What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Oct. 16, 2024: Catch the soccer playoff pairing show on Trib HSSN
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Tuesday, October 15, 2024 | 11:40 PM
The Avonworth girls soccer team hoists the WPIAL championship trophy after defeating Shady Side Academy, 1-0, in the Class 2A final Nov. 4, 2023, at Highmark Stadium.
The postseason can’t begin without a little bracketology.
The 2024 WPIAL soccer playoffs will likely begin Saturday and continue through the eight championship matches slated for Oct. 31-Nov. 2 at Highmark Stadium in Station Square.
The brackets for the four boys and four girls tournaments will be unveiled Wednesday afternoon.
On the boys side, there will be 63 teams and two preliminary round matches, one each in 3A and A.
Three of the four defending champions have qualified with Norwin in 4A, South Park in 2A and Bentworth in A looking to win more gold. Only South Fayette in 3A did not qualify after winning a district crown in 2023.
For the girls, 60 teams will be participating with only one preliminary round contest slated for Class A.
All four 2023 winners are back in the search for gold even though a new champion will be crowned in 4A.
Last year’s 4A winner Fox Chapel is now in 3A, in the same field as that classification’s champ 12 months ago, South Fayette.
Avonworth in 2A and Freedom in A are back in the championship hunt. The Antelopes are looking for a fourth straight WPIAL title while the Bulldogs are looking to three-peat.
Team tennis, take 3
After being postponed twice due to wet weather, the WPIAL girls team tennis semifinals will take place at neutral sites Wednesday afternoon.
In Class 3A, the top three seeds and the No. 5 seed have reached the final four.
Top-seed Mt. Lebanon will battle No. 5 Fox Chapel at the Nichols Court at Sewickley Academy.
The Blue Devils have knocked off Baldwin and Pine-Richland to advance while the Foxes defeated Mars before upsetting No. 4 Upper St. Clair in the quarterfinals, 3-2.
Defending champion and No. 3 seed Bethel Park goes up against No. 2 seed Shady Side Academy at Chartiers Valley.
The Black Hawks have eliminated Thomas Jefferson and Peters Township while the Bulldogs own wins over Norwin and North Allegheny.
Seeding wise, the same situation has happened in 2A as 3A with the top three seeds and No. 5 moving through to the third round.
Top-seeded North Catholic will take on No. 5 Oakland Catholic at Shady Side Academy.
The Trojans have beaten Ellwood City and Winchester Thurston to advance while the Eagles have soared past Greensburg Central Catholic and No. 4 Sewickley Academy to reach the final four.
The other match has No. 2 Hampton facing No. 3 Quaker Valley at North Allegheny.
The Talbots beat Lincoln Park and Beaver to reach the semis while the Quakers got there with victories over South Park and Indiana.
All four matches begin at 3 p.m.
The winners advance to the championships now set for Thursday at the Janet L. Swanson Tennis Center at Washington & Jefferson College.
More High School Soccer Boys
• Playoff field set with 63 teams in WPIAL boys soccer• High school roundup for Oct. 15, 2024: Mt. Lebanon drops Pine-Richland in OT
• Defending 4A boys champ Norwin expecting similar draw in WPIAL soccer playoffs
• Jackson Vacanti grows into big-play threat for Greensburg Central Catholic boys soccer
• What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Oct. 15, 2024: Final playoff spots, sections titles to be decided Tuesday
