Welcome to the C.P.I.A.L.

[Opinionguy]

Here it is folks, no more Ridge bashing, no more uneven playing field. Welcome to the Central Pennsylvania Interscholastic Football Conference.

This District 5-6 super conference has it all. You want regional rivalries, we got them! You want a easy scrimmage schedule, we got them! Best of all, everyone will be playing basically the same schedule. My super conference will consist of 4 sections as follows. Each team is based on AA classification.

Section 1: Central Mountain
Tyrone
Bald Eagle Area
Philipsburg
Penns Valley

Section 2: South Central
Cheasnut Ridge
Everett
Bedford
Central Martinsburg

Section 3: County Seat
Central Cambria
Penn Cambria
Cambria Heights
Forest Hills

Section 4: West Central
Bishop McCort
Westmont
Marion Center
Purchase Line

Now every team is going to play it's own section every year. After that, you can do the out of section schedule a number of different ways. Either do a rotating schedule by playing 2 teams from each other section every year, or you could base the out of section games on seeding, sort of like how the NFL does it.

Now for Single A we are going to form 2 different conferences, one Large A and one Small A schools.

And for AAA, all of your schools are going to form your own conference. If we wanted, we could even give a AAA school a game with a C.P.I.A.L. team.

[ham55]

I don't like it. We'd win our section and be like Ridge is now. Playing weaker competition and thinking we've accomplished something by beating all those teams.

It would create some interesting match-ups, though. Outside of the 3 easy W's for Bedford, they'd, potentially, have a tough 6 after that. Not bad. I like it, I like, now that I think about it. haha.

[Gunner18]

id hate to see bedford give up the forest hills game though, even if its only a year or two at a time, that game is almost ALWAYS the game of the week, regardless of who else plays and the attendance is phenominal no matter who hosts the game. assure me that the bisons and rangers play every year and ill vote for it! :lol:

[Opinionguy]

Maybe the AD's from each school could work out a deal to get the games they would like on their schedule. Of course it would be a give and take process.

You could do it so each school grosses about the same amount of money for the year on the gate profit.

There are a few different ways you could do your cross sectional games.

[Pale Rider]

Interesting, verrry interesting. If the financial aspect of the gate is what concerns you, the schools could institute a profit-sharing plan and divide it up. Opinionguy: You know a lot about the FH situation, why not present this idea to D 6 Chairman and FH principal Ray Wotkowski? Who knows, it could fly!

[lhbleachercoach]

Could you please show us the proposed sections for Single A... How could you argue against fair!!! This would be fair for all teams... If you are A, you play A's, AA, AAA, etc...

[Head Roadie]

Like the concept....similar to what was proposed about 10 years ago that District 5 voted for and District 6 (I believe it was the old Appalachian North Schools in AA who threw a fit because they would have been playing L.Highlands conf. schools) said "no" to.

Here's my stab at it just for fun:

*Sidenote....I have some dual-classification divisions to provide ample schedules, continue rivalries, and safeguard for floating teams (ie: teams who may be on the A/AA or AA/AAA border.

AAA-EAST: C.Mtn., Indian Valley, Bellefonte, Lewistown, Huntingdon
{Top 2 Qualify}

AA/AAA LHAC Group I: Johnstown and Somerset (AAA), F.Hills*, McCort, C.Cam., P. Cam.
{Top Three in the division all qualify for playoffs regardless of class with following exception, no more than 2 AA teams may qualify}

AA LHAC Group II: Bedford, Cam. Hts., Westmont, Richland*(Yes, they'll be AA in '06), Marion Center, Purchase Line
{Top 3 Qualify}

NOTE: Bedford will be able to keep LHAC rivalries in crossover games

AA/A EAST: Tyrone, BEA, Philipsburg, Penns Valley, Central, Chestnut Ridge, Everett*, Bellwood*, B.Guilfoyle, B.Carroll

{Top 3 AA Qualify, 1 "A" qualifies automatically, other two may qualify by being in the top 4 in the division standings}

Southeast A: TM, NBC, Mt. Union, S.Hunt. J.Valley, Claysburg
Central Counties A: Williams, W.Branch, Mo Valley, Glendale, Blacklick Valley, N.Cambria
Southwest A: Windber*, N.Star, Con. Twp, C.Valley, Ligonier, Portage
Northwest A: Blairsville, Penns Manor, Salts, H.Center, Laurel Valley, United
South A: T-foot, Rockwood, Berlin, Meyersdale, Shade, Ferndale

These "A" leagues of six teams would allow for plenty of crossover play or even game(s) against AA opponents who are rivals. Each of the 5 "A" leagues would get two automatic bids (10 total) and 2 wildcards (point system) would be added. Add the 1 to 3 teams from the AA/A East who could qualify and you have anywhere from 13-15 teams (meaning 1 to 3 byes) and it would be nice if the District 5 qualifiers could be placed in their own pod to determine a true D5 champion and satisfy that need.
A Playoffs would be weeks 11,12.13, 14 with winner advancing to the State Semifinals. State brackets would have to be redrawn perhaps sending D9 against D3 in the east and D7 vs D10 in the West. 5/6 Champ vs 7/10 winner in state semifinals.

AAA Playoffs would have 2-4 teams dependent on qualifiers. Weeks 11 and 12. Then play D4 champion Week 13.

AA Playoffs would have 8 most years, outside possibility of only 7 depending on LHAC Section I results. Weeks 11, 12, and 13 then play D7 Champion.

If Windber would move up or Richland would move down they would move horizontally into the Southwest A or LHAC Group II divisions.

Just an idea for fun discussion....I like the concept Opinionguy!

[Opinionguy]

HR. You added some good details in there. I thought of the situation that you brought up right away about the borderline schools. But you can combat that problem by allowing cross over games with either with a game a classification up or down depending on the situation.

Heck, with a schedule like this you could even set aside week 9 for rivalry weekend. Renew old rivalries such as Richland/Windber, Forest Hills/Portage, Ridge/Bedford, and keep such current rivalries like United/Laurel Valley, and Northern Cambria/Cambria Heights!

[southpaw]

OG..I'm glad to see your enthusiasm for this. We have talked about this issue since the beginning of BC. Maybe coach or wake could dig up some archives on our earlier discussions to these posts.

The WPIAL has open dates at the beginning of the season to take care of border and or rivalry games. These games do not count toward the playoffs.

HR...to there has been a lot of local speculation lately about the move to 6 classes. I think Bill Creps is going to write an article about it in the gazzette. Is it possible to for you to do a mock so called "CPIAL" for six classes? Just a good educated guess.

[Opinionguy]

Six classes. Man, you'd really have to sit down and look at all of the numbers and figure out where the best breaks would be.

Anyone have a good website that lists everyone's enrollment numbers that I could find. I'll take a stab at it.

BTW: It seems to me that the PIAA is going to need to give more power to its district leaders in formulating a plan to work for each region. There really is no one size fits all plan that will work state wide. But, I think if each region was micro-managed, a fair and consistent plan could be developed.