2025 WPIAL Class 3A softball preseason breakdown

By: Bill Hartlep
Wednesday, March 12, 2025 | 7:16 PM

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Mohawk softball rose to the top of WPIAL Class 3A last spring by taking down a pair of teams that appear ready to seek revenge this season.

The Warriors will be challenged by Avonworth, the 2022 and ‘23 champion, as well as WPIAL finalist South Park, in addition to a slew of other contenders. Mohawk beat the Lopes, 5-3, in the semifinals before taking down the Eagles, 9-2, in the 2024 championship game.

Here is a look at the 2025 preseason top 5 teams, some players to watch and other diamond notes in WPIAL Class 3A softball.

Preseason Top 5

1. Mohawk (18-6 last season)

Mohawk rode an explosive offensive attack to a WPIAL championship last season, averaging 7.4 runs per game while winning Section 2 and the district crown. Junior third baseman Addy Moskal (.534) is back after earning all-state honors. Senior outfielder Alivia Hare, a Robert Morris commit, also returns, along with pitcher Reagan Magno and catcher Mylie Pistorius, a pair of juniors who also earned all-section honors. The Warriors lost two graduates — Maya McGreal and all-state shortstop Aricka Young (.500).

2. South Park (19-3)

A year after finishing as WPIAL runner-up, the Eagles return several talented pieces from a team that went 10-0 in Section 4 and posted three shutouts in the postseason. Junior pitcher Sydney Sekely was the Trib HSSN Class 3A player of the year and an all-state selection after she went 16-3 with an ERA of 0.72 with 242 strikeouts. At the plate, she batted .433. Three all-section players also return in senior outfielder Kylie Mettrick (Pitt-Johnstown), senior catcher Ally Wilder and junior infielder Sydney Dubyak. Senior Jacie Hilligsberg (Washington & Jefferson) is a fourth-year starter.

3. Avonworth (14-6)

After winning back-to-back WPIAL titles, Avonworth lost to Mohawk in the semifinals, 5-3, last spring and fell in the first round of the PIAA tournament. The Lopes return four starters, including all-state shortstop Sydney Savatt, who is committed to Division I Rider, and senior all-section catcher Emma Obersteiner. Avonworth will miss five graduates, including all-state pitcher Alivia Lantzy, all-state outfielder Layne Shinsky and all-state catcher Rylee Gray.

4. Southmoreland (14-3)

Southmoreland shared the Section 3 title last season at 8-2 and earned the No. 5 seed for the WPIAL playoffs before falling to Freeport in the first round. The power-hitting Scotties averaged 8.4 runs last season. They return senior Makayla Etling (Cal, Pa.), a first-team all-state catcher who hit .538 with eight homers and 24 RBIs, as well as senior third baseman Taylor Doppelheuer. They graduated all-state shortstop Amarah McCutcheon and pitcher Maddie Brown.

5. Burrell (10-9)

The Bucs return all nine starters from last season after they finished second in Section 1 and lost to Ellwood City, 4-2, in the first round of the playoffs. Three all-section honorees are back, including Ohio recruit Pyper Ferres (.547, 5 HR, 24 RBIs) at shortstop, catcher Bella Stewart (5 HR) and outfielder Shelby Novak. Senior third baseman Braelyn Jones (.491, 26 RBIs) also returns.

Players to watch

Kara Barkovich, sr., OF, Hopewell

Kailyn Brannon, jr., 3B, Keystone Oaks

Makenna Crothers, sr., P, McGuffey

Sydney Dubyak, jr., INF, South Park

Makayla Etling, sr., C, Southmoreland

Pyper Ferres, sr., SS, Burrell

Kylee Fisher, so., P, Yough

Aubrey Guciardo, jr., DP, Steel Valley

Alivia Hare, sr., OF, Mohawk

Nicole Klages, jr., C, McGuffey

Reagan Magno, jr., P, Mohawk

Amber McQuiston, jr., P, Ellwood City

Kylie Mettrick, sr., OF, South Park

Addy Moskal, jr., INF, Mohawk

Shelby Novak, so., OF, Burrell

Emma Obersteiner, sr. C, Avonworth

Mylie Pistorius, jr., C, Mohawk

Siena Plummer, jr., OF, Deer Lakes

Sydney Savatt, sr., SS, Avonworth

Sydney Sekely, jr., P, South Park

Abby Springer, jr., INF, Ligonier Valley

Bella Stewart, sr., C, Burrell

Danica Trainer, so., INF, Mt. Pleasant

Ally Wilder, sr., C, South Park

Diamond notes

• Steel Valley and Charleroi moved up a class to join Section 3 in Class 3A, which shrunk by six teams and from four sections to three.

• Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant, Southmoreland and Yough all moved over from Section 3 to 1. Avonworth moved from Section 1 to 2, and Keystone Oaks, McGuffey and South Park all left the defunct Section 4 to join Section 3.

• Ligonier Valley (16-7) graduated star pitcher Cheyenne Piper (16-7, 1.08 ERA, 252 Ks), the TribLive Westmoreland player of the year who led the Rams to the WPIAL semifinals and PIAA playoffs. Catcher Sydnee Foust and all-section shortstop Abby Springer are back.

• Yough (9-5) returns seven starters, including sophomore all-section pitcher Kylee Fisher, who also was the team’s leading hitter, though she is sidelined to start the season. Freshman pitcher Jaidyn Vey will also be a player to watch. All-section shortstop Adoria Waldier (.433, 18 RBIs), the team’s lone senior, will miss the season with a knee injury.

• Mt. Pleasant (11-9) will lean on Danica Trainer, who was an all-state shortstop as a sophomore last season, as well as Pitt-Johnstown recruit Gigi Stanek. Paul Reho takes over as head coach.

• Ellwood City (15-5) averaged 8.1 runs last season and reached the WPIAL quarterfinals. Junior all-section pitcher Amber McQuiston leads the returning Wolverines.

• Hopewell (7-12) returns five starters, including senior Kara Barkovich (0.507 OBP, 1.271 OPS, 4 HR), an all-section outfielder last season who will also pitch and play third base. Catcher/1B Victoria Mann hit .435 with 16 RBIs.

• McGuffey (10-5) was second in Section 4 last season at 7-3. Back are senior pitcher Makenna Crothers (Muskingum) and catcher Nicole Klages, who both earned all-section honors.

• Keystone Oaks (8-10) will look to seven returning starters after finishing 3-7 in Section 4 last season. Junior third baseman Kailyn Brannon was all-section last season.

• East Allegheny has been rebuilding for five seasons and is playing in a WPIAL section this season. Mercedes Benz is the team’s top pitcher and hitter.

• Charleroi (14-5) graduated three all-section players after reaching the Class 2A quarterfinals.

2025 alignment

Section 1: Burrell, Deer Lakes, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant, Southmoreland, Yough

Section 2: Avonworth, Beaver Falls, Ellwood City, Hopewell, Mohawk, Quaker Valley

Section 3: Charleroi, East Allegheny, Keystone Oaks, McGuffey, South Park, Steel Valley

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

Tags: Avonworth, Burrell, Charleroi, Deer Lakes, East Allegheny, Ellwood City, Hopewell, Keystone Oaks, Ligonier Valley, McGuffey, Mohawk, South Park, Southmoreland, Steel Valley, Yough