What to watch for in WPIAL sports for April 28, 2025: Section 1-5A teams battle for title

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, April 27, 2025 | 9:30 PM

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Some WPIAL baseball teams are down to one, while others still have two section series remaining in the regular season.

The stretch run to the 2025 campaign is underway as teams battle for section championships, playoff positioning and postseason berths.

A year after four teams tied for the Section 1-5A championship, the stage could be set for the crown being shared again.

One game separates the top four teams heading into the final two section series.

The big series this week begins Monday in Murrysville when Franklin Regional hosts Plum at 4 p.m.

The Panthers are 6-2 in the section, tied for second place with both Latrobe and Penn-Trafford, who are also 6-2, one game behind the front running Mustangs at 7-1.

Franklin Regional is 10-3 overall and has won three straight games, including a section series sweep against Armstrong last week.

Plum has a 12-2 record this season with five consecutive victories and is coming off a sweep of Kiski Area a week ago.

Also on Monday, Penn-Trafford visits Kiski Area and Latrobe hosts Armstrong.

More battles for baseball section crowns

The chase for the top spot in Section 3-A baseball could come down to one team or three.

Eden Christian Academy is finished with section play at 8-2.

The Warriors will be interested bystanders when Bishop Canevin visits Serra Catholic.

The Crusaders are 7-1 in the section as they being their final section series, while the Eagles are 5-1 and still have a series against Sewickley Academy next week.

If either Bishop Canevin or Serra Catholic sweeps this two-game series, they will clinch or be in line to clinch the section championship.

However, if they split, the door is wide open for a three-way tie for the section title with Eden Christian Academy.

The Warriors have already split with both the Crusaders and Eagles.

A little shine was taken off the big Section 2-3A baseball showdown between Avonworth and South Park starting at the home of the Eagles at 6 p.m. Monday on Trib HSSN

It appeared the two would be headed toward this week’s section series with perfect section records, but South Park lost to South Allegheny, 1-0, this past Wednesday.

So now the Eagles need a sweep to move ahead of the Antelopes.

Defending champion Avonworth is 8-0 in the section and 14-2 overall and has won two straight and 10 of its last 11 games.

South Park is 7-1 in section play and has an overall record of 10-3 after losing two of its last three games.

Finally meeting

The much anticipated WPIAL Class 6A softball showdown between the two elite programs that have won eight of the last nine district crowns in the highest classification has arrived.

First-place Hempfield visits second-place Seneca Valley at 4 p.m.

The Spartans are perfect in 6A at 10-0 and overall at 14-0.

The Raiders are 9-2 in 6A and 11-2 for the season after losing two games to Pine-Richland.

These two teams had their first meeting postponed three different times this month.

They are scheduled to make up that game May 6, at Hempfield.

Other softball showdowns

Monday is a busy day for district softball teams with first place at stake in several contests:

• In Section 3-5A, West Allegheny (6-1) hosts Chartiers Valley (6-1) to break a tie for the top spot.

• In Section 2-2A, South Allegheny (7-0) is home to Apollo-Ridge (5-1) looking to clinch the section title.

• In Section 4-2A, Frazier (6-1) visits Waynesburg Central (6-1) for the top spot in the section.

• In Section 1-A, Union (9-0) welcomes Sewickley Academy (6-1) hoping to clinch the section outright.

• In Section 3-A, Jeannette (6-0) hosts Serra Catholic (6-1) six days after the Jayhawks edged the Eagles, 2-1.

Serving start to the team tennis playoffs

The district boys tennis singles and double championships have taken center stage, and now it’s time for the teams to hit the postseason court.

On Monday, the WPIAL boys team tennis Class 3A playoffs begin with eight first round matches, all set to begin at 3:30 p.m.

Here the matchups:

No. 16 Baldwin at No. 1 North Allegheny

No. 9 Peters Township at No. 8 Franklin Regional

No. 13 Kiski Area at No. 4 Upper St. Clair

No. 12 Norwin at No. 5 Fox Chapel

No. 15 Mars at No. 2 Gateway

No. 10 Pine-Richland at No. 7 Shady Side Academy

No. 14 South Fayette at No. 3 Mt. Lebanon

No. 11 Shaler at No. 6 Sewickley Academy

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Armstrong, Avonworth, Baldwin, Bishop Canevin, Chartiers Valley, Eden Christian, Fox Chapel, Franklin Regional, Frazier, Gateway, Hempfield, Jeannette, Kiski Area, Latrobe, Mars, Mt. lebanon, North Allegheny, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Peters Township, Pine-Richland, Plum, Seneca Valley, Serra Catholic, Sewickley Academy, Shady Side Academy, Shaler, South Allegheny, South Fayette, South Park, Union, Upper St. Clair, Waynesburg, West Allegheny