2012 WPIAL Softball Review and Preview

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, March 21, 2012 | 1:56 PM

The first pitch will be fired Friday to open up the 2012 WPIAL softball season. Latrobe, Yough, Burrell and Chartiers-Houston are ready to defend their district crowns and Valley prepares to defend their PIAA state title. This also marks the second season of the MSA Sports Hometown Softball program. Stay tuned for more information. 

2011 WPIAL SOFTBALL REVIEW:

Here are the final WPIAL softball standings for the 2011 regular season.

WPIAL CLASS AAAA:

Section 1: (Section Record) (Overall Record)
#-Hempfield Spartans : (12-0) (17-0)
*-Latrobe Wildcats : (10-2) (11-3)
*-Penn-Trafford Warriors : (7-5) (10-5)
x-Connellsville Falcons : (6-6) (8-6)
x-Kiski Area Cavaliers : (4-8) (5-9)
x-Norwin Knights :  (3-9) (7-10)
x-Albert Gallatin Colonials : (0-12) (1-15)

Section 2: (Section Record) (Overall Record)
#-Franklin Regional Panthers : (11-1) (11-4)
*-Plum Mustangs : (10-2) (12-5)
*-Fox Chapel Foxes : (6-6) (7-8)
x-McKeesport Tigers : (5-7) (5-10)
x-Penn Hills Indians : (4-8) (4-11)
x-Gateway Gators : (4-8) (4-13)
x-Woodland Hills Wolverines : (2-10) (2-12)

Section 3: (Section Record) (Overall Record)
#-Shaler Titans : (12-0) (15-1)
*-North Allegheny Tigers : (9-3) (14-4)
*-Seneca Valley Raiders : (7-5) (10-5)
x-Pine-Richland Rams : (6-6) (8-6)
x-North Hills Indians : (4-8) (10-10)
x-Butler Golden Tornado : (4-8) (7-8)
x-Oakland Catholic Eagles : (0-12) (0-14)

Section 4: (Section Record) (Overall Record)
#-Baldwin Highlanders : (7-3) (10-3)
*-Canon-McMillan Big Macs : (6-4) (9-6)
*-Peters Township Indians : (6-4) (8-5)
*-Mount Lebanon Blue Devils : (6-4) (7-10)
x-Bethel Park Black Hawks : (4-6) (6-9)
x-Upper St. Clair Panthers : (1-9) (3-11)

WPIAL Class AAA:

Section 1: (Section Record) (Overall Record)
#-Ambridge Bridgers : (10-0) (13-2)
*-Ellwood City Wolverines : (7-3) (8-6)
*-New Castle Red Hurricane : (6-4) (9-5)
x-Central Valley Warriors : (5-5) (8-7)
x-Hopewell Vikings : (1-9) (3-12)
x-Blackhawk Cougars : (1-9) (1-12)

Section 2: (Section Record) (Overall Record)
#-Montour Spartans : (9-1) (12-3)
*-Chartiers Valley Colts : (8-2) (12-3)
*-West Allegheny Indians : (5-5) (11-5)
x-Moon Tigers : (3-6) (6-6)
x-Trinity Hillers : (3-6) (4-9)
x-McGuffey Highlanders : (1-9) (3-9)

Section 3: (Section Record) (Overall Record)
#-Belle Vernon Leopards : (8-2) (13-4)
*-South Park Eagles : (7-3) (8-6)
*-Thomas Jefferson Jaguars : (5-5) (8-5)
x-Elizabeth Forward Warriors : (5-5) (7-9)
x-Ringgold Rams : (4-6) (6-9)
x-West Mifflin Titans : (1-9) (3-11)
((TJ beats EF in head-to-head tiebreaker))

Section 4: (Section Record) (Overall Record)
#-Yough Cougars : (9-1) (14-1)
#-Greensburg-Salem Golden Lions : (9-1) (10-3)
*-Indiana Little Indians : (6-4) (8-8)
x-Uniontown Red Raiders : (3-7) (3-8)
x-Laurel Highlands Mustangs : (3-7) (3-10)
x-Derry Trojans : (0-10) (0-11)

Section 5: (Section Record) (Overall Record)
#-Valley Vikings : (9-1) (11-1)
*-Hampton Talbots : (6-4) (8-7)
*-Highlands Golden Rams : (6-4) (7-5)
x-Mars Planets : (5-5) (6-11)
x-Knoch Knights : (3-7) (4-8)
x-Kittanning Wildcats : (1-9) (3-11) 

WPIAL Class AA:

