What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Sept. 18, 2024: Tennis tournaments on tap

By: Don Rebel
Tuesday, September 17, 2024 | 10:01 PM

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The first postseason of the 2024-2025 school year begins Wednesday with the first three rounds of the WPIAL girls tennis singles championships.

The field of 16 girls in Class 3A and 15 in 2A are set with the 3A matches scheduled for North Allegheny and the 2A tournament to be played at Bethel Park, although inclement weather could force the action indoors.

The first round, quarterfinals and semifinals will take place Wednesday with the championship and consolation matches Thursday.

Both defending champs have earned the No. 1 seed in each playoff tournament with sophomore Meriwether McCargo of Shady Side Academy in 3A and junior Gabriella Dusi of Belle Vernon in 2A ready to defend their district crowns.

The opening round matches begin at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

Class 3A first round at North Allegheny:

No. 1 Meriwether McCargo (Shady Side Academy) vs. No. 16 Kiera Wise (Moon)

No. 8 Michelle Yan (Franklin Regional) vs. No. 9 Mackenzie Smock (Bethel Park)

No. 4 Jackie Tang (Mt. Lebanon) vs. No. 13 Mia Kaufman (North Allegheny)

No. 5 Brooke Henderson (Shady Side Academy) vs. No. 12 Carlin Bukovac (Latrobe)

No. 2 Amelia Williams (Penn-Trafford) vs. No. 15 Anna Kinter (Fox Chapel)

No. 7 Elinor Kim (North Hills) vs. No. 10 Sienna Siegel (Fox Chapel)

No. 3 Cami Fisher (Bethel Park) vs. No. 15 Bayleigh Vilage (Norwin)

No. 6 Cassandra Lapina (Pine-Richland) vs. No. 11 Michelle Yang (Mt. Lebanon)

Class 2A first round at Bethel Park:

No. 1 Gabriella Dusi (Belle Vernon) – Bye

No. 8 Brea Kelley (North Catholic vs. No. 9 Maddie Arrow (Neshannock)

No. 4 Rayna Thakkar (Sewickley Academy) vs. No. 13 Bella Colatriano (Lincoln Park)

No. 5 Anna Mrkonja (Beaver) vs. No. 12 Paige King (Derry)

No. 2 Grace Stitt (Hampton) vs. Bella Fullman (Mt. Pleasant)

No. 7 Therese Bernas (Our Lady of the Sacred Heart) vs. No. 10 Grace Kempton (South Park)

No. 3 Sasha Hoffman (Greensburg Central Catholic) vs. No. 14 Grace Prepelka (Carlynton)

No. 6 Mollie Sclichter (Oakland Catholic) vs. No. 11 Delaney Kelley (North Catholic)

Midway madness on the pitch

The WPIAL girls soccer regular season hits the midway point with most teams closing out the first half of section play Wednesday.

The most crowded chase for a section title nearing the midway point is in Section 1-A.

Five of the six teams in the section are separated by only one game in the loss column.

Eden Christian Academy is on top with a section record of 3-1-1, followed closely by Riverside at 2-1-1, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart at 3-2 and Mohawk and Freedom at 2-2.

The two matches set for Wednesday are Freedom at South Side (0-4) and Riverside hosting Mohawk.

Eden Christian and OLSH have completed the first half of their section schedules.

Two other battles for at least a share of first place have South Park (5-0, 5-4) visiting Keystone Oaks (4-1, 6-4) for the top spot in Section 1-2A, and Chartiers-Houston (3-1, 5-2) hosting Bentworth (3-0, 6-0) in a Section 2-A match.

The Buccaneers are tied for second place in Section 2-A with Waynesburg Central (3-1, 6-1). The Raiders are home to California (1-1-1, 2-3-1) on Wednesday.

One golf sectional to go

Thus far this week under great conditions, 21 of the 22 WPIAL boys and golf sectionals have taken place as golfers attempt to qualify for the upcoming district individual golf championships.

The final qualifiers might not be as lucky weather-wise with some rain in the forecast Wednesday.

The final sectional is for golfers from Section 7-3A and is set for the Fox Run Golf Course in Beaver Falls with a target score of 78.

Here is the lineup for the 2024 WPIAL individual golf championships, with all three tournaments set for 36 holes over two days:

• The Class 3A boys golf individual championships first round is on Tuesday, Sept. 24 at Southpointe Golf Club in Canonsburg, with the final round set for Tuesday, Oct. 1 at Oakmont Country Club.

• The Class 2A boys golf individual championships first round is on Monday, Sept. 23 at Youghiogheny Country Club in McKeesport, with final round action slated for Wednesday, Oct. 2 at Sewickley Heights Golf Club in Sewickley.

• The Class 3A and 2A girls golf individual championships first round is Monday, Sept. 23 at Willowbrook Country Club in Apollo, with the final round scheduled for Monday, Sept. 30 at Butler Country Club in Butler.