FREEPORT — Superstorm Sandy strikes again.

Freeport, along with 11 other WPIAL football teams who play home games on natural grass fields, have moved their first-round playoff games to neutral, artificial turf sites.

Freeport’s game against Beaver Falls was moved Wednesday afternoon to the synthetic surface of Highlands’ football stadium after numerous discussions with the WPIAL.

“(The WPIAL) made us move it,” said Freeport football coach John Gaillot.

Freeport, though, chose to play at Highlands.

At the WPIAL pairings meeting in Green Tree Monday night, WPIAL executive director Tim O’Malley said the district reserved the right to move any game to a neutral site with artificial turf.

Freeport plays its home games at Swartz Field, a natural grass surface.

O’Malley said Monday that the WPIAL would rather not move a game, but that it would to protect the integrity of the playoffs.

Aliquippa, Burrell, Jeannette and Washington also shifted their games in Class AA while Clairton, Sprindale, Jefferson-Morgan, Monessen, Sto-Rox, Beth-Center and Rochester changed venues in Class A.

All playoff games in Class AAA and quad-A were already scheduled for turf fields.

“It is what it is,” Gaillot said. “We just have to focus on the task at hand.”