What to watch for in WPIAL sports on May 10, 2022: Last few playoff spots on the line

By: Don Rebel
Tuesday, May 10, 2022 | 12:16 AM

With only days left in the regular season, only a couple of playoff spots remain up for grabs before the WPIAL softball playoff field is complete.

It’s not a win-and-you’re-in game between a couple of eastern rivals, but it’s pretty close.

Penn Hills hosts Plum on Tuesday.

The Indians hold a half-game lead over the Mustangs with both teams having seven section losses.

If Penn Hills wins, it clinches and Plum is eliminated.

If the Mustangs win on the road, they will clinch a playoff spot. Then if Plum beats winless Woodland Hills on Wednesday, Penn Hills would be eliminated.

Two other district teams can clinch a softball playoff berth on Tuesday:

• If Norwin beats North Allegheny, the Knights will make it 10 teams into the 6A playoffs. The Tigers have already clinched.

• If Montour beats Blackhawk on Tuesday, New Castle earns a spot into the Class 4A playoff field.

Bubble baseball

Eighty-two of 83 WPIAL baseball playoff berths have been decided.

The final spot will be determined Tuesday when Blackhawk hosts defending 4A champion New Castle in Section 2-4A.

The Cougars have a one-game lead; however, the visiting Red Hurricane would clinch with a win and eliminate Blackhawk due to the sweep of their sectional series this week.

New Castle stayed alive with a 6-5 win Monday.

If New Castle won and Ambridge (vs. Quaker Valley) and/or Central Valley (vs. Beaver) won their games on Tuesday, there could be a three-way or even a four-way tie for fourth place. But New Castle would win all of the head-to-head tiebreakers in any scenario.

Serving to qualify

The final week of the WPIAL boys volleyball regular season begins with a pair of teams trying to punch their ticket to the upcoming district postseason.

Peters Township can clinch one of the two remaining Section 1-3A playoff spots Tuesday when it hosts Moon.

It won’t be easy for the Indians as they host a desperate team also in the playoff hunt. The Tigers are tied for fourth place with Bethel Park, one game behind Peters Township with two section matches remaining.

Moon will qualify if it beats Peters Township on Tuesday and defeats playoff-bound Upper St. Clair on Thursday.

Bethel Park hosts section champion Canon-McMillan on Tuesday. Like Moon, the Black Hawks can clinch if they split and the Tigers split their final two matches as well.

In Class 2A, Mars can earn a tie for fourth place and qualify for the playoffs with a home win on Tuesday againast Deer Lakes.

The Lancers have already clinched.

A Fightin’ Planets victory means all five teams from Section 2 will qualify for the 2A postseason.