WPIAL clinched: Girls basketball playoff field nearly set with 83 teams

By: Don Rebel
Thursday, February 6, 2025 | 11:16 PM

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With the exception of a couple of more section games, the 2025 WPIAL girls basketball regular season is nearly in the books with 83 teams punching their ticket to ride into the district playoffs.

There could be one more addition to the Class 3A field depending on the outcome of two Section 2-3A games Friday.

A change in the playoff format this season has sections with eight or more teams sending the top five teams to the playoffs while sections with seven or fewer schools will send the traditional top four teams.

If two or more teams tie for the final playoff spot and the head-to-head tiebreaker does not break the tie, all of the tied teams qualify.

The WPIAL will release the girls basketball brackets on Monday with the Playoff Pairings Show that day on Trib HSSN at 3 p.m.

Here is the near-final list of teams that have earned a district playoff berth through Thursday.

*Won or shared section championship

Class 6A

Set with 8 teams – all teams receive first-round byes

Section 1

*Seneca Valley Raiders

Butler Golden Tornado

Pine-Richland Rams

North Allegheny Tigers

Section 2

*Norwin Knights

Upper St. Clair Panthers

Canon-McMillan Big Macs

Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils

Class 5A

Set with 16 teams – no byes, no preliminary round games

Section 1

*Franklin Regional Panthers

Shaler Titans

Fox Chapel Foxes

Plum Mustangs

Section 2

*Penn-Trafford Warriors

Indiana Little Indians

Latrobe Wildcats

Greensburg Salem Golden Lions

Section 3

*South Fayette Lions

Chartiers Valley Colts

Mars Fightin’ Planets

Moon Tigers

Section 4

*Peters Township Indians

Thomas Jefferson Jaguars

Baldwin Highlanders

Bethel Park Black Hawks

Class 4A

Set with 17 teams – one preliminary round game

Section 1

*Oakland Catholic Eagles

*North Catholic Trojans

Knoch Knights

Burrell Buccaneers

Highlands Golden Rams

Freeport Yellowjackets

Section 2

*Blackhawk Cougars

Beaver Bobcats

Central Valley Warriors

Hampton Talbots

Hopewell Vikings

Section 3

*Elizabeth Forward Warriors

South Park Eagles

Laurel Highlands Mustangs

Belle Vernon Leopards

Yough Cougars

Mt. Pleasant Vikings

Class 3A

14 of a possible 15 teams have clinched

Section 1

*Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Chargers

Quaker Valley Quakers

Riverside Panthers

Beaver Falls Tigers

Ellwood City Wolverines

Section 2

*Shady Side Academy Bulldogs

Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions

Avonworth Antelopes

Deer Lakes Lancers

Ligonier Valley Rams

Section 3

*Keystone Oaks Golden Eagles

*Seton LaSalle Rebels

McGuffey Highlanders

Brownsville Falcons

Note: If South Allegheny (4-9) beats Steel Valley (2-10) and Ligonier Valley (5-8) loses at Avonworth (9-4) on Friday, then the Gladiators earn a playoff berth in Section 2

Class 2A

Set with 17 teams – one preliminary round game

Section 1

*Neshannock Lancers

*Aliquippa Quips

Rochester Rams

Laurel Spartans

Section 2

*Fort Cherry Rangers

South Side Rams

Brentwood Spartans

Burgettstown Blue Devils

Section 3

*Chartiers-Houston Buccaneers

Beth-Center Bulldogs

California Trojans

Bentworth Bearcats

Carmichaels Mighty Mikes

Section 4

*Winchester Thurston Bears

Riverview Raiders

Apollo-Ridge Vikings

Ellis School Tigers

Class A

Set with 11 teams – five first-round byes

Section 1

*Union Scotties

St. Joseph Spartans

Aquinas Academy Crusaders

Springdale Dynamos

Sewickley Academy Panthers

Eden Christian Academy Warriors

Section 2

*Geibel Catholic Gators

Clairton Bears

Serra Catholic Eagles

West Greene Pioneers

Bishop Canevin Crusaders