Girls
Class 5A
Semifinals
6-Penn-Trafford (19-5) vs. 2-Thomas Jefferson (21-2)
Noon Saturday at Norwin
Winner plays: Winner of 12-Peters Township (15-9)/1-South Fayette (23-1) in championship 7 p.m. Feb. 27 at Petersen Events Center
Players to watch: Torrie DeStefano, Penn-Trafford; Maggie Spell, Thomas Jefferson
Layup lines: Penn-Trafford is back in the semifinals for the first time in 12 years. The last time the Warriors made it this far, they won a WPIAL title. DeStefano had 18 points, and Hanna Weishaar added 17 in a 50-39 win over Indiana in the quarterfinals at Norwin. Penn-Trafford overcame a slow start to dictate the tempo and beat the Indians for the second time in three matchups this season. The Warriors have won 17 of their last 19 games. This is a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal won by Thomas Jefferson, 65-60, in overtime. That game also was at Norwin. First-year coach Chuck Fontana replaced longtime coach John Giannikas in the offseason. … Thomas Jefferson returns to the semifinals after a strong showing against Fox Chapel in the quarterfinals. The Jaguars built a 43-20 lead at the half on the way to a 72-44 victory. Spell, a Campbell commit, scored a team-high 21 points on the way to becoming the 47th girls in WPIAL history to score 2,000 career points. Emily Hritz added 13 for the Jaguars, who have never won a WPIAL title. … Both teams are going to the PIAA playoffs. The loser will play back for third place.
Class 3A
Semifinals
3-Greensburg Central Catholic (18-6) vs. 2-Beaver Falls (22-1)
Noon Saturday at AHN Arena, Peters Township
Winner plays: Winner of 5-Seton LaSalle (16-8)/1-Shady Side Academy (21-2) in championship, 7 p.m. Feb 26 at Petersen Events Center
Players to watch: Jayla Peterson, GCC; Dreaven Haskins, Beaver Falls
Layup lines: Greensburg Central Catholic continues to chase a WPIAL three-peat. The defending 3A champions, who won 2A two years ago, trailed by a point (35-34) before outscoring OLSH, 23-8, the rest of the way for a 57-42 victory in the quarterfinals. Erica Gribble scored 25, Avery Jones added 16 and Peterson had 12. This will be the Centurions’ third straight semifinal appearance. Gribble is a Richmond commit, whereas Peterson is committed to Wheeling and Abby Dlugos to Westminster. GCC has seven WPIAL titles. … Beaver Falls, which had one of its best regular seasons, ripped past Waynesburg in the quarterfinals 68-45 as Haskins scored 17 and Kiyah Tymous and Zakyhia Slade had 12 apiece. The Tigers put up 40 points in the first half. They started 20-0 before falling to Neshannock, 73-71, in overtime. They coasted past South Allegheny in the first round 73-15. Beaver Falls lost in the first round last year to Avonworth. It made the semifinals in 2024 and lost to Shady Side Academy. The Tigers average 62.1 points and allow 37 a game. They have two WPIAL titles (1985 and ’87). … Both teams have qualified for the PIAA playoffs.
Class 4A
Consolation bracket
9-Burrell (16-8) at 4-Belle Vernon (20-4)
Noon Saturday
Winner plays: Winner of South Park (15-9)/Beaver (15-9) at 7 p.m. Wednesday (site TBD)
Players to watch: Casey Brancato, Burrell; Abby Russell, Belle Vernon
Layup lines: Burrell will look to bounce back from a 50-33 loss to Blackhawk in the quarterfinals. Brancato had 16 points in the loss. … Belle Vernon had a 14-game winning streak snapped with a 61-56 loss to rival Elizabeth Forward. Freshman Isis Almyty had 18 points and 14 rebounds for the Leopards.
Boys
Class A
Semifinals
4-Monessen (12-9) vs. 1-Neighborhood Academy (19-3)
1:30 p.m. Saturday at Norwin
Winner plays: Winner of 6-Serra Catholic/2-Nazareth Prep in championship 5 p.m. Feb. 26 at Petersen Events Center
Players to watch: Rodney Johnson, Monessen; Kedron Gilmore, Neighborhood Academy
Layup lines: Monessen is in the WPIAL semifinals for the first time since 2018-19. The Greyhounds, in the district playoffs for the 45th straight time, a WPIAL record, will face a team from their section. They lost twice to Neighborhood Academy, 67-29 and 59-31. Monessen used a winning shot by Torrence Taylor in the final seconds to clip Aquinas Academy, 55-53. Tayvin Craggette had 16 points, and Taylor and Johnson had 15 apiece in the victory. Monessen is 5-4 since Jan. 17. The Greyhounds have eight WPIAL titles, the last coming in 2017. … Neighborhood Academy cruised past Summit Academy in the quarterfinals 67-27 as Gilmore scored 24, Trey McMurray added 12 and Derrick Hardeman had 10. The Bulldogs are the defending WPIAL champions. Neighborhood Academy, located just north of Garfield in the Highland Park section Pittsburgh, opened in 2001. The Bulldogs made the semifinals two years ago. The Section 2 champs average 66.5 points and allow 38.1. Their losses are to Kiski Area, Penn Hills and Sewickley Academy. They have scored 70 or more points 10 times. … Both teams have qualified for the PIAA playoffs. The loser will play back for third place.