WPIAL Girls Soccer Playoff Preview and Keys to Road to F.N.B.: Class 3A

This bracket is an absolute gauntlet. Topping the field is Section 4 champion Penn-Trafford (#1 seed), but the storylines run deep across the board. Shaler earned the No. 2 seed under first-year head coach Carlo Prati—who captured past WPIAL crowns at Fox Chapel before returning to his alma mater to revitalize the Titans.

Meanwhile, defending PIAA Class 3A state champion and WPIAL runner-up South Fayette finds itself lurking down as an ultra-dangerous No. 5 seed, featuring Penn State commit and U.S. Youth National Team training camp selection Abby Spala. With elite programs like Montour (#3 seed, featuring 36-goal scorer Irelynn Hobbs) and Mars (#4 seed) populating the top tier, alongside brutal section battles highlighted in our PSN coaches surveys, tonight’s opening round is set up for pure postseason chaos.

🔑 Five Keys to the Road to F.N.B. Stadium

1. Penn-Trafford’s Section 4 Supremacy & No. 1 Seed

Top-seeded Penn-Trafford (12-2-3) claimed the Section 4 crown with a stellar 10-0-2 record, snapping Plum’s long-standing section title run. As Greensburg Salem coach Gary Wilson noted in our PSN coaches survey, Section 4 was an absolute bloodbath where every match felt like a playoff game and the top five teams boasted elite striker talent. P-T enters as the team to beat and hosts No. 16 Albert Gallatin tonight at 8:00 PM.

2. Shaler’s Historic Turnaround Under Carlo Prati

No. 2 seed Shaler (12-2-0) captured its first section title since 1987 while stringing together an 11-game win streak. Former Fox Chapel championship coach Carlo Prati returned to his alma mater to build a new culture, noting on our Kids on the Pitch podcast how challenging Class 3A is: “In 3A it’s just a battle every single night no matter who you’re playing… teams that finished third or fourth in their section are going to give teams a lot of trouble.”

Powered by Naudia Zotter (10G, 6A) and Delilah Arrigo (6A), the Titans host No. 15 Thomas Jefferson tonight at 7:00 PM.

3. South Fayette Lurking as a No. 5 Seed & The PIAA Champions

Despite winning the PIAA state championship and reaching the WPIAL finals last season, South Fayette (9-3-5) enters the district bracket as the No. 5 seed after finishing runner-up to Montour in Section 2. Headlined by elite talent Abby Spala—who recently trained with the U.S. Youth National Team—the Lions possess unmatched big-game pedigree. They open tonight by hosting No. 12 Franklin Regional in one of the most explosive matches of the round at 7:00 PM.

4. Montour & Irelynn Hobbs’ High-Voltage Attack

No. 3 seed Montour (11-2-4) captured the Section 2 title behind Irelynn Hobbs, whose 36 goals make her one of the most lethal individual game-changers in the WPIAL. Coach Alex Hobbs’ squad posted five shutouts and features signature wins over Moon and South Fayette, opening play tonight against No. 14 Knoch at 7:00 PM.

5. Mars, Plum & The Deep Contender Gauntlet

No. 4 seed Mars (13-1-1) is seeking its ninth WPIAL title, having outscored opponents 54-5 behind a technical core of Katie Blake, Miley Gratton, and Jade Breese. Meanwhile, lower seeds and dark horses like Plum (#6 seed), Elizabeth Forward (#7 seed), and Moon (#9 seed—seeking to repeat its historical 10-year title cycle of 2006 and 2016) prove that no one is safe in this hyper-competitive bracket.

📋 Mini Team Capsules & Round of 16 Matchups

• No. 1 Penn-Trafford Warriors (12-2-3) — Section 4 champions holding the top overall seed. (Hosts #16 Albert Gallatin, Mon. 8:00 PM)

• No. 2 Shaler Titans (12-2-0) — Led by coach Carlo Prati (Naudia Zotter, Delilah Arrigo); first section title since 1987. (Hosts #15 Thomas Jefferson, Mon. 7:00 PM)

• No. 3 Montour Spartans (11-2-4) — Section 2 champs powered by 36-goal scorer Irelynn Hobbs. (Hosts #14 Knoch, Mon. 7:00 PM)

