WPIAL girls basketball playoff clinching scenarios as of Feb. 7, 2022

By: Don Rebel
Monday, February 7, 2022 | 11:46 PM

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Less than a week remains in section play in the WPIAL girls basketball regular season.

This winter, the district returns to earning a ticket to ride on the Path to the Pete with no open tournament and the championships returning to the University of Pittsburgh’s Petersen Events Center, March 3-5.

Trib HSSN will once again have exclusive coverage of the WPIAL girls basketball playoffs starting on Monday, Feb. 14 with the Playoff Pairings Show as we unveil the brackets to the masses.

Here is the updated list of teams that have earned a district playoff berth through Monday.

Class 6A (9 of a possible 11 playoff teams have clinched)

North Allegheny Tigers

Norwin Knights

Seneca Valley Raiders

Penn-Trafford Warriors

Butler Golden Tornado

Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils

Upper St. Clair Panthers

Bethel Park Black Hawks

Peters Township Indians

6A playoff scenarios:

• In Section 1, Pine-Richland (3-9) is still alive. Pine-Richland must beat Butler and Shaler AND have Butler (5-6) lose to Seneca Valley to qualify.

• In Section 2, Baldwin (5-6) is still alive. Baldwin must beat Bethel Park AND have Peters Township (6-4) lose to Mt. Lebanon and Canon-McMillan.

Class 5A (14 of a possible 19 playoff teams have clinched)

Chartiers Valley Colts

South Fayette Lions

Moon Tigers

Indiana Little Indians

Mars Fightin’ Planets

Hampton Talbots

Armstrong River Hawks

Trinity Hillers

Albert Gallatin Colonials

Thomas Jefferson Jaguars

Latrobe Wildcats

McKeesport Tigers

Greensburg Salem Golden Lions

Woodland Hills Wolverines

5A playoff scenarios:

• In Section 1, the winner of Oakland Catholic (3-6) at Lincoln Park (2-6) on Thursday qualifies. Oakland Catholic can also clinch with a Lincoln Park loss to Moon on Tuesday.

• In Section 3, Connellsville (4-6) can clinch with a win over Trinity on Wednesday or Laurel Highlands on Thursday. Ringgold (2-7) and Laurel Highlands (1-8) are still alive.

Class 4A (12 of a possible 14 playoff teams have clinched)

Knoch Knights

Highlands Golden Rams

Deer Lakes Lancers

Freeport Yellowjackets

Blackhawk Cougars

Beaver Bobcats

Montour Spartans

Quaker Valley Quakers

Southmoreland Scotties

Elizabeth Forward Warriors

Belle Vernon Leopards

West Mifflin Titans

4A playoff scenarios:

• In Section 1, even if Derry (4-8) ties Freeport(4-5) for fourth place, it loses the head-to-head tiebreaker and can’t qualify for the postseason.

• In Section 2, Central Valley (5-7) needs a win over Beaver on Thursday or New Castle on Saturday or a Hopewell (5-8) loss to Montour to qualify. Hopewell needs a win over Montour and one more Central Valley section loss or two move CV section losses to qualify.

• In Section 3, even if Yough (3-7) ties West Mifflin (5-6) for fourth place, it loses the head-to-head tiebreaker and can’t qualify for the postseason.

Class 3A (10 of a possible 15 playoff teams have clinched)

North Catholic Trojans

Freedom Bulldogs

Laurel Spartans

Mohawk Warriors

South Park Eagles

Waynesburg Raiders

Charleroi Cougars

Brownsville Falcons

Avonworth Antelopes

Keystone Oaks Golden Eagles

3A playoff scenarios:

• In Section 1, Ellwood City (4-7) is still alive, but it would have to beat Riverside and have Mohawk (5-5) lose both games to Laurel (5-4). If Ellwood City finished tied with Laurel for fourth place, Laurel wins the head-to-head tiebreaker and EC would not qualify.

• In Section 3, four teams are alive for at least two playoff spots. Shady Side Academy (5-5) has two section games left, Steel Valley (5-6) has one, Brentwood (4-6) two and South Allegheny(4-7) one. SSA, SV and Brentwood all control their own destiny. Steel Valley is at Brentwood on Tuesday, Shady Side Academy visits East Allegheny on Wednesday and on Thursday, SSA hosts Avonworth, Brentwood hosts Keystone Oaks and South Allegheny is at East Allegheny.

Class 2A (10 of a possible 21 playoff teams have clinched)

Neshannock Lancers

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Chargers

Shenango Wildcats

Serra Catholic Eagles

Seton LaSalle Rebels

California Trojans

Burgettstown Blue Devils

Fort Cherry Rangers

Sto-Rox Vikings

Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions

2A playoff scenarios:

• In Section 1, Sewickley Academy (3-5), Aliquippa (3-7) and South Side (2-7) are in the hunt. SA still has four section games left, Aliquippa two and South Side has three.

• In Section 2, Frazier (3-5) has a one-game lead over Carmichaels (2-6) for fourth place. Both teams have two section games remaining. If they end up tied, both would qualify since they split head-to-head. Frazier hosts Serra Catholic on Tuesday and visits California on Thursday. Carmichaels is home to Seton LaSalle on Tuesday and Beth-Center on Thursday.

• In Section 3, Chartiers-Houston (3-4) has a two-game lead over Carlynton (1-6) for fourth place with three section games remaining, including a head-to-head contest Friday.

• In Section 4, there are still at least three playoff spots up for grabs with Winchester Thurston (4-2), Apollo-Ridge (4-3), Ellis School (3-5) and Springdale (3-5) still in the hunt with four, three, two and two section games left respectively.

Class A (9 of a possible 14 playoff teams have clinched)

Union Scotties

Rochester Rams

Bishop Canevin Crusaders

West Greene Pioneers

Monessen Greyhounds

Avella Eagles

Mapletown Maples

Aquinas Academy Crusaders

Clairton Bears

Class A playoff scenarios:

• In Section 1, the winner of the Eden Christian Academy (1-6) at Cornell (0-6) game Tuesday will qualify for the playoffs. If Cornell wins Tuesday then loses to Bishop Canevin on Thursday, Eden Christian would also qualify.

• In Section 2, Jefferson-Morgan (1-6) can qualify for the playoffs with section wins over West Greene, Geibel Catholic and Mapletown AND a Mapletown (4-4) loss to West Greene.

• In Section 3, St. Joseph (2-3) and Riverview (2-4) would qualify for the playoffs with one more section win or one more section loss by Leechburg (0-5), which must win at least two of three remaining section games and have St. Joe’s lose out.