The two high schools are not neighbors, as the distance between them is 37 miles.
However, the Avonworth-South Park rivalry has become mus- see baseball over the last couple of years.
Their much-anticipated Section 2-3A showdown for the section crown concludes Tuesday when the Antelopes visit the Eagles in prime time at 7 p.m.
In this decade, the programs have finished first and second in their section four of the five years.
Avonworth was the section champ with South Park as runner-up in 2021, 2023 and 2025, while the Eagles were first and the Antelopes second in 2022.
The only year they weren’t one and two was in 2024 when Avonworth finished second and South Park third. That year, South Allegheny won the section crown.
They have met twice this decade in the WPIAL playoffs with the Eagles flying high past the Antelopes in both the 2021 3A final four, 8-2, and in the 2022 semifinals, 3-2.
Both schools have won two district baseball championships with one coming in the last five years. South Park won gold in 2022 and Avonworth raised the championship banner in 2024.
Plus to add to the spirited competitive juices, Antelopes coach Jeff Bywalski is a 1990 South Park graduate while two of his coaches, Tyler Bywalski and Tyler Miller, wore an Eagles uniform during their high school baseball careers.
Entering this week, both teams were 8-0 and tied for first place in Section 2-3A.
The Antelopes were 12-5 with three straight wins and victories in eight of their last nine games, while the Eagles were 13-2 with a 13-game winning streak ending last week in a nonsection loss to Peters Township.
Avonworth held serve at home Monday with a victory in eight innings, 7-5.
The victory give the ‘Lopes at least a share of the section title heading into Tuesday’s road game.
In another big 3A baseball showdown, Ellwood City clinched a share of the Section 1-3A championship with a convincing victory at Mohawk on Monday, 14-3.
The Wolverines are 8-1 in the section and the Warriors fell to 7-2 heading into the section finale.
The teams meet Tuesday in Ellwood City as EC looks to win the section title outright while a Mohawk win delivers a share of the section crown.
Battle for 1st in 2A
Another small-school showdown for section supremacy comes to an end Tuesday when Fort Cherry visits California.
Heading into Monday’s opener against in McDonald, both teams were perfect in Section 1-2A with 8-0 section records.
The Rangers have been the talk of the district, winning all 13 of their game played this season.
The Trojans were 8-4 overall with victories in six of their last eight games.
On Monday, Fort Cherry remained perfect with a shutout of California, 9-0.
The Rangers hope to continue their perfect season and clinch the outright section championship with a road win Tuesday.
Key softball matchups
There are four district softball games Tuesday with playoff implications.
• In Class 6A, Canon-McMillan hosts North Allegheny to finish out the 6A schedule for both teams.
The Big Macs are 5-8 in Class 6A and have already clinched a district playoff berth.
The Tigers are 4-9 and are in must-win mode to force a four-way tie for fourth place and clinch a playoff berth.
• While 4A reigning district champion Hampton has concluded Section 3-4A play with a record of 9-3, others in the section are catching up.
First-place Blackhawk (8-1) and second-place North Catholic (8-2) are in action Tuesday.
The Cougars visit Ambridge (0-9) while the Trojans are home to Beaver (5-4).
• Ligonier Valley (1-7) tries to keep its playoff hopes alive as it visits Burrell (6-3) in Section 1-3A.
The Rams must win to stay alive in the postseason chase while a victory for the Buccaneers gives them second place in the standings behind section winner Mt. Pleasant.
3A boys team tennis playoff openers
The 2026 WPIAL boys team tennis playoffs continue Tuesday with eight Class 3A first round contests.
Here are the eight opening round matches in the Class 3A playoffs.
No. 16 Latrobe Wildcats at No. 1 North Allegheny Tigers
No. 9 Gateway Gators vs. No. 8 Peters Township Indians at Peters Township Tennis Center
No. 13 Pine-Richland Rams at No. 4 Fox Chapel Foxes
No. 12 Mars Fightin’ Planets at No. 5 Shady Side Academy Bulldogs
No. 15 Shaler Titans at No. 2 Upper St. Clair Panthers
No. 10 Norwin Knights at No. 7 Franklin Regional Panthers
No. 14 Seneca Valley Raiders vs. Sewickley Academy Panthers at Nichols Courts at Sewickley Academy
No 11 South Fayette Lions at No. 6 Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils
All eight matches begin at 3:30 p.m.
