High school football practice starts Monday, at least in one corner of the state.

Training camps open that day WPIAL teams, but other PIAA teams must wait a week.

The Pittsburgh area's early start is a byproduct of the PIAA's revamped football playoffs format, which resulted from the addition of the Philadelphia Public League.

Previously, WPIAL champions entered the PIAA playoffs in the semifinal round. But for the next two years, WPIAL champions will join the PIAA playoffs in the quarterfinals.

WPIAL principals and coaches did not want to disrupt their traditional four-week playoff format and petitioned the PIAA to start the season a week earlier this year and in 2005.

Initially, the PIAA said any of its member districts that wished to do so could start football practices a week early. Subsequent changes left District 7 as the only early starter.

"I think the biggest selling point for us starting early was that last year, the first practice date was Aug. 11 and this year, for us, the first practice date is Aug. 9," said WPIAL president Tim O'Malley, the athletic director at Butler High School. "That's only two days and it's not much of a jump."

Most WPIAL teams will play their first games Aug. 27. The rest of PIAA will not be allowed to play season openers until Sept. 3.

The early start has caused problems for PIAA District 8, the Pittsburgh City League. City League teams have scrimmaged District 7 schools in the past, many times during the second weekend of practice, but that won't be possible this season. The second weekend for City League teams is Aug. 27-28, which is the first weekend of games for WPIAL.

Carrick, Perry Traditional Academy, Schenley and Westinghouse have had problems finding teams to scrimmage that weekend.