WPIAL bracketology: Don Rebel, Chris Harlan take early look at girls basketball tournament
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Sunday, February 14, 2021 | 5:33 AM
North Catholic’s Alayna Rocco celebrates her 3-pointer during the fourth quarter against Mohawk on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, in Cranberry.
The WPIAL basketball playoffs will seem bigger than ever this winter since the league intends to hold an open tournament in each of the six classifications.
Any team that wants to take part can.
The WPIAL took this route because covid-related cancellations made the section standings unbalanced, making it nearly impossible to identify playoff qualifiers.
The WPIAL basketball committee will meet Feb. 23 to seed the brackets and announce them that evening. Here’s an early look at what those brackets could look like, according to TribLive HSSN’s Don Rebel and Chris Harlan.
But remember, just because every team can participate in the postseason doesn’t mean they all will. Schools have until 3 p.m. Feb 18 to opt in for the tournament.
These first-draft brackets were created under a scenario where every team decides to compete.
Class 6A
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 1 North Allegheny – bye
No. 8 Peters Township vs. No. 9 Pine-Richland
No. 4 Mt. Lebanon vs. No. 13 Seneca Valley
No. 5 Bethel Park vs. No. 12 Shaler
No. 2 Upper St. Clair vs. No. 15 North Hills
No. 7 Butler vs. No. 10 Baldwin
No. 3 Norwin vs. No. 14 Canon-McMillan
No. 6 Penn-Trafford vs. No. 11 Hempfield
Don’s take: Some good teams near the top, but North Allegheny is looking more and more like a heavy favorite to repeat. Norwin is coming on strong but still has a game against North Allegheny on the schedule. A big game coming up Thursday that could shuffle the deck between No. 2 and No. 5 is Upper St. Clair at Bethel Park.
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 1 North Allegheny – bye
No. 8 Butler vs. No. 9 Baldwin
No. 5 Mt. Lebanon vs. No. 12 Hempfield
No. 4 Norwin vs. No. 13 Canon-McMillan
No. 2 Upper St. Clair vs. No. 15 North Hills
No. 7 Peters Township vs. No. 10 Shaler
No. 3 Bethel Park vs. No. 14 Seneca Valley
No. 6 Penn-Trafford vs. No. 11 Pine-Richland
Chris’ take: Upper St. Clair and Mt. Lebanon are both undefeated in Section 2, but the teams have no plans to play one another in the regular season because of their schools’ conflicting mask policies. Mt. Lebanon requires them on the court while USC doesn’t. However, to participate in the WPIAL playoffs, teams must agree to play opponents with varying mask policies. Baldwin and Peters Township also had mandates that both teams on the court wear masks in their regular-season games. Might that lead some good 6A teams to skip the playoffs?
Class 5A
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 1 Trinity – bye
No. 16 Connellsville vs. No. 17 Mars
No. 8 McKeesport vs. No. 25 Ringgold
No. 9 Hampton vs. No. 24 Laurel Highlands
No. 4 Latrobe – bye
No. 13 Oakland Catholic vs. No. 20 Gateway
No. 5 Woodland Hills – bye
No. 12 Fox Chapel vs. No. 21 Greensburg Salem
No. 2 Chartiers Valley – bye
No. 15 Moon vs. No. 18 Indiana
No. 7 Armstrong vs. No. 26 West Allegheny
No. 10 Albert Gallatin vs. No. 23 Franklin Regional
No. 3 Thomas Jefferson — bye
No. 14 Plum vs. No. 19 Lincoln Park
No. 6 South Fayette vs. No. 27 Uniontown
No. 11 Penn Hills vs. No. 22 Kiski Area
Don’s take: There is little doubt as to the top two and it’s going to take a monumental effort to keep Trinity and Chartiers Valley from not staging another McConnell Family Feud in the finals. Thomas Jefferson gets the nod at No. 3 because it has a very strong nonsection slate. Another week will help iron out the rest of the Top 10 seeds since there are a lot of teams with a very light resume. Latrobe at Woodland Hills has big seeding implications.
