Notable changes to the 2024-25 WPIAL girls soccer alignment

By: Giustino Racchini
Monday, July 15, 2024 | 10:29 AM

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The WPIAL released new section alignments for the next two-year cycle in all sports, and changes will be implemented starting this fall. This summer, TribLive will break down changes for each of the WPIAL sports.

Here’s a look at the upcoming WPIAL girls soccer season.

2023 WPIAL champions

4A: Fox Chapel

3A: South Fayette

2A: Avonworth

A: Freedom

Notable changes

• The total number of teams increased by three, from 96 to 99, in the new 2024-25 alignment period.

• Class 4A went from two sections of eight teams each to three sections with six teams in each section. The total number of teams went up by two in this cycle.

Three teams moved up a classification into Section 1. Penn-Trafford, Armstrong and Latrobe climbed from 3A. Woodland Hills moved into the section after making the jump all the way from 2A. Those four teams will be joined by Hempfield and Norwin, who move over from Section 2.

Connellsville jumped up from 3A to join Section 2.

The newly formed Section 3 includes six of the eight teams from Section 1 last season: Allderdice, Butler, North Allegheny, North Hills, Pine-Richland and Seneca Valley.

• Class 3A has two fewer teams in the new alignment, dropping from 29 to 27.

Section 1 has added teams from all over to create a seven-team section. Penn Hills and Gateway moved over from Section 3, and Shaler and Fox Chapel moved down from Class 4A. Fox Chapel was the 4A WPIAL champion a year ago.

The other teams in the section are Hampton, Mars and Obama Academy. Section 1 is formidable, as it features two recent WPIAL champions (Mars and Fox Chapel).

Section 2 includes seven teams from Section 4 last season — Blackhawk, Chartiers Valley, Montour, Moon, Trinity and West Allegheny — and Bethel Park, which moved down from Class 4A.

Section 3 had quite a few changes. Four teams moved over from Section 2: Albert Gallatin, Laurel Highlands, Thomas Jefferson and Uniontown. Oakland Catholic came from Section 1, and defending WPIAL 3A champ South Fayette from Section 4.

Section 4 consists of teams from multiple sections. Franklin Regional, Greensburg Salem and Plum moved over from Section 3. They will be joined by Indiana and Kiski Area from Section 1 and Elizabeth Forward from Section 2.

West Mifflin is the newcomer to Class 3A, as the Titans moved up from 2A to round out Section 4.

• A lot teams moved into Class 2A, and it starts with a greatly changed Section 1.

Belle Vernon and Ringgold moved down from Class 3A to join the section, and Steel Valley and Charleroi moved up from Class A. The other three teams came from Section 4: Keystone Oaks, McGuffey and South Park.

In Section 2, North Catholic moved in from Section 1, and Shady Side Academy came over from Section 4.

Section 3 has a new team, Ellwood City, and six teams that moved from Section 1: Avonworth, Beaver, Central Valley, Hopewell, Ambridge and Quaker Valley.

Section 4 added five teams from Section 3: East Allegheny, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant, Southmoreland and Yough and Deer Lakes from Section 2.

• In Class A, there was a two-team increase from 26 to 28.

Section 1 added five teams from Section 3: Eden Christian, Freedom, Mohawk, Riverside and South Side. Also new to the section are OLSH and California, which is new to WPIAL competition.

Section 2 added Brownsville, down from Class 2A, and a new team from Neshannock.

In Section 3, Aquinas Academy, Bishop Canevin and Carlynton moved over from Section 4. Seton LaSalle and Serra Catholic moved in from Section 1, and South Allegheny came from Section 2. Sewickley Academy is the lone holdover.

Four teams from Section 1 moved into Section 4: Greensburg Central Catholic, Jeannette, Riverview and Springdale. The final change to the section was Apollo-Ridge moving down from Class 2A.

One team out

One team dropped out as the Monessen Greyhounds will not compete in WPIAL in girls soccer the next two seasons.

Key dates

Aug. 12: First practice date

Aug. 17: First scrimmage date

Aug. 23: First play date

Aug. 26: First section date

Oct. 19: WPIAL playoffs start

Oct 31-Nov 2: WPIAL championships

Nov. 5: PIAA first round

Nov. 15-16: PIAA championships

2024-25 alignment

Class 4A (18 teams)

Section 1: Armstrong, Hempfield, Latrobe, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Woodland Hills

Section 2: Baldwin, Canon-McMillan, Connellsville, Mt. Lebanon, Peters Township, Upper St. Clair

Section 3: Allderdice, Butler, North Allegheny, North Hills, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley

Class 3A (27 teams)

Section 1: Fox Chapel, Gateway, Hampton, Mars, Obama Academy, Penn Hills, Shaler

Section 2: Bethel Park, Blackhawk, Chartiers Valley, Montour, Moon, Trinity, West Allegheny

Section 3: Albert Gallatin, Laurel Highlands, Oakland Catholic, South Fayette, Thomas Jefferson, Uniontown

Section 4: Elizabeth Forward, Franklin Regional, Greensburg Salem, Indiana, Kiski Area, Plum, West Mifflin

Class 2A (26 teams)

Section 1: Belle Vernon, Charleroi, Keystone Oaks, McGuffey, Ringgold, South Park, Steel Valley

Section 2: Burrell, Freeport, Knoch, North Catholic, Shady Side Academy, Valley

Section 3: Ambridge, Avonworth, Beaver, Central Valley, Ellwood City, Hopewell, Quaker Valley

Section 4: Deer Lakes, East Allegheny, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant, Southmoreland, Yough

Class A (27 teams)

Section 1: Eden Christian Academy, Freedom, Mohawk, Neshannock, OLSH, Riverside, South Side

Section 2: Bentworth, Beth-Center, Brownsville, California, Chartiers-Houston, Waynesburg Central

Section 3: Aquinas Academy, Bishop Canevin, Carlynton, South Allegheny, Seton LaSalle, Serra Catholic, Sewickley Academy

Section 4: Apollo-Ridge, Ellis School, Greensburg Central Catholic, Jeannette, Riverview, Springdale, Winchester Thurston