Trib HSSN 2025-26 WPIAL Class A girls basketball preseason breakdown

By: Bill Hartlep
Sunday, November 23, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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Aquinas Academy was the last WPIAL team standing last winter after reaching the PIAA second round.

Both WPIAL champion Union and runner-up Clairton were ousted in the first round of the state tournament, as were fellow state qualifiers Geibel Catholic, St. Joseph and Bishop Canevin. Aquinas then fell to District 6 champion Bishop Guilfoyle.

Several programs were hit hard by graduation, giving the veteran Crusaders the early edge this season. But don’t count out some perennial powers in the WPIAL’s smallest classification.

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

Preseason Player of the Year

Emma Larkin, Geibel Catholic

5-5, senior, guard

27.6 ppg last season

Players to watch

Tess Duer, Aquinas Academy

5-5, senior, guard

13.6 ppg last season

Bella Dumbroski, Serra Catholic

5-9, sophomore, guard

21.3 ppg last season

Emma Eannarino, Sewickley Academy

5-4, junior, guard

14.5 ppg last season

Abby Genes, Serra Catholic

5-7, senior, guard

17.0 ppg last season

Elliot Keverline, Aquinas Academy

5-7, senior, guard

10 ppg last season

Preseason Top 5

1. Aquinas Academy (17-9 last season)

After finishing second in Section 1 and third in the WPIAL last season, Aquinas Academy returns five starters in its quest to claim district gold for the first time. The Crusaders are led by senior guard Tess Duer, who averaged 13.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 4.2 steals last season. She is trying to become the first female player in school history to surpass 1,000 career points. Senior guard Elliot Keverline (10 ppg) also returns along with guards Carly Bezilla and Francesca Hite and forward Lucy Keverline. Aquinas was the WPIAL runner-up in 2023.

2. Union (25-1 last season)

The Scotties have won three straight WPIAL titles, including last season’s 51-40 win over Clairton, but were hit hard by graduation. Union returns one player who started in the WPIAL final: senior guard Miera Gunn. The Scotties will miss guard Kyle Fruehstorfer, who is at Pitt-Johnstown after averaging 20 points and earning all-state recognition.

3. Geibel Catholic (22-4 last season)

Geibel Catholic is coming off a strong season that included a section championship and trip to the PIAA tournament. Behind high-scoring senior guard Emma Larkin (27.6 ppg), a first-team all-state selection, Geibel beat West Greene in the WPIAL quarterfinals before falling to section rival Clairton in the semis. Larkin needs only 91 points to join the exclusive 2,000-point club. The Belmont Abbey commit averaged 5.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 4.2 steals and has 1,909 career points.

4. Serra Catholic (12-12 last season)

Serra Catholic finished third in Section 2 last season and earned the fourth seed in the WPIAL tournament. The Eagles return point guard Bella Dumbroski, who was a third-team all-state selection as a freshman after averaging 21.3 points. Also back is senior guard Abby Genes, who was an all-section honoree after averaging 17.0 points.

5. Clairton (19-6 last season)

Clairton, which was the Section 2 and WPIAL runner-up last season, will miss graduate Iyanna Wade, who was the state’s Class A Player of the Year. Wade averaged 38.8 points and led the WPIAL in scoring for the third time. She is the second-leading scorer in WPIAL history with 3,120 career points. Seniors Jamiya Childs and Kyzah Jamison and junior Karma Fuqua started the WPIAL final.

Notable

• The top four teams in sections of seven teams or fewer and top five teams in sections of eight teams qualify for the WPIAL playoffs.

• St. Joseph (18-9) has reached the PIAA playoffs in four straight seasons and has a good chance of reaching that goal again. Five players got starting experience last season, including senior forward Kasey Cienik (11.8 ppg) and sophomore guard Bella Bartolovic (11.6).

• Springdale (11-12) qualified for the WPIAL playoffs for the second time in the past decade.

• Leechburg (2-17) will try to improve on its 2-12 mark in Section 1 under first-year coach Rich Marshall.

• West Greene (16-9) was the WPIAL runner-up four straight seasons from 2018-21. The Pioneers knocked off Eden Christian in the first round last season before falling to Geibel. Senior guard/forward Kendra Tharp averaged 16 pointsa nd 10.7 rebounds per game last season.

• Three starters — Madison Johnson (Sr., G), Na’Jaziah Carter (Sr., G/F) and Rayniya Lyons (Jr., G) — return for Monessen (5-15) in coach Jason Schmidt’s second season.

Alignment

Section 1: Aquinas Academy, Eden Christian, Leechburg, Sewickley Academy, Springdale, St. Joseph, Union, Western Beaver

Section 2: Avella, Bishop Canevin, Clairton, Geibel, Mapletown, Monessen, Serra Catholic, West Greene

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: Aquinas Academy, Clairton, Geibel, Leechburg, Monessen, Serra Catholic, Sewickley Academy, Springdale, St. Joseph, Union, West Greene