The last time Knoch didn’t appear in a WPIAL softball playoff tournament, the current group of seniors were 6 years old.
The Knights (16-2) have produced some memorable postseason victories in that run, and they hope to do it again as they start this year’s journey as the No. 2 seed in Class 4A. The back-to-back Section 1 champions will open in the quarterfinals next Thursday against the winner of No. 7 North Catholic (12-4) and No. 10 West Mifflin (12-7).
“The girls are excited,” said Knights coach Chris Gardner, whose team played Mars in a tune-up game Thursday. “They were ready to find out where they would be and who they will be playing. It is that time of the year when you can’t get complacent. You have to buckle down and play your best softball.
“This bracket is so competitive, and it will be a big challenge right from the start.
Knoch went 12-0 in Section 1 and is 39-5 in the section the past four seasons. The Knights hope to snap a three-year streak of quarterfinal losses, including last year’s defeat, as the No. 3 seed, at the hands of No. 6 Beaver.
Nine Alle-Kiski Valley teams found out their playoff fates Thursday afternoon.
The top four teams in Class 5A and Class 2A and the top three in Class 4A, Class 3A, and Class A will advance to the PIAA playoffs. Shaler (Class 5A), Hampton (Class 4A), Mohawk (Class 3A), Neshannock (Class 2A), and Union (Class A) are defending WPIAL champions.
If Plum and Fox Chapel meet for a third time this season, it will be in the Class 5A championship game May 27 or May 28 at Cal (Pa.)’s Lilley Field.
The Mustangs (13-5) and Foxes (14-5), who tied for second in Section 1 and split their season series, are on opposite sides of the bracket.
Plum hopes to snap a seven-game playoff losing streak, which includes some heartbreaking losses in first-round games the past six years. The Mustangs, who are scoring almost 10 runs a game, are the No. 10 seed and will face No. 7 Trinity (17-3) on Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Gateway.
Fox Chapel, winner of six of seven to close the regular season, is the No. 9 seed and will match up against No. 8 Armstrong (11-8) in the first round Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Plum.
Kiski Area, which returns to the playoffs for the first time since 2022, received the No. 12 seed and will face No. 5 Baldwin (15-4) on Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Norwin.
The Cavaliers (13-5) come in off a third-place finish in Section 2 behind No. 2 Penn-Trafford and Armstrong.
Freeport coach Ron DeJidas said his players just wanted a chance in the playoffs to show what they could do, and they will get that chance as the Class 4A No. 11 seed.
The Yellowjackets (8-10) will match up with No. 6 Laurel Highlands (10-4) on Monday at 2 p.m. at Norwin.
Freeport, making a return to the playoffs after missing out last year in its first season back up in Class 4A, survived a roller coaster final few weeks to clinch a tie with Greensburg-Salem for fourth place in Section 1.
Burrell, the runner-up to Mt. Pleasant in Section 1-3A, also is back in the playoffs after a one-year hiatus. Coach Brandon Daughtry said his team’s schedule, with a competitive section slate and nonsection matchups with playoff qualifiers Derry, West Mifflin, Armstrong, Knoch, North Hills and Shaler, has them primed for tournament play.
“I would be pretty shocked to find a team more prepared from who we played in our section and with our nonsection games,” said Daughtry, whose Bucs (10-8) are the No. 6 seed and will face No. 11 Charleroi (5-11) on Thursday at 3 p.m. at Norwin.
“All year, we’ve kind of been in the mindset of whoever is right front of us, we’re going to go at them with our best and not worry about anything else. When the time comes, the girls will be ready to prepare for their first game.”
A win would put Burrell in a rematch with No. 3 Mt. Pleasant in the quarterfinals May 18.
Deer Lakes (7-12) faced a challenging stretch of competition over the final two weeks of the regular season and will hope to make some noise as the No. 10 seed against No. 7 Keystone Oaks (15-4) on Thursday at 5 p.m. at Plum.
Apollo-Ridge (8-6) tied Brentwood for second place in Section 2 behind South Allegheny, and the No. 11 Vikings will take a four-game win streak into their Class 2A first-round game against No. 6 Shenango (13-5) on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Seneca Valley.
Leechburg is in the Class A playoffs for a WPIAL-record 39th consecutive season. The Blue Devils (2-9), the fourth-place team from Section 3, are the No. 12 seed and will face No. 5 Jefferson-Morgan (14-5) in the first round Thursday at 3 p.m. at Gateway.
Leechburg almost pulled off a first-round upset last year as the No. 11 seed but fell short against No. 6 South Side, 9-8 in eight innings.