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 1 Trinity – bye
No. 16 Mars vs. No. 17 Connellsville
No. 8 Armstrong vs. No. 25 Uniontown
No. 9 McKeesport vs. No. 24 Laurel Highlands
No. 4 Woodland Hills – bye
No. 13 Albert Gallatin vs. No. 20 Lincoln Park
No. 5 Latrobe – bye
No. 12 Plum vs. No. 21 Greensburg Salem
No. 2 Chartiers Valley – bye
No. 15 Penn Hills vs. No. 18 Indiana
No. 7 Oakland Catholic vs. No. 26 Kiski Area
No. 10 South Fayette vs. No. 23 Franklin Regional
No. 3 Thomas Jefferson – bye
No. 14 Moon vs. No. 19 Gateway
No. 6 Hampton vs. No. 27 West Allegheny
No. 11 Fox Chapel vs. No. 22 Ringgold
Chris’ take: Latrobe might have the widest range of possibilities in this bracket. The Wildcats are 8-0 in Section 4, but they have two games remaining against Woodland Hills, which is 5-0 in the section. Latrobe has won only one playoff game in the past 13 years, but even a split with Woodland Hills could draw a high seed. In Section 4, Armstrong and Hampton have two key head-to-head matchups remaining as well.
Class 4A
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 1 Beaver – bye
No. 16 Burrell vs. No. 17 Central Valley
No. 8 West Mifflin – bye
No. 9 Deer Lakes – bye
No. 4 Quaker Valley – bye
No. 13 Hopewell vs. No. 20 Derry
No. 5 Freeport – bye
No. 12 Mt. Pleasant vs. No. 21 Valley
No. 2 Southmoreland – bye
No. 15 Highlands vs. No. 18 Ambridge
No. 7 Montour – bye
No. 10 Belle Vernon – bye
No. 3 Knoch – Bye
No. 14 New Castle vs. No. 19 Yough
No. 6 Blackhawk – Bye
No. 11 Elizabeth Forward vs. No. 22 Ligonier Valley
Don’s take: With North Catholic moving down to 3A after four straight 4A championships, this field became wide open after realignment. However, after settling for silver in 3A a year ago, Beaver has moved up and looks like the clear choice for the team to beat. A lot of new faces are looking to add that elusive pot of gold from girls 4A. Seeds 2 through 6 are not an easy call now and might not be in three weeks either. If played, Knoch vs. Freeport will help sort that grouping.
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 1 Beaver – bye
No. 16 Mt. Pleasant vs. No. 17 Burrell
No. 8 Deer Lakes – bye
No. 9 Belle Vernon – bye
No. 4 Knoch – bye
No. 13 Hopewell vs. No. 20 Valley
No. 5 Blackhawk – bye
No. 12 Elizabeth Forward vs. No. 21 Ambridge
No. 2 Southmoreland – bye
No. 15 Highlands vs. No. 18 Yough
No. 7 West Mifflin – bye
No. 10 Montour – bye
No. 3 Quaker Valley – bye
No. 14 New Castle vs. No. 19 Derry
No. 6 Freeport – bye
No. 11 Central Valley vs. No. 22 Ligonier Valley
Chris’ take: Quaker Valley is the second-place team in Section 2, but both head-to-head matchups with Beaver were close. QV lost once by six points and later lost by three. For that reason, I put the Quakers (9-4) on the opposite side of the bracket from Beaver. That bumps Knoch (7-1) down to No. 4.
Class 3A
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 1 North Catholic – bye
No. 16 Steel Valley vs. No. 17 Bentworth
No. 8 Freedom – bye
No. 9 Keystone Oaks – bye
No. 4 South Park – bye
No. 13 Washington vs. No. 20 Shady Side Academy
No. 5 Laurel – bye
No. 12 Ellwood City vs. No. 21 Brownsville
No. 2 Mohawk – bye
No. 15 Beaver Falls vs. No. 18 South Allegheny
No. 7 Waynesburg – bye
No. 10 East Allegheny – bye
No. 3 Brentwood – bye
No. 14 McGuffey vs. No. 19 Riverside
No. 6 Avonworth – bye
No. 11 Charleroi – bye
Don’s take: After four straight 4A titles, North Catholic has been No. 1 in 3A since realignment. The list is not long of possible Trojans slayers, thus making the possibilities of dark horses or Cinderellas a long shot in this particular open tournament. Two of the biggest threats for North Catholic might be section foes Mohawk and Laurel.
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 1 North Catholic – bye
No. 16 Beaver Falls vs. No. 17 South Allegheny
No. 8 Keystone Oaks – bye
No. 9 Freedom – bye
No. 4 Laurel – bye
No. 13 Washington vs. No. 22 Shady Side Academy
No. 5 South Park – bye
No. 12 Charleroi vs. No. 21 Riverside
No. 2 Mohawk – bye
No. 15 Steel Valley vs. No. 18 Bentworth
No. 7 Avonworth – bye
No. 10 McGuffey – bye
No. 3 Brentwood – bye
No. 14 Ellwood City vs. No. 19 Brownsville
No. 6 Waynesburg – bye
No. 11 East Allegheny – bye
Chris’ take: The top and bottom teams in the bracket have some separation, but the matchups in the middle could go any which way. How might the committee compare a 5-5 team from one section against a 4-4 team from another? That’s anybody’s guess. When in doubt, I wanted to reward teams that played more games, but that didn’t always happen.
