Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League

The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) is an interscholastic athletic association in Western Pennsylvania. It is District 7 of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association. The league is colloquially known as "WIP-ee-al". As of 2006, the Executive Director is Tim O'Malley.

History

Maura DonleyThe Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) was founded in 1906 by a small group of educators who recognized the need to provide a set of eligibility rules and regulations in order to insure a level playing field for interscholastic athletic competition among the schools in Western Pennsylvania. WPIAL schools would hire the best local players to play for their teams. In 1903, Allegheny Prep, Pittsburgh Central High School, and Shady Side Academy began working on developing the league. In 1906, E. W. Rynearson of Pittsburgh Fifth Avenue with Headmaster Jones of Allegheny Prep and W. R. Crabbe of Shady Side Academy wrote the first eligibility rules.

In the beginning, the league was poorly received by the public, and the league found it difficult to enforce the 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 VII, and since 1982, WPIAL/District VII.

Originally numbering three high schools, WPIAL had a high of 156 participating school as late as the 1981-82 school year. Currently there are 138 high schools and 147 junior high school members in the WPIAL. [http://www.wpial.org/history.asp]

Member Schools

The league is made up of 136 public school districts and private schools located in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland counties. Exceptions include:
*Indiana Area School District, Indiana County, will move to District 6 in 2011.
*Ligonier Valley School District in Westmoreland County, which opts to participate in District 6. However, Ligoner High School is expected to move to District 7 in 2011.
*Pittsburgh Public Schools in Allegheny County, which create District 8.
*Slippery Rock and Moniteau High School's in Butler County, who participate in District 10 and 9 respectfully.
* Wilmington Area in Lawrence and Mercer Counties, a District 10 member.

Alphabetical List of WPIAL Member Schools:

http://www.wpial.org/memberschools.asp

ports

:"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

Current champions

The following are champions for the 2007-2008 academic school year:

;Football at Heinz Field:Class A - Serra Catholic defeated Springdale 10-6:Class AA - Jeanette defeated Beaver Falls 61-12:Class AAA - Thomas Jefferson defeated Montour 34-0:Class AAAA - Pittsburgh Central Catholic defeated Gateway 35-34 (OT)

;Boys Soccer at Elizabeth Forward High School:Class A - Sewickley Academy defeated Seton LaSalle:Class AA - Steel Valley defeated Center:Class AAA - Bethel Park defeated Peters Township

;Girls Soccer at Elizabeth Forward High School:Class AA - South Park defeated Springdale:Class AAA - Seneca Valley defeated Upper Saint Clair

;Girls Volleyball at Chartiers Valley High School:Class A - Seton LaSalle defeated Greensburg Central Catholic:Class AA - Hopewell defeated South Fayette:Class AAA - Mt. Lebanon defeated Upper Saint Clair

;Girls Field Hockey at Fox Chapel High School:Class AA - Shady Side Academy defeated Ellis:Class AAA - North Allegheny defeated Fox Chapel

;Girls Team Tennis at Club for Life, Monroeville:Class AA - Quaker Valley defeated Beaver:Class AAA - Shady Side Academy defeated North Allegheny

;Girls Individual Tennis at Shady Side Academy:Class AA - Cate Stewart (Quaker Valley):Class AAA - Lauren Greco (Shady Side Academy)

;Girls Doubles Tennis at Shady Side Academy:Class AA - Karly Timko and Tonya Timko (Chartiers-Houston):Class AAA - Kelly Wheland and Jen Larimore (North Allegheny)

;Boys Team Golf at Cedarbrook Gold Golf Course:Division 1 - Upper Saint Clair:Division 2 - Sewickley Academy

;Boys Individual Golf at Latrobe Country Club:All Classes - Brock Pompeani (Hopewell)

;Girls Team Golf at Cedarbrook Red Golf Course:All Classes - Mt. Lebanon

;Girls Individual Golf at Allegheny Country Club:All Classes - Rachel Rohanna (Waynesburg)

;Girls Team Cross Country at Coopers Lake:Class AA - Riverview:Class AAA - Mt Lebanon

;Boys Team Cross Country at Coopers Lake:Class AA - Avonworth:Class AAA - North Allegheny

;Boys Team Swimming at Trees Pool, University of Pittsburgh:Class AA - Shady Side Academy:Class AAA - North Allegheny

;Girls Team Swimming at Trees Pool, University of Pittsburgh:Class AA - Oakland Catholic:Class AAA - Bethel Park

;Team Wrestling at Chartiers Valley High School:Class AA - Burrell defeated Derry:Class AAA - Hempfield defeated Penn Trafford

;Team Rifle:All Classes - Mt Lebanon

;Girls Gymnastics at Moon Middle School:All Classes - Moon Area

;Boys Basketball at A.J. Palumbo Center, Duquesne University:Class A - Serra Catholic defeated Wilkinsburg:Class AA - Jeanette defeated Beaver Falls:Class AAA - Blackhawk defeated Hopewell:Class AAAA - Pittsburgh Central Catholic defeated Moon Area

;Girls Basketball at A.J. Palumbo Center, Duquesne University:Class A - Mt. Alvernia defeated Monessen:Class AA - South Park defeated Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic:Class AAA - Hampton defeated West Mifflin:Class AAAA - Upper Saint Clair defeated Peters Township

;Boys Team Tennis:Class AA - Sewickley Academy defeated Mt. Pleasant:Class AAA - Upper St. Clair defeated Shady Side Academy

;Boys Baseball at CONSOL Energy Park:Class A - Springdale Defeated California:Class AA - North Catholic defeated Seton LaSalle:Class AAA - West Mifflin Area defeated Thomas Jefferson:Class AAAA - Peters Township defeated Plum Boro

;Boys Volleyball at LaRoche College:Class AA - Montour defeated Latrobe:Class AAA - North Allegheny defeated Fox Chapel
* [http://www.wpial.org Official WPIAL site]