Much attention has been paid to the PIAA’s move to six classifications in football next year.

Some argue that high school football in the state will become too watered down.

Others argue that more teams will make postseason play under a more balanced format in terms of school enrollment.

Both are valid points, but what may be more interesting is the discrepancy that has existed for years in PIAA football in terms of winning district championships.

There’s no even playing field there at all.

All we need to do is examine three Butler County Class AA playoff teams this season — Freeport, Slippery Rock and Karns City — to illustrate that point.

If Karns City defeats the winner of St. Marys-Moniteau — assuming the Warriors opt into the playoffs — the Gremlins are District 9 champions.

Slippery Rock will meet Fairview in the first round of the District 10 playoffs next week. Should the Rockets win, they would likely have to get through Hickory and Sharon to claim their district title.

That’s a tougher road to travel, obviously.

But it’s not as tough as what is sitting in front of Freeport.

If the Yellowjackets defeated McGuffey in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs Friday night, all they would have to do is defeat the likes of Washington, Aliquippa and South Fayette — assuming those teams all advance — to win District 7.

Good luck with that.

The state playoffs themselves wind up somewhat balanced in terms of games played. The District 9 champion plays the winner of another less-populated district while the WPIAL playoffs are still going on, as an example.

What’s intriguing about this whole thing is what happens when Karns City runs into a South Fayette or Aliquippa or whoever runs the gauntlet in WPIAL Class AA.

The Gremlins’ season ends in rather lopsided fashion.

Now this isn’t intended to downplay or insult anybody’s program. Karns City football has been dominant in District 9 for years and should be lauded for that fact.

It just comes down to what a team is used to going up against.

When South Fayette, Aliquippa, Beaver Falls, Washington, etc., repeatedly play each other in postseason, their programs are naturally elevated. Thev get used to prepping for incredible speed, passing games, whatever.

Karns City doesn’t get that benefit of experience.

When it faces an Aliquippa, the KC kids have never been on the field with that kind of speed. Facing South Fayette, they’ve never seen that caliber of offense.

That’s why Karns City coach Ed Conto scheduled Class AAAA district foe DuBois Area these past two seasons. He’s trying to find stiffer competition.

The Gremlins hope to be able to schedule a WPIAL opponent or two in future years.

In terms of the state playoffs, the less strenuous path to get there is not the better one.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle