WPIAL girls basketball Class 5A season preview for 2025-26

By: Bill Hartlep
Thursday, November 27, 2025 | 6:01 AM

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There was no shortage of talent in WPIAL Class 5A girls basketball last season.

And the results proved it.

Peters Township, led by Miami recruit Natalie Wetzel, won the WPIAL title, and South Fayette’s group of Division I recruits claimed the PIAA championship.

Thomas Jefferson, behind a bevy of college-bound standouts, also advanced to the PIAA quarterfinals. All three teams, among other contenders, again have a wealth of veteran stars who carry high expectations for this season.

Here is a rundown of players to watch, Top 5 teams and other notables in WPIAL 5A girls basketball this season.

Preseason Player of the Year

Ryan Oldaker, South Fayette

5-10, senior, guard

13.3 ppg last season

Players to watch

Torrie DeStefano, Penn-Trafford

5-9, junior, guard

12.0 ppg last season

Jaedin Griggs, Moon

5-8, senior, guard

19.8 ppg last season

Juliette Leroux, South Fayette

5-11, senior, guard

12.7 ppg last season

Reese Smetanka, Shaler

5-8, junior, guard

19.0 ppg last season

Maggie Spell, Thomas Jefferson

5-10, senior, guard

17.0 ppg last season

Preseason Top 5

1. South Fayette (29-2 last season)

The defending PIAA Class 5A champion Lions will again be blessed with talent, led by three Division I guards in seniors Ryan Oldaker (Marist), Juliette “Juju” Leroux (Florida Atlantic) and Haylie Lamonde (South Carolina Upstate). Oldaker, the Section 3 player of the year, and Leroux were second-team all-state selections last season. Lamonde averaged 12 points and was an all-section selection last season. Junior guard Lailah Wright and sophomore guard Ella Vierra also are drawing Division I interest. The group helped South Fayette finish second in the WPIAL and defeat four-time defending champ Archbishop Wood in the PIAA title game. South Fayette has won four WPIAL titles since 2016, including three in a row from 2022-24.

2. Peters Township (26-4 last season)

The Indians rolled to Section 4 and WPIAL championships last season by averaging more than 55 points per game. They dethroned South Fayette in the district final before falling to the Lions in the PIAA semifinals. Peters Township graduated all-state forward Natalie Wetzel (Miami), the Trib HSSN player of the year. Back are senior guard Bri Morreale, a first-team all-section selection, as well as sophomore guards Taylor McCullough and Jordyn Welsh, who were second-team selections.

3. Thomas Jefferson (22-6 last season)

The Jaguars reached the WPIAL semifinals and PIAA second round last season and return most of the roster. The group will be led by Maggie Spell (17 ppg), a 5-foot-10 senior guard who was a third-team all-state selection last year and has scored 1,600 career points and is committed to Campbell. Kaylee DeAngelo, a junior guard and Robert Morris commit, will miss the season with a knee injury. But the Jaguars return senior point guard Ryley McCabe (Frostburg State), junior forward Allie Wilson (Mercyhurst), senior small forward Leah Lockhart (Penn State Behrend), junior guard Emily Hritz and junior forward Emma Altavilla.

4. Shaler (20-3 last season)

The Titans shared the Section 1 title with Franklin Regional last season at 11-1, winning their final nine games in the regular season before falling to Mars in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs. Junior guards Reese Smetanka (first team) and Olivia Gieraltowski (second team) were all-section selections.

5. Penn-Trafford (25-2 last season)

The Warriors won the Section 2 title at 12-0 last season and reached the WPIAL quarterfinals and PIAA playoffs. Chuck Fontana replaces coach John Giannikas, who led P-T for 19 seasons. Four key contributors graduated, but senior guard Torrie DeStefano, a Seton Hill commit and first-team all-section selection, returns after averaging 12 ppg. Junior guard Izzy Fontana was a second-team selection.

Notable

• The top four teams in sections of seven teams or fewer and top five teams in sections of eight teams qualify for the WPIAL playoffs.

• Franklin Regional (15-7) returns one starter, Chloe Pucka, after sharing the Section 1 title last season.

• All-section guards Tamia West and Riley Stephans return for Plum (10-13).

• Fox Chapel (13-10), which finished third in Section 1, graduated third-team all-state forward Natalia Schaffer. Senior guard Lyla Jablon was a first-team all-section pick.

• Penn Hills, which finished 7-15 last season, is tied for third all-time in WPIAL history with eight championships.

• Latrobe (11-11) has three starters back — Brianna Havrilla, Miley Williams and Maggie Maiers — after finishing third in Section 2 and reaching the playoffs last season. Maiers was a second-team all-section pick.

• Indiana (19-8) will rely on the trio of seniors — Julia Antonacci, Laken Kugler and Addy Hutton — who were all-section picks.

• Chartiers Valley (15-8) was the Section 3 runner-up last season. Prior to South Fayette’s three straight WPIAL titles, the Colts controlled Class 5A, winning WPIAL titles in 2017 and from 2019-21. Gateway won in 2018.

• Senior guard Jaedin Griggs is recovering from an injury after averaging nearly 20 points last season for Moon (13-8). She was a first-team all-section selection.

• Mars (15-12) reached the PIAA playoffs after going 6-6 in Section 3. Senior Alexis Cashdollar (10.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.4 apg) was a first-team all-section pick and has committed to being a preferred walk-on at Wake Forest. Guard/forward Cecelia Christy (9.3 ppg) is an Elon volleyball recruit.

• First-year coach Maura Castelluci is set to lead West Allegheny (11-11), which returns four starters, including leading scorer Emma Ruperto.

• Baldwin (16-11) finished third in Section 4 last season. Junior all-section guard Lynsey Bernotas returns for the Highlanders.

• Trinity (12-9) returns five players with starting experience, including guards Sutton Williamson (13 ppg), Gabby Rieg (10 ppg) and Kimari Behrends (8 ppg), as well as forward Bently Layhue (8 ppg, 7 rpg).

Alignment

Section 1: Armstrong, Fox Chapel, Franklin Regional, Gateway, Penn Hills, Plum, Shaler

Section 2: Greensburg Salem, Indiana, Kiski Area, Latrobe, McKeesport, Penn-Trafford, West Mifflin

Section 3: Chartiers Valley, Mars, Montour, Moon, New Castle, South Fayette, West Allegheny

Section 4: Albert Gallatin, Baldwin, Bethel Park, Peters Township, Thomas Jefferson, Trinity, Uniontown

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

Tags: Baldwin, Chartiers Valley, Fox Chapel, Franklin Regional, Indiana, Latrobe, Mars, Moon, Penn Hills, Penn-Trafford, Peters Township, Plum, Shaler, South Fayette, Thomas Jefferson, Trinity