2025 WPIAL girls basketball postseason outlook

Here’s a forecast of the WPIAL girls basketball playoffs, which begin Thursday and conclude Feb. 27-March 1 at Pitt’s Petersen Events Center.

CLASS 6A

Defending champion: Norwin

No. 1 seed: Norwin

Best quarterfinal game: Seneca Valley vs. Mt. Lebanon

Player to watch: Rylee Kalocay, Upper St. Clair. A Kent State recruit and PUP first-team all-star as a sophomore in 2023, Kalocay missed the entire second half of her junior season with a torn ACL sustained during a game against Peters Township last January. Now back and better than ever, the senior point guard leads all of Class 6A and ranks third in the WPIAL with an average of 23.3 points per game. Having already started in a pair of WPIAL championship games as a freshman and sophomore, Kalocay and the Panthers are surely hoping the third time will be the charm after a pair of runner-up finishes in 2022 and 2023.

Sleeper: Canon-McMillan. Not exactly a traditional powerhouse in girls basketball, the Big Macs have quietly assembled a legitimate contender in Class 6A under second-year coach John Fontana. This marks Canon-McMillan’s first postseason appearance since 2016, and the Big Macs aren’t satisfied just by getting there. Each of their eight losses this season have come against quality foes, and most of them were competitive games that came down to the wire, so don’t be surprised to see No. 4 Canon-Mac make a deep postseason run.

The lowdown: This might be the most parity Class 6A has seen since the switch from four to six classifications, with no clear favorite and several teams capable of making a run at the title. Every team in the field has lost at least six games, with upstart Seneca Valley the only team to go undefeated in its section. … The Section 1 crown was the first in 48 years for the Raiders, who earned a No. 3 seed for the tournament. Seneca Valley has never won a WPIAL title, but this could be their best chance yet with senior guard Gracie Cato (15.9 ppg) and junior guard Natalie Hambly (14 ppg) leading the charge. … Top-seeded Norwin is the defending champ, and the Knights still have a pair of Clarion recruits at the forefront in seniors Kendall Berger and Avery Brozeski. Berger is one of the top players in Class 6A, but Norwin hasn’t been quite the same team without 6-1 forward Lauren Palangio patrolling the paint. Still, the Knights have as good a chance as anybody to win it all. … North Allegheny is in unfamiliar territory as a No. 8 seed in its first season since the resignation of coach Spencer Stefko, who won five WPIAL titles during his nine-year stint with the Tigers. They are still in the playoffs, though, and they will open things up with a WPIAL championship rematch against Norwin in the quarterfinal round. … After three consecutive defeats in the WPIAL championship game from 2021-23, could this finally be the year for No. 2 Upper St. Clair to turn silver into gold? Senior point guard Rylee Kalocay might be the best player in the Class 6A field, but she will need some help in order for the Panthers to capture their first WPIAL championship since 2008.

Championship picks: Norwin (Steve Rotstein), Canon-McMillan (Brad Everett), Norwin (John Santa)

CLASS 5A

Defending champion: South Fayette

No. 1 seed: South Fayette

Best first-round game: Chartiers Valley vs. Baldwin

Player to watch: Natalie Wetzel, Peters Township. The towering 6-3 forward is a Miami recruit and returning PUP first-team all-star considered by many to be the top player in the WPIAL this season. Averaging 21 points and 13 rebounds per game as a senior, Wetzel is also a tremendous shot blocker who anchors an Indians defense allowing less than 40 ppg. Also an efficient shooter from 3-point range, Wetzel will try to lead the Indians to their first WPIAL title game since reaching back-to-back Class 6A finals in 2018-19.

Sleeper: Thomas Jefferson. After finishing with an overall record of 9-13 in back-to-back seasons, the Jaguars have rediscovered their winning ways in their third year under coach Matt Gould. Transfer guards Maggie Spell and Kaylee DeAngelo have provided a major spark for Thomas Jefferson, with Spell leading the team with an average of 16.6 ppg after leading Shady Side Academy to a WPIAL Class 3A title last season. Expect the No. 6 Jaguars to be a tough out for any team that crosses their path this postseason.

The lowdown: By far the most talent-rich classification in the WPIAL, it’s hard to remember a season with this many quality teams vying for the Class 5A crown. To give you an idea of how loaded the field is, Penn-Trafford just completed an undefeated regular season at 22-0 — and the Warriors didn’t even receive a top-two seed for the WPIAL tournament. In all, there are at least seven or eight teams that appear capable of competing for a title. … Every team in the bracket is trying to dethrone No. 1 South Fayette, the three-time defending WPIAL champions who surged to last year’s title as a No. 6 seed while embracing the underdog role. There will be no such “Cinderella story” for the Lions this year, though, as they have steamrolled the competition en route to an overall record of 21-1. Junior guard Ryan Oldaker and junior guard-forward Juju Leroux provide a potent one-two punch to spearhead a balanced offensive attack, and South Fayette’s defense is notoriously stingy. The Lions’ only loss came against national powerhouse St. Mary’s, N.Y. … No. 2 Peters Township boasts arguably the most dominant force in the area in 6-3 senior forward Natalie Wetzel, but Wetzel is only one of three six-footers for the Indians, whose only two losses came against out-of-state opponents. … No. 3 Penn-Trafford might not have a star player as its main attraction, but the well-balanced Warriors sure do know how to win. Fresh off an undefeated regular season, longtime coach John Giannikas will attempt to steer Penn-Trafford to its first WPIAL title since 2014 and only the second in school history. … Elsewhere, teams like No. 4 Shaler, No. 5 Franklin Regional and No. 8 Chartiers Valley all have what it takes to make a deep playoff run. Even No. 10 Moon could do some damage with junior guard Jaedin Griggs (18.5 ppg) leading the way.

