What to watch for in WPIAL sports on April 29, 2025: Defending WPIAL champs look to lock up section

By: Don Rebel
Tuesday, April 29, 2025 | 11:19 PM

We hit the midweek, which coincides with the final day of the fourth month of the year, hoping to say “adieu” to the April showers.

It will be another busy day of district softball section games highlighted by a battle for first place in Section 2-4A when Elizabeth Forward visits West Mifflin at 7 p.m.

The defending WPIAL champion Warriors sit in first place with a section record of 9-1.

EF is 11-2 on the season and has won seven games in a row since its only section loss at the hands of Belle Vernon.

The Titans are a game back at 8-2 in the section.

West Mifflin is 10-5 overall and had won three in a row before falling to Laurel Highlands on Monday.

The Warriors can win the section crown outright with a victory while a Titans triumph could lead to a share of the section crown with each team having one section game remaining after Wednesday.

In the first meeting of the season between these two rivals on April 14, Elizabeth Forward won big at home, blanking West Mifflin, 8-0.

Winning pitcher Julia Johnson struck out nine for the Warriors while teammates Sophie Paskinski had a triple and two RBIs and Julia Resnick singled, doubled and drove home one.

Fighting for the postseason

Not every district softball team is doing battle for a section championship.

Some are just trying to be part of the postseason fun in a week and a half.

• In Class 6A, five of the six playoff spots have been determined and No. 6 could be decided Wednesday when Norwin (5-7) visits Mt. Lebanon (4-10) at 4:15 p.m.

The Knights can clinch with a victory while the Blue Devils can keep their playoff hopes alive with a home win.

• In Section 2-5A, Latrobe has clinched a playoff spot while Kiski Area needs a win to stay alive as the teams battle for fourth place.

The Wildcats are 6-5 as they prepare for their final section contest. The Cavaliers are 4-6 and need to win at home on Wednesday and upset Franklin Regional on Friday to qualify.

• In Section 1-4A, three teams are separated by only one game in a fight for third and fourth place behind playoff-bound Knoch and Derry.

Two of those three teams collide Wednesday when Indiana at 5-4 is home to Highlands at 5-5 in the section.

Greensburg Salem is also 5-4 as it visits section champion Knoch.

Team tennis quarterfinals

The WPIAL boys 3A team tennis playoffs have one round in the books and now the quarterfinals are scheduled on Wednesday.

All four second round matches are set to begin at 3:30 p.m.

Class 3A

No. 8 Franklin Regional at No. 1 North Allegheny

No. 5 Fox Chapel at No. 4 Upper St. Clair

No. 7 Shady Side Academy at No. 2 Gateway

No. 6 Sewickley Academy at No. 3 Mt. Lebanon

Team track reboot

With a windy Tuesday delaying the semifinals, the WPIAL team track and field playoffs now are set to begin Wednesday.

The North Allegheny and Quaker Valley girls programs hope to win a fourth straight WPIAL title, while the Butler boys are looking for a fourth 3A championship in the last five years and Quaker Valley boys hope for a simple repeat in 2A.

The four winners at each site in Wednesday’s district semifinals will advance to the team finals May 6.

Here are the sites and the teams participating in the semifinals:

Boys Class 3A

At North Allegheny at 3 p.m.: North Allegheny vs. Baldwin vs. Knoch vs. New Castle

At Norwin at 3 p.m.: Norwin vs. Plum vs. Ringgold

At Butler at 3 p.m.: Butler vs. Kiski Area vs. Moon vs. Penn-Trafford

At South Fayette at 2:30 p.m.: Connellsville vs. Franklin Regional vs. Mt. Lebanon vs. Trinity

Boys 2A

At Shenango at 3 p.m.: Shenango vs. New Brighton vs. Riverview vs. Shady Side Academy

At Greensburg Central Catholic at 3 p.m.: Greensburg Central Catholic vs. Apollo-Ridge vs. Fort Cherry vs. Mohawk vs. Trinity Christian

At California at 3 p.m.: California vs. Beaver vs. Mt. Pleasant vs. South Park

At South Side at 3 p.m.: South Side vs. Quaker Valley vs. The Neighborhood Academy vs. Waynesburg Central

Girls Class 3A

At North Allegheny at 3 p.m.: North Allegheny vs. Blackhawk vs. Hempfield vs. Knoch vs. Upper St. Clair

At Norwin at 3 p.m.: Norwin vs. Laurel Highlands vs. Pine-Richland vs. Plum

At Butler at 3 p.m.: Butler vs. Beaver vs. Belle Vernon vs. Kiski Area vs. Moon

At South Fayette at 2:30 p.m.: South Fayette vs. Franklin Regional vs. Mt. Lebanon vs. Seneca Valley

Girls 2A

At Shenango at 3 p.m.: Shenango vs. North Catholic vs. Our Lady of the Sacred Heart vs. Shady Side Academy

At Greensburg Central Catholic at 3 p.m.: Greensburg Central Catholic vs. Fort Cherry vs. Laurel vs. Trinity Christian

At California at 3 p.m.: California vs. Carlynton vs. Freeport vs. Southmoreland

At South Side at 3 p.m.: South Side vs. Brownsville vs. Quaker Valley vs. Winchester Thurston