Notable changes to the 2024-25 WPIAL boys golf alignment

By: Giustino Racchini
Monday, June 17, 2024 | 2:02 PM

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The WPIAL released new section alignments for the next two-year cycle in all sports, and changes will be implemented starting this fall.

This summer, the Tribune-Review will break down changes for each of the WPIAL sports.

Here’s a look at the upcoming WPIAL boys golf season:

2023 WPIAL championships

WPIAL 3A team champion: Peters Township

WPIAL 2A team champion: Belle Vernon

WPIAL 3A individual champion: Nick Turowski, Penn-Trafford, 70 (2-under)

WPIAL 2A individual champion: Nixon Erdely, Frazier, 70 (1-under)

Sticking with 2 rounds

The WPIAL will continue with a 36-hole format for the individual championships that was introduced before the 2022 season.

The top 36 players and ties from the first round advance to the final round. The total score from all 36 holes will determine final placement.

Notable changes

There are a few changes to how many teams are in each classification and section moving forward.

Class 3A will drop from 49 teams to 48 and move from eight sections to seven. Class 2A will move from 62 teams to 63 across nine sections.

• Belle Vernon, Knoch, West Mifflin and Uniontown are moving from Class 2A to 3A for the next two seasons.

Belle Vernon and Uniontown head to Section 2, Knoch goes to Section 3 and West Mifflin will be joining Section 4.

• Numerous other teams in Class 3A are switching sections. Kiski Area moves over to Section 1, and New Castle heads to Section 3. Trinity joins a South Hills group that is in Section 5. Blackhawk will compete in Section 6 with airport-area teams. Ambridge and North Hills joined Section 7 with Fox Chapel, Hampton, Highlands and Shaler, a group that was in the now-defunct Section 8.

• Avonworth, Beaver, Central Valley, Shady Side Academy and North Catholic moved down to Class 2A. Avonworth heads to Section 4, Shady Side Academy joins Section 8, North Catholic will slot into Section 9 and Beaver and Central Valley are in Section 6.

• There wasn’t much inter-section movement in Class 2A. In Section 7, Bishop Canevin went from Section 9 to 7.

Seton LaSalle joins Section 8 after spending multiple years with Section 4. And Hopewell was added to Section 9 after being in Section 6.

New team in

Avella will join Section 4-2A to play against Avonworth, Burgettstown, Chartiers-Houston, Fort Cherry, Keystone Oaks and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

Who’s out?

Lincoln Park, which finished 0-12 last fall, will not field a boys golf team this season.

Key dates

Aug. 5: First practice date

Aug. 8: First play date

Aug. 9: First section date

Sep. 16-19: Individual section qualifiers

Sep. 23-26: WPIAL individual first round

Sept. 30: WPIAL Class 2A individual finals

Oct. 1: WPIAL Class 3A individual finals, Oakmont Country Club

Oct. 7-8: WPIAL team semifinals

Oct. 10: WPIAL team championships

Oct. 21-22: PIAA individual championships, Penn State Golf Course

Oct. 23: PIAA team championships, Penn State Golf Course

2024-25 alignment

Class 3A (48 teams)

Section 1: Armstrong, Hempfield, Indiana, Kiski Area, Latrobe, Norwin, Penn-Trafford

Section 2: Albert Gallatin, Belle Vernon, Connellsville, Laurel Highlands, McKeesport, Ringgold, Uniontown

Section 3: Butler, Knoch, Mars, New Castle, North Allegheny, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley

Section 4: Central Catholic, Franklin Regional, Gateway, Penn Hills, Plum, West Mifflin, Woodland Hills

Section 5: Baldwin, Bethel Park, Canon-McMillan, Mt. Lebanon, Peters Township, Thomas Jefferson, Trinity

Section 6: Blackhawk, Chartiers Valley, Montour, Moon, South Fayette, Upper St. Clair, West Allegheny

Section 7: Ambridge, Fox Chapel, Hampton, Highlands, North Hills, Shaler

Class 2A (63 teams)

Section 1: Burrell, Deer Lakes, Freeport, Leechburg, Riverview, St. Joseph, Valley

Section 2: Derry, Greensburg Central Catholic, Greensburg Salem, Jeannette, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant, Southmoreland.

Section 3: Bentworth, Beth-Center, Brownsville, Carmichaels, Jefferson-Morgan, McGuffey, Waynesburg Central

Section 4: Avella, Avonworth, Burgettstown, Chartiers-Houston, Fort Cherry, Keystone Oaks, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

Section 5: Ellwood City, Laurel, Mohawk, Neshannock, Riverside, Shenango, Union

Section 6: Beaver, Beaver Falls, Central Valley, Freedom, New Brighton, Rochester, South Side

Section 7: Bishop Canevin, Brentwood, East Allegheny, Serra Catholic, South Allegheny, South Park, Steel Valley

Section 8: Charleroi, Elizabeth Forward, Frazier, Geibel, Seton LaSalle, Shady Side Academy, Yough

Section 9: Aquinas Academy, Eden Christian Academy, Hopewell, North Catholic, Quaker Valley, Sewickley Academy, Winchester Thurston