CLASS 6A
Leading scorers: Devin Carney, Butler (31.8); Cole Brooks, Seneca Valley (23.9); Eli Yofan, Fox Chapel (23.3); Connor Lyczek, Seneca Valley (17.8); Jake Reinke, Mt. Lebanon (17.7).
Top seeds: Upper St. Clair first, Fox Chapel second, Hempfield third, Penn-Trafford fourth.
Winner will be: Upper St. Clair. Although far from a prohibitive favorite, the Panthers have been the Post-Gazette’s No. 1-ranked team since the preseason. Senior guard Luke Gensler is one of the top players in Class 6A, but two keys to the Panthers are senior guards David Pantelis and Ethan Dahlem, football standouts who bring a certain toughness to this team. A key will be how well USC shoots the 3-pointer and if their trapping defenses have a big impact.
The scoop: Upper St. Clair coach Danny Holzer said he believes 10-11 teams in this field have a legitimate chance at getting to the finals. That’s not coachspeak, but those same 10-11 teams could also lose in the first round. … No. 2 seed Fox Chapel handed Upper St. Clair its only loss and Yofan could lead the Foxes far. … A team that many fear is defending champ Butler, which has put things together and won five in a row. Devin Carney is on a torrid pace, averaging 35.3 points over the past six games. He, along with fellow guard Mattix Clement, make for a potent guard combo and could carry Butler far. … Penn-Trafford owns wins against North Allegheny, Fox Chapel, Central Catholic (twice) and Chartiers Valley, but the Warriors are a third-place team and surprisingly got seeded ahead of all teams from Section 1 (northern suburbs)
CLASS 5A
Leading scorers: Brayden Reynolds, Chartiers Valley (25.5), Mike Dunn, Trinity (22.9), Brison Kisan, McKeesport (21.4); Rodney Gallagher, Laurel Highlands (20.1); Kayden Hanna, Franklin Regional (18.5); Connor Moss, Plum (18.5); Dylan Schlegel, Shaler (18.3).
Top seeds: Chartiers Valley first, New Castle second, Laurel Highlands third, Highlands fourth.
Winner will be: New Castle. Does Ralph Blundo become only the fourth coach in WPIAL history to win seven titles? It’s hard to pick between Chartiers Valley and New Castle because they each have only two losses and they each won on the other’s home court. New Castle’s 3-point shooting will be a key, but so will whether Blundo sees defensive improvement in his team.
The scoop: A hot guard can take a team far in the postseason, and Chartiers Valley has Reynolds, who can get scorching hot. He scored 42 at New Castle. … Laurel Highlands has Gallagher, who led the Mustangs to the WPIAL championship last year as a freshman. You can count on around 20 every game from him, but the play of two other sophomores (Brandon Davis and Deondre DeShields) could determine the Mustangs’ fate. … Highlands is the defending Class 4A champ, but moved up to 5A this year. … Mars has been to the title game three consecutive years and shouldn’t be overlooked for a fourth consecutive trip.
CLASS 4A
Leading scorers: Ryan Lang, Knoch (25.2); Damon Astorino, Ambridge (22.6); Adou Thiero, Quaker Valley (22.5); Devin Whitlock, Belle Vernon (21.8); Brandon Coury Burrell (19.4).
Top seeds: Belle Vernon first, Lincoln Park second, Montour third, Quaker Valley fourth.
Winner will be: Lincoln Park. The Leopards have talent and their size gives them an advantage over many teams. A tough schedule should also help come playoff time.
The scoop: No. 1 seed Belle Vernon lost in the championship game last year to Highlands and might be even better this year. Whitlock, a junior point guard, is a big problem for opponents with his speed, scoring and playmaking abilities. … North Catholic won Class 3A last year and moved up to 4A this season. Andrew Ammerman is one of the best inside players in Class 4A. Guard play will be key. … Don’t be surprised if two teams from Section 2 play in the final. That would be most likely Lincoln Park, Montour or Quaker Valley.
CLASS 3A
Leading scorers: JoJo Reynolds, New Brighton (21.7); Sam Haswell, Laurel (20.6); Andrew Gannon, Avonworth (20.1); Klay Fitzroy, Apollo-Ridge (20.0).
Top seeds: South Allegheny first, Neshannock second, Shady Side Academy third, Aliquippa fourth.
Winner will be: South Allegheny. Last year was the best season in South Allegheny history when the Gladiators made it to the semifinals for the first time. This year should end up with the championship trophy.
The scoop: If tough defense means anything, then Neshannock has a shot at the title. The Lancers allow only 37.5 points a game, by far the best in the WPIAL. … Shady Side is an intriguing team. The Bulldogs’ only loss was to South Allegheny, but Shady Side also beat South Allegheny. … Aliquippa is a team to watch, if all of the Quips’ players return for the playoffs. They were missing three starters recently for various reasons. … Avonworth and Washington are sleeper teams and Ellwood City also is dangerous.
CLASS 2A
Leading scorers: Jackson Juzang, Winchester Thurston (31.1); Jake DiMichele, OLSH (30.5); Breyan Williams, Greensburg C.C. (22.2); Tahj Jacobs, Jefferson-Morgan (20.7); Mat Belt, Sewickley Academy (20.4).
Top seeds: Our Lady of the Sacred Heart first, Greensburg Central Catholic second, Sto-Rox third, Springdale fourth.
Winner will be: OLSH. The Chargers are a heavy favorite to become only the 10th team in WPIAL history to win three consecutive championships. DiMichele, a junior and senior guard Dante Spadafora (18.9 ppg) are one of the best one-two scoring punches in WPIAL history.
The scoop: It will be shocking if OLSH doesn’t win the championship, but who will OLSH play in the finals? Maybe pick four or five names out of a hat. … Don’t underestimate Greensburg C.C., which averages 70 points a game. … How good is Frazier? The Commodores were 4-18 in Class 4A last year before dropping down in class. But they turned things around and won a section title for the first time since 1990. Still, they were seeded sixth.
CLASS 1A
Leading scorers: Vinnie Cugini, Aquinas Academy (39.4), Matthew Stanley, Union (24.1); Andrew Sullivan, St. Joseph (22.3); Dylan Cook, Leechburg (20.9).
Top seeds: Bishop Canevin first, Rochester second, Eden Christian third, Imani Christian fourth.
Winner will be: Bishop Canevin. The Crusaders are a heavy favorite to win their first WPIAL title. They play in a weak section, but played a number of good teams in higher classifications to get them ready for the playoffs.
The scoop: Rochester has made one of the biggest turnarounds in WPIAL history. The Rams were 0-21 a year ago. They may not be good enough to beat Bishop Canevin, but are good enough to get to the final. … Eden Christian and Imani Christian played in the same section and are good enough to get to the finals. … Union’s Stanley is a talented sophomore guard who averages in the mid-20s and two of his brothers (Mark and Anthony) also are starters on the team, which is coached by the Stanley’s father, Mark. … Aquinas Academy’s Cugini averages close to 40 points a game, but Aquinas doesn’t have a win against a WPIAL team with a winning record.
— Mike White
First Published: February 24, 2021, 1:32 a.m.
