CARMICAHELS, Pa. – As the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) released its two‑year realignment plan, Carmichaels High School baseball coach Dickie Krause noted that the new Section 1‑1A will look very different for the 2026‑27 season.
“I knew there would be some change because Jefferson‑Morgan had moved up,” Krause said, recalling the recent promotion of the J‑M Rockets to Section 1‑2A. “But the makeup of our own section surprised me.”
Schools leaving and joining Section 1‑1A
According to the WPIAL’s latest alignment, Greensburg Central Catholic and Jeannette will no longer compete in Section 1‑1A, and Jefferson‑Morgan’s move to the higher division leaves the section with six teams. Replacing the departing schools are Monessen and Geibel Catholic, both of which will now face the Carmichaels Greyhounds.
Krause praised the move for Monessen, noting that the school had previously been grouped with several private institutions that often dominate competition.
“I was happy for Monessen because they had to play in that section with Serra (Catholic), Eden (Christian), Bishop Canevin, Sewickley Academy,” Krause explained. “None of us would’ve done well in that section. So I’m glad they got put into a more public‑school section; I think that was fair.”
What the realignment means for the Greyhounds
On paper, the Greyhounds and the Eagles, who finished second and third behind section champion Greene County Christian (GCC) last year, appear poised to contend for the 2027 title. Yet Krause cautioned against counting any team out.
“You still never know how it’s going to play out overall,” he said. “Avella returns Chas Rush, one of their top two arms from last year, and they should be good again. But you can’t count out anybody.”
Krause also highlighted promising pitchers from rival schools: West Greene’s young right‑hander Joel Rizor and Mapletown’s senior Carson Vanata, who “throws pretty hard and is a nice‑sized kid with a good arm.” He added that high‑school baseball often hinges on a single dominant pitcher.
Scheduling challenges and opportunities
The new alignment also forces Carmichaels to adjust its scrimmage schedule. Historically, the team practiced against Laurel Highlands and Monessen, but with Monessen now a conference opponent, Krause will need a new non‑section scrimmage partner.
“We scrimmaged Monessen the last two years, so we know a little bit about them,” Krause said. “Now that they’re in our section, we’ll have to find a new scrimmage partner.”
He welcomed the timing of the WPIAL’s release, noting that the fall baseball schedule is already underway.
“With our fall baseball program starting, this is a good time to have the schedule released so we can have some sense of who we’re going to see,” Krause said. “With six teams in our section, it’s also going to require that we pick up some additional non‑section games. I would imagine that we would keep J‑M on the schedule and I wouldn’t mind seeing GCC as one of our non‑section games.”
Looking ahead, Krause emphasized preparation and faith in the players.
“It’s exciting to see. But like anything else, you take it one day at a time. You get your kids ready, work really hard and try to make the program the best you possibly can and see where it leads.”
Original reporting: Herald-Standard – latest news for Uniontown, Pennsylvania — read the source article.
