What to watch for in WPIAL sports on May 12, 2021: Track powers look for 4-peat

By: Don Rebel
Wednesday, May 12, 2021 | 1:08 AM

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Repeating as a WPIAL champion is tough. A three-peat is even more difficult.

How about a four-peat?

Two district programs have a chance to win a fourth straight team track and field championship on Wednesday.

The Butler girls won district gold in 2017, 2018 and 2019. The Golden Tornado hope to become the first girls program in WPIAL history to four-peat twice. Butler won four straight titles from 1996-1999.

Standing in the way of Butler and history in the girls Class AAA finals are Belle Vernon, Norwin and North Allegheny.

The Riverside boys program is also trying to win a fourth straight WPIAL track and field crown. Prior to this run, the Panthers won three district championships in 2007, 2008 and 2011.

The other finalists in boys AA are Greensburg Central Catholic, Shenango and South Park.

In the boys AAA team track and field finals, a new champion will be crowned between Butler, Canon-McMillan, Seneca Valley and South Fayette.

In the girls AA finals, South Park looks to repeat while facing Mohawk, Quaker Valley and Shenango.

The Class AAA finals are at West Mifflin while the AA championships are at Peters Township. The finals begin at 3 p.m.

More district gold

Two other schools will take home gold Wednesday at the 2021 WPIAL boys team tennis championships.

New champions will be crowned in both classifications.

In the AAA finals, Shady Side Academy faces top seed Franklin Regional.

The Panthers have never won a WPIAL team tennis championship while the Bulldogs are trying for their seventh district title and first since 2013.

In the AA championship, top seed Quaker Valley faces South Park. The Eagles have never won WPIAL gold in team tennis while the Quakers will serve for their second district title and first since 2003.

Both of the championship matches are at North Allegheny with the AAA match starting at 2 p.m. and the AA at 3 p.m.

In AA, Valley will face North Catholic in the consolation match at Fox Chapel at 3 p.m. with the winner earning a PIAA playoff berth. Only the top two in AAA qualify for the state postseason.

Girls lax showdowns

One big district girls lacrosse match Wednesday is for a playoff spot while the other is for the section championship.

In Section 2-AAA, Moon will visit Seneca Valley for the sixth and final playoff spot behind Shady Side Academy, Sewickley Academy, North Allegheny, Pine-Richland and Fox Chapel.

In Section 1-AA, Indiana hosts Hampton for the section title. Both teams are a perfect 9-0 in section play.

Brunch in Vandergrift

The Armstrong baseball team will be playing not one, not two, but three games Wednesday, and the season-ending tripleheader begins with an 11:30 a.m. game at Kiski Area.

After that game, the River Hawks return home for two games against Woodland Hills.

Armstrong needs to win all three games and have Hampton lose to Mars to secure a playoff spot.

Burrell can clinch a playoff spot with a win at home over Indiana. The Little Indians clinched when they shut out the Buccaneers in the first game Tuesday, 12-0.