PSN’s Ultimate F.N.B. Stadium WPIAL Boys and Girls Finals Survival Guide

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The stage is officially set for three days of high school soccer at F.N.B. Stadium in Pittsburgh’s Station Square. Across all eight classifications, we are down to the final two contenders in the battle for district supremacy.

To get you primed for kickoff tonight, we’re throwing out the traditional dry preview format and diving into an immersive, high-energy, fun-filled breakdown of everything you need to know—from parking tips and media rosters to historical dynasties and wild goals!

️ Fan Essentials: Parking & Logistics

Before you head down to Station Square, keep these quick operational notes in mind:

• Parking: On-site parking at F.N.B. Stadium is $15, payable by cash or card. Come early, as lots fill up fast between double-headers!

• The Format: Teams qualified for the WPIAL tournament by finishing in the top four of their respective sections. Now, champions and designated runners-up/placers move on to the PIAA State Championships, with brackets finalized by Sunday.

️ The PSN Squad: Who’s Covering the Action?

Your Pittsburgh Soccer Now media team on site all weekend includes reporters John Krysinsky, Matt Popchock, Rachael Palmer, and Tunde Akinlosotu, alongside our marathon man Ed Thompson, capturing stunning action shots from the touchline.

• Fun Milestone: This marks Ed and John’s ninth consecutive year covering WPIAL championship weekend together for PSN! John also previously covered the finals for other outlets including Pittsburgh Soccer Report during the entire historic Highmark/F.N.B. stadium era.

The Crystal Ball: F.N.B. Stadium Predictions & Superlatives

• Match Most Likely to End Without a Goal (or a 1-0 nail-biter):  Freeport vs. Burrell (Girls 2A). These Alle-Kiski rivals know each other inside and out, and with explosive playmakers like Maggie Conger, Cece Schlegel, and the Buchak sisters on the pitch, you would think that someone is bound to break the dam open.  However, they both defend well and a very very tight match should be anticipated with one big moment, probably deciding it.

• Match Most Likely to Explode on the Scoreboard: Sewickely Academy vs Winchester Thurston (Girls 1A) Though last season’s Class 1A Final was a tight nailbiter between Bentworth and Sewickely Academy, this classification has been known to have some real high scoring contests. When you add in how prolific Sewickely Academy have been scoring and the last time Winchester Thurston were in the final (eight goal fest — 5-3 loss to Springdale), taking the over in this one may be a very safe bet. | Mars vs. Shaler (Girls 3A) Adding this one in here too…  while conventional wisdom might suggest that two teams that have played twice, splitting their series in section matches, with a combined nine goals in those matches (Shaler won 2-1 in September, but Mars returned the favor with an impressive 5-1 win near the end of the season, though Shaler had already clinched Section title). Still, against other opponents, both sides have been stingy. Mars has posted 13 shutouts this season under Blair Gerlach, and Shaler’s defensive grit and PK heroics point directly to a locked-down, white-knuckle tactical chess match.

• Which School Will Bring the Most Fans? Plum vs. Franklin Regional (Boys 3A). It’s a school-night Thursday night battle sure, but it’s a neighboring suburban border war. Expect the student sections to pack every single aluminum bleachers at F.N.B. Stadium, complete with dueling chants, face paint, and packed parking lots before the match.  Belle Vernon vs Quaker Valley (Boys 2A) Something can be said for teams that don’t get to WPIAL Finals that much or if it’s their first time at F.N.B. Stadium — so we should anticipate a very large turnout from the Washington and Fayette County-spanned school district.  At first, it was a curious decision to see that North Allegheny vs Seneca Valley (Boys Class 4A) match would be played on Friday night considering that one or both might have a football playoff game — but believe it or not that’s not the case this Friday.  Seneca Valley’s football season is over and North Allegheny has a bye week.  Therefore — if you are looking to get a good seat for this match — you might want to get there early!

• Which Match Will Completely Overflow the Press Box? When North Allegheny vs Mt. Lebanon (Girls 4A) the 1:15 p.m. match on Saturday is near conclusion, and Mars vs Shaler (Girls 3A) is about to get ramped up, the press box will be overflowing with media representation that spans the South Hills area dedicated reporters to the North Hills / Butler County contingent. The stands will also be a massive cross-section of Pittsburgh-area soccer communities and school districts.

• How Many Matches Go to Extra Time? Taking the over at 2.5 matches. WPIAL finals under the bright lights breed nervous energy, tired legs, and clutch late heroics.

