What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Feb. 1, 2025: Team wrestling titles up for grabs

By: Don Rebel
Friday, January 31, 2025 | 12:01 AM

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The February Frenzy begins with WPIAL championship wrestling and boys and girls basketball.

The district team wrestling semifinals and championships will take place Saturday morning and afternoon at Peters Township.

In one of the Class 2A semifinals, top-seed and defending champion Burrell will battle No. 4 Quaker Valley at 10 a.m.

This is a rematch of the 2022 WPIAL 2A championship match in which the Quakers stunned the Bucs in the finals, 30-28.

The result ended one of the longest WPIAL team championship streaks in history.

Burrell had won 15 consecutive wrestling titles between 2007-2021.

These schools met in the WPIAL semifinals a year ago with the Bucs defeating the Quakers, 44-17.

Burrell went on to beat 2023 champion Burgettstown in the finals to win gold for the 18th time in school history.

The other semifinal has McGuffey taking on Derry.

The Highlanders have won a WPIAL wrestling title four times, including three in a four-year period between 1996-1999.

The Trojans have never won a district team wrestling championship.

The semifinals winners and losers meet in the district championship and consolation finals at Peters Township at 11:30 a.m.

New blood

The final four teams in the Class 3A team wrestling tournament consist of the defending champion along with two programs that have never tasted mat gold before.

Connellsville is trying to repeat as champions as the No. 1 seed.

The Falcons have captured eight WPIAL crowns, including one 20 years ago in 2005 and another 25 years ago in 2000. Their first district title came in 1992.

Connellsville will face a Norwin team that won at Bethel Park in the quarterfinals Wednesday.

The Knights have never won a WPIAL championship.

In the other semifinals match, also set for 1:30 p.m., Franklin Regional goes up against Thomas Jefferson.

Ten years ago, the Panthers captured back-to-back team titles in 2014 and 2015.

The Jaguars are in search of their first mat championship.

The semifinals winners and losers meet in the district championship and consolation finals at Peters Township at 3 p.m.

Section Saturday

Before the final week of section play begins next week, there are a handful of WPIAL boys and girls section basketball games set for Saturday.

In Section 1-2A boys basketball, first-place Greensburg Central Catholic (17-2) hopes to take another step toward a section title when it hosts Clairton (7-8) at noon.

The Centurions are alone in first place at 11-0 in the section as they try to remain focused and not look past anybody to their big showdown against second-place Jeannette on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Bears are 7-4 and in third place and have clinched a playoff berth despite a recent slide that had seen them lose four of their last six games.

There are also three district section girls games Saturday:

• In Section 4-5A, playoff-bound Bethel Park (5-4, 9-9) hosts Albert Gallatin (1-9, 7-10) at noon.

• In Section 2-4A, Hampton (4-5, 9-8) tries to move into sole possession of fourth place and the final playoff spot when it hosts Ambridge (0-9, 1-12).

• In Section 3-3A, first meets last when Seton LaSalle (9-1, 13-5) welcomes Charleroi (0-9, 0-19).