What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Oct. 23, 2025: It’s deja vu in the Class 4A girls soccer quarterfinals

By: Don Rebel
Wednesday, October 22, 2025 | 11:46 PM

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Welcome to quarterfinals Thursday in the WPIAL girls soccer playoffs with second-round matches in the Class 4A and 3A tournaments.

The Class 4A quarters have a familiar shine to them, as seven of the eight remaining teams were also part of the elite eight a year ago.

The only difference is Penn-Trafford was a No. 3 seed in the 2024 bracket and rival Norwin sits in that spot this season.

The only rematch of a quarterfinal from 2024 is in the same quadrant as last year as No. 2 Seneca Valley (10-3-2) welcomes No. 7 Upper St. Clair (9-5-2) to Harmony at 7 p.m. Thursday.

The Raiders have won 10 of their last 12 matches while the Panthers have been winners in three of their last four contests.

In the quarterfinals last season, Seneca Valley blanked Upper St. Clair, 1-0.

Here are the three other quarterfinals matches slated for Thursday:

• Top seed and defending champion Peters Township (14-2-2) will host No. 8 Canon-McMillan (8-6-1) at 7 p.m. The Indians had a first-round bye while the Big Macs cruised past Latrobe, 4-1. Peters defeated Canon-Mac twice in their Section 2-4A matchups by scores of 3-2 in overtime and 6-2.

• No. 5 North Allegheny (13-3-2) will visit No. 4 Pine-Richland (14-2-1) at 8 p.m. The Tigers blanked Armstrong in the opening round, 7-0, and the Rams enjoyed a bye. The Rams had the advantage in their two Section 3-4A matches this season, playing to a scoreless tie and winning at home, 1-0.

• No. 3 Norwin (14-3) is home to No. 6 Mt. Lebanon (12-5) at 7 p.m. The Knights are coming off a first-round bye and the Blue Devils advanced to the second round with a tight win over Butler, 4-3. Norwin beat Mt. Lebanon in the second game of the season, 2-1.

Cinderella is a Titan

Who needs momentum heading the postseason?

Don’t tell that to the Shaler girls soccer team.

The Titans lost four of their final five matches in the regular season, but none of that mattered come the first round of the WPIAL 3A playoffs.

Shaler and Franklin Regional played to a scoreless tie through two overtimes before the Titans eliminated the No. 6-seed Panthers in penalty kicks, 3-2.

As the only double-digit seed remaining into the elite eight in 3A, No. 11 Shaler will attempt to pull off another stunner when it travels to No. 3 Moon at 7 p.m.

The Tigers blanked Oakland Catholic in the opening round, 3-0.

Here are the other three Class 3A Round 2 playoff matches:

• Top seed Fox Chapel (15-1-1) will host No. 9 West Allegheny (9-8) at 7 p.m. The Foxes shut out Laurel Highlands in their playoff opener, 7-0, and the Indians needed overtime to knock off Thomas Jefferson, 3-2.

• No. 5 Mars (13-3-1) will visit No. 4 Plum (15-1) at 7 p.m. Both teams registered shutouts in the first round with the Fightin’ Planets edging Kiski Area, 1-0, and the Mustangs galloping past Chartiers Valley, 5-0.

• No. 2 South Fayette (15-1-1) will be home to No. 7 Montour (12-4) at 7 p.m. These teams also enjoyed shutout victories in the opening round with the Lions roaring past Elizabeth Forward, 5-0, and the Spartans needing overtime to eliminate Hampton, 1-0.

Former champs collide

The lone boys soccer playoff bracket in action Thursday is the Class 2A quarterfinals.

In the last nine years, Quaker Valley and Shady Side Academy have combined to win five WPIAL championships.

The Quakers won gold in 2016, 2019 and 2021 while the Bulldogs own back-to-back district crowns in 2017 and 2018.

On Thursday, the boys soccer powers collide in the second round when No. 10 Shady Side Academy (12-4-1) travels to No. 2 Quaker Valley (16-2-1) at 7 p.m.

The Bulldogs stunned Seton LaSalle in the first round, 4-1.

Also in an opener Monday, the Quakers rolled past Highlands, 5-1.

Here are the other three Class 2A boys soccer quarterfinals:

• Top seed and two-time defending champion South Park (18-1) hosts No. 9 Beaver (14-4) at 7 p.m. The Eagles won a tight one against No. 16 Southmoreland in the first round, 1-0, while the Bobcats cruised past Charleroi, 6-0.

