What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Oct. 8, 2025: Girls soccer teams battling for final few playoff spots

By: Don Rebel
Wednesday, October 8, 2025 | 12:40 AM

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In the final days of the WPIAL girls soccer regular season, 55 schools have clinched a district postseason berth with five spots still up for grabs.

However, depending on how things play out in the next six days, that number could balloon to eight additional playoff berths.

Here are the Wednesday matches that could either clear up or muddy the remaining playoff picture in girls soccer.

• Shaler (4-4) visits Hampton (3-4-1) in Section 1-3A. The winner of this match clinches a playoff berth. A tie clinches a playoff berth for Shaler. The loser could also clinch if Gateway (2-5-1) loses at home to Fox Chapel (8-0-1). The Gators need to beat the Foxes to keep their playoff hopes alive. A tie also keeps Gateway alive if Hampton loses.

• In Section 2-3A, Chartiers Valley (3-5-2) can earn a postseason berth with a win at home over West Allegheny (6-4). Blackhawk (2-6-2) needs a win or a tie at home against Bethel Park (1-9) and a Chartiers Valley loss to remain alive.

• Ringgold (5-5-1) does not play Wednesday, but the Rams could qualify for the playoffs in Section 1-2A if McGuffey (4-6) loses at home to South Park (10-0). The Highlanders need a win or a tie against the unbeaten Eagles to stay alive.

• In Section 4-A, Greensburg Central Catholic (3-5) can clinch with a home win Wednesday against Winchester Thurston (5-2-1) and a Ellis School (2-5) loss at home to Apollo-Ridge (0-8).

Take it all or share

When it comes to section championships in district girls soccer, there is not a lot of drama remaining.

Most of the section crowns have either been decided or are close to be decided with a multiple-game lead heading into the final two section matches of the regular season.

One outlier is in Section 3-2A where the section title is at stake Wednesday when Quaker Valley hosts Central Valley.

The two teams have been strong all season, combining for an overall record of 21-3-2.

The Quakers sit in first place with a section record of 7-0-1.

Quaker Valley is 11-0-1 in its last dozen contests with the only tie coming last week in a scoreless draw against Avonworth.

The Warriors are 7-1-1 have been winners in six consecutive games since falling to the Quakers in mid-September in overtime, 1-0.

QV can earn the section title outright with a win or earn at least a share of the section championship with a tie. CV clinches at least a share of the section crown with a victory.

Busy day of tennis

With the washout of the first round of the WPIAL Class 2A girls team tennis playoffs Tuesday, it has made for a busy day on the courts in both the 2A and 3A postseasons.

In Class 3A, the top seven seeds along with the No. 9 seed were victorious in the first round Monday, setting the stage for these strong quarterfinals matches Wednesday:

No. 9 Pine-Richland visits top-seeded Shady Side Academy

No. 5 Upper St. Clair visits rival and No. 4 Mt. Lebanon, the 2024 district champions

No. 7 Latrobe travels to No. 2 Bethel Park

No. 6 Fox Chapel hits the road to take on No. 3 North Allegheny

In Class 2A, 2024 district runner-up Quaker Valley is the top seed in the 15-team bracket and is not in action Wednesday because of a first-round bye.

The seven opening-round matches include:

No. 9 Neshannock at No. 8 Mt. Pleasant

No. 13 Aquinas Academy vs. No. 4 Oakland Catholic at Frick Park

No. 12 South Park at No. 5 Beaver at 4 p.m.

No. 15 Blackhawk against No. 2 and defending WPIAL champion North Catholic at Cranberry Township Park

No. 10 Burrell at No. 7 Indiana

No. 14 Valley at No. 3 Sewickley Academy

No. 11 Hampton vs. No. 6 Winchester Thurston at the Murrysville Racquet Club at 2 p.m.

All of the playoff matches, unless otherwise indicated, begin at 3 p.m.