Hempfield’s winning tradition is certainly not lost on coach Tina Madison or her players.
In fact, it is an essential part of the softball team’s structure and identity.
The Spartans (19-1) are primed for another postseason run, with a respectful nod to their past. The defending WPIAL Class 6A champions should get the No. 1 seed when the brackets are revealed Thursday.
A repeat title would follow a recent trend in the program. The last time Hempfield ruled the WPIAL’s largest classification, it stacked titles — as in five in a row from 2015-19. Another followed in 2023, but the team couldn’t repeat in ’24.
Putting back-to-back titles together carries a sense of pride for the Spartans.
“Everyone who wears a Hempfield softball uniform understands the tradition of Hempfield softball and most have grown up watching the older teams win,” Madison said. “The girls have one goal in mind: to win their last game. But, we are taking it one game at a time and not getting ahead of ourselves.”
Hempfield, which has won 17 games in a row, could see rival Norwin (10-6) again, but if the Knights are seeded third in the six-team bracket as expected, the teams couldn’t meet until the WPIAL final.
The other teams will likely be seeded like this: 2. Seneca Valley (13-3); 4. Canon-McMillan (7-9); 5. Pine-Richland (6-10); 6. Mt. Lebanon (6-11).
There are only eight teams in 6A and the top six qualify. The top two seeds will get byes to the semifinals, so Hempfield could be looking at another long wait before it opens the playoffs.
Hempfield and Seneca Valley have met in the finals twice in the last three years.
Hempfield tends to reload each season, and this year is no exception.
“It is going to be exciting,” Madison said. “Nobody really understands or notices we lost a starting Division I pitcher (Riley Miller) and Division I shortstop (Allie Cervola) last year and have reloaded. That is pretty special for them to step up and get it done.”
Hempfield is coming off back-to-back extra-inning wins against teams from lower classifications. The Spartans edged Latrobe, 5-4, and South Park, 7-6, both in eight innings.
Hempfield in on a 17-game winning streak.
Amazing Grace
Jeannette senior pitcher Grace Stein continues to add to her softball legacy.
Stein threw a five-inning perfect game Monday when the Jayhawks blanked Steel Valley, 10-0.
She struck out 11, but also helped her cause at the plate with a grand slam and six RBIs.
The Pitt-Greensburg commit now has 10 no-hitters and four perfect games in her prep career.
Stein, who recently achieved 700 career strikeouts, said she didn’t know she was working on a perfect game until someone mentioned it afterwards.
“It’s all about having confidence and trust in me,” Stein said. “I try not to think about things like that, and I like to take things one pitch at a time. But overall, being confident in my abilities and trusting my pitches is my go-to.”
Big role
Freshman Aria Smith is only 4 feet, 9 inches tall, but she has loomed large in her first varsity season for Penn-Trafford.
“She’s small, but she can fly,” Warriors coach Denny Little said.
Smith, an outfielder, leads off for the Warriors, who hope the new addition can help them make another run at WPIAL and PIAA 5A titles.
Penn-Trafford won its second PIAA title last year but has never won a WPIAL championship.
Smith is hitting .450 with a 1.050 OPS and is tied for the team lead in hits (25), has a team-high 26 stolen bases and has 31 runs scored.
For perspective, as Little point out, last year’s TribLive Westmoreland player of the Year, Cam Ponko, scored 35 runs — in nine more games.
“Defensively, she has made outstanding plays with a strong, accurate arm from right field,” Little said. “I feel we have only scratched the surface with her potential.
“When she reaches first base, it’s not a question of if she is going to score, it is how fast is she going to score.”
Smith went 3 for 4 in a 9-7 win over Class 6A Norwin and had a double and triple against McKeesport.
Playoff field set
The local playoff field is ready for the pairings to come out Thursday.
The postseason could start this weekend or early next week.
Local qualifiers are Hempfield and Norwin in 6A; Penn-Trafford, Kiski Area and Latrobe in 5A; Derry and Greensburg Salem in 4A; Mt. Pleasant, Burrell and Yough in 3A; and Jeannette and Monessen in A.
Not this year
A couple of local teams that have been staples in the WPIAL postseason did not qualify for the playoffs this season.
Southmoreland missed the postseason for the first time in 10 years, while Belle Vernon did not qualify after a five straight playoff trips, and Ligonier Valley missed out after five straight postseason appearances.
This is the first time Ligonier Valley did not make the playoffs since the school rejoined the WPIAL in 2020. (There was no WPIAL season in 2020 due to the covid pandemic.) Overall, the Rams had made the playoffs 20 straight years, including 15 straight in District 6.