WPIAL reveals brackets for 2025 softball playoffs

By: Chris Harlan
Thursday, May 8, 2025 | 7:38 PM

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Reigning WPIAL softball champions Neshannock and Elizabeth Forward start their title defenses as favorites to repeat.

The Lancers in Class 2A and the Warriors in 4A were among the teams earning No. 1 seeds in playoff brackets released Thursday by the WPIAL. The other top seeds went to Hempfield in 6A, Penn-Trafford in 5A, South Park in 3A and Union in A.

The playoffs begin Monday with first round games in Class 5A and 4A. Other classifications start play Tuesday or Wednesday.

The championships are May 28-29 at PennWest’s Lilley Field in California.

Defending Class 6A champion Seneca Valley (15-3) was seeded second behind Hempfield (19-1). North Allegheny (12-7) was third and Canon-McMillan (12-8) was fourth.

In Class 5A, section winners Penn-Trafford (16-1), Shaler (14-4) and West Allegheny (13-4) received the top three seeds. Second-place finishers North Hills (15-4) and Franklin Regional (13-7) were seeded fourth and fifth, respectively, ahead of Section 4 champion Thomas Jefferson (12-6), the sixth seed.

Seeded behind defending champion Elizabeth Forward (14-2) in Class 4A were No. 2 Hampton (14-4), No. 3 Knoch (17-3) and No. 4 West Mifflin (13-6).

In Class 3A, the top seeds went to No. 1 South Park (18-0), No. 2 Mohawk (13-5), No. 3 Ellwood City (10-8) and No. 4 Avonworth (14-4).

Neshannock (17-0) is seeking a fourth consecutive WPIAL Class 2A title. The Lancers’ opposition includes No. 2 Chartiers-Houston (17-1), No. 3 Laurel (14-4) and No. 4 Frazier (13-3).

The top seeds in Class A went to No. 1 Union (16-2), No. 2 Carmichaels (14-0), No. 3 West Greene (13-3) and No. 4 Sewickley Academy (10-4).

WPIAL playoff pairings

Class 6A

Quarterfinals

Wednesday’s schedule

Pine-Richland (13-7) vs. Canon-McMillan (12-8), TBA

Norwin (9-11) vs. North Allegheny (12-7), TBA

Byes: Hempfield (19-1), Seneca Valley (15-3)

Class 5A

First round

Monday’s schedule

Moon (8-9) vs. Penn-Trafford (17-1) at West Mifflin, 3 p.m.

Chartiers Valley (11-6) vs. Plum (14-5) at West Mifflin, 5 p.m.

Baldwin (13-5) vs. North Hills (15-4) at North Allegheny, 3 p.m.

Fox Chapel (12-6) vs. Franklin Regional (13-7) at North Allegheny, 5 p.m.

Connellsville (12-6) vs. Shaler (14-4) at Plum, 3 p.m.

Trinity (11-9) vs. South Fayette (13-6) at Pleasant Valley Elementary, 4 p.m.

Latrobe (10-8) vs. West Allegheny (13-4) at Plum, 7 p.m.

Armstrong (13-7) vs. Thomas Jefferson (12-6) at Plum, 5 p.m.

Class 4A

First round

Monday’s schedule

Greensburg Salem (11-5) vs. Derry (10-6) at Norwin, 3 p.m.

North Catholic (8-8) vs. West Mifflin (13-6) at Montour, 3 p.m.

Western Beaver vs. Blackhawk (10-5) at Montour, 5 p.m.

Uniontown (10-8) vs. Indiana (9-11) at Norwin, 5 p.m.

Belle Vernon (9-10) vs. Beaver (13-5) at Pleasant Valley Elementary, 6 p.m.

Byes: Elizabeth Forward (14-2), Hampton (14-4), Knoch (17-3)

Class 3A

First round

Tuesday’s schedule

Charleroi (9-8) vs. Deer Lakes (7-13) at Norwin, 5 p.m.

Keystone Oaks (8-8) vs. Mt. Pleasant (12-5) at Waynesburg University, 5 p.m.

Hopewell (10-7) vs. Southmoreland (9-6) at Trinity, 7 p.m.

Ligonier Valley (5-10) vs. McGuffey (10-5) at West Mifflin, 5 p.m.

Byes: South Park (18-0), Avonworth (14-4), Mohawk (13-5), Ellwood City (10-8)

Class 2A

First round

Tuesday’s schedule

Burgettstown (8-10) vs. Neshannock (17-0) at North Allegheny, 3 p.m.

OLSH (9-7) vs. Apollo-Ridge (13-4) at Fox Chapel, 3 p.m.

Shenango (10-8) vs. Frazier (13-3) at Fox Chapel, 5 p.m.

Bentworth (8-9) vs. South Allegheny (14-3) at West Mifflin, 3 p.m.

Brentwood (6-8) vs. Chartiers-Houston (17-2) at Pleasant Valley Elementary, 4 p.m.

Brownsville (11-5) vs. Seton LaSalle (9-5), 5 p.m.

Northgate (10-7) vs. Laurel (14-4) at North Allegheny, 7 p.m.

Riverside (7-9) vs. Waynesburg (11-7) at North Allegheny, 5 p.m.

Class A

First round

Tuesday’s schedule

Avella (5-10) vs. Jeannette (13-4) at Pleasant Valley Elementary, 6 p.m.

Monessen (6-8) vs. Sewickley Academy (10-4) at Norwin, 3 p.m.

Greensburg Central Catholic (6-6) vs. Jefferson-Morgan (8-6) at Waynesburg University, 3 p.m.

Cornell (7-7) vs. Serra Catholic (12-5) at Montour, 3 p.m.

Leechburg (8-8) vs. South Side (10-7) at Montour, 5 p.m.

Byes: Union (16-2), Carmichaels (14-0), West Greene (13-3)

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.