Team track & field semifinals
The groupings are set for the 2026 WPIAL boys and girls team track and field semifinals Tuesday at 3 p.m.
Each of the four semifinals sites will produce one team that will advance to the district team championships May 5.
Class 3A boys
At North Allegheny: Kiski Area Cavaliers vs. Plum Mustangs vs. Seneca Valley Raiders
At Hempfield: Franklin Regional Panthers vs. Hempfield Spartans vs. Moon Tigers vs. Ringgold Rams
At Butler: Butler Golden Tornado vs. Knoch Knights vs. Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils vs. New Castle Red Hurricane
At Baldwin: Baldwin Highlanders vs. Canon-McMillan Big Macs vs. Norwin Knights vs. Uniontown Red Raiders
Class 2A boys
At Shenango: Beaver Bobcats vs. East Allegheny Wildcats vs. Freedom Bulldogs vs. North Catholic Trojans vs. Shenango Wildcats
At California: California Trojans vs. Fort Cherry Rangers vs. Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions vs. Ligonier Valley Rams vs. Mohawk Warriors vs. Shady Side Academy Bulldogs
At Quaker Valley: Chartiers-Houston Buccaneers vs. Clairton Bears vs. McGuffey Highlanders vs. Quaker Valley Quakers vs. South Side Rams
At South Park: Mt. Pleasant Vikings vs. Riverview Raiders vs. Southmoreland Scotties vs. South Park Eagles vs. Waynesburg Central Raiders
Class 3A girls
At North Allegheny: Belle Vernon Leopards vs. Chartiers Valley Colts vs. Kiski Area Cavaliers vs. North Allegheny Tigers vs. Plum Mustangs
At Hempfield: Franklin Regional Panthers vs. Hempfield Spartans vs. Laurel Highlands Mustangs vs. Ringgold Rams
At Butler: Blackhawk Cougars vs. Butler Golden Tornado vs. Knoch Knights vs. Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils vs. New Castle Red Hurricane
At Baldwin: Connellsville Falcons vs. Norwin Knights vs. South Fayette Lions vs. Upper St. Clair Panthers
Class 2A girls
At Shenango: Freedom Bulldogs vs. Hopewell Vikings vs. North Catholic Trojans vs. Shenango Wildcats
At California: California Trojans vs. Fort Cherry Rangers vs. Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions vs. Laurel Spartans vs. Shady Side Academy Bulldogs
At Quaker Valley: Brownsville Falcons vs. Chartiers-Houston Buccaneers vs. Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Chargers vs. Quaker Valley Quakers vs. The Neighborhood Academy Bulldogs
At South Park: Bentworth Bearcats vs. Burrell Buccaneers vs. Southmoreland Scotties vs. Waynesburg Central Raiders vs. Winchester Thurston Bears
Tuesday on Trib HSSN
There are 13 broadcasts you can watch or listen to at TribHSSN.TribLive.com on the 28th day of April.
WPIAL Baseball Video Stream – Baldwin at Montour at 7 p.m. on the TribLive High School Sports Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Baseball Video Stream – Avonworth at South Park at 7 p.m. on the TribLive High School Sports Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Baseball Video Stream – Plum at Franklin Regional at 4 p.m. on the Westmoreland County Sports Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Baseball Video Stream – Shaler at New Castle at 4 p.m. on Lawrence County Sports Net at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Baseball Video Stream – Trinity at Peters Township at 7 p.m. on WJPA at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Baseball Video Stream – Uniontown at Laurel Highlands at 4 p.m. on WMBS-AM 590, WMBS-FM 101.1 at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Baseball Video Stream – Washington at McGuffey at 7 p.m. on WJPA at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Baseball Video Stream – Bishop Canevin at Serra Catholic at 3:45 p.m. on MVI Live at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Baseball Audio Stream – North Hills at North Allegheny at 7 p.m. on the North Allegheny Sports Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Boys Lacrosse Video Stream – Seton LaSalle at Gateway at 7:30 p.m. on Gateway Gators Productions at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Flag Football Video Stream – Woodland Hills at Gateway at 6 p.m. on Gateway Gators Productions at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Flag Football Video Stream – Quaker Valley at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart at 6 p.m. on the OLSH Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Boys and Girls Track & Field Video Stream – Class 2A semifinals from Shenango at 3 p.m. on Lawrence County Sports Net at TribHSSN.TribLive.com