Creation of NA Football Classic Has Been Long Time In the Making
The PIAA’s decision to increase the composition of classifications from four to six has changed the landscape of high school football in the WPIAL. At North Allegheny, the Tigers football team and athletic department are hoping to make an equally indelible impression with the creation of the Western Pennsylvania Legends Football Classic on August 26-27 at Wright Field at Newman Stadium.
The concept of a football classic was under consideration by North Allegheny Athletic Director Bob Bozzuto nearly a decade ago. However, when the PIAA made the switch to six classifications in high school football for the 2016 season, it gave the possibility of an opening weekend extravaganza at Newman Stadium a great deal of momentum. The PIAA and the WPIAL decided to allow football programs the option of playing a Week Zero game which solidified the creation of a season-opening event that will feature multiple games in which local teams will face off against schools from outside the state.
“Western Pennsylvania has an outstanding football tradition from the pro football Pittsburgh Steelers, the collegiate Pitt Panthers, to the abundantly talented high school football teams in the area,” said Bozzuto. “North Allegheny, Pittsburgh Central Catholic, Penn Hills, McGuffey and Frazier are outstanding teams and we are proud to have them take part in this event. We are equally excited to welcome Olentangy Liberty, St. John’s and Canada Prep Academy to North Allegheny. “
The conception of the football classic will not only bring an exciting weekend of high school football to Wexford but also lends a helping hand to a great cause. The Western Pennsylvania Legends Football Classic has partnered with the Autism Society of Pittsburgh for the event with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the non-profit organization. Autism, a complex developmental disability, affects the normal functioning of the brain typically in children during their first three years of life. There are approximately 1.6 million Americans living with autism and there is no known cure for the disability.
“We are delighted to partner with the Autism Society of Pittsburgh to raise money and awareness through this event,” said Bozzuto.
The Western Pennsylvania Football Classic will also be a good opportunity for North Allegheny to showcase Wright Field at Newman Stadium and the new renovations to the facility that took place over the summer. Updated features that fans will see at the stadium include a new entrance, track, turf field and a state-of-the-art video board and scoreboard. The scoreboard will stand five stories high and includes a 26-foot video board.
Advanced tickets can be purchased in the North Allegheny athletics office and any respective school participating in the event. For Friday’s game, tickets are $9 for adult reserve seats, $8 for adult general admission and $5 for students. Ticket prices for Saturday are $10 for adults and $7 for students. Saturday’s tickets will be good for all three games played that day.
The WPLFC schedule will be as follows:
Friday, August 26, 2016
7:30 pm – Olentangy Liberty (Columbus, Ohio) vs. North Allegheny
Saturday, August 27, 2016
12:00 pm – St. John’s (Washington D.C.) vs. Pittsburgh Central Catholic
3:30 pm – Frazier vs. McGuffey
7:00 pm – Canada Prep Academy (Welland, Ontario) vs. Penn Hills