2025 WPIAL Class 6A softball preseason breakdown

By: Bill Hartlep
Sunday, March 9, 2025 | 9:06 PM

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Hempfield and Seneca Valley have combined to win eight of the last nine WPIAL softball championships in the highest classification.

The powerhouses are expected to again contend for the Class 6A crown this season.

Seneca Valley won last year’s title and has captured two championships in the past three seasons.

The Spartans, who have eight WPIAL titles overall, won in 2023, in addition to recent triumphs from 2015-19.

Here is a look at the 2025 preseason top 5 teams, some players to watch and other diamond notes in WPIAL Class 6A softball.

Preseason Top 5

1. Seneca Valley (22-2 last season)

The Raiders return the top-ranked player in the state in their bid to defend their WPIAL title. Senior pitcher Lexie Hames was Gatorade Pennsylvania Softball Player of the Year last spring after she went 16-1 with 265 strikeouts in 114 2/3 innings. At the plate, the Clemson recruit and two-time Trib HSSN player of the year batted .380 with nine home runs and 27 RBIs. Seneca Valley beat Norwin, 4-3, in the WPIAL championship and advanced to the PIAA quarterfinals before falling to North Penn. The Raiders’ only other loss was to Hempfield. Seneca Valley, which was the WPIAL runner-up in 2023 after winning the WPIAL and PIAA titles in 2022, also returns senior all-section infielder Bella Gross and juniors Neve Miller and Abby Kalkowski, among others.

2. Hempfield (18-2)

The Spartans will field an all-star team of talent this season as they look to regain their spot atop the WPIAL. Hempfield, which shared the section title at 15-1, lost to Norwin in the WPIAL semifinals last season. The Spartans will be led by three college-bound seniors — pitcher Riley Miller (Kent State), infielder Allie Cervola (Ohio) and outfielder Morgan Walt (Waynesburg). Though the Spartans graduated all-state outfielder Maggie Howard (Georgetown), Peyton Heisler (Penn) and all-state first baseman Emily Griffith, they return a standout junior class full of Division I recruits, including Claire Mitchell (UMBC), Ella Berkebile (Bucknell), Julia Varhola (James Madison) and Lauren Howard (Virginia). Cervola and Lauren Howard were first-team all-section selections. Cervola also was an all-state pick.

3. Pine-Richland (11-10)

The Rams finished fourth in the section at 9-7 last season. They return Pitt recruit Calle Henne, a senior catcher who was first-team all-state after batting .508 with five homers and 28 RBIs a year ago, as well as junior outfielder Serafina Julio, who was second-team all-section.

4. North Allegheny (12-8)

The Tigers went 11-5 to finish third in the section standings last season. Senior pitcher Sammy Plotsko returns after earning all-section honors. In addition to going 8-4 in the circle, she hit five homers. The Tigers also return Drexel recruit McKenna Rowlands, who was a second-team all-section infielder after batting .304 with nine RBIs. NA will miss all-state outfielder Carlyn Vaupel (.537), who graduated.

5. Norwin (10-11)

The Knights reached the WPIAL finals for the first time last season. They graduated shortstop Bailey Snowberger (Maine), who was all-state after hitting .400 last season, along with pitcher Brookelyn Kotch and infielder Josey Michalski. Senior Rachel Minteer returns, along with junior pitcher Abbie Telli and sophomore Diem Wardzinski.

Players to watch

Ella Berekbile, jr., C, Hempfield

Allie Cervola, sr., U, Hempfield

Bella Gross, sr., INF, Seneca Valley

Lexie Hames, sr., P, Seneca Valley

Calle Henne, sr., C, Pine-Richland

Lauren Howard, jr., INF, Hempfield

Serafina Julio, jr., OF, Pine-Richland

Shylee Karenbauer, sr., INF, Butler

Mary Langston, sr., OF, Mt. Lebanon

Neve Miller, jr., INF, Seneca Valley

Riley Miller, sr., P, Hempfield

Claire Mitchell, jr., OF, Hempfield

Sammy Plotsko, sr., DH, North Allegheny

McKenna Rowlands, sr., INF, North Allegheny

Julia Varhola, jr., P, Hempfield

Lily Vicari, sr., C, Butler

Kiersten Williams, sr., 1B, Canon-McMillan

Diamond notes

• For the third straight season, there is only one section for Class 6A. There will still be nine teams after Baldwin dropped down to Class 5A, but Woodland Hills moved up from Class 4A to join the largest classification.

• Canon-McMillan (7-12), which reached the WPIAL semifinals last season, will be led by senior first baseman Kiersten Williams, a Seton Hill commit who was second-team all-section.

• Butler (3-14) and Mt. Lebanon (2-17) will look to bounce back after down seasons. Butler returns Youngstown State-bound catcher Lily Vicari. Mt. Lebanon has seven returning starters, including senior centerfielder Mary Langston, who was second-team all-section.

• Woodland Hills (0-13) has moved up to Class 6A after finishing sixth in Section 1-4A last season with a 0-10 mark.

• Hempfield’s eight softball championships are fourth in WPIAL history behind Baldwin and Sto-Rox, with 10 each, and Chartiers-Houston with nine.

• A couple regular-season games to circle on the calendar: Seneca Valley and Hempfield are scheduled to play April 7 at Hempfield and again April 28 at Seneca Valley.

• Hames spent the summer playing for the Team USA U18 national team. She was 2-0, allowing two hits with a 0.00 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 10 innings. At the World Cup Games in Dallas, Team USA went 6-0 and outscored opponents 63-1.

2025 alignment

Section 1: Butler, Canon-McMillan, Hempfield, Mt. Lebanon, North Allegheny, Norwin, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, Woodland Hills

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: Butler, Canon-McMillan, Hempfield, Mt. lebanon, North Allegheny, Norwin, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, Woodland Hills