WPIAL track postseason gets underway in Tuesday’s 3 things to watch in high school sports

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, April 30, 2018 | 10:54 PM

May Day! May Day! The fifth month of the year and the final month of spring sports district play is here with some wonderful weather to boot.

Sunny skies will be the backdrop for the start of the 2018 WPIAL boys and girls team track playoffs Tuesday.

Each of the two classifications will have four semifinals sites in which three of four teams will complete with the winner qualifying for the WPIAL team finals at Baldwin next Monday.

Boys

Class AAA

At North Allegheny: Beaver, Connellsville, Mt. Lebanon, North Allegheny

At Butler: Butler, Chartiers Valley, Franklin Regional, Kiski Area

At Baldwin: Baldwin, Hempfield, Mars, Uniontown

At South Fayette: Gateway, New Castle, Norwin

Class AA

At Shenango: Chartiers-Houston, Riverside, Riverview

At Freeport: Freedom, Freeport, Hopewell, South Side Beaver

At Waynesburg (4 p.m.): Derry, Mohawk, Waynesburg

At South Park: Southmoreland, South Park, Washington

Girls

Class AAA

At North Allegheny: Connellsville, Hampton, Mt. Lebanon, North Allegheny

At Butler: Butler, Chartiers Valley, Franklin Regional, Kiski Area

At Baldwin: Belle Vernon, Hempfield, Moon, Uniontown

At South Fayette: Norwin, South Fayette, Trinity

Class AA

At Shenango: Fort Cherry, Quaker Valley, Shenango

At Freeport: Beaver, Deer Lakes, Hopewell, South Side Beaver

At Waynesburg (4 p.m.): Derry, Mohawk, Waynesburg

At South Park: Brownsville, Burrell, Southmoreland, South Park

Softball sections up for grabs

A handful of games on Tuesday could determine WPIAL softball section titles. There are five head-to-head games to determine first place or a share of the top spot.

In Section 1-6A, Baldwin (8-1) visits Canon-McMillan (7-2). There two teams have been co-champs the last two years and shared the section crown with Bethel Park in 2015. If Canon-McMillan loses, the Big Macs string of six consecutive section championships would be in serious jeopardy.

North Allegheny (7-1) can clinch the Section 3-6A title outright with a road win when the Tigers face Seneca Valley (6-2). The Tigers beat the Raiders in the first meeting 3-1.

Penn-Trafford (10-1) has two games in hand on Franklin Regional (9-0) when the two play for the second time. The Warriors' only Section 1-5A loss was when they fell to the Panthers in a shootout 13-9.

Freeport (7-0) is one of only three WPIAL softball teams with a perfect season going at 9-0 overall. The Yellow Jackets host Burrell (7-1) on Tuesday. The Bucs' only section loss was when they fell at home to the Jackets, 8-6.

Union also is perfect at 11-0 overall and is in first place in Section 1-A with an 8-0 mark. The Scotties host Sewickley Academy (5-1), the only team standing between them and a section title. The first meeting between these two teams took place last week as the Scotties rolled to an 8-2 win.

Three other Tuesday softball games matching the top two teams in their section that are separated by more than a game and a half are West Allegheny at Mars in Section 3-5A, Yough at Elizabeth Forward in Section 2-4A and Bentworth at Frazier in Section 3-2A.

Three district volleyball showdowns

Section titles could also be clear in three WPIAL boys volleyball sections after Tuesday evening.

North Allegheny (8-0) will visit Butler (8-1) in a fight for first in Section 2-AAA. The defending champion Tigers beat the Golden Tornado, 3-0, earlier this year.

In Section 1-AA, traditional power Ambridge (7-0) hits the road to take on Montour (7-1). The Spartans' lone loss was a 3-0 defeat at the hands of the Bridgers in early April.

There is a three-team chase for the top spot in Section 3-AA with Seton LaSalle (7-0), Bishop Canevin (6-1) and Keystone Oaks (5-2). The top two slug it out Tuesday when the Rebels visit the Crusaders.

Don Rebel is a TribLive High School Sports Network broadcaster and staff writer. Reach him at drebel@tribweb.com.

Tags: Ambridge, Baldwin, Bentworth, Burrell, Butler, Canon-McMillan, Elizabeth Forward, Franklin Regional, Frazier, Freeport, Mars, Montour, North Allegheny, Penn-Trafford, Seneca Valley, Sewickley Academy, Union, West Allegheny, Yough