The WPIAL released new section alignments for the next two-year cycle in all sports, and changes will be implemented starting this fall.
This summer, the Tribune-Review will break down changes for each of the WPIAL sports.
Here’s a look at the upcoming WPIAL softball season:
2024 WPIAL championships
Class 6A:Seneca Valley
Class 5A: Armstrong
Class 4A:Elizabeth Forward
Class 3A:Mohawk
Class 2A:Neshannock
Class A:Chartiers-Houston
Notable changes
• WPIAL Class 6A softball stayed mostly the same for the next two-year cycle. Woodland Hills moved up from Class 4A to join and form a nine-team section.
• In Class 5A, Baldwin dropped down from Class 6A to join Section 4, and McKeesport (Section 2), Chartiers Valley and Montour (Section 3) and Albert Gallatin (Section 4) all moved up in class.
Mars and New Castle moved from Section 3 to 1, and Upper St. Clair slid over from Section 4 to 3.
• Class 4A welcomed Derry, Freeport and Valley, which moved up and into Section 1, as well as Central Valley, which moved up a class to join Section 3. Oakland Catholic dropped down a class and into Section 2, and Western Beaver moved down a class and into Section 3. In addition, West Mifflin slid over from Section 1 to 2.
• Steel Valley and Charleroi moved up a class to join Section 3 in Class 3A, which shrunk by six teams and from four sections to three.
Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant, Southmoreland and Yough all moved over from Section 3 to 1. Avonworth moved from Section 1 to 2, and Keystone Oaks, McGuffey and South Park all left the defunct Section 4 to join Section 3.
• Class 2A gained five teams and moved from three sections to four. Northgate and Springdale (Section 2), Carlynton and Chartiers-Houston (Section 3) and California and Frazier (Section 4) all moved up a class.
Shady Side Academy and South Allegheny (Section 2), Seton LaSalle (Section 3) and Brownsville and Waynesburg Central (Section 4) all moved down a class.
In addition, Bentworth and Washington moved from Section 3 to 4.
• Class A gained four teams that all dropped down — Beth-Center (Section 2) and Ellis School, Greensburg Central Catholic and Serra Catholic (Section 3). In addition, Bishop Canevin moved from Section 3 to 1.
In and out
Upcoming Local Events
Two teams dropped out of WPIAL competition since last spring — Eden Christian Academy and Riverview.
Riverview, which wasn’t able to field a team last season because of a lack of players, formed a co-op with rival Springdale for softball, wrestling and golf.
Past champions
• Neshannock won a third straight WPIAL Class 2A title last spring to earn a fifth overall.
• Baldwin and Sto-Rox hold the WPIAL lead with 10 titles, followed by Chartiers-Houston (9), Hempfield (8), North Hills and Riverside (6) and Belle Vernon, Neshannock and West Greene (5).
Key dates
March 3: First practice date
March 8: First scrimmage date
March 14: First play date
March 24: First section dates
May 8: Playoff pairings meeting
May 28-30: WPIAL championships
June 12-13: PIAA championships, Penn State
2025-26 alignment
Class 6A
Section 1:Butler, Canon-McMillan, Hempfield, Mt. Lebanon, North Allegheny, Norwin, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, Woodland Hills
Class 5A
Section 1:Fox Chapel, Mars, New Castle, North Hills, Penn Hills, Plum, Shaler
Section 2:Armstrong, Franklin Regional, Gateway, Kiski Area, Latrobe, McKeesport, Penn-Trafford
Section 3: Chartiers Valley, Montour, Moon, South Fayette, Upper St. Clair, West Allegheny
Section 4:Albert Gallatin, Baldwin, Bethel Park, Connellsville, Peters Township, Thomas Jefferson, Trinity
Class 4A
Section 1: Derry, Freeport, Greensburg Salem, Highlands, Indiana, Knoch, Valley
Section 2: Belle Vernon, Elizabeth Forward, Laurel Highlands, Oakland Catholic, Ringgold, Uniontown, West Mifflin
Section 3:Ambridge, Beaver, Blackhawk, Central Valley, Hampton, North Catholic, Western Beaver
Class 3A
Section 1: Burrell, Deer Lakes, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant, Southmoreland, Yough
Section 2: Avonworth, Beaver Falls, Ellwood City, Hopewell, Mohawk, Quaker Valley
Section 3: Charleroi, East Allegheny, Keystone Oaks, McGuffey, South Park, Steel Valley
Class 2A
Section 1:Aliquippa, Freedom, Laurel, Neshannock, New Brighton, Riverside, Shenango
Section 2:Apollo-Ridge, Brentwood, Northgate, Shady Side Academy, South Allegheny, Springdale
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Section 3:Burgettstown, Carlynton, Chartiers-Houston, Fort Cherry, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Seton LaSalle
Section 4: Bentworth, Brownsville, California, Frazier, Washington, Waynesburg
Class A
Section 1:Bishop Canevin, Cornell, Rochester, Sewickley Academy, South Side, Union
Section 2: Avella, Beth-Center, Carmichaels, Jefferson-Morgan, Mapletown, West Greene
Section 3:Ellis School, Greensburg Central Catholic, Jeannette, Leechburg, Monessen, St. Joseph, Serra Catholic
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.
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