2025 WPIAL Class 2A baseball preseason breakdown

By: Don Rebel
Friday, March 14, 2025 | 12:15 AM

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Since 2017, either Seton LaSalle or Serra Catholic has reached the WPIAL Class 2A baseball championship game every year.

In fact, in the six 2A baseball title games played since 2017, the Rebels and Eagles have squared off against each other in three of them, including in the last two years.

Well, that rivalry is gone, at least for the next two seasons.

Four-time WPIAL champions Seton LaSalle and Serra Catholic are going their separate ways.

The Rebels have moved up to 3A and the Eagles have dropped to Class A, leaving Class 2A vacant of a defending champion.

Here is a rundown of the 2025 preseason top 5 teams, some of the players to watch and other diamond notes in WPIAL Class 2A baseball.

Preseason Top 5

1. Neshannock (12-10 last season)

Since winning the first of its six WPIAL baseball championships in 1991, the longest run between titles for Neshannock has been 11 years, from 1991-2002. The most recent diamond championship was in 2015. The Lancers are back in Class 2A looking to add to their golden collection. They bring plenty of returning weapons this season in senior pitcher and outfielder Dom Cubellis (Gannon), senior pitcher and infielder Jack Rynd, senior infielder Matt Pallerino (Garrett Community College), junior pitcher and outfielder Anthony Eakin and junior pitcher and infielder Cole Hutchinson.

2. Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (17-6)

There were high hopes last season following a section title and a No. 2 seed in the 2A playoffs for Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. However, the Chargers lost a slugfest with Seton LaSalle in the semifinals and then fell to Burgettstown in the 2A consolation game. OLSH is loaded with the likes of returning seniors Gino Williams at shortstop (Millersville), Vann Kavals at pitcher and first base, Sean Hudac and pitcher and third base, Anthony Hansen at outfield, Thomas Medwig (Marietta) and pitcher and catcher and Iseia Fields-Schulz (Point Park) at pitcher, first base and outfield.

3. Laurel (12-9)

Laurel was all alone the last two years playing in Section 2-2A against teams from Beaver County and western Allegheny County. Now the Spartans can feel more at home with Neshannock and Shenango back in the section for some Lawrence County love … or battles. Laurel reached the quarterfinals in the 2A postseason a year ago but it hopes to make a much longer postseason run this season. Leading the way is junior pitcher and infielder Luca Santini, who was second on the team in both wins and RBI. Junior utility player Jacob McBride was second in batting among the regular starters to sophomore pitcher and second baseman Kolton Carlson. Senior left hander R.J. Kissick will also play a key role for Laurel.

4. Shenango (11-10)

Joining Neshannock in moving down from Class 3A to crash the 2A party and become an instant favorite is Shenango. In the second-to-last season in 2A before two years of playing in 3A, the Wildcats won their only WPIAL baseball championship in 2021. Shenango has some good depth on the mound this spring led by senior pitcher and infielder Joe Campolo, who led the Wildcats in innings pitched and in RBI a year ago. Joining him in the rotation and in the lineup are senior pitcher and utility man Tyler Houk along with junior pitcher and infielder Trey Ross.

5. Fort Cherry (9-6)

Fort Cherry was a Section 1 champion in Class A last spring and was the No. 3 seed in the Class A playoffs, but in their postseason opener, the Rangers were stunned by Avella, 6-3. Now, Fort Cherry looks to continue their diamond success moving up to Class 2A. Fort Cherry will be relying on talented returning underclassmen led by three sport star Matt Sieg. The Penn State football recruit who guided the Rangers to back-to-back titles on the gridiron batted .529 a year ago with four home runs and 24 RBIs. Two sophomores are back to lead the rotation and batting order following success in their freshman season with Ryan Huey and Colton Temple