Championship picks: Peters Township (Steve Rotstein), South Fayette (Brad Everett), South Fayette (John Santa)

CLASS 4A

Defending champion: North Catholic

No. 1 seed: Blackhawk

Best first-round game: Laurel Highlands vs. Knoch

Player to watch: London Creach, Oakland Catholic. After tearing her ACL in last year’s WPIAL quarterfinals, Creach returned to action for the Eagles in a 68-37 win at Highlands on Jan. 20. However, the PUP first-team all-star was not spotted during Oakland Catholic’s historic 39-37 win against North Catholic to snap the Trojanettes’ 112-game section-winning streak on Jan. 29, and she has not played since. First-year Eagles coach Henry Schechter couldn’t confirm after the North Catholic game whether Creach would return for the postseason, but the situation is certainly one to monitor moving forward.

Sleeper: South Park. Although it is difficult to envision anybody outside the top-three seeds bringing home this year’s WPIAL championship in Class 4A, don’t sleep on these Eagles. No. 6 South Park wrapped up an impressive regular season with a come-from-behind win over No. 4 Elizabeth Forward, and the Eagles appear to be playing their best basketball at the right time. That being said, they will surely face an uphill climb on their path to “The Pete,” with two juggernauts standing in the way in No. 3 North Catholic and No. 2 Oakland Catholic.

The lowdown: With a combined 37 WPIAL titles between the three of them, Blackhawk, North Catholic and Oakland Catholic are three of the area’s most storied programs — and they also happen to be the top-three seeds for the Class 4A tournament. Most would agree that one of the three will be bringing home the title this season — but good luck trying to find a consensus front-runner. … The defending PIAA Class 4A champion Cougars received the No. 1 seed after losing only two games during the regular season, and they should have a favorable path in their bid to return to the WPIAL championship game for the fourth year in a row. Blackhawk won its eighth WPIAL championship in 2022 before falling to North Catholic in the past two title games. Junior guard-forward Aubree Hupp (20.7 ppg) has already surpassed 1,000 career points, and she has consistently found ways to come up big in big moments for the Cougars. … In its first season since dropping down from Class 5A to Class 4A under new coach Henry Schechter, Oakland Catholic earned the No. 2 seed after splitting the section title with No. 3 North Catholic. The Eagles have played the vast majority of the season without Robert Morris recruit London Creach, and they have proven capable of winning a championship with or without her. … Until proven otherwise, it says here that the Trojanettes are still the team to beat in Class 4A. North Catholic is seeking its fourth consecutive WPIAL title overall and its third consecutive Class 4A crown, while longtime coach Molly Rottmann looks to extend her record with a 13th WPIAL title. The Trojanettes are a mostly young, unproven bunch, but they still have plenty of big-time talent and a veteran point guard to rely on in senior Sarah Loughry.

Championship picks: North Catholic (Steve Rotstein), Blackhawk (Brad Everett), Oakland Catholic (John Santa)

CLASS 3A

Defending champion: Shady Side Academy

No. 1 seed: Shady Side Academy

Best first-round game: Quaker Valley vs. McGuffey

Player to watch: Mimi Thiero, Quaker Valley. A 6-4 junior forward who already holds 50 Division I scholarship offers, Thiero is one of the area’s most coveted girls prospects in recent years. Thiero averaged 19.5 points, 13.9 rebounds and 4.7 blocks per game as a sophomore, and she is turning things up a notch as a junior with an average of 21.5 points and 15.8 boards per game. More importantly, she has the Quakers peaking at the right time while riding a six-game winning streak into the postseason.

Sleeper: Avonworth. Although the Antelopes finished a distant third behind Shady Side Academy and Greensburg Central Catholic in Section 2, they are an extremely battle-tested bunch led by a veteran guard with loads of big-game experience in standout senior Greta O’Brien. Avonworth is only two years removed from hoisting the WPIAL Class 3A championship trophy, and the Lopes made it back to the big game last year before falling to Shady Side. They might be only a No. 6 seed, but they still have the pieces in place to win the whole thing.

