This is the 10th anniversary of the PIAA Class 5A softball championship.
The first 5A softball state champion was Donegal from District 3 in 2017.
It was two years later when Penn-Trafford became the first WPIAL team to win 5A softball gold in 2019.
Three of the eight PIAA 5A champions have come from District 7, including the last two years. Thomas Jefferson won it all in 2024 and Penn-Trafford has won twice, in 2019 and again in 2025.
Shaler will try and join that group when it takes on District 2’s Abington Heights in the 5A title game Thursday.
The one and only District 2 team to capture a PIAA 5A championship was Pittston Area in 2022.
Here is a look at Thursday’s PIAA Class 5A softball championship game at Penn State:
Class 5A
Shaler (24-1) vs. Abington Heights (24-1)
11 a.m. Thursday, Nittany Lions Softball Park at Penn State
Broadcast: Video on PCN-TV; Radio on PIAA Radio Network
Coaches: Tom Sorce, Shaler; John Kelly, Abington Heights
Path to Penn State: Shaler defeated District 3 runner-up Lower Dauphin in the first round, 11-7; WPIAL third-seed Baldwin in the quarterfinals, 2-1; WPIAL fourth-seed Thomas Jefferson in the semifinals, 5-3 in 11 innings. … Abington Heights knocked off District 1 fourth-seed Upper Moreland in the first round, 6-1; District 1 champion West Chester East in the quarterfinals, 9-5; District 1 runner-up Springfield-Delco in the semifinals, 7-0.
District postseason: Shaler eliminated Moon in the first round, 10-0, Armstrong in the quarterfinals, 11-0; Baldwin in the semifinals, 10-0; North Hills in the WPIAL championship game, 10-2. … Abington Heights was the top seed in the District 2/4 subregional and ousted Crestwood in the semifinals, 2-1; North Pocono in the District 2/4 championship game, 5-1.
Players to watch
Shaler: The outstanding scholastic career of Bria Bosiljevac is coming to a close. The Indiana commit allowed only nine hits, including a first round no-hitter during the district playoffs. She has 29 strikeouts in the Titans’ three state playoff victories. Her battery mate, senior catcher Alyssa Schaffold, was one of the heroes in the 11-inning marathon win over Thomas Jefferson in the PIAA semifinals. She had two hits, including a two-run single to drive home the game-winning and insurance runs. Junior Ellie Nickel and sophomore Addy Aleski also had two hits in the win over TJ. Aleski had two hits against Baldwin as well. Senior Jayla Antomachi was a combined 6 for 8 in the first round and semifinals with a double, a home run and five runs driven in.
Abington Heights: Junior Adrianna Conrad has led the Comets in the circle with an 18-1 record and a 1.25 ERA. In 112 1/3 innings pitched, she has allowed 75 hits and 41 walks while striking out 185 batters. The Syracuse commit has been strong at the plate as well, batting .476 with seven home runs and 37 runs batted in. Junior Avary Brister leads the team with a .611 batting average with 16 doubles, eight home runs, 40 runs scored and 44 RBIs. Another junior, Eva Kane also has a .476 batting average with three home runs and 18 runs driven in.
Streaks: Shaler is riding high on a 21-game winning streak since suffering its lone loss of the season to Penn-Trafford, 6-1, on March 25. … Abington Heights also is on a long winning streak with 20 consecutive victories since falling to Loyalsock Township, 6-4, on April 11.
Quotable: “It’s extremely hard to do,” Shaler coach Tom Sorce said of reaching the PIAA championship game. “It’s a grind to do this, trying to keep kids focused and prepared when everyone else is out having fun and enjoying their summer.
“Since our seniors were here three years ago and lost, it has been their goal to return here and play to a different outcome. They are determined and focused to achieve that.”
Factoids
• In 15 appearances all-time, Shaler is 28-12 in the PIAA softball playoffs. This is the Titans’ seventh trip to the state championship game. They have a title game record of 2-4 with the two wins coming in 2004 over Chambersburg, 3-2, and two years later in in 2006 over Hatboro-Horsham, 3-0.
• Abington Heights has an all-time record of 10-5 in the PIAA playoffs in this, its sixth appearance. This is the first state championship game appearance for the Comets.
• Shaler first qualified for the PIAA softball playoffs 44 years ago. The Titans won their first three games, and then lost 9-2 to Shippensburg in the 1982 Class 3A title game. Their three other state championship game losses came in 2005 to Pennsbury, 10-0; in 2009 to Parkland, 5-1; and in their most recent trip three years ago, Shaler fell to Northern York in the 2023 Class 5A finals, 3-2 in nine innings.
• The pride of Clarks Summit, Pa. had been 0-3 in state softball semifinal games before beating Springfield-Delco Monday. The Comets lost in the state final four to Springfield-Delco in 2007, to Lampeter-Strasburg in 2016 and to Northern York last spring.