2025 WPIAL bracketology: Chris Harlan, Don Rebel forecast the baseball playoff pairings
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Friday, May 9, 2025 | 1:17 AM
Pine-Richland’s Sam Heckert scores under Shaler catcher Joey Rispoli during their game on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Pine.
The 2025 WPIAL baseball playoffs are set with 80 teams, including five of the six champions from a year ago — North Allegheny, Penn-Trafford, Avonworth, Seton LaSalle and Bishop Canevin — hoping to defend their crowns.
Seton LaSalle and Bishop Canevin are looking to three-peat this spring.
The postseason begins next week and concludes with six title games on May 27-28 at EQT Park in Washington.
The brackets will be announced at 3 p.m. Friday on TribLive HSSN, but before then, Don Rebel and Chris Harlan present a little diamond bracketology.
Class 6A
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 1 North Allegheny vs. No. 8 Hempfield
No. 4 Norwin vs. No. 5 Butler
No. 2 Canon-McMillan vs. No. 7 North Hills
No. 3 Seneca Valley vs. No. 6 Mt. Lebanon
Rebel says: These 6A teams are used to three-game section series, so a one-and-done format takes for some adjustments. There is work to be done if Mt. Lebanon is to reach the championship game for a fourth straight season. Defending champion North Allegheny is the top seed after winning Section 1, and then everything falls neatly in place without any stretch in the order to avoid teams from the same section facing each other in the quarterfinals.
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 1 North Allegheny vs. No. 8 Hempfield
No. 4 Norwin vs. No. 5 Butler
No. 2 Canon-McMillan vs. No. 7 North Hills
No. 3 Seneca Valley vs. No. 6 Mt. Lebanon
Harlan says: Seneca Valley might be able to make a case for the No. 2 seed over Canon-McMillan, but I give it to the Section 2 champion Big Macs.
Class 5A
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 1 Plum vs. No. 16 Mars
No. 8 Fox Chapel vs. No. 9 Baldwin
No. 4 Bethel Park vs. No. 13 Montour
No. 5 Thomas Jefferson vs. No. 12 Upper St. Clair
No. 2 Pine-Richland vs. No. 15 Trinity
No. 7 Peters Township vs. No. 10 Latrobe
No. 3 Shaler vs. No. 14 Franklin Regional
No. 6 Penn-Trafford vs. No. 11 Connellsville
Rebel says: Another baseball postseason, another deep field in Class 5A in which more than half the teams could get hot and win it all. So, in trying to figure out the top seed, it plays hand in hand with what to do with the Section 3 co-champions in Pine-Richland and Shaler. The Rams could easily garner the top seed with Shaler either a 2 or 3, but I went with Plum at No. 1 with the Rams and Titans as 2 and 3 with a possible rubber game coming in the semifinals rather than the finals. Section 2 was so competitive from start to finish. Will that benefit Bethel Park, Peters Township, Upper St. Clair and Trinity with long playoff runs? Or will that section be exposed as being tight but mediocre?
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 1 Pine-Richland vs. No. 16 Trinity
No. 8 Peters Township vs. No. 9 Latrobe
No. 4 Bethel Park vs. No. 13 Connellsville
No. 5 Thomas Jefferson vs. No. 12 Franklin Regional
No. 2 Shaler vs. No. 15 Montour
No. 7 Fox Chapel vs. No. 10 Upper St. Clair
No. 3 Plum vs. No. 14 Mars
No. 6 Penn-Trafford vs. No. 11 Baldwin
Harlan says: Shaler probably had the No. 1 seed in its hands before a late section loss to Mars. That led to a tie with Pine-Richland atop the Section 3 standings and opened the door for the Rams to grab the top seed. Section 1 winner Plum had a great season too, but I think the Mustangs must settle for the third seed.
Class 4A
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 1 Indiana – bye
No. 8 Greensburg Salem vs. No. 9 Central Valley
No. 4 Blackhawk – bye
No. 5 Beaver vs. No. 12 Ringgold
No. 2 West Mifflin – bye
No. 7 Knoch vs. No. 10 Ambridge
No. 3 Elizabeth Forward – bye
No. 6 Belle Vernon vs. No. 11 Derry
Rebel says: Indiana, the silver medalist in the WPIAL and PIAA from last spring, is a clear choice as the top seed. After that, it becomes interesting with Blackhawk and Beaver as co-champs in Section 1 and West Mifflin and Elizabeth Forward as co-champs in Section 2. Outside of section play, the most impressive nonsection win was West Mifflin beating Class 5A Thomas Jefferson, giving the Titans the nod at 2 and EF 3. Blackhawk gets the nod for the fourth and final bye because it went 1-1 against third-place Central Valley while Beaver was 0-2 against the Warriors. Don’t sleep on Belle Vernon, which was No. 1 seed a year ago but was stunned in the first round.
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 1 Indiana – bye
No. 8 Greensburg Salem vs. No. 9 Central Valley
No. 4 Blackhawk – bye
No. 5 Beaver vs. No. 12 Derry
No. 2 Elizabeth Forward – bye
No. 7 Knoch vs. No. 10 Ringgold
No. 3 West Mifflin – bye
No. 6 Belle Vernon vs. No. 11 Ambridge
Harlan says: Elizabeth Forward finished the regular season by winning nine of its last 10 section games. West Mifflin lost two of its final three. The teams ended up sharing the section title, but EF’s better finish gets the Warriors the No. 2 seed here. Similarly, Beaver didn’t help itself much by losing seven of its final 11.
