2025 WPIAL Class 5A softball preseason breakdown

By: Bill Hartlep
Monday, March 10, 2025 | 8:42 PM

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Thomas Jefferson probably won’t sneak up on any opponents this season. The Jaguars were WPIAL runners-up and claimed a PIAA championship in Class 5A last season after scoring upsets throughout the postseason.

The Jaguars finished in third place in Section 4 at 6-4 before running through the WPIAL and state tournament.

They again have the makeup for a championship run but will be challenged by a deep Class 5A field of contenders.

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

Preseason Top 5

1. Thomas Jefferson (16-8 last season)

The target will be on the backs of the Jaguars coming off their PIAA title run and WPIAL runner-up finish. The Jaguars are led by a trio of Division I commits in senior infielder Morgan Alisesky (Robert Morris), Hannah Alonso (Fairleigh Dickinson) and Addi Bracco (Tennessee Tech). Alisesky was a first-team all-section pick and first-team all-state selection last season. Senior infielder Olivia Stock, senior catcher Alison Chalovich and sophomore pitcher Aubrey Shaffer were second-team honorees. Bracco was an honorable mention. Shaffer also earned first-team all-state honors. Zoe Krizan (Drexel) graduated.

2. West Allegheny (18-4)

The Section 3 champion Indians reached the WPIAL quarterfinals as the No. 3 seed last season. They return senior shortstop Aubrey Police, a Villanova recruit who hit .506 with six homers and 27 RBIs. Senior pitcher Autumn Bielecki (Lake Erie College) and senior DH Alaina Pass (West Liberty) also were first-team all-section, and senior catcher Ava Henke (Ohio University) also returns.

3. Chartiers Valley (18-5)

Chartiers Valley is moving up from Class 4A where the Colts reached the WPIAL semifinals and PIAA quarterfinals. Junior Penn State recruit Lily Duffill is one of the WPIAL’s top power hitters. She belted 15 homers while hitting .507 with 47 RBIs in earning all-state honors. CV also returns junior all-state outfielder Delaney O’Connor (Robert Morris) and senior catcher Annabelle Helt (Pitt-Johnstown). Senior pitcher Taylor Walsh (Wheeling) also was a first-team all-section pick.

4. Shaler (15-4)

The Titans lost in the WPIAL quarterfinals after finishing second in Section 1 at 8-2 and earning the No. 5 seed. They return nine starters, including five who were named first-team all-section — senior outfielder Ella Nash; juniors Jayla Antomachi, Taylor London and Alyssa Schaffold; and sophomore Olivia Gieraltowski. Junior pitcher Bria Bosiljevac is an Indiana commit.

5. Armstrong (19-4)

Armstrong won its second WPIAL championship in three years last spring, topping Thomas Jefferson, 9-3, in the final. The Riverhawks averaged more than 9 runs per game last season but graduated shortstop Emma Paul (Fairmont State), who hit .478 with seven homers and 26 RBIs, along with all-section infielder Jesse Pugh and pitcher Madison Baker. Junior outfielder Isabel Prazenica was second team all-section, and senior infielder Jordan Klingensmith and junior DH Natalie Zeigler were honorable mention.

Players to watch

Morgan Alisesky, sr., INF, Thomas Jefferson

Hannah Alonso, sr., OF, Thomas Jefferson

Jayla Antomachi, jr., INF, Shaler

Autumn Bielecki, sr., P, West Allegheny

Bria Bosiljevac, jr., P, Shaler

Addi Bracco, jr., SS, Thomas Jefferson

Ciara Camacho, sr., U, Franklin Regional

Maddie Cavenaugh, sr., OF, South Fayette

Shania Cope, sr., INF, Montour

Laura Craska, sr., INF, Mars

Lily Duffill, jr., C, Chartiers Valley

Emma Earley, jr., P, South Fayette

Sydney Fisher, sr., INF, Upper St. Clair

Toryn Fulton, sr., INF, Franklin Regional

Jaiden Gentile, jr., INF, Plum

Olivia Gieraltowski, so., U, Shaler

Brooklyn Kemp, jr., P, Upper St. Clair

Ally Krenzelak, jr., OF, Trinity

Taylor London, jr., DH, Shaler

Gabby Mangieri, so., C, New Castle

Keara Mangieri, sr., INF, New Castle

Adrianna Martz, jr., OF, Franklin Regional

Makenzie Morgan, sr., C, Peters Township

Ella Nash, sr., OF, Shaler

Delaney O’Connor, sr., OF, Chartiers Valley

Alaina Pass, sr., DH, West Allegheny

Allison Pokrant, jr., DH, Penn-Trafford

Aubrey Police, sr., SS, West Allegheny

Cam Ponko, sr., INF, Penn-Trafford

Abby Robinson, sr., OF, Mars

Alyssa Schaffold, jr., C, Shaler

Rachel Scharrer, so., OF, Upper St. Clair

Kaylee Smolko, sr., INF, Baldwin

Anastasia Spano, jr., OF, Bethel Park

Hailey Staub, jr., OF, Montour

Hanna Suhoski, sr., SS, Trinity

Abby Sutton, jr., P, North Hills

Riley Stephans, jr., P, Plum

Bella Tavella, sr., OF, Plum

Ryenn Thomas, jr., INF, McKeesport

Cameron Valentino, jr., INF, South Fayette

Taylor Walsh, sr., P, Chartiers Valley

Addyson Wrigley, sr., 3B, North Hills

Giuliana Youngo, sr., OF, Penn-Trafford

Diamond notes

• There were a few changes to Class 5A via the PIAA’s two-year enrollment cycle. Baldwin dropped down from Class 6A to join Section 4, and McKeesport (Section 2), Chartiers Valley and Montour (Section 3) and Albert Gallatin (Section 4) all moved up in class.

