Ironmen Partner with Northern 28 Youth Football League
We are absolutely thrilled to announce that the Ironmen have officially partnered with the Northern 28 Youth Football League for the 2026 season! We could not be more excited about what it means for our athletes and our organization.
The Northern 28 Youth Football League, established in 2023, is a highly respected league known for competitive play, strong sportsmanship, and commitment to developing young athletes. The league brings together programs from across the region, offering a structured, high‑quality football experience that challenges players while supporting their growth on and off the field.
Each Northern 28 team is similar in size to the Ironmen, and with the recent WPIAL realignment, the league closely mirrors the conference North Catholic will compete in over the next two years at the high school level. The league is composed of seven organizations: Saxonburg, Deer Lakes, Hampton, Freeport, Ford City, RYFO (Highlands), and River Valley (Springdale/Riverview). More information is available on their website: www.northern28.org
What This Partnership Means for the Ironmen
As part of this partnership, the Ironmen will join the Northern 28 as an Independent member, competing against each organization on Saturdays throughout the season for each of our age groups. While we will not be eligible for the Northern 28 postseason, this structure guarantees a full, competitive schedule in addition to our Catholic League games.
Importantly, the Ironmen will continue to participate in the Diocese of Pittsburgh Catholic League and remain fully eligible for postseason play within the Diocese.
This partnership directly addresses the challenges we faced last year with a limited number of games. Even more importantly, it provides consistency, expanded opportunities for player development, and a reliable slate of competitive matchups week after week.
Schedule Overview
Our first Northern 28 game will be played on August 15th, and league play will continue through October 3rd, with a league‑wide bye on Labor Day weekend.
We will make every effort to schedule Diocese League games during weeks when we do not have Northern 28 games. However, we anticipate 2–3 weeks where we will compete in both leagues. Once both schedules are finalized, our coaching staffs will develop a plan to ensure we do not overextend our kids.
All Northern 28 games will be away games, which means increased travel. The good news: the majority of league opponents are within 30 minutes of Cranberry, making travel manageable for families.
We will share additional details as soon as the Northern 28 finalizes and releases its official schedule. We cannot wait to begin this new chapter and continue the Ironmen tradition of excellence, growth, and competitive spirit.