### WPIAL Announces 2024 Football Championship Brackets

The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) has unveiled the brackets for the highly anticipated 2024 football championships. Central Catholic (Class 6A), Pine-Richland (Class 5A), Thomas Jefferson (Class 4A), Imani Christian Academy (Class 3A), Seton LaSalle (Class 2A), and Fort Cherry (Class 1A) have all secured the top seeds in their respective classifications. A total of 65 teams have qualified across the six classifications.

The official announcement was made on the WPIAL/KDKA Radio Selection Saturday Show, which was sponsored by PennWest University. Classes 6A, 2A, 3A, 4A, and 5A feature multiple sections, with 1A having the most at four sections. Class 6A saw the top four teams qualify for the championships, while Classes 1A, 2A, 3A, and 5A included wild card selections. Class 4A included the top two teams plus two wild cards.

Central Catholic completed an impressive regular season in Class 6A with an 8-2 overall record and a perfect 6-0 in section play. Pine-Richland topped Section I in Class 5A with an 8-1 record, while Woodland Hills and Upper St. Clair won their respective sections, ending long championship droughts. Notably, Upper St. Clair finished their season undefeated at 10-0.

In Class 4A, Thomas Jefferson maintained their dominance with a flawless 10-0 record, securing their section for the fifth time in seven seasons. The section I title was shared by Aliquippa, Montour, and West Allegheny, each posting 4-1 section records. Class 3A manifested a robust competition with Imani Christian Academy achieving a perfect 10-0 season, alongside Avonworth, Beaver, and Central Valley sharing the top spot in Section I.

Class 2A's section winners included South Park, Ellwood City, and Seton LaSalle, all breaking substantial championship droughts. Alternatively, Class 1A saw Clairton, Jefferson-Morgan, Fort Cherry, and Neshannock crowned as section winners. Clairton and Fort Cherry extended their impressive streaks, while Jefferson-Morgan won their first section title since 2006.

The championship games for Class 4A and Class 6A will take place on November 16 at Norwin High School. Acrisure Stadium will host the finals for Classes 1A, 2A, 3A, and 5A on November 23. The WPIAL champions from each classification will advance to the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Football Championships, with games scheduled between November 22-29 and culminating in the championship bouts from December 5-7 at Cumberland Valley High School.

Last season's WPIAL Football Championships saw exciting matchups, including North Allegheny's record-setting win over Central Catholic in Class 6A, and Peters Township claiming their first title in Class 5A. This year’s brackets promise equally thrilling contests as both seasoned champions and newcomers vie for glory.