2025 WPIAL bracketology: Don Rebel, Chris Harlan forecast the softball playoff pairings
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Thursday, May 8, 2025 | 1:15 AM
Penn-Trafford pitcher Allyson Paulone delivers against Franklin Regional on Monday, April 14, 2025, in Murrysville.
The 2025 WPIAL softball playoff field is set with 76 teams, including all six teams that won district gold a year ago.
The postseason begins next week and concludes with six title games May 28-29 at Lilley Field at Cal (Pa.).
The brackets will be announced at 4 p.m. Thursday on TribLive HSSN. But before then, Chris Harlan and Don Rebel share a little diamond bracketology.
Class 6A
Don Rebel’s bracket:
No. 1 Hempfield – bye
No. 4 Canon-McMillan vs. No. 5 Pine-Richland
No. 2 Seneca Valley – bye
No. 3 North Allegheny vs. No. 6 Norwin
Rebel says: These are the same six teams from a year ago with little change to the order. I said last year that I would be surprised if it wasn’t Hempfield against Seneca Valley in the district championship game. Lo and behold, I was stunned as Norwin shocked Hempfield in the semifinals and then nearly upended Seneca Valley in the title game. Pine-Richland proved it can hang with the two elites by beating Seneca Valley twice in a one-week span. With that being said, I would be surprised if it’s not Spartans vs. Raiders in the finals.
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 1 Hempfield – bye
No. 4 Canon-McMillan vs. No. 5 Pine-Richland
No. 2 Seneca Valley – bye
No. 3 North Allegheny vs. No. 6 Norwin
Harlan says: There were only nine teams in WPIAL Class 6A this season, all combined in one section, so there isn’t much mystery here. This will be the third year in a row that Hempfield and Seneca Valley earn the top two seeds in this bracket.
Class 5A
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 1 Penn-Trafford vs. No. 16 Moon
No. 8 Trinity vs. No. 9 Plum
No. 4 Thomas Jefferson vs. No. 13 Fox Chapel
No. 5 Franklin Regional vs. No. 12 Chartiers Valley
No. 2 Shaler vs. No. 15 Latrobe
No. 7 South Fayette vs. No. 10 Baldwin
No. 3 West Allegheny vs. No. 14 Connellsville
No. 6 North Hills vs. No. 11 Armstrong
Rebel says: Defending champion Penn-Trafford gets the nod for the top seed, but after that, good luck. There were second-place ties in Sections 3 and 4, but it helps that South Fayette swept Chartiers Valley, and Trinity won both games against Baldwin. This is a bracket that is deep, so there was no line jumping of a second-place team cutting in front of a section champion. However, the depth is so strong that even fourth-place teams were hard to seed. Some nonsection results did help in the process.
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 1 Penn-Trafford vs. No. 16 Moon
No. 8 Plum vs. No. 9 South Fayette
No. 4 West Allegheny vs. No. 13 Latrobe
No. 5 North Hills vs. No. 12 Baldwin
No. 2 Shaler vs. No. 15 Connellsville
No. 7 Armstrong vs. No. 10 Chartiers Valley
No. 3 Thomas Jefferson vs. No. 14 Fox Chapel
No. 6 Franklin Regional vs. No. 11 Trinity
Harlan says: This is by far the toughest bracket to seed. Penn-Trafford is an obvious No. 1 seed, but 2, 3 and 4 might end up in any order. Thomas Jefferson gets some added respect here as the defending state champion and WPIAL runner-up. Franklin Regional could’ve made a case for a top four seed before a late-season loss to Armstrong.
Class 4A
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 1 Elizabeth Forward – bye
No. 8 Uniontown vs. No. 9 Indiana
No. 4 Blackhawk vs. No. 13 Western Beaver
No. 5 Beaver vs. No. 12 Greensburg Salem
No. 2 Knoch – bye
No. 7 Derry vs. No. 10 Belle Vernon
No. 3 Hampton – bye
No. 6 West Mifflin vs. No. 11 North Catholic
Rebel says: Knoch has had a great season in winning Section 1, and Hampton was strong again in taking the Section 3 crown, but the top seed goes to defending champion and Section 2 winner Elizabeth Forward. Some love for Section 3 as the two teams tied for second place – Blackhawk and Beaver – get No. 4 and 5 seeds and could meet again in the quarterfinals. The Cougars swept two section games against the Bobcats to get the higher seed.
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 1 Elizabeth Forward – bye
No. 8 Indiana vs. No. 9 Uniontown
No. 4 West Mifflin vs. No. 13 Western Beaver
No. 5 Blackhawk vs. No. 12 Greensburg Salem
No. 2 Knoch – bye
No. 7 Beaver vs. No. 10 Belle Vernon
No. 3 Hampton – bye
No. 6 Derry vs. No. 11 North Catholic
Harlan says: With four first-round byes, I tried to look ahead to who those teams would face in quarterfinals. Here, if the higher seeds win, there won’t be any section rematches right away. But that’s certainly no guarantee.
