Trib HSSN 2024-25 WPIAL Class 5A girls basketball preseason breakdown

By: Bill Hartlep
Sunday, November 24, 2024 | 10:25 PM

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The WPIAL Class 5A girls basketball field got a little more interesting in the offseason.

PIAA enrollment realignment shifted WPIAL powers Peters Township and Chartiers Valley down a classification to make Class 5A a bit more of a challenge.

The Indians, who won the 2019 Class 6A title, feature one of the area’s top talents in Miami recruit Natalie Wetzel and a host of other returning starters.

The Colts won four WPIAL Class 5A titles between 2017-21 before spending the past two seasons in 6A.

While Peters Township and Chartiers Valley will be formidable foes, South Fayette has won the past three WPIAL Class 5A championships and won’t give away the throne without a fight.

Several others also are expected to contend for WPIAL gold.

Here is a rundown of players to watch, top 5 teams and other notables in WPIAL 5A girls basketball this season.

Preseason Player of the Year

Natalie Wetzel, Peters Township

6-3, senior, F

17.4 ppg last season

Players to watch

Cecilia Christy, Mars

6-0, jr., G/F, 10.9 ppg

Jaedin Griggs, Moon

5-6, jr., G, 17.8 ppg

Bayleigh Perez, Shaler

5-5, sr., G, 10.6 ppg

Emma Reynolds, Chartiers Valley

6-0, sr., F, 14.0 ppg

Savaughn Wimbs, West Mifflin

5-6, sr., G, 18.3 ppg

Preseason Top 5

1. Peters Township (24-3 last season)

The Indians were WPIAL Class 6A semifinalists and reached the PIAA second round last season with a high-scoring attack, led by senior all-state forward Natalie Wetzel, who committed to Miami in July. Ranked No. 79 in the nation among seniors by ESPN W, she averaged 17.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists last season. Peters Township also returns junior guard Bri Morreale, a second-team all-section pick, and senior forward Daniela Raduloivch, who was an honorable mention selection. Senior wing Megan Castor is committed to Allegheny. Peters also features freshmen Taylor McCullough and Jordyn Welsh, who already have Division I offers.

2. South Fayette (19-9 last season)

The Lions are three-time defending WPIAL champions. They reached the PIAA second round a year ago and said good bye to all-section guards Erica Hall (12.0 ppg) and Lainey Yater, who graduated. Junior forward Juliette Leroux and junior guard Haylie Lamonde return after earning all-section honors last season.

3. Penn-Trafford (14-9 last season)

The Warriors return four starters from a team that finished third in Section 3 last season. Leading scorer Olivia Pepple (15.0 ppg) graduated, but senior forward Lauren Marton (9.9 ppg, 8.3 rpg), junior point guard Torrie DeStefano (13.8 ppg, 5.5 apg), senior guard Kamryn Pieper and junior guard Hanna Weishaar return. Pieper is a Point Park commit.

4. Indiana (20-8 last season)

Three all-section players return to lead the Section 1 champion Little Indians — junior guards Julia Antonacci, Laken Kugler and Addy Hutton. They will miss leading scorer Bella Antonacci (15.3 ppg), who graduated.

5. Chartiers Valley (17-9 last season)

The Colts dropped down in class after finishing second in Section 3-6A at 7-5 last season. Senior forward Emma Reynolds (14.0 ppg) returns to lead the Colts after earning all-section honors the past two seasons. Junior guard Ava Antonucci and senior guard Rachel Boehm, a Millersville commit, will try to replace the production of grads Ella Cupka and Lilah Turnbull.

Notable

• In Class 5A, there are 28 teams, up one from the last two-year cycle. Greensburg Salem and West Mifflin moved up from 4A to join Section 2, which is all new with Latrobe, Indiana, Kiski Area, McKeesport and Penn-Trafford.

Chartiers Valley dropped and will join a newly formed Section 3 with Mars, Montour, Moon, New Castle, South Fayette and West Allegheny.

Baldwin, Bethel Park and Peters Township dropped and will be in Section 4 with Uniontown, which moved up a class, and Albert Gallatin and Thomas Jefferson, which transferred from Section 3, and holdover Trinity.

• Oakland Catholic and all-state guard London Creach (15.0 ppg) dropped to 4A this season.

• McKeesport (24-5) reached the semifinals with a senior-heavy roster last season, including graduate Rachel Mafredo (14.7 ppg). The Tigers will compete in a competitive Section 2 this season.

• Plum (13-10) finished 9-3 in Section 1 last season but needs to replace 1,000-point scorer Megan Marston. Junior guard Riley Stephans is among the returning starters.

• Franklin Regional (7-14) returns five players who saw starting time last season when it finished 6-6 in Section 1. Senior forward Toryn Fulton is a South Florida softball commit.

• Penn Hills (12-12) returns three starters — guards Milani Oliver and Shai Short and center Cara Crawford. Hannah Pugliese, a 1,000-point scorer, is now at Slippery Rock.

• Section 2 champion Armstrong (23-6) was the WPIAL runner-up last season but graduated all-state guard Emma Paul and fellow all-section picks Kyla Fitzgerald and Sarai Weaver. Senior guard Isabella Yancy returns.

• Senior guard Regan Kerr returns to lead Greensburg Salem (16-9), which finished third in Section 1-4A last season but graduated four players now competing at the college level.

• Latrobe (11-12), which finished fourth in Section 3 last season, will be led by senior point guard Carley Berk (12.0 ppg), a Millersville commit.

Alignment

Section 1: Armstrong, Fox Chapel, Franklin Regional, Gateway, Penn Hills, Plum, Shaler

Section 2: Greensburg Salem, Indiana, Kiski Area, Latrobe, McKeesport, Penn-Trafford, West Mifflin

Section 3: Chartiers Valley, Mars, Montour, Moon, New Castle, South Fayette, West Allegheny

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

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, Chartiers Valley, Franklin Regional, Greensburg Salem, Indiana, Latrobe, Mars, McKeesport, Moon, Penn Hills, Penn-Trafford, Peters Township, Plum, Shaler, South Fayette