What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Nov. 4, 2025: PIAA playoffs begin in soccer, volleyball, field hockey

By: Don Rebel
Monday, November 3, 2025 | 10:54 PM

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Welcome to opening night of the PIAA boys and girls soccer playoffs, as well as girls volleyball and field hockey.

Since the start of this century 25 years ago, 2024 was only the third time a WPIAL team did not win a PIAA soccer championship.

No gold for District 7 boys and girls teams on the state pitch also happened in 2001 and 2009 when there were only two classifications in PIAA soccer.

On the boys side, the state championship drought is now two years old after WPIAL teams also came up empty in 2023.

That is rare since before that, boys soccer teams have had great success in the PIAA playoffs, only failing to strike gold four other times: 2001, 2009, 2011 and 2016.

Eleven boys teams are set to begin what they hope is a golden path to end the PIAA championship drought.

All four recently crowned WPIAL boys soccer winners get a chance to begin the four-round PIAA playoffs at home Tuesday.

In Class 4A, Fox Chapel (16-2) hosts the No. 4 seed out of District 3, Central York (15-5-1), at 5 p.m.

Class 3A champion West Allegheny (14-6) welcomes York Suburban (13-6-2), the No. 4 seed out of District 3, at 6 p.m.

Newly minted District 7 Class 2A champion Deer Lakes (18-3-1) is home to the District 10 runner-up Harbor Creek (15-3-2) at 6 p.m.

Undefeated Bentworth (21-0) is in a familiar position of being the “home” team for a first-round state playoff Class A game when it takes on District 10 champion Mercyhurst Prep (14-6) at Peters Township at 6 p.m.

Here are the other eight PIAA matches Tuesday involving WPIAL and City League boys soccer teams.

• WPIAL 4A runner-up Seneca Valley (17-3) travels to District 10 champion McDowell (14-6) in Erie at 7:30 p.m.

• District 7 3A runner-up Franklin Regional (17-2-1) visits District 6 winner Hollidaysburg (17-2-1) at 7 p.m.

• District 3 3A champ and unbeaten Conrad Weiser (21-0-1) will host WPIAL third seed Thomas Jefferson (19-3-1) at 7 p.m.

• City League winner Allderdice (14-5) heads north to take on District 10 3A champion General McLane (15-3-1) at 6 p.m.

• WPIAL 2A runner-up Beaver (16-5) will face District 5 winner Somerset (17-3) at Windber Stadium at 5 p.m.

• District 10 2A champ and undefeated Fairview (20-0) hosts the No. 3 seed out of the WPIAL in Quaker Valley (18-3-1) at 6 p.m.

• District 6 Class A winner Bishop Carroll (9-11) will battle WPIAL runner-up Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (17-1) at Forest Hills at 5 p.m.

• WPIAL Class A third seed Winchester Thurston (14-5-1) will visit District 9 champion Brockway (13-6-1) at 6 p.m.

Reset for another golden run

Last year was the 10th time in 25 years that a WPIAL girls soccer team did not capture PIAA gold.

However, the district coming up empty ended a five-year golden run for WPIAL teams.

In fact, in the first 15 years of this century, WPIAL girls soccer teams did not win a state crown eight times. However, in the last 10 seasons, they have only missed out twice: 2024 and 2018.

Four new WPIAL girls soccer champions are set to host opening-round state playoff games Tuesday.

Class 4A WPIAL champion North Allegheny (17-3-2) welcomes the fourth seed out of District 3 to Newman Stadium in Penns Manor (13-4-2) at 6 p.m.

In a battle of 3A champions, Fox Chapel (19-1-1) hosts District 10 winner Harbor Creek (16-6) at 7 p.m.

In Class 2A, WPIAL winner Freeport (18-1) is home to District 10 runner-up Fort LeBoeuf (12-5-1) at 6 p.m.

Peters Township will be the site for Class A District 7 champion Bentworth (20-1-1) as it meets District 5 runner-up McConnellsburg (19-3) at 4 p.m.

Here are the other seven PIAA first-round matches involving WPIAL girls soccer teams.

• WPIAL 4A runner-up Seneca Valley (12-4-2) heads north to face District 10 champion McDowell (15-6) in Erie at 5:30 p.m.

