The Franklin Regional boys' basketball team is leaving. Or is it heading home?

The Panthers were one of two WPIAL Class AAAA teams to move within the classification when the WPIAL realigned sections for the next two school years.

Franklin Regional, the reigning Section 1-AAAA champion, was moved to Section 2.

"From talking to people, this is what is normal with us," Panthers coach Doug Kelly said. "We get moved around a lot, and when you're a team that gets moved around so often, it makes it hard to develop good rivalries. But we had been placed [in Section 2] before and didn't have the success we've had the last two years [in Section 1]."

Franklin Regional was a combined 5-23 as part of Section 2 during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons but has made the playoffs the past two seasons in Section 1.

While that probably has more to do with circumstance than any statement to the relative strengths of the two sections -- the emergence of talents Nick Novak and Tommy Summers probably had more to say about the Panthers' better records -- switching sections does present challenges for Franklin Regional.

"I, as a coach, and the players have new teams to look at for next year," Kelly said. "It's a very talented section, and we'll see we what can do."

Moving to Section 2 cuts down on Franklin Regional's travel to a certain extent. Murrysville is relatively close to Section 1 schools Norwin and Penn-Trafford. Still, the Panthers are probably better suited, travel-wise, to play Section 2 teams. Franklin Regional played half of the Section 2 teams (Mc- Keesport, Woodland Hills and Gateway) in non-section play this past season.

There was an opening in Section 2 because reigning WPIAL champion Central Catholic was moved to Section 3, joining north suburban schools. The net result for the Section 2 returnees is losing the defending WPIAL champs, only to gain a defending section champ in Franklin Regional.

Penn Hills coach Jim Rocco sounds torn about the realignment. Though he welcomes Franklin Regional into the section, he is sad to see Central Catholic go.

"It's a natural move to have Franklin Regional in with us and Gateway and Plum. That's sort of a natural rivalry," Rocco said. "To lose Central, though ... it was a great, great rivalry. I know they'll probably only be gone for two years, but their kids are good friends with those on our team, and the fans really seemed to enjoy when we played Central and showed up to see us."

Other than the departure of Franklin Regional, Section 1 remained the same, meaning Hempfield, Kiski Area, Latrobe, Norwin and Penn-Trafford are unaffected, other than not having to contend with the defending section champion. Plum stayed in Section 2.

Defending WPIAL and PIAA Class AA champion Jeannette has a new address. The Jayhawks will leave Apollo-Ridge, Burrell, Ford City, Freeport and West Shamokin in Class AA Section 1 for teams such as Shady Side Academy and South Allegheny in a vastly revamped Section 4-AA.

"Traveling, it affects us a little, but I think a fresh new change will do us some good," Jeannette coach Jim Nesser said. "I don't really think it matters. You've got to play somebody. I think you might have, not a better athlete but a different kind of athlete we're going to have to play against in the section we're going to be in."

Jeannette's biggest rival, Greensburg Central Catholic, and East Allegheny also were moved to Section 4, joining Steel Valley (formerly in Class AAA) and Wilkinsburg (a finalist last season in Class A).

"Maybe toward the Pittsburgh area, we might get some new rivals," Nesser said.

Meanwhile, Burrell says goodbye to some of its brethren from Section 1-AA but welcomes some schools that are better geographic matches in Riverview and Springdale.

Serra Catholic remains in the same section -- in name alone. Section 3-A added four new teams -- Elderton, Geibel, Leechburg and St. Joseph -- to complement lone holdovers Clairton and the Eagles.