• How Many Go to a PK Shootout? Let’s call it two out of the eight. Someone is breaking hearts from the penalty spot in one night match and another on Saturday afternoon.

• Which Fans Will Be the Loudest? The Bentworth Bearcats contingent traveling up for the Class 1A final. When you’re chasing history, a remarkable four-peat at stake, the whole Western PA Soccer Title Towns of Bentleyville and Ellsworth, in Washington County, will packs the buses.

️ The Highmark / F.N.B. Stadium Era (2013–2025): Most Titles

Since the WPIAL moved its championship finals to Station Square in 2013, a few powerhouse programs have practically made the stadium their second home.

Based on our historical archives from 2013 through 2025, here are the programs with the most title appearances and gold medals in the stadium era:

Boys Program Leaders (2013–2025):

1. Quaker Valley: 3 Titles (2016, 2019, 2021) across Class 2A and Class 1A) 

2. South Park: 3 Titles (2014, 2023, 2024 across Class 2A)

3. Seneca Valley: 3 Titles (2018, 2020, 2021 in Class 4A)

4. Franklin Regional: 2 Titles (2018, 2019 in Class 3A)

5. Moon: 2 Titles (2022, 2024 in Class 3A)

6. Deer Lakes: 3 Titles (2020, 2022, 2025 in Class 2A)

7. Bentworth: 3 Titles (2023, 2024, 2025 in Class 1A)

8. Winchester Thurston: 2 Titles (2021, 2022 in Class 1A)

9. Fox Chapel: 2 Title (2024, 2025 in Class 4A)
10. Canon-McMillan (2015, 2019 in Class 3A then 4A)
11. North Allegheny: 2 Titles (2016, 2017 in Class 4A)

Girls Program Leaders (2013–2025):

1. Mars: 6 Titles (2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021 across Class 3A/2A) 

2. North Allegheny: 5 Titles (2019, 2020, 2022, 2025 in Class 4A)

3. Avonworth: 3 Titles (2021, 2022, 2023 in Class 2A)

4. Freedom Area: 4 Titles (2016, 2018, 2022, 2023 in Class 1A)

5. Greensburg C.C.: 3 Titles (2013, 2014, 2015 in Class 1A)

6. South Fayette: 2 Titles (2023, 2024 in Class 3A)

7. Springdale: 2 Titles (2023 in Class 1A)

✨ Stadium Debuts & Fresh Faces (2026)

While perennial regulars like Quaker Valley, North Allegheny, Mars, and Seneca Valley know the Station Square locker rooms by heart, we have a few fantastic newcomers and long-awaited returnees stepping onto the F.N.B. turf for championship matches this weekend:

• Belle Vernon Boys (Class 2A): Making their first-ever appearance in the modern stadium era! While the Leopards reached a WPIAL final back in 2011 (falling to Hampton), that game took place prior to the move to Station Square, making this their historic debut under the F.N.B. Stadium lights.

• Mt. Lebanon Girls (Class 4A): Though Mt. Lebanon is historic royalty with 9 all-time WPIAL titles, this marks their first appearance in a WPIAL final during the modern Highmark/F.N.B. Stadium era, as their last title came back in 2008 before the stadium era began!

• Shaler Girls (Class 3A): The Titans are completing an incredible, feel-good turnaround under first-year coach Carlo Prati, breaking a 40-year championship match drought to reach the F.N.B. stage for the first time in program history.

The Coaches’ Corner: Who’s Chasing Their First WPIAL Gold

Every legendary program had to start somewhere.

While veteran bench bosses like George Williams (Seneca Valley), Blair Gerlach (Mars), Chuck Kelley (North Allegheny girls) and more recently, Nick Malarbi (Bentworth) have plenty of hardware in their trophy cases, this weekend offers several veteran coaches and rising leaders the chance to etch their names into WPIAL lore for the very first time as head coaches and some are returning with different schools.

For example, Shaler Titans coach Carlo Prati (Shaler Girls), has won Class 4A and Class 3A titles with Fox Chapel, has orchestrated a remarkable turnaround to reach the 3A final with his alma mater.