The lowdown: Other than Class 5A, this might be the deepest bracket of all this postseason. Defending champion Shady Side Academy is one of three undefeated teams in the WPIAL, along with Penn-Trafford and Union, and the Bulldogs earned their No. 1 seed the hard way with victories against the likes of Greensburg C.C. (twice), Avonworth (twice), Baldwin, Blackhawk and Seneca Valley. Junior point guard Karis Thomas and junior forward Cassie Sauer are a dynamite duo that forces foes to pick their poison, and Shady Side also has several other capable scorers and role players in its rotation. … No. 2 Greensburg C.C. is coming off a WPIAL Class 2A title last season, and with Richmond recruit Erica Gribble still finding ways to get better and better while pouring in 22.2 ppg, the Centurions will be eager for a return trip to the championship game and a third crack at Shady Side. … No. 3 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart is another dangerous team with a championship pedigree under longtime coach Don Eckerle, who joined the 400-win club in a win against Allderdice on Dec. 29. All-section senior guard Claudia Ierullo (15.8 ppg) is the go-to scorer for the Chargers, who are currently riding a 10-game winning streak.

Championship picks: Shady Side Academy (Steve Rotstein), Shady Side Academy (Brad Everett), Shady Side Academy (John Santa)

CLASS 2A

Defending champion: Greensburg C.C. (now in Class 3A)

No. 1 seed: Neshannock

Best first-round game: Riverview vs. Rochester

Player to watch: Katerina Tsambis, Riverview. After advancing to last year’s WPIAL Class 1A semifinals, the Raiders have maintained their winning ways since bumping up to Class 2A, and Tsambis is one of the main reasons why. A 5-4 senior guard who ranks second in Class 2A with an average of 18.7 ppg, Tsambis and junior Isabel Chaparro team up to give No. 7 Riverview one of the most talented guard tandems in the Class 2A playoff field.

Sleeper: South Side. One of the hottest teams in Class 2A, the Rams have won eight consecutive games going into their regular-season finale against Washington on Monday night. The biggest win of them all was a 45-44 nail-biter against Fort Cherry on Thursday to claim a share of the Section 2 title with the Rangers. In a wide-open class without a truly dominant team or player, No. 4 South Side could have a chance to make some serious noise this postseason.

The lowdown: After capturing three WPIAL Class 2A titles in a four-year span from 2019-22, Neshannock spent the past two seasons in Class 3A. Now, the top-seeded Lancers are back to reclaim their throne in Class 2A as coach Luann Grybowski attempts to secure the seventh WPIAL title of her storied career. Nobody averages more than 15 ppg for Neshannock, but the Lancers are as well-rounded as any team in Class 2A, with junior forward Payton Newman providing an ultra-reliable presence in the frontcourt as a double-double machine. … Neshannock split a pair of matchups during the regular season with Aliquippa, and the Quips received the No. 2 seed after finishing as co-section champs with the Lancers. Not many teams in Class 2A can keep up with Aliquippa’s terrific tandem of Aunesty Johnson (17.8 ppg) and Carla Brown (15.9 ppg). … Chartiers-Houston might have reason to feel slighted by its No. 6 seed after finishing unbeaten in section play, especially considering each of the Buccaneers’ four losses came by six points or less — including a 48-43 loss against No. 3 Winchester Thurston on Jan. 20.

Championship picks: Neshannock (Steve Rotstein), Neshannock (Brad Everett), Chartiers-Houston (John Santa)

CLASS 1A

Defending champion: Union

No. 1 seed: Union

Best first-round game: Springdale vs. Bishop Canevin

Player to watch: Iyanna Wade, Clairton. Only 11 points away from becoming the fourth girl in WPIAL history to score more than 3,000 career points, Wade is already a lock to win her third consecutive WPIAL scoring title. Averaging 42.1 ppg going into the final game of the regular season on Monday night, Wade is the first player in WPIAL history to average 40-plus ppg in back-to-back seasons. With her legacy already secured on an individual level, Wade will now try to bring the No. 3 Bears their first WPIAL title since winning back-to-back crowns in 2001-02.

Sleeper: West Greene. Once a perennial Class 1A title contender that reached four consecutive championship games from 2018-21 — while settling for runner-up finishes all four times — the Pioneers are back in the thick of the title chase with first-year coach Ben Brudnock steering the ship. Entering the playoffs on a four-game win streak that includes an impressive overtime win against Serra Catholic, No. 7 West Greene has the look of a team ready to play spoiler in this year’s WPIAL tournament.

The lowdown: With two-time defending champion Union seeking a three-peat while looking to complete an undefeated season, the Scotties were the clear and obvious choice for the No. 1 seed — but they will have plenty of competition on their quest to make history. Still, with senior guard Kylie Fruehstorfer fresh off a 50-point masterpiece in a win against Winchester Thurston last week, it’s hard not to like Union’s chances of winning a third consecutive WPIAL title. … No. 2 Geibel Catholic enters the postseason with an overall record of 21-1, with its only loss coming at No. 3 Clairton back on Dec. 16. Geibel still secured the Section 2 title outright with Emma Larkin leading the way, as Larkin (26.9 ppg) ranks second in the WPIAL in scoring for the second year in a row. … The only player ahead of Larkin in the scoring race, of course, is Clairton’s Iyanna Wade. The three-time WPIAL scoring champ and soon-to-be 3,000-point scorer makes the Bears a threat to beat any team on any given night, and there’s nothing Wade wants more than to end her legendary high school career with a WPIAL crown.

Championship picks: Union (Steve Rotstein), Union (Brad Everett), Clairton (John Santa)