Class 3A
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 1 South Park – bye
No. 8 Charleroi vs. No. 9 Hopewell
No. 4 Ellwood City – bye
No. 5 Southmoreland vs. No. 12 Keystone Oaks
No. 2 Mohawk – bye
No. 7 McGuffey vs. No. 10 Deer Lakes
No. 3 Mt. Pleasant – bye
No. 6 Avonworth vs. No. 11 Ligonier Valley
Rebel says: Last year’s WPIAL runner-up and still undefeated this year, South Park, is the clear No. 1 with defending WPIAL champion Mohawk at No. 2. Ellwood City and Avonworth tied for second in a competitive Section 2. The Wolverines won the head-to-head tiebreaker, and their reward is a first-round bye. Southmoreland is also in the mix for the No. 4 seed and an opening-round bye.
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 1 South Park – bye
No. 8 Charleroi vs. No. 9 Deer Lakes
No. 4 Ellwood City – bye
No. 5 Avonworth vs. No. 12 Keystone Oaks
No. 2 Mohawk – bye
No. 7 Southmoreland vs. No. 10 Hopewell
No. 3 Mt. Pleasant – bye
No. 6 McGuffey vs. No. 11 Ligonier Valley
Harlan says: We have the top four seeds in the same order in our brackets. I gave Avonworth the edge for No. 5 thanks to a 5-4 section win over Mohawk on April 28. Southmoreland slips to seventh after a 16-1 loss to Ligonier Valley on Friday.
Class 2A
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 1 Neshannock vs. No. 16 Carlynton
No. 8 Apollo-Ridge vs. No. 9 Northgate
No. 4 Frazier vs. No. 13 Riverside
No. 5 South Allegheny vs. No. 12 Bentworth
No. 2 Laurel vs. No. 15 Burgettstown
No. 7 Waynesburg Central vs. No. 10 Shenango
No. 3 Chartiers-Houston vs. No. 14 Brentwood
No. 6 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart vs. No. 11 Brownsville
Rebel says: Neshannock is a softball machine and the favorite to win a record-tying fourth straight WPIAL Class 2A championship. Swissvale won the first four 2A titles in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. Section 1 runner-up Laurel gets the edge at No. 2 over strong section champions Chartiers-Houston, Frazier and South Allegheny. Bentworth is a wild card. Last year’s freshman sensation Sydney Gonglik could not pitch this season due to injury but might return to the circle in the playoffs, which would make the fourth-place Bearcats more dangerous.
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 1 Neshannock vs. No. 16 Burgettstown
No. 8 Seton LaSalle vs. No. 9 Apollo-Ridge
No. 4 Frazier vs. No. 13 Northgate
No. 5 South Allegheny vs. No. 12 Brownsville
No. 2 Chartiers-Houston vs. No. 15 Brentwood
No. 7 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart vs. No. 10 Shenango
No. 3 Laurel vs. No. 14 Bentworth
No. 6 Waynesburg vs. No. 11 Riverside
Harlan says: Teams in Class 2A might be hoping to receive a spot on the opposite side of the bracket from Neshannock. Second-place Laurel gets that wish here and jumps over section winners Frazier and South Allegheny for the No. 3 seed. But Laurel doesn’t move ahead of Chartiers-Houston. The Buccaneers are 17-1 with their only loss coming against South Park, 4-3.
Class A
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 1 Union – bye
No. 8 Jeannette vs. No. 9 Cornell
No. 4 Jefferson-Morgan vs. No. 13 Monessen
No. 5 South Side vs. No. 12 Greensburg Central Catholic
No. 2 Carmichaels – bye
No. 7 Serra Catholic vs. No. 10 Avella
No. 3 West Greene – bye
No. 6 Sewickley Academy vs. No. 11 Leechburg
Rebel says: Carmichaels is undefeated, but the nod for No. 1 in Class A goes to 2022 and 2023 district champion Union. The Scotties’ only defeats were competitive losses to Neshannock and Chartiers-Houston. Some love for Section 2 with the top three teams getting seeds 2, 3 and 4. The two teams tied for second in Section 1 (South Side and Sewickley Academy) get the nod over the Section 3 co-champs (Serra Catholic and Jeannette) thanks to Sewickley Academy beating Serra earlier this season.
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 1 Union – bye
No. 8 Jefferson-Morgan vs. No. 9 Monessen
No. 4 Serra Catholic vs. No. 13 Avella
No. 5 Jeannette vs. No. 12 Cornell
No. 2 Carmichaels – bye
No. 7 Sewickley Academy vs. No. 10 Greensburg Central Catholic
No. 3 West Greene – bye
No. 6 South Side vs. No. 11 Leechburg
Harlan says: Sewickley Academy can make an argument to be seeded higher after defeating Serra Catholic, 4-1, in its season opener. But that was a long time ago. I reward Serra and Jeannette for finishing as co-champions in Section 3. Sewickley Academy and South Side tied for second in Section 1.
Tags: Elizabeth Forward, Hempfield, Neshannock, Penn-Trafford, South Park, Union
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