WPIAL reveals updated postseason plans for spring sports playoffs

By: Chris Harlan
Monday, May 10, 2021 | 4:35 PM

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If covid-related cancellations leave section standings unsettled, the WPIAL will have its steering committees determine which teams make the playoffs this spring.

That was one of the changes revealed Monday when the WPIAL announced updated postseason plans for baseball, softball, lacrosse and boys volleyball. In a letter to schools, the WPIAL said the steering committees’ actions will be “based on the premise of inclusion,” meaning more teams may qualify than usual.

When in doubt, a team will be let in.

However, unlike in basketball season, there won’t be an open tournament.

The WPIAL will stay with its traditional formula for baseball and softball playoffs, limiting the postseason to the top four teams from each section and any unbreakable ties for fourth place. The top six teams from each lacrosse section qualify for the postseason, and now, the top five teams will qualify in boys volleyball.

“We wanted to keep a traditional qualification standard, but we understand there have been games that are canceled due to covid and unable to be played,” WPIAL executive director Amy Scheuneman said. “We’re giving those schools the best opportunity to participate in their tournament.”

The WPIAL provided an example: If two baseball or softball teams are tied for fourth place and split their regular-season series, yet one team is 5-4 and the other is 5-5, both teams may be included in the playoffs. The team that played the additional contest and lost will not be penalized.

The softball and lacrosse steering committees meet Thursday, baseball meets Friday, and volleyball meets next Monday. It’s unclear how many unbalanced sections the committees may need to address.

“Therein lies the problem. Every day it changes,” Scheuneman said. “We just got four or five schools that had cancelations today because of covid situations. What looks like it might be completed, all of a sudden is not because of covid.”

The WPIAL made clear in its letter only covid-related cancellations will be forgiven. Scheuneman estimated a large percentage of unplayed section games are linked to covid shutdowns.

“People have been calling our office nonstop because they’ve maybe had to reschedule a game five times,” she said, because of a combination of weather and covid issues.

The baseball and softball brackets will be announced on TribLive HSSN at 5 p.m. Thursday for softball and 3 p.m. Friday for baseball.

The WPIAL also revealed Monday plans to use neutral sites for all baseball and softball playoff games with contests beginning as early as May 17. The WPIAL baseball finals are June 1-2 at Wild Things Park in Washington. The softball finals are June 2-3 at Cal (Pa.).

Those WPIAL championship games will be among the first sporting events held statewide without covid-19 attendance restriction. Gov. Tom Wolf has said the state’s mitigation orders will end May 31.

Volleyball and lacrosse may use a mix of home games and neutral sites in the playoffs. WPIAL lacrosse finals are May 26-27 at Robert Morris. Volleyball finals are May 27 at Fox Chapel.

To meet covid-19 restrictions, the WPIAL is requiring schools to limit postseason travel squads to 25 individuals, a total that includes players, coaches and essential personnel.

If a forfeit occurs during the postseason, a previously eliminated team will not re-enter the tournament.

Teams that don’t qualify for the postseason may continue to play regular season contests until the date of the state championship as long as they don’t surpass the PIAA limit for games in a season.

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.