There are a number of coaches who’ve been to this stage but took home silver previously.  Raf Kolankowski (Plum) and Nick While (Franklin Regional) have led their squads to the Finals previously (Kolankowski in 2024 vs Fox Chapel and White vs Hampton in 2024 and West Allegheny in 2025),– so one of them will take home gold on Thursday.  Frank Nesko (Burrell girls) has been at the helm since 2018, leading the Bucs to both the Distrct and PIAA Finals in recent years, but is still looking for his first WPIAL title.  Same for the Girls 1A finals, where Gary Weber (Sewickely Academy) and Jason Snyder (Winchester Thurston) came up short in the 2024 (WT) and 2025 (SA) finals — so one of them will lead their girls program to a Gold Medal for the first time this weekend.  Lastly, in this group, is Brandon Scott, who has now led OLSH to three consecutive WPIAL Class 1A boys finals, each time losing to Bentworth.

Filling in and keeping a storied traditions going include two coaches making their first appearances on the touchline in charge: Sean Ryan who took over Quaker Valley’s program ahead of the 2024 season after spending six seasons as an assistant at the school, replacing former head coach J.J. Veshio, while Seth Young, Mt. Lebanon’s Head Coach, is an alum (Lebo Class of 2007) and once part of the 2006 WPIAL Championship team and was an All-State, All WPIAL and All Section player.

That leave only one coach who’s entirely new to the stage  Belle Vernon’s Tyler Caterino, a second-year coach and former Monessen standout for a program that has built a lot of success within its section over the years, but hasn’t always been able to get as far in the WPIAL playoffs. Belle Vernon have pulled off one of the great runs in recent WPIAL soccer playoff history, leading a No. 10 seed to wins over No. 2 Deer Lakes and No. 3 North Catholic.

Dynasty Watch & Historical Legacies

• Bentworth Boys (Class 1A) — Chasing Four-Packs:

  • Bentworth is seeking their fourth straight WPIAL title!

  • Has any WPIAL soccer program ever won four straight district titles in any classification? Yes, but it’s rare company: back in the late 1980s, the powerhouse Peters Township boys program reeled off four consecutive titles from 1985 through 1988 in Class 2A during the old two-classification era. You have to go way, way back to the next one, Springdale, in the late 1960s and early 1970s for a four-peat when there was just one soccer classification.  If Bentworth hoists the trophy on Saturday, they tie legendary history!

• The Sleeping Giant Awakened (Most Titles + Longest Drought):

  • Look no further than the Mt. Lebanon Girls. The Blue Devils boast an incredible nine (9) WPIAL championships in their illustrious history! However, they haven’t hoisted the district trophy since 2008. Now, they are back in the WPIAL final for the first time in the modern stadium era, looking to end an 18-year title drought!

⚡ Crazy Ways Goals Are Scored: What’s Most Likely This Weekend?

Forget ordinary run-of-play finishes—what wild highlights are we due for under the F.N.B. Stadium lights?

1. The Olimpico: After North Allegheny’s Emmanuel Yu pulled off the impossible corner-kick curl against Norwin, expect at least one brave winger to try it directly into the side netting this weekend.

2. The 40-Yard Screamer: With players stepping into space on an immaculate professional surface, can a midfielder catch one flush from distance?

3. The Indirect Free-Kick Chaos Inside the Box: Nothing causes more panic in a modern high school match than an indirect whistle inside the 18. Expect 10 players piled on the goal line like a rugby scrum.

4. The Desperation Bicycle Kick: Wilder Jacobson (Fox Chapel) already gave us a masterpiece earlier in the week. We actually had a crazy game back in 2017, when Shady Side Academy not only equalized late, but then had a golden goal game winner on bicycle kick finishes (by same player Wally Navid) to defeat Quaker Valley; will someone in the finals is going to try it with a trophy on the line?

️ The F.N.B. Stadium Championship Master Schedule

Thursday, November 5:

6:00 PM — Class 2A Girls: #2 Freeport vs. #4 Burrell

8:00 PM — Class 3A Boys: Plum vs. Franklin Regional

Friday, November 6:

6:00 PM — Class 1A Girls: #1 Sewickley Academy vs. #2 Winchester Thurston

8:00 PM — Class 4A Boys: #2 Seneca Valley vs. #5 North Allegheny

Saturday, November 7:

11:00 AM — Class 2A Boys: #9 Quaker Valley vs. #10 Belle Vernon

1:15 PM — Class 4A Girls: #1 Mt. Lebanon vs. #3 North Allegheny

3:30 PM — Class 3A Girls: #4 Mars vs. #2 Shaler

5:45 PM — Class 1A Boys: #1 Bentworth vs. #3 OLSH