Shout out to my old bracketology buddy Chris Harlan, who is now covering the Steelers. These “guesses” and the upcoming baseball predictions are the first for me flying solo since the old network days.
But enough of the nostalgia, the 2026 WPIAL softball playoff field is set with 76 teams, including all six teams that won district gold a year ago.
The postseason begins next week and concludes with six title games May 27-28 at Lilley Field at PennWest University, California.
The brackets will be announced at 4 p.m. Thursday on Trib HSSN.
Class 6A
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Hempfield – bye
No. 4 Canon-McMillan vs. No. 5 Mt. Lebanon
No. 2 Seneca Valley – bye
No. 3 Norwin vs. No. 6 Pine-Richland
Don’s take: Star players come and go, but the success of Hempfield and Seneca Valley softball this decade has been as steady as its gets. The Spartans and the Raiders are once again one and two and try to stay sharp as they won’t play again until the district semifinals. … Norwin has had a strong season and could throw a monkey wrench into another Spartans-Raiders title game matchup. … The only question is which teams are No. 5 and No. 6. Mt. Lebanon and Pine-Richland tied for fifth place and split during the regular season, but the Blue Devils finished strong and the committee always seems to consider that.
Class 5A
First round
No. 1 Shaler vs. No. 16 Upper St. Clair/Moon winner
No. 8 Armstrong vs. No. 9 Fox Chapel
No. 4 Baldwin vs. No. 13 South Fayette
No. 5 West Allegheny vs. No. 12 Kiski Area
No. 2 Penn-Trafford vs. No. 15 Connellsville
No. 7 Trinity vs. No. 10 Plum
No. 3 Thomas Jefferson vs. No. 14 Latrobe
No. 6 Montour vs. No. 11 North Hills
Don’s take: Wow, this took a while. The debate for the No. 1 spot is legit between Shaler and Penn-Trafford. I gave the Titans the edge, and it has nothing to do with winning it all last year. Yes, I know P-T handed Shaler its only loss this season, but the Titans were undefeated section champs while Shlaer is the only team to beat Class 6A No. 1 Hempfield this season while Penn-Trafford lost to Hempfield on the last day of April. … Then after that, the difference between the No. 3 seed and the No. 10 seed is microscopic. I went with TJ third because the Jaguars won their section outright, they have won eight of nine, and they own a win over Penn-Trafford. … Even though Baldwin was second, the Highlanders got the No. 4 seed because of recent wins over Section 3-5A co-champ Montour and Class 6A fourth-place Canon-McMillan. … South Fayette should probably be higher, but I didn’t want to put the Lions at No. 11 or 12 because that would line them up with a section foe in the first round. … Bottom line, as is always the case in 5A, even the first-round games will be challenging and entertaining for fans.
Class 4A
First round
No. 1 Elizabeth Forward – Bye
No. 8 Beaver vs. No. 9 Derry
No. 4 Hampton vs. No. 13 Greensburg Salem
No. 5 Laurel Highlands vs. No. 12 Freeport
No. 2 Knoch – Bye
No. 7 North Catholic vs. No. 10 West Mifflin
No. 3 Blackhawk – Bye
No. 6 Indiana vs. No. 11 Uniontown
Don’s take: The three section champs get the top three seeds and with it, a first-round bye. … Elizabeth Forward did well without Julia Resnick, so the Warriors are the prohibitive favorite now that she is back from her injury. … I have them on the same side of the bracket as EF, but both defending champion Hampton at No. 4 and Laurel Highlands at No. 5 are teams to watch. Talbots have won 10 of 12 while the Mustangs have won six straight.
Class 3A
First round
No. 1 South Park – Bye
No. 8 McGuffey vs. No. 9 Yough
No. 4 Keystone Oaks – Bye
No. 5 Ellwood City vs. No. 12 Charleroi
No. 2 Mohawk – Bye
No. 7 Avonworth vs. No. 10 Deer Lakes
No. 3 Mt. Pleasant – Bye
No. 6 Burrell vs. No. 11 Hopewell
Don’s take: After falling to Mohawk in each of the last two title games, South Park gets the edge for the top seed in this year’s Class 3A tournament. The Eagles were undefeated until losing to Hempfield on Tuesday and own impressive wins over Thomas Jefferson and Baldwin. … Mohawk has a strong chance at winning a third straight district crown.. … While the spotlight has been on the Warriors and Eagles the last few years, Mt. Pleasant flies in under the radar as a team that can win it all after taking the Section 1-3A crown. In fact, all three section winners cruised to section titles by three games over the second-place teams. … Speaking of runners-up, keep an eye on Keystone Oaks. The Golden Eagles have won nine straight.
Class 2A
First round
No. 1 Laurel vs. No. 16 Shady Side Academy
No. 8 Seton LaSalle vs. No. 9 Frazier
No. 4 Shenango vs. No. 13 Brownsville
No. 5 South Allegheny vs. No. 12 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
No. 2 Chartiers-Houston vs. No. 15 Washington
No. 7 Riverside vs. No. 10 Brentwood
No. 3 Bentworth vs. No. 14 Burgettstown
No. 6 Neshannock vs. No. 11 Apollo-Ridge
Don’s take: Now that there is no big red machine to run roughshod over the rest of the 2A district and state teams, this postseason field might have been the second toughest behind Class 5A to bracket. … While Chartiers-Houston and Bentworth flirted with undefeated seasons and won their sections easily, Laurel gets the nod as the top seed. The Spartans won the toughest and deepest section in Class 2A outright, plus they have impressive nonsection wins over 4A Blackhawk and 3A Mohawk. … The Buccaneers and Bearcats are No. 2 and 3 and could eventually do battle in a semifinals showdown. … I show a lot of love for Section 1 with seeds 1, 5, 6 and 7 or one for each quadrant. … The bottom line in this classification is this: Once the first round is in the books, buckle up!
Class A
First round
No. 1 Union – Bye
No. 8 Jeannette vs. No. 9 Bishop Canevin
No. 4 Jefferson-Morgan vs. No. 13 Monessen
No. 5 Serra Catholic vs. No. 12 Beth-Center
No. 2 Carmichaels – Bye
No. 7 Sewickley Academy vs. No. 10 Monessen
No. 3 West Greene – Bye
No. 6 South Side vs. No. 11 Leechburg
Don’s take: Union defeated Carmichaels in the 2025 Class A title game, and it could come down to the Scotties and Mighty Mikes again this spring. … Section 2-A gets some love with seeds No. 2, 3 and 4. The one sport Greene County has shined in the past decade is softball. … Section 3 winner Serra Catholic is the No. 5 seed and that section’s runner-up Jeannette slips to No. 8 because of a strong second- and third-place team from Section 1-A in South Side and Sewickley Academy.