• In 3A, the third seed out of the WPIAL, Moon (19-2), will visit District 9 winner DuBois (17-2-1) at 6 p.m.

• WPIAL runner-up South Fayette (18-2-1) hits the road to battle District 6 champ Hollidaysburg (13-5-1) at 5 p.m.

• WPIAL 2A runner-up Burrell (12-7-2) goes up against District 10 winner Cathedral Prep (18-2-1) at the Hagerty Family Events Center in Erie at 6 p.m.

• District 5 2A champion Bedford (18-1) hosts WPIAL third seed Quaker Valley (15-3-1) at Westmont Elementary School in Johnstown at 6 p.m.

• Class A WPIAL runner-up Sewickley Academy (18-3) visits District 9 champ Karns City at 6 p.m.

• The third seed out of the WPIAL, Springdale (13-2-1), travels to play District 5 champion Windber at 7:15 p.m.

State streak over

The big story in the PIAA girls volleyball playoffs is not about the 11 teams from the WPIAL that are four wins shy of winning a state championship. It’s about the one district team that is not part of this postseason.

North Allegheny was swept by Pine-Richland in a WPIAL Class 4A semifinals shocker, 3-0, thus ending the season for the Tigers with only two 4A teams from the district qualifying for the state playoffs.

The surprising result ended NA’s incredible eight-year run of PIAA 4A girls volleyball championships.

Greensburg Central Catholic also won a state championship last year in Class A, but the Centurions didn’t even qualify for the WPIAL playoffs this fall.

The four new WPIAL champions are all at home for the opening round Tuesday.

At the site of the district finals, 4A winner Peters Township (16-3) hosts the four seed out of District 3, Manheim Township (18-3), at 6 p.m.

In a battle of 3A champions, WPIAL winner Beaver (21-1) will be home to District 9 top team DuBois (19-2) at 6 p.m.

Will Cinderella continue to have success in the PIAA 2A bracket? Starting as the No. 11 seed and finishing as champion in the WPIAL postseason, Avonworth (16-6) welcomes District 10 runner-up Cathedral Prep (15-6) at 6 p.m.

Finally, it’s not a home game, but WPIAL Class A champion Eden Christian (16-4) will take the short trip to Avonworth to face District 9 runner-up Clarion (12-6) at 7:30 p.m.

Here are the other seven PIAA first-round matches involving girls volleyball teams from District 7.

• In Class 4A, WPIAL runner-up Pine-Richland (14-6) visits District 6 winner State College (14-1) at 6 p.m.

• WPIAL 3A runner-up Oakland Catholic (20-2) travels to Hollidaysburg (19-2) at 6 p.m.

• The three seed out of the WPIAL 3A, Mars (17-5), hits the road to face District 10 and unbeaten Warren (18-0) at 6 p.m.

• District 6 2A champion Bald Eagle (20-3) hosts WPIAL runner-up Hopewell (18-2) at 6 p.m.

• District 10 3A winner and undefeated Corry (17-0) is home to WPIAL third seed Waynesburg (21-1) at 6 p.m.

• WPIAL Class A runner-up Serra Catholic (14-6) visits District 10 champ Maplewood (19-2) at 6 p.m.

• District 9 Class A winner Elk County Catholic (14-3) welcomes WPIAL third seed Frazier (14-4) at 6:30 p.m.

Making field hockey noise

Three WPIAL field hockey programs are trying to do what no other team from District 7 has ever done: play for a PIAA field hockey championship.

This is the 51st year of the state field hockey playoffs and no WPIAL has ever reached the finals yet alone claimed PIAA gold.

Pine-Richland, Fox Chapel and Shady Side Academy all hope to make history when they begin the state playoffs at home Tuesday.

• WPIAL 3A champion Pine-Richland (17-3) welcomes District 3 third seed Lower Dauphin (16-4-1) at 6 p.m.

• WPIAL 2A winner Fox Chapel (13-3-3) hosts District 3 four seed Hershey (12-8-1) at 3 p.m.

• WPIAL Class A champ Shady Side Academy (17-2-1) is home to District 3 four seed Camp Hill (18-4) at 6 p.m.