Section 1: (Section Record) (Overall Record)
#-Seton-LaSalle Rebels : (13-1) (14-1)
*-Avonworth Antelopes : (10-4) (13-5)
*-Bishop Canevin Crusaders : (10-4) (11-4)
x-Keystone Oaks Golden Eagles : (8-5) (8-6)
x-Brentwood Spartans : (8-6) (11-6)
x-Quaker Valley Quakers : (4-9) (7-9)
x-Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Chargers : (2-12) (2-13)
x-Carlynton Cougars : (0-14) (0-16)

Section 2: (Section Record) (Overall Record)
#-Bentworth Bearcats : (11-1) (13-2)
*-Waynesburg Raiders : (10-2) (10-5)
*-Burgettstown Blue Devils : (7-5) (12-6)
x-South Fayette Lions : (5-7) (5-10)
x-Charleroi Cougars : (4-8) (5-8)
x-Brownsville Falcons : (4-8) (4-10)
x-Washington Little Prexies : (1-11) (1-12)

Section 3: (Section Record) (Overall Record)
#-Burrell Buccaneers : (11-1) (13-1)
*-Deer Lakes Lancers : (9-3) (10-3)
*-Freeport Yellowjackets : (9-3) (12-5)
x-Ford City Sabers : (7-5) (9-5)
x-West Shamokin Wolves : (3-8) (4-9)
x-Apollo-Ridge Vikings : (2-9) (3-11)
x-Shady Side Academy Indians : (0-12) (1-13)

Section 4: (Section Record) (Overall Record)
#-Mount Pleasant Vikings : (11-1) (13-3)
*-Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions : (10-2) (11-4)
*-South Allegheny Gladiators : (7-5) (9-5)
x-Southmoreland Scotties : (5-7) (7-8)
x-Steel Valley Ironmen : (5-7) (6-8)
x-Jeannette Jayhawks : (3-9) (4-10)
x-East Allegheny Wildcats : (1-11) (1-14)

Section 5: (Section Record) (Overall Record)
#-New Brighton Lions : (11-3) (15-5)
#-Neshannock Lancers : (11-3) (11-5)
*-Riverside Panthers : (10-4) (12-4)
x-Mohawk Warriors : (10-4) (11-5)
x-Laurel Spartans : (8-6) (12-6)
x-Beaver Falls Tigers : (4-10) (6-10) 
x-Beaver Bobcats : (2-12) (2-15)
x-Freedom Bulldogs : (0-14) (0-16)
((Riverside wins head-to-head tiebreaker over Mohawk))
 
WPIAL Class A:

Section 1: (Section Record) (Overall Record)
#-Chartiers-Houston Buccaneers : (10-0) (16-0)
*-Frazier Commodores : (7-3) (11-5)
*-Fort Cherry Rangers : (6-4) (6-7)
x-Serra Catholic Eagles : (5-5) (8-7)
x-Avella Eagles : (2-8) (2-11)
x-Monessen Greyhounds : (0-10) (0-12)

Section 2: (Section Record) (Overall Record)
#-Carmichaels Mighty Mikes : (10-0) (14-0)
*-West Greene Pioneers : (8-2) (11-6)
*-Jefferson-Morgan Rockets : (5-5) (8-6)
x-Mapletown Maples : (3-7) (7-8)
x-California Trojans : (3-7) (3-9)
x-Beth-Center Bulldogs : (1-9) (1-10)

Section 3: (Section Record) (Overall Record)
#-Sto-Rox Vikings : (10-0) (13-3)
*-North Catholic Trojanettes : (8-2) (9-3)
*-Vincentian Academy Royals : (6-4) (6-6)
x-Sewickley Academy Panthers : (4-6) (6-7)
x-Cornell Raiders : (2-8) (2-11)
x-Northgate Flames : (0-10) (1-12)

Section 4: (Section Record) (Overall Record)
#-Leechburg Blue Devils : (12-0) (14-2)
*-Elderton Bobcats : (8-4) (11-5)
*-Mount Alvernia Lions : (8-4) (11-4)
*-Riverview Raiders : (8-4) (11-5)
x-Ellis School Tigers : (4-8) (4-9)
x-St. Joseph Spartans : (2-10) (2-12)
x-Springdale Dynamos : (0-12) (0-15)
 
Section 5: (Section Record) (Overall Record)
#-Shenango Wildcats : (11-1) (13-2)
#-South Side Rams : (11-1) (12-4)
*-Western Beaver Golden Beavers : (7-5) (8-7)
x-Union Scotties : (6-6) (7-8)
x-Rochester Rams : (5-7) (6-10)
x-Quigley Spartans : (2-10) (3-12)
x-Aliquippa Quips : (0-12) (0-14)

