What to watch for in WPIAL sports on May 13, 2021: Softball brackets to be unveiled

By: Don Rebel
Thursday, May 13, 2021 | 1:36 AM

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For the first time since 2019, it’s spring bracketology time in WPIAL softball.

Trib HSSN will unveil the brackets first on the WPIAL Softball Playoff Pairings Show at 5 p.m.

The field is set with eight teams in the Class 6A brackets, 16 teams in both 5A and 2A, and 12 teams each in Class 4A, 3A and A.

Here are the section champions, including those sections that ended in a tie for first place:

6A – Bethel Park, Norwin

5A – Armstrong, Plum, Penn-Trafford, Latrobe, Shaler, West Allegheny, Chartiers Valley

4A – Highlands, Burrell , Knoch, Elizabeth Forward, Beaver

3A – North Catholic, Deer Lakes, Avonworth, Mt. Pleasant

2A – Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Ligonier Valley, Frazier. Laurel

A – Union, South Side, West Greene, Leechburg, Springdale

More bracketology

The brackets will be released for the 2021 WPIAL boys and girls lacrosse playoffs.

The top six teams in each section qualified, setting up 12-team playoffs field in both Class AAA and AA in boys and girls lacrosse.

The boys section champions are:

AAA – Mt. Lebanon and Shady Side Academy

AA – South Fayette, Chartiers Valley, Mars

On the girls side:

AAA – Mt. Lebanon, Upper St. Clair, Bethel Park, Shady Side Academy

AA – Hampton, Blackhawk

Win and you’re in

One section has one team, the other section has four teams waiting to find out if they are in the WPIAL baseball playoffs or not.

On Thursday, their fates will be decided by either themselves or others.

In Section 2-5A, Armstrong visits Fox Chapel. If the River Hawks pick up the road win, they clinch a playoff berth and make it a 17-team postseason field in 5A.

You can watch the game on HSSN at 4 p.m.

In Section 3-4A, four teams are still alive for at least two playoff berths. The two key games Thursday are Uniontown at Ringgold at 4 p.m. and Greensburg Salem at Belle Vernon at 7 p.m.

Here is the breakdown:

• If Belle Vernon beats Greensburg Salem on Thursday and Ringgold beats Uniontown on Thursday, Belle Vernon and Ringgold qualify and Elizabeth Forward is out based on tiebreaker with Ringgold.

• If Belle Vernon beats Greensburg Salem and Uniontown wins, Belle Vernon and Elizabeth Forward qualify.

• If Greensburg Salem and Ringgold win, it would force a four-way tie and all four teams (Greensburg Salem, Belle Vernon, Elizabeth Forward and Ringgold) would qualify.

• If Greensburg Salem and Uniontown win, Greensburg Salem and Elizabeth Forward qualify and Belle Vernon is out based on head-to-head tiebreaker with GS and EF.

You can hear both games on HSSN.