Teams from 150 high schools competed as varsity ice hockey teams in Western and Eastern Pennsylvania. Unlike many other high school sport in Pennsylvania, hockey is not run under Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association umbrella. However, Pennsylvania's high school ice hockey is sanctioned by USA Hockey and varsity-level programs are marginally overseen by the NHLPittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers organizations through the Penguins Cup and the Flyers Cup. However although it is considered a club it is still apart of the High School and is affiliated with the school.
Format
Varsity teams are divided into four divisions, AAA, AA, A, and Open. Western divisional champions earn a bid to the Penguins Cup playoff tournament. Eastern divisional teams earn a bid by invitation to the Flyers Cup playoff tournament. All teams are eligible except non-pure and second varsity teams.
State Championship
The PennsylvaniaState High SchoolIce Hockey Championship is awarded through a state tournament. The tournament pits the champions from the Penguins Cup and Flyers Cup with the winners receiving the AAA, AA, or A Pennsylvania Cup. The location changes every year rotating between Western and Eastern cities. Attempts to mirror the PIAA state championships by hosting the games in Hershey, Pennsylvania, lasted a single season, with only the 2005 series being held at the historic Hersheypark Arena. Starting in 2014 the state championship is now being playing at in State College.
1969 – Inter-County Scholastic Hockey League forms with six teams
1970–1971 – Western Pennsylvania High School Hockey League forms in April at the Alpine Ice Chalet. Teams include Shaler, Churchill, Mt Lebanon, Penn Hills, Upper St Clair, and West Mifflin North
1971–1972 – Western Pennsylvania High School Hockey League completes first season of play at the Alpine Ice Chalet as Churchill, Mt Lebanon, Penn Hills, Shaler, Upper St Clair and West Mifflin North. Mt Lebanon defeats Penn Hills, 5–4 in overtime, to capture the first WPHSHL Championship.
1972–73 – Western Pennsylvania High School Hockey League expands to 19 schools as Richland, Chartiers Valley, Central Catholic, Bethel Park, Peabody, Fox Chapel, Lawrenceville Catholic, General Braddock, Armstrong, Gateway and Canevin participate. Churchill wins the WPHSHL crown over Richland in 4–3 in overtime.
1975 – Lower Bucks County Scholastic Hockey League forms
1975 – Inaugural Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships in Erie, Pa at the Glenwood Ice Arena
1980 – First Flyers Cup tournament Archbishop Carroll finds a way past Haverford's star goalie Christopher Cifone and defeats Haverford High School. The first Flyers Cup was organized by the Flyers' Hockey Central organization, sponsored by the Pepsi Cola Bottlers of the Delaware Valley. The founding organizers included Aaron Siegel, President of The Spectrum, Andy Abramson, Executive Director/Flyers Hockey Central, Kenneth R. Gesner, Atlantic District Director, Jack Hunt, President, InterCounty Scholastic Hockey League, Andy Richards, President, Suburban High School Hockey League, Paul Saylor, Commissioner, Lower Bucks County Scholastic Hockey League and Jim Cunningham, President, Lower Bucks County Scholastic Hockey League. Archbishop Carroll's Scott Chamness was named the first recipient of the Bobby Clarke Award as the Flyers Cup's Most Valuable Player.
1981 – First Pennsylvania Cup, State High School Ice Hockey Championship was held at the University of Pennsylvania's Class of 23 Rink. The Pennsylvania Cup was organized Frank J. Black, USA Hockey Director for Mid-America Region, Andy Abramson, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Flyers/Hockey Central and Atlantic District Registrar, Atlantic District Director Kenneth R. Gesner, with support by Robert J. Butera, President of the Philadelphia Flyer and Paul Martha, former executive vice president, general counsel and CEO with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Flyers and Penguins organizations contributed financial and operational support, paying for ice time, game officials, publication of the game day program and support staff. The event was played under as a sanctioned USA Hockey tournament.
1991 – Lehigh Valley Scholastic Hockey League forms
1994 – CPIHL forms
1996 – PA Hockey Scholastic Showcase begins play
1999 – WPIHL, LKSHL and SHIHL merge to form PIHL
2000 – Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League forms
2007 – Inter County Scholastic Hockey League splits into three divisions, ICSHL Central, ICSHL Chester County and ICSHL Independents, to copy the divisions PIAA uses to organize schools in other sports
Divisions
While the western part of the state has been divided into fairly equal levels at the AAA, AA, and A levels, the eastern part has mostly been run by the independent leagues that compete for Flyers Cup. A change was made recently in an effort to provide more uniformity throughout the eastern portion of the state. Whereas the levels were previously determined by where a team finished in its respective leagues, the Flyers Cup recently restructured the system were AAA is all open enrollment schools, AA is the larger public schools, and A is the smaller public schools. The open enrollment schools are not forced to play AAA, but if they do not they cannot qualify for the Flyers Cup. Changes are still being proposed for the 2008–2009 season that could create a second varsity level for open enrollment schools that do not wish to play at the AAA level.
Leagues
Eastern PA
Berks Scholastic Ice Hockey League operated through the end of 2007–2008 season – replaced by EPSHL in 2008–2009 season
Central Pennsylvania interscholastic Hockey League