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2012 WPIAL SOFTBALL PREVIEW:

WPIAL CLASS AAAA
Defending champion: Latrobe.
Teams to watch: Shaler, Seneca Valley, Latrobe, Hempfield, Franklin Regional, Baldwin, Plum, North Allegheny, Peters Township.
The lowdown: Shaler has one of the WPIAL’s best players in senior catcher Lauren Hackett. She is a Robert Morris recruit. Also back is senior pitcher Sydney Smyers. … Hempfield has a number of returning players from last year’s team. Hope Pehrson was 15-1 last year as a pitcher. Catcher Alyssa Bates was all-section last year and outfielder Kasey Kolick made all-section last year as a freshman. … Latrobe could be strong again, but lost standout pitcher Alexa Larkin to graduation. … Seneca Valley has possibilities with the return of pitcher Emily Watson. … Baldwin and Peters Township play in the same section and it should be interesting when they play because it will be a battle of top pitchers – Baldwin’s Anna Lauterbach and Peters Township’s Tara Konopka.
Five to watch: Shaler C Lauren Hackett; Seneca Valley P Emily Watson; Shaler P Sydney Smyers; Latrobe 3B Rachel Conrad; Peters Township P Tara Konopka.

WPIAL CLASS AAA
Defending champion: Yough
Teams to watch: Belle Vernon, Yough, Valley, Ambridge, Montour, Ellwood City, Thomas Jefferson, New Castle
The lowdown: Yough has a big hole to fill if it wants to win another title. Pitcher Nicole Sleith was one of the top pitchers in the state, but graduated. …. Belle Vernon should be strong with pitcher Haley Bashada and outfielder Deanna Hileman. … Montour is good enough to win the WPIAL title. Kaitlyn Kutchman was 13-5 a year ago. Also back are all-section shortstop Stacey Capp and outfielder Alyssa McMurtrie. …. New Castle had a few good, young players a year ago. … Ellwood City could be a sleeper with the return of standout pitcher Kara Sainato and outfielder Frances Nardone.
Five to watch: Belle Vernon P Haley Bashada; Montour P Kaitlyn Kutchman; Montour 2B Stacey Capp; Ambridge shortstop Nikee George; West Allegheny shortstop Ashley Gerhart.

WPIAL CLASS AA
Defending champion: Burrell
Teams to watch: Seton-LaSalle, Greensburg Central Catholic, Burrell, Mohawk, South Allegheny, Deer Lakes, Mount Pleasant, Burgettstown, New Brighton, Neshannock, Bentworth.
The lowdown: Burrell lost a number of key players to graduation and doesn’t figure to be as strong this season. … Watch out for Greensburg Central Catholic, which will be led by super sophomore pitcher Anna Marie Gatti. … Bentworth had three non-seniors make all-section a year ago. … Mohawk returns three players who made all-section as sophomores last season – third baseman Lucia Fee, shortstop Shelby Brown and second baseman Devon Giancola. … Burgettstown has a strong pitcher in Caitlyn Dengler. … New Brighton has a chance to make waves, mainly because of pitcher Kiersten Manor, who led the WPIAL in strikeouts last season.
Five to watch: New Brighton P Kiersten Manor; South Allegheny 3B Taylor Geary; Greensburg Central Catholic pitcher Anna Marie Gatti; Mohawk shortstop Shelby Brown; Mohawk P Rachelle Miller.

WPIAL CLASS A
Defending champion: Chartiers-Houston
Teams to watch: Chartiers-Houston, Sto-Rox, North Catholic, Carmichaels, Leechburg, Shenango, South Side, Vincentian.
The lowdown: Chartiers-Houston appears to be a heavy favorite, even though star pitcher Kiersten Conwell graduated. Colby Miller is one of the WPIAL’s top catchers. Kayla Briggs will take over at pitcher. … Natalaya Smarra is a dominant pitcher who could lead Sto-Rox to big things.  … Carmichaels has four players who made all-section last year – catcher Lindsey Osborne, infielder Morgan Berardi, outfielder Megan Bayles and pitcher Cameron Grimes. … Vincentian will be led by the Melvin sisters – catcher Bridget and pitcher Danielle.
Five to watch: Chartiers-Houston C Colby Miller; Sto-Rox P Natalya Smarra; Vincentian C Bridget Melvin; Sto-Rox C Mary Cersosimo; Chartiers-Houston P Kayla Briggs.