There are only eight teams in the WPIAL Class 4A football playoffs, but that small bracket maybe raised the most eyebrows Saturday afternoon.
McKeesport drew the No. 1 seed as expected, but the rest of the bracket proved unpredictable when the WPIAL released pairing for the upcoming playoffs.
The opening-round games in Class 4A include a rematch between No. 3 New Castle and No. 6 Montour, who finished tied atop the Parkway Conference. Despite a nonconference loss to Montour, Big Six conference champion Trinity drew the No. 2 seed and a matchup with No. 7 Aliquippa.
Big Six runner-up Thomas Jefferson is the fourth seed and draws No. 5 Mars in the opening round. McKeesport plays No. 8 Chartiers Valley.
Joining McKeesport as No. 1 seeds were Central Catholic in Class 6A, Pine-Richland in 5A, Avonworth in 3A, Seton LaSalle in 2A and Fort Cherry in A.
The playoffs start Friday.
The championship games for Class 6A and 4A are Nov. 15 at Pine-Richland. The finals for the four other classifications are Nov. 22 at Acrisure Stadium.
Check out the brackets here.
WPIAL football playoffs
WPIAL playoffs
All times 7 p.m.
Class 6A
Semifinals
Nov. 7
Canon-McMillan (4-6) vs Central Catholic (9-1) at TBD; Norwin (7-3) at North Allegheny (7-3)
Class 5A
First round
Oct. 31
Kiski Area (4-6) at Shaler (3-7); Armstrong (4-6) at Moon (7-3); North Hills (3-7) at Bethel Park (6-4); Plum (5-5) at Upper St. Clair (8-2)
Byes: Pine-Richland (9-1), Penn-Trafford (9-1), Peters Township (10-0), Woodland Hills (8-2)
Class 4A
Quarterfinals
Oct. 31
Chartiers Valley (7-3) at McKeesport (7-3); Mars (8-2) at Thomas Jefferson (8-2); Aliquippa (6-3) at Trinity (6-4); Montour (7-3) at New Castle (8-2)
Class 3A
First round
Oct. 31
Beaver (5-5) at Freeport (7-3); Burrell (4-6) at North Catholic (7-3); Hopewell (6-4) at Southmoreland (9-1); Derry (6-4) at Highlands (7-3)
Byes: Avonworth (10-0), Elizabeth Forward (9-1), Imani Christian (10-0), Central Valley (6-4)
Class 2A
First round
Oct. 31
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (5-5) at Mohawk (5-5); Waynesburg Central (5-5) at South Allegheny (9-1); Beaver Falls (4-6) at Washington (8-2); Riverside (5-5) at Apollo-Ridge (7-3); Keystone Oaks (4-6) at Ellwood City (6-4)
Byes: Seton LaSalle (9-1), Western Beaver (9-1), Steel Valley (7-3)
Class A
First round
Oct. 31
Avella (6-4) at Fort Cherry (10-0); Neshannock (7-3) at Leechburg (7-3); Jefferson-Morgan (8-2) at Laurel (9-1); Chartiers-Houston (7-3) at South Side (8-2); Monessen (6-4) at Clairton (8-1); Jeannette (7-3) at Bentworth (8-2); Greensburg Central Catholic (5-5) vs. Bishop Canevin (6-3) at Dormont Stadium; Frazier (6-4) at California (9-1)