Larger text
Smaller text
Mt. Pleasant, Frazier learn WPIAL 1st-round opponents
The matchups
WPIAL Class AA
Mt. Pleasant (7-2) at Burrell (8-1), 7:30 p.m., Friday
WPIAL Class A
Frazier (7-2) at Clairton (9-0), 7:30 p.m., Friday
• WPIAL track and field championships
• West Mifflin tops Mt. Pleasant for 1st playoff win in 15 years
• Slam carries Greensburg Salem girls over Highlands in playoffs
• Shaler’s Schwartz breaks 2 records at WPIAL championships
By Jason Black
Published: Monday, October 29, 2012, 10:40 p.m.
Updated: Tuesday, February 19, 2013
The WPIAL released the pairings Monday for the upcoming football playoffs, which will begin with 32 first-round games Friday.
Mt. Pleasant and Frazier each qualified, and each will begin the playoffs on the road.
The Vikings finished the season with two straight wins to clinch third place in the Class AA Interstate Conference. Mt. Pleasant earned the ninth seed in the bracket and will travel to Burrell to begin the postseason. The Buccaneers shared the Allegheny Conference championship with Freeport and are riding a three-game winning streak.
“We kind of had a pretty good idea that we would be the ninth or 10th seed,” Mt. Pleasant coach Bo Ruffner said. “That was about the best we thought we would get.”
Mt. Pleasant's only two losses this season came against conference powers Jeannette and Washington. The Prexies and the Jayhawks earned the third and fourth seeds, respectively.
“We have some momentum after winning our last two games, and we are battle-tested from our games in the Interstate Conference,” Ruffner said.
Not surprisingly, Aliquippa earned the top seed in Class AA.
“I think it was pretty standard,” Ruffner said in regards to the Class AA bracket. “I think the committee did a good job.”
In Class A, the committee certainly didn't do Frazier any favors. The Commodores are the 16th seed, which means they must tangle with top-seeded Clairton.
The Bears are the Black Hills Conference champs and have won 56 games in a row dating to 2009. Clairton has won three straight state championships and four consecutive WPIAL crowns.
According to Frazier coach Mike Steeber, he went into the playoffs pairings meeting with no specific expectations.
“It was a tough call,” Steeber said. “Whatever we got is what we have to deal with because you can't change it.”
Frazier will enter the playoffs on a bit of a roll, having won four straight games. The Commodores, despite finishing with the same conference record as Jefferson-Morgan and Carmichaels, were relegated to fourth place in the Tri-County South due to head-to-head losses to the Rockets and Mikes. Jefferson-Morgan received the fourth seed, while Carmichaels received the 15th seed.
“We're playing our best football right now,” Steeber said. “It's definitely good to get back to the playoffs, and the kids had a nice stretch of wins to get us in.”
As expected, North Allegheny earned the top seed in Class AAAA while Thomas Jefferson garnered the first seed in Class AAA.
Jason Black is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at jblack@tribweb.com or 724-626-3534.
Most Popular Stories
- Kovacevic: The smartest man in hockey
- Penguins far from satisfied after Game 2
- Behind Crosby’s hat trick, Penguins sneak past Senators
- Penguins notebook: Malkin makes points run
- Ex-Steelers QB Batch learns new form of 2-minute drill
- Motorcyclist dies after crash in Latrobe
- Error in 9th allows Pirates to rally past Astros
- Pirates notebook: NL Central not so soft after all
- Just hold on, 911 officials say of busy signals, but frustrated callers want explanation
- Pair denied contact once baby born
- Former Pirates prospect Grossman now starting in center for Houston
You must be signed in to add comments
To comment, click the Sign in or sign up at the very top of this page.
Subscribe today! Click here for our subscription offers.