Players to watch

Lucas Burt, Sr., P-OF-INF, Bentworth

Ben Hays, Jr., INF-OF, Bentworth

Sam Wade, Jr., P-OF, Bentworth

Luke Amon, Sr., INF, Beth-Center

Jackson Nopwaskey, Sr., P-INF, Beth-Center

Sam Elich, Sr., P-INF, Burgettstown

Matthew Bredel, Jr., P-INF, Burgettstown

Chase Cicchitto, Sr., P-INF, California

Ricky Lawson, Sr., OF, California

Aaron Walsh, Jr., OF, Chartiers-Houston

Justus Buckingham, Sr., OF, Chartiers-Houston

Brady Gotfredson, Soph., P-INF, Chartiers-Houston

Matt Sieg, Jr., INF, Fort Cherry

Ryan Huey, Soph., P-OF, Fort Cherry

Colton Temple, Soph., P-C-INF, Fort Cherry

Tyler Morrison, Jr., INF, Frazier

Chase Fulmer, Jr., OF, Frazier

Tommy Ward, Sr., C, Freedom

Boden Hilliard, Jr., P-INF, Freedom

Xavier Robbins, Jr., P-INF, Freedom

Luca Santini, Jr., INF, Laurel

Jacob McBride, Jr., OF, Laurel

R.J. Kissick, Sr., P-INF, Laurel

Kolton Carlson, Soph., P-INF, Laurel

Dom Cubellis, Sr., OF, Neshannock

Matt Pallerino, Sr., INF, Neshannock

Jacob Rynd, Sr.,P- INF, Neshannock

Anthony Eakin, Jr., P-OF, Neshannock

Cole Hutchison, Jr., P-INF, Neshannock

Brock Budacki, Sr., C, New Brighton

Jaxson Zahn, Jr.,P- INF, New Brighton

Nick Rawlings, Jr., P-C-INF, Northgate

Chris Crawford, Jr., INF, Northgate

Joe Campolo, Sr., P-INF, Shenango

Trey Ross, Jr., P-INF, Shenango

Tyler Houk, Sr., P-INF-OF, Shenango

Zac Myers, Soph., INF-OF, Apollo-Ridge

Mason Mulligan, Sr., OF, Carlynton

Connor Hart, Sr., P-INF-OF, Carlynton

Gino Williams, Sr., INF, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

Vann Kavals, Sr., P-INF, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

Sean Hudac, Sr., P-INF, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

Anthony Hansen, Sr., OF, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

Thomas Medwig, Sr., C-INF, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

Iseia Fields-Schulz, Sr., P-INF-OF, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

Eli DeVita, Sr., INF, Riverview

Tyler Aftanas, Sr., INF, Riverview

Rece Stempfer, Sr., P/OF, Riverview

Johnny Bertucci, Sr., P-INF, Riverview

Andrew Redman, Soph., P-C-INF, Springdale

Luke Bramson, Soph., C-INF-OF, Springdale

Carter Wilson, Sr., P-INF, South Side

R.J. Fischer, Sr., P-INF-OF, South Side

Diamond notes

• While there will be no repeat in Class 2A this season with Seton LaSalle moving up to 3A, the Rebels did accomplish something rare when they won back-to-back 2A district crowns. They became only the fourth school in district history to repeat as baseball champs in Class 2A. The others were Washington in 1997 and 1998, Center in 1988 and 1989 and Ford City in 1987 and 1988.

• Last spring, all three WPIAL reps in the PIAA 2A baseball playoffs — Seton LaSalle, Serra Catholic and Burgettstown — lost in the first round. The last WPIAL 2A team to win a PIAA state championship was Neshannock in 2015. In the 12 years before the Lancers’ state title run, the district produced five PIAA champions in Class 2A: Ellwood City in 2003 and Riverside in 2005, 2006, 2001 and 2012. The first three 2A state champions from the WPIAL were Wilmington (now D-10) in 1981, Northgate in 1982 and Riverview in 1983.

• Burgettstown, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and Serra Catholic were the three section champions last year in Class 2A with eventual district winner Seton LaSalle finishing second in Section 2. The Blue Devils and Eagles won Sections 1 and 3 respectively by two games, while the Chargers edged the Rebels in Section 2 by only one game. Two current 2A schools enjoyed big improvements from the 2023 season as both Laurel and Freedom improved by five wins. However, they pale in comparison to Carlynton, which went from four wins in ’23 to 12 victories in ’24. Also making jumps in the win column were OLSH at plus-4 and Beth-Center and Riverview at plus-3.

• For as much success as Aliquippa has enjoyed in football and basketball, that has not translated to the baseball diamond. The Quips were the only Class 2A winless team again in 2024 and carry a 34-game losing streak into the 2025 season. Northgate and Apollo-Ridge are trying to improve on two-win campaigns and the other two 2A looking to bounce back from four-win seasons are Bentworth and Frazier. The Bearcats were a playoff team in 2023.

• This is the 46th season of Class 2A baseball in the WPIAL. The first 2A champion was Freeport in 1979 followed by Swissvale in 1980. Some of the other 2A championship anniversaries being celebrated this season include:

Sto-Rox captured 2A gold 40 years ago in the spring of 1985.

Seton LaSalle won the school’s first WPIAL crown 30 years ago by claiming gold in the 1995 2A finals.

Twenty-five years ago, Bishop Canevin blanked Washington to win the 2000 2A title at Three Rivers Stadium.

North Catholic shut out Riverside 20 years ago to win the 2005 crown in Class 2A.

Another shutout in the 2A finals happened 10 years ago when Neshannock blanked Quaker Valley in 2015.

The 2020 season was canceled due to the covid-19 outbreak five years ago.

2025 alignment

Section 1: Bentworth, Beth-Center, Burgettstown, California, Chartiers-Houston, Fort Cherry, Frazier

Section 2: Aliquippa, Freedom, Laurel, Neshannock, New Brighton, Northgate, Shenango

Section 3: Apollo-Ridge, Brentwood, Carlynton, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Riverview, Springdale, South Side