Class 2A
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 1 Serra Catholic – bye
No. 16 Apollo-Ridge vs. No. 17 South Side
No. 8 Shenango – bye
No. 9 Greensburg Central Catholic vs. No. 24 Northgate
No. 4 Winchester Thurston – bye
No. 13 Sto-Rox vs. No. 20 Springdale
No. 5 Burgettstown – bye
No. 12 Chartiers-Houston vs. No. 21 Frazier
No. 2 Neshannock – bye
No. 15 Carlynton vs. No. 18 Carmichaels
No. 7 California – bye
No. 10 Seton LaSalle vs. No. 23 New Brighton
No. 3 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart – bye
No. 14 Aliquippa vs. No. 19 Beth-Center
No. 6 Sewickley Academy – bye
No. 11 Fort Cherry vs. No. 22 Jeannette
Don’s take: This might be the most wide-open girls basketball field. There are some very good teams, but none of the top teams are dominant. Neshannock is really playing well headed into the postseason. Serra Catholic hosting California this week could cause some major movement in the top eight.
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 1 Serra Catholic – bye
No. 16 South Side Beaver vs. No. 17 Carlynton
No. 8 California – bye
No. 9 Fort Cherry vs. No. 24 Jeannette
No. 4 Burgettstown – bye
No. 13 Chartiers-Houston vs. No. 20 Frazier
No. 5 Sewickley Academy – bye
No. 12 Greensburg Central Catholic vs. No. 22 Beth-Center
No. 2 Winchester Thurston – bye
No. 15 Aliquippa vs. No. 18 Springdale
No. 7 Shenango – bye
No. 10 Sto-Rox vs. No. 23 Northgate
No. 3 Neshannock – bye
No. 14 Apollo-Ridge vs. No. 19 Carmichaels
No. 6 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart – bye
No. 11 Seton LaSalle vs. No. 22 New Brighton
Chris’ take: Serra Catholic and Winchester Thurston are each undefeated in their sections. Neshannock has one section loss. In years past, that probably would have mattered more to the committee, but any of those three can make a case for the No. 1 overall seed. Of the three, Winchester Thurston played the toughest nonsection schedule, losing to 5A schools Woodland Hills, Penn Hills and Oakland Catholic. Sewickley Academy’s section win over OLSH on Thursday gives the Panthers the edge here. The teams split their two games.
Class A
Don Rebel’s bracket
For No. 16 seed: Propel Andrew Street vs. Geibel Catholic
No. 1 Rochester vs. No. 16 Propel Andrew Street/Geibel Catholic winner
No. 8 Avella vs. No. 9 St. Joseph
No. 4 Aquinas Academy vs. No. 13 Mapletown
No. 5 Monessen vs. No. 12 Leechburg
No. 2 West Greene vs. No. 15 Cornell
No. 7 Clairton vs. No. 10 Union
No. 3 Eden Christian vs. No. 14 Jefferson-Morgan
No. 6 Bishop Canevin vs. No. 11 Riverview
Don’s take: Kudos to two-time defending Class A champion Rochester for loading up and playing anybody and everybody outside of their section, including defending champions Bishop Canevin (in section), Mohawk and Chartiers Valley. West Greene is hoping not to be the WPIAL runner-up for a fifth straight year. Eden gets the nod over Aquinas after beating them earlier this season.
Chris Harlan’s bracket
For No. 16 seed: Propel Andrew Street vs. Geibel Catholic
No. 1 Rochester vs. No. 16 Propel Andrew Street/Geibel Catholic winner
No. 8 Monessen vs. No. 9 Riverview
No. 4 Aquinas Academy vs. No. 13 Jefferson-Morgan
No. 5 Bishop Canevin vs. No. 12 Mapletown
No. 2 West Greene vs. No. 15 Cornell
No. 7 Clairton vs. No. 10 Union
No. 3 Eden Christian vs. No. 14 Leechburg
No. 6 Avella vs. No. 11 St. Joseph
Chris’ take: Our brackets are similar. Avella gets a little higher seed here after a 51-37 section win over Monessen on Feb. 7. The teams split their two-game series. Propel Andrew Street (1-10) and Geibel Catholic (0-8) will likely get a head start on the rest of the field.
Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.
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