Sewickley Academy athletes to play football for Moon under co-op agreement

By: Chris Harlan
Tuesday, May 14, 2024 | 4:15 PM

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Sewickley Academy students will be playing football for Moon next fall under a plan the private school announced Tuesday.

Pending approval from the WPIAL and PIAA, the schools will form a cooperative sponsorship of a sport — known informally as a co-op — for middle school and high school football starting in the fall. Sewickley Academy fields teams in eight other boys sports but doesn’t have its own football program.

“Sewickley Academy is excited to provide this opportunity for their student-athletes to participate in a sport that is being offered for the first time in its nearly 200-year history,” the school said in a statement.

The WPIAL already has a number of similar co-op agreements in various sports, including in football. For example, Lincoln Park students play football at nearby Western Beaver.

“The co-op will leverage the expertise of Moon Area coaches and the enthusiasm of players from both schools, creating a dynamic football program that promises competitive prowess on the field and character-building off the field,” Sewickley Academy said in its announcement. “By joining forces, students will have access to top-tier training facilities, comprehensive coaching staff, and a supportive community that celebrates diversity and collaboration.”

Moon went 6-6 last season, 3-2 in the Allegheny Six and reached the WPIAL Class 5A semifinals. The addition of Sewickley Academy students won’t change the football team’s classification.

Under PIAA co-op rules, the team’s classification is determined by adding half of the smaller school’s enrollment to that of the larger school. The PIAA lists Sewickley Academy with 75 boys and Moon with 486.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Moon, Sewickley Academy