Class 3A
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 1 Riverside vs. No. 16 Shady Side Academy/McGuffey winner
No. 8 Burrell vs. No. 9 Quaker Valley
No. 4 South Park vs. No. 13 Ligonier Valley
No. 5 Waynesburg vs. No. 12 Deer Lakes
No. 2 Avonworth vs. No. 15 Seton LaSalle/Keystone Oaks winner
No. 7 Mt. Pleasant vs. No. 10 Mohawk
No. 3 Ellwood City vs. No. 14 Charleroi
No. 6 Freeport vs. No. 11 South Allegheny
Rebel says: The biggest bracket in the diamond playoffs will likely be the most difficult to put together thanks to a five-way tie for the Section 3 championship. Riverside gets the nod for No. 1, but both the Panthers and Avonworth have some impressive nonsection victories. Ellwood City and South Park are strong second-place finishers, and I give them higher seeds in front of Waynesburg and the fearsome five from Section 3.
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 1 Riverside vs. No. 16 Shady Side Academy/Keystone Oaks winner
No. 8 Ligonier Valley vs. No. 9 Deer Lakes
No. 4 South Park vs. No. 13 Charleroi
No. 5 Ellwood City vs. No. 12 Seton LaSalle
No. 2 Avonworth vs. No. 15 Mohawk/McGuffey winner
No. 7 Freeport vs. No. 10 Mt. Pleasant
No. 3 Waynesburg vs. No. 14 South Allegheny
No. 6 Burrell vs. No. 11 Quaker Valley
Harlan says: What do you do with five co-champions from one section? I’m not usually a fan of first-round rematches, but maybe it makes sense here. Of the five, I give Burrell the highest seed — No. 6 — because it’s the only one that split head-to-head against all four others. Then seeds Nos. 7, 8, 9 and 10 go to the other co-champions. Well, it’s an idea.
Class 2A
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 1 Neshannock – bye
No. 8 Riverview vs. No. 9 New Brighton
No. 4 Fort Cherry vs. No. 13 Apollo-Ridge
No. 5 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart vs. No. 12 Chartiers-Houston
No. 2 Shenango – bye
No. 7 South Side vs. No. 10 Laurel
No. 3 Burgettstown – bye
No. 6 Freedom vs. No. 11 California
Rebel says: Co-champs in Section 1 and Section 2 make this class tough up front. The Neshannock and Shenango duo from Section 2 move slightly ahead thanks to success in the deepest section. Then Burgettstown and Fort Cherry from Section 1 take the 3 and 4 seeds ahead of outright Section 3 winner OLSH, which played a challenging nonsection slate but was only 2-6 out of Section 3.
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 1 Neshannock – bye
No. 8 South Side vs. No. 9 New Brighton
No. 4 Fort Cherry vs. No. 13 Apollo-Ridge
No. 5 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart vs. No. 12 Chartiers-Houston
No. 2 Shenango – bye
No. 7 Riverview vs. No. 10 Laurel
No. 3 Burgettstown – bye
No. 6 Freedom vs. No. 11 California
Harlan says: Section 2 appears to be the strongest section in 3A this season led by co-champions Neshannock and Shenango. They split their two-game series with Neshannock winning 11-0 and losing 2-1. Three other teams from that section — Freedom, New Brighton and Laurel — also qualified. Section 1 co-champions Burgettstown and Fort Cherry are third and fourth after splitting their section series, too. But only one (Burgettstown here) gets a first-round bye.
Class A
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 1 Serra Catholic – bye
No. 8 Western Beaver vs. No. 9 Avella
No. 4 Greensburg Central Catholic vs. No. 13 Rochester
No. 5 Leechburg vs. No. 12 Sewickley Academy
No. 2 Eden Christian – bye
No. 7 Carmichaels vs. No. 10 Winchester Thurston
No. 3 Bishop Canevin – bye
No. 6 Jefferson-Morgan vs. No. 11 Union
Rebel says: The tri-champions in Section 3 get the top three seeds and the byes. Nonsection wins over playoff teams OLSH, Leechburg, Western Beaver, Hopewell, Riverview and Belle Vernon give the No. 1 nod to Serra Catholic. Section 1 gets some love, earning seeds 4, 6, 7 and 9. Congrats to Winchester Thurston for earning a district postseason berth in the program’s first year with a WPIAL schedule.
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 1 Serra Catholic – bye
No. 8 Jefferson-Morgan vs. No. 9 Winchester Thurston
No. 4 Leechburg vs. No. 13 Sewickley Academy
No. 5 Greensburg Central Catholic vs. No. 12 Rochester
No. 2 Eden Christian – bye
No. 7 Carmichaels vs. No. 10 Union
No. 3 Bishop Canevin – bye
No. 6 Western Beaver vs. No. 11 Avella
Harlan says: Section rivals Serra Catholic, Eden Christian and Bishop Canevin get the top three seeds and the first-round byes. Leechburg, as an undefeated section champion, gets No. 4.
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.
Tags: Avonworth, Canon-McMillan, Eden Christian, Elizabeth Forward, Indiana, Neshannock, North Allegheny, Pine-Richland, Plum, Riverside, Serra Catholic, Shenango, West Mifflin
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