PIHL preview: Pine-Richland, Thomas Jefferson, Chartiers Valley, Neshannock begin title defenses

By: Triblive
Monday, September 30, 2024 | 9:54 AM

The 2024-25 PIHL season opens with 13 varsity games Monday night in rinks across Western Pennsylvania.

There’s been some changes in alignment that could impact the standings this season. A slew of underclassmen will try to replace some graduated all-stars throughout the league. And, as usual, the teams that can best navigate competitive schedules over the next six months will contend for Penguins Cup and Pennsylvania Cup championships.

Here’s a look at the 2024-25 PIHL season:

Class 3A

2023-24 Penguins Cup championship: Pine-Richland 3, North Allegheny 2

2023-24 Pennsylvania Cup championship: Pine-Richland 5, West Chester 4

Ice chips: Pine-Richland captured its fifth PIHL Penguins Cup title by edging North Allegheny for the third time of the 2023-24 season. The Rams then got a hat trick from Josh Lanyard to beat West Chester in the state championship game for their fourth state title. … Thomas Jefferson rolled to its fifth PIHL Penguins Cup title in Class 2A last season and has since bumped up to Class 3A. … South Fayette, which finished 17-1-2 last regular season and earned the top seed for the playoffs, also moved up from Class 2A, along with Franklin Regional (10-7-3). Junior forward Robert Chiappetta returns for the Lions after scoring 13 goals and leading the league in assists (38). … Though Pine-Richland (15-4-1) finished first in the regular-season standings with 31 points, Seneca Valley (15-5), North Allegheny (14-4-2) and Peters Township (14-4-2) were close behind with 30 points apiece. … Mt. Lebanon (12-7-1), Upper St. Clair (11-6-3), Central Catholic (10-9-1) and Bethel Park (9-10-1) also qualified for the postseason.

Alignment: Bethel Park, Central Catholic, Franklin Regional, Mt. Lebanon, North Allegheny, Peters Township, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, South Fayette, Thomas Jefferson, Upper St. Clair

Class 2A

2023-24 Penguins Cup championship: Thomas Jefferson 8, Penn-Trafford 4

2023-24 Pennsylvania Cup championship: Pennridge 7, Thomas Jefferson 5

Ice chips: Class 2A will have a new champion after Thomas Jefferson moved up to Class 3A. … Westmoreland County was well represented in the 2A playoffs last season with Latrobe (13-7), Norwin (11-7-2), Hempfield (9-10-1) and Penn-Trafford (7-9-4) all advancing, along with Franklin Regional, which has since moved up to Class 3A. … The Warriors made a Cinderella run to the Penguins Cup finals. … Norwin will miss Alex Thomas, who was the Knights’ career leader in points after leading the PIHL in scoring as a junior and senior (32 goals, 29 assists). … Baldwin (1-17-2), Cathedral Prep (8-11-1) and Canon-McMillan (1-19) dropped down from Class 3A to join Class 2A and should contend in the 10-team classification.

Alignment: Armstrong, Baldwin, Bishop McCort, Canon-McMillan, Cathedral Prep, Fox Chapel, Hempfield, Latrobe, Norwin, Penn-Trafford

Class A

2023-24 Penguins Cup championship: Chartiers Valley 2, Greensburg Salem 1 (OT)

2023-24 Pennsylvania Cup championship: Hershey 4, Chartiers Valley 2

Ice chips: Tyler Held’s goal 1:42 in overtime gave Chartiers Valley its second PIHL Penguins Cup title last winter. The Colts’ lone loss last season came in the state championship game against Hershey. Senior goalie Matthew Colberg led the PIHL with 18 wins and a .943 save percentage. … Quaker Valley won the Gold Division at 16-3-1 last season and should contend again, and Shaler and Indiana were also in the mix a year ago. … Avonworth and Blackhawk finished just behind Chartiers Valley in the Blue Division last winter. … North Hills dropped down from Class 2A after finishing 1-19 last season.

Alignment

Gold Division: Beaver, Blackhawk, Chartiers Valley, Greensburg Salem, Kiski, McDowell, Meadville, Montour, Plum, Quaker Valley, Shaler, Westmont Hilltop, Wheeling Catholic

Blue Division: Avonworth, Butler, Freeport, Hampton, Indiana, Mars, Moon, North Catholic, North Hills, Richland, West Allegheny, Wheeling Park (W.Va.)

Division 2

2023-24 Penguins Cup championship: Neshannock 6, Burrell 5

Ice chips: Neshannock has won three PIHL Division 2 titles in four years, including last season when it edged Burrell, 6-5, in the finals. The Lancers were 15-3-1 in the regular season. … Bishop Canevin won the Gold Division last season with an 18-1 regular-season record. … Carrick (13-4-2) edged Ringgold (11-6-2) for first place in the Blue Division in 2023-24. … With Gateway resuming varsity play after playing at the junior varsity level, the PIHL added a third section (White) in Division 2, along with Gold and Blue to have three divisions of five teams.

Alignment

Gold Division: Bishop Canevin, Carrick, Central Valley, Morgantown (W.Va.), Trinity

Blue Division: Burrell, Deer Lakes, Elizabeth Forward, Knoch, Sewickley Academy

White Division: Connellsville, Gateway, Neshannock, Ringgold, Wilmington