Plum, Woodland Hills
• Section 5: Ambridge, Beaver, Blackhawk*, Central Valley, Chartiers Valley, Hopewell, Montour, New Castle, West Allegheny
• Section 6: Baldwin, Bethel Park, Canon-McMillan, Moon, Mt. Lebanon, Peters Township, South Fayette, Trinity, Upper St. Clair
Division II (54 teams)
• Section 1: Beaver Falls, Ellwood City, Freedom, Laurel, Mohawk, Neshannock, New Brighton, Riverside, Rochester, Shenango, Union
• Section 2: Bishop Canevin, Brentwood, Carlynton, Eden Christian Academy, Hillel Academy, Northgate, OLSH, Quaker Valley, Redeemer Lutheran/Ellis School, Sewickley Academy, Winchester Thurston
• Section 3: Avella, Burgettstown, Chartiers-Houston, Fort Cherry, Keystone Oaks, McGuffey, Seton LaSalle, South Side, Washington, Waynesburg Central, West Greene
• Section 4: Aquinas Academy, Avonworth, Burrell, Deer Lakes, Freeport, Hampton, Highlands, Knoch, North Catholic, Riverview, Shady Side Academy
• Section 5: Belle Vernon, Brownsville, California, Calvary Chapel, Greensburg CC, Serra Catholic, South Allegheny, South Park, Southmoreland, Steel Valley
*Cooperative sponsorship
Bill Hartlep is the sports editor of the Tribune-Review. You can contact Bill at bhartlep@triblive.com or via Twitter @BHartlep_Trib.