Mars and New Castle moved from Section 3 to 1, and Upper St. Clair slid over from Section 4 to 3.

• North Hills (14-5) lost in the quarterfinals after winning Section 1 at 9-1 and earning the No. 2 seed. Senior third baseman Addyson Wrigley (.520) and junior pitcher Abby Sutton (.490, 7 HR) were first-team all-section last season. Junior catcher Lily Adamski is also among seven returning starters. Senior pitcher/outfielder Alexa Edmunds (Cal, Pa.) also returns after missing last season with an injury.

• Plum (11-7) returns three all-section players in infielder Jaiden Gentile, outfielder Bella Tavella and pitcher Riley Stephans, as well as Charleston recruit Danielle Pici. The Mustangs were third in Section 1 last season.

• Coach Larry Troutman took over at Fox Chapel (7-10) and returns six starters, including pitcher Jillian Haigh. Troutman spent the last two seasons at Leechburg.

• New Castle (6-10) features senior Pitt recruit Keara Mangieri and all-section sophomore catcher Gabby Mangieri.

• Maine recruit Laura Craska and Abby Robinson (Allegheny) return to lead the way for Mars (6-13), which finished third in Section 3.

• Penn-Trafford (15-7) was the Section 2 runner-up a year ago and reached the WPIAL semifinals and PIAA playoffs. Seniors Cam Ponko (IUP), an all-state third baseman who hit .500, and Giuliana Youngo and junior Allison Pokrant were first-team all-section.

• Junior outfielders Sara Blossey and Miley Williams and sophomore DH Maddie Balko were second-team all-section picks for Latrobe (11-13) last season. Senior infielder Mya McHugh also returns for the Wildcats, who finished fourth in the WPIAL last season.

• Franklin Regional (10-9) returns a pair of Division I recruits in seniors Toryn Fulton (South Florida) and Ciara Camacho (Kent State), as well as all-section junior outfielder Adrianna Martz. All three were all-state selections. Fulton hit .673 with seven homers and 26 RBIs last season. The Panthers were fourth in Section 2 last season at 5-5.

• South Fayette (11-6) has three all-section players back in juniors Cameron Valentino, a Florida Gulf Coast recruit, pitcher Emma Earley and senior Maddie Cavanaugh (Slippery Rock), who hit .527 with eight homers.

• Montour (10-7) joins Section 3 after finishing third in Section 3-4A last season and reaching the quarterfinals. Junior outfielder Hailey Staub is a Colgate commit.

• Baldwin (7-11) returns senior infielder Kaylee Smolko (Pitt-Johnstown), a first-team all-section selection, seniors Gabby Jaquay (Seton Hill) and Ryley Shaw, and juniors Jordan Gerendash and Avery Herrington, who are among eight returning starters.

• Connellsville (13-8) shared the Section 4 title last season at 7-3 but graduated three first-team all-section honorees. Sophomore shortstop Cali Leichliter was a second-team selection.

• Trinity (11-6), the 2023 WPIAL champion which has won three straight section titles, has eight starters back, led by senior shortstop Hanna Suhoski, a two-time all-state selection who had six homers last season, and junior all-section centerfielder Ally Krenzelak.

• Bethel Park (10-10) won a WPIAL title in Class 6A in 2021.

• Upper St. Clair (7-10) will rely on senior Sydney Fisher (Waynesburg), Rachel Scharrer and Brooklyn Kemp (.406), a Bowling Green commit, who were all-section players last season. The Panthers return eight starters.

• Senior catcher Makenzie Morgan (Marist) aims to lift Peters Township (5-14) up from a 1-9 finish in Section 4.

2025 alignment

Section 1: Fox Chapel, Mars, New Castle, North Hills, Penn Hills, Plum, Shaler

Section 2: Armstrong, Franklin Regional, Gateway, Kiski Area, Latrobe, McKeesport, Penn-Trafford

Section 3: Chartiers Valley, Montour, Moon, South Fayette, Upper St. Clair, West Allegheny

Section 4: Albert Gallatin, Baldwin, Bethel Park, Connellsville, Peters Township, Thomas Jefferson, Trinity

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: Armstrong, Bethel Park, Chartiers Valley, Connellsville, Franklin Regional, Latrobe, Mars, McKeesport, Montour, New Castle, North Hills, Penn-Trafford, Peters Township, Plum, Shaler, South Fayette, Thomas Jefferson, Trinity, Upper St. Clair, West Allegheny