• No. 4 Avonworth (16-2-1) is home to No. 5 Mt. Pleasant (15-4) at 7 p.m. The Antelopes blanked McGuffey in the opening round, 3-0, and the Vikings squeaked past Elizabeth Forward, 2-1.

• No. 6 Deer Lakes (15-3-1) will battle No. 3 North Catholic (16-2-1) at Pine-Richland at 6 p.m. The Lancers rolled past Central Valley in the first round, 5-1, while the Trojans knocked out Yough, 7-1. The top two teams in Section 1-2A split their two meetings this season with both winning on the road. In August, Deer Lakes won, 3-1, and then in the rematch in September, North Catholic prevailed, 2-1.

Final four rematch

The WPIAL girls volleyball playoffs begin the second stage of the postseason with Class 3A and 2A quarterfinals Thursday.

Two years ago, Hampton and Thomas Jefferson swept through the first two rounds of the 3A playoffs to collide in the semifinals.

The Talbots knocked off the Jaguars, 3-0, to reach the district finals, where they beat North Catholic for the program’s only WPIAL title.

In the 2025 postseason, No. 5 Hampton (13-4) visits No. 4 Thomas Jefferson (15-3) at 7 p.m. in the quarterfinals.

In the opening round, the Jaguars swept Central Valley in three sets while the Talbots took care of Laurel Highlands, 3-1.

Here are the other three Class 3A second-round matches:

• Top seed Oakland Catholic (18-1) is home to No. 9 South Fayette (9-8) at 7 p.m. The Eagles defeated Derry in three sets in Round 1 while the Lions needed four sets to eliminate Indiana on Tuesday.

• No. 2 Beaver (18-1) hosts No. 7 Chartiers Valley (15-4) at 7 p.m. Both teams needed four sets to advance to the quarters with the Bobcats turning back Ringgold and the Colts knocking off Freeport.

• No. 6 Greensburg Salem (16-1) travels to No. 3 Mars (15-4) at 7 p.m. The Golden Lions beat Trinity and the Fightin’ Planets defeated Belle Vernon, both by scores of 3-1.

Golden 2A leaders

Even though it has been 14 years since their last district championship, Hopewell has been one of the most successful programs in the WPIAL.

Consider this: The Vikings have won six WPIAL girls volleyball championships, all coming in an 11-year span from 2002-2011.

The other seven teams alive in the 2A playoff field have combined for one district championship. That was Seton LaSalle in 2007.

Hopewell (16-1) is three wins away from adding to its golden collection but first must deal with No. 9 Burrell (15-2) in the quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Both teams needed only three sets to advance into the second round with the Vikings sweeping McGuffey and the Buccaneers ousting Brownsville.

Here are the other three Class 2A quarterfinals matches Thursday:

• No. 4 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (14-3) will host No. 5 Mohawk (14-4) at 7 p.m. The Chargers needed five sets to get past upset-minded South Allegheny in the playoff opener, while the Warriors swept Southmoreland, 3-0.

• No. 10 Neshannock (12-4) makes the long trip to No. 2 Waynesburg (19-0) at 7 p.m. The Lancers surprised South Park in four sets in the first round and the Raiders blanked Quaker Valley, 3-0.

• No. 3 Seton LaSalle (19-2) entertains No. 6 Avonworth (13-6) at 7 p.m. The Rebels eliminated Shenango in the opening round, 3-1, and the Antelopes went the distance in ousting Riverside, 3-2.

Running for gold

Individual and team championships are at stake Thursday with the boys and girls cross country championships at White Oak Park in McKeesport.

The race times are as follows:

Girls 2A at 11 a.m.

Boys 2A at 11:45 a.m.

Girls 3A at 1 p.m.

Boys 3A at 1:45 p.m.

Girls A at 3 p.m.

Boys A at 3:45 p.m.

Norwin in 3A, Quaker Valley in 2A and Riverview in A are the defending boys team champions. The Raiders are trying to win a third straight team cross country Class A title.

North Allegheny in 3A, Hampton in 2A and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in A captured girls team crowns a year ago. The Tigers are trying to win an eighth straight Class 3A championship.

Field hockey Class A semis

The smallest postseason in the WPIAL continues its semifinals Thursday with the smallest classification taking center stage.

Two-time defending Class A winner Shady Side Academy welcomes No. 4 Winchester Thurston at 6 p.m., followed by No. 2 Aquinas Academy battling No. 3 Ellis School at Shady Side Academy at 7:30 p.m.