What to watch for in WPIAL sports on May 1, 2024: Belle Vernon, Latrobe to play for section title

By: Don Rebel
Tuesday, April 30, 2024 | 11:24 PM

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It was the game that would not end.

Belle Vernon scored a run in the top of the seventh inning Monday night to tie its Section 2-4A baseball showdown game with Latrobe, 3-3.

The teams then played four more tense scoreless innings before senior Adam LaCarte scored the go-ahead run as the Leopards edged the Wildcats, 4-3 in 12 innings.

The victory moved Belle Vernon into a tie for the first place with Latrobe with one section game remaining.

The Leopards and Wildcats are deadlocked with 8-1 section records as they head into their section championship game Wednesday evening at Divirgilio Field in Belle Vernon at 7 p.m.

So we meet again

They dominated the WPIAL softball 6A landscape in the spring of 2022 and 2023 and they are doing it again here in 2024.

Nobody has come close to the softball success enjoyed by Seneca Valley and Hempfield.

Seneca Valley is 12-0 in 6A and a perfect 15-0 on the season.

Hempfield is 11-1 in 6A and 13-1 overall with the lone loss coming at the hands of Seneca Valley on April 10.

In that game, Raiders junior Lexie Hames dominated the diamond, throwing a no-hitter and striking out 18 Spartans batters in the 2-0 win.

The teams meet against Wednesday at Hempfield.

A Raiders win means Seneca Valley will take a huge step toward an outright regular season championship in the district’s highest classification.

If the Spartans can even the score, then the teams will split the regular season as they did a year ago, and barring any upsets, will share the regular season crown.

Track semifinals, Take 2

The 2024 WPIAL Boys and Girls Track and Field Team Championships were delayed by a shaky, wet forecast on Tuesday, so now the district team semifinals will be held at various locations Wednesday.

Each semifinal bracket in boys and girls Class 3A and 2A has at least three teams. The winner of each bracket will be one of four teams to participate in the WPIAL finals May 7.

Boys 3A

At Butler – Butler, Central Catholic, Franklin Regional, Moon

At North Allegheny – Blackhawk, Canon-McMillan, Hampton, North Allegheny

At Norwin – Baldwin, Connellsville, Kiski Area, Norwin

At South Fayette – Elizabeth Forward, Mt. Lebanon, New Castle, Penn-Trafford

Girls 3A

At Butler – Butler, Franklin Regional, North Catholic

At North Allegheny – Blackhawk, Canon-McMillan, Hempfield, North Allegheny

At Norwin – Kiski Area, Laurel Highlands, Norwin, Upper St. Clair

At South Fayette – Belle Vernon, Mt. Lebanon, Oakland Catholic, South Fayette

Boys 2A

At California – California, Fort Chery, Greensburg Central Catholic, Winchester Thurston

At Shenango – Deer Lakes, Hopewell, Shenango, South Side, Trinity Chrsitian

At South Park – Derry, East Allegheny, Quaker Valley, South Park

At West Mifflin – Ellwood City, Knoch, Riverview, Waynesburg Central, West Mifflin

Girls 2A

At California – California, Fort Chery, Southmoreland, Winchester Thurston

At Shenango – Freeport, Hopewell, Shady Side Academy, Shenango

At South Park – Derry, Freedom, Quaker Valley, South Park

At West Mifflin – Beaver, Knoch, Mohawk, Waynesburg Central, West Mifflin

3A on the court, Take 2

Mother Nature also affected another postseason bracket as the WPIAL delayed by 24 hours the opening round of the 2024 Class 3A boys team tennis playoffs with the seven matches now set for Wednesday.

The top seed is North Allegheny, which will not be in action as it enjoys a first-round bye into the quarterfinals.

The matches are:

No. 9 Peters Township at No. 8 Franklin Regional

No. 13 Moon at No. 4 Fox Chapel

No. 12 Allderdice at No. 5 Mt. Lebanon

No. 15 North Hills at defending champion No. 2 Gateway

No. 10 Norwin at No. 7 Pine-Richland

No. 14 Butler at No. 3 Upper St. Clair

No. 11 Mars at No. 6 Shady Side Academy

All seven matches begin at 3:30 p.m.

Class 2A quarterfinals matches also were bumped back a day and will be played Thursday while the 3A quarterfinals are TBA.