• No. 4 Mars Planets (13-1-1) — Outscored opponents 54-5 (Katie Blake, Jade Breese); seeks 9th WPIAL title. (Hosts #13 West Allegheny, Mon. 6:00 PM)

• No. 5 South Fayette Lions (9-3-5) — Defending PIAA champions led by U.S. Youth National Team standout Abby Spala. (Hosts #12 Franklin Regional, Mon. 7:00 PM)

• No. 6 Plum Mustangs (9-4-2) — Dangerous Section 4 runner-up fronted by All-WPIAL attacker Emily Grubich. (Hosts #11 Belle Vernon, Mon. 7:00 PM)

• No. 7 Elizabeth Forward Warriors (11-4-0) — Strong home venue hosting Latrobe. (Hosts #10 Greater Latrobe, Mon. 6:00 PM)

• No. 8 Hampton Talbots (10-6-1) — Young, well-coached side hosting Moon in an 8/9 clash. (Hosts #9 Moon, Mon. 7:00 PM)

• No. 9 Moon Tigers (8-8-1) — Historical title-cycle program (2006, 2016 champions) visiting Hampton. (Travels to #8 Hampton, Mon. 7:00 PM)

• No. 10 Greater Latrobe Wildcats (7-4-4) — Tough road team visiting Elizabeth Forward. (Travels to #7 Elizabeth Forward, Mon. 6:00 PM)

• No. 11 Belle Vernon Leopards (10-2-4) — Travels to Plum for an intriguing opening test. (Travels to #6 Plum, Mon. 7:00 PM)

• No. 12 Franklin Regional Panthers (7-6-2) — Seeks a major road upset against South Fayette. (Travels to #5 South Fayette, Mon. 7:00 PM)

• No. 13 West Allegheny Indians (6-4-5) — Underdog traveling to Mars. (Travels to #4 Mars, Mon. 6:00 PM)

• No. 14 Knoch Knights (5-7-4) — Visits high-powered Montour. (Travels to #3 Montour, Mon. 7:00 PM)

• No. 15 Thomas Jefferson Jaguars (6-8-3) — Draws Shaler in Shaler’s rare home playoff opener. (Travels to #2 Shaler, Mon. 7:00 PM)

• No. 16 Albert Gallatin Colonials (9-8-0) — Draws top-seeded Penn-Trafford on the road. (Travels to #1 Penn-Trafford, Mon. 8:00 PM)

🗺️ Official Tournament Bracket & Schedule Roadmap

First Round (Monday, October 26 — Chronological Order):

• • #13 West Allegheny at #4 Mars — 6:00 PM @ Mars Athletic Complex

  • #10 Greater Latrobe at #7 Elizabeth Forward — 6:00 PM @ Elizabeth Forward HS

  • #15 Thomas Jefferson at #2 Shaler — 7:00 PM @ Shaler HS

  • #14 Knoch at #3 Montour — 7:00 PM @ Montour HS

  • #12 Franklin Regional at #5 South Fayette — 7:00 PM @ South Fayette HS

  • #11 Belle Vernon at #6 Plum — 7:00 PM @ Plum HS

  • #9 Moon at #8 Hampton — 7:00 PM @ Hampton HS

  • #16 Albert Gallatin at #1 Penn-Trafford — 8:00 PM @ Penn-Trafford HS

Quarterfinals: Thursday, October 29 (Higher seeds host)

Semifinals: Tuesday, November 3 (Neutral sites)

WPIAL Championship & Consolation: November 5 Window @ F.N.B. Stadium

John Krysinsky

John Krysinsky has covered soccer and other sports for many years for various publications and media outlets. He is also author of 'Miracle on the Mon' -- a book about the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, which chronicles the club, particularly the early years of Highmark Stadium with the narrative leading up to and centered around a remarkable match that helped provide a spark for the franchise. John has covered sports for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, DK Pittsburgh Sports, Pittsburgh Sports Report, has served as color commentator on Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC broadcasts, and worked with OPTA Stats and broadcast teams for US Open Cup and International Champions Cup matches held in the US. Krysinsky also served as the Head Men’s Soccer Coach at his alma mater, Point Park University, where he led the Pioneers to the first-ever winning seasons and playoff berths (1996-98); head coach of North Catholic boys (2007-08), associate head coach of Shady Side Academy boys (2009-2014).