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Tuesday, December 30, 2025 | 8:01 AM
Mt. Pleasant’s Lily King reacts after setting a brand new WPIAL and Trees Pool file in the ladies 100 freestyle through the 2025 WPIAL Class 2A swimming championships Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, at Pitt’s Trees Pool. (Andrew Palla | For TribLive)
Hempfield’s Morgan Walt holds the WPIAL Class 6A championship trophy after the Spartans beat Seneca Valley, 1-0, on May 29, 2025 at Norwin High School. (Louis B. Ruediger | TribLive)
Derry’s Sophia Mazzoni wins the javelin through the PIAA Class 3A monitor and subject championships May 24, 2025 at Shippensburg University. (Chaz Palla | TribLive)
See that trophy on the shelf? Slide it over a couple of inches. Now, preserve going.
And these banners dangling from the rafters? Those are going to want up to date.
Westmoreland County wants much more room for awards and numbers on the wall after a 12 months of championships.
The 2025 native sports activities 12 months noticed groups and people deliver dwelling WPIAL and PIAA titles in wrestling, basketball, softball, monitor and subject, swimming, tennis and cross nation.
10. Brown makes Leopards historical past
Elijah Brown of Belle Vernon turned his faculty’s first PIAA wrestling champion, defeating one other competitor from Westmoreland County to take the 215-pound title in Hershey.
Brown, a junior, edged Kiski Area’s Cooper Roscosky, 4-3, in the Class 3A title match. He scored a takedown with 2 seconds remaining for the win to end the season 48-1.
Brown initially dedicated to Pitt however later flipped to Penn State.
9. Panthers again on prime
Franklin Regional returned to the highest of the WPIAL staff wrestling medal stand by profitable its first district title since 2015. The Panthers, led by coach Matt Lebe, rallied to defeat top-seeded Connellsville, 32-25, in the Class 3A ultimate
Franklin Regional received seven matches, however key wins got here from Beau Fennick (107) and Titus Colangelo (114).
“These guys believe they can win,” Lebe stated. “We’re a very good team from one to 13. We’re good as anyone.”
8. Hempfield softball reigns supreme
Title 9 was a enjoyable journey for the Hempfield softball staff. The Spartans held off rival Seneca Valley and star pitcher Lexie Hames, 1-0, to take the WPIAL Class 6A championship, their ninth title total and seventh in the final 10 years.
“It’s surreal,” Hempfield heart fielder Claire Mitchell stated. “I never felt so emotional.”
Kent State recruit Riley Miller pitched a complete-game shutout and let her protection clear up the contact in the victory.
Allie Cervola, an Ohio commit, had the one RBI.
7. Norwin sweeps WPIAL monitor and subject
It was fairly a run for Norwin. The Knights’ monitor and subject groups pulled a championship sweep on the WPIAL finals, with the boys profitable their first title since 1977, and the ladies taking their first title since 2008.
The ladies went on to win the PIAA title, their first.
Momentum spilled into cross nation season when the Norwin ladies received WPIAL and PIAA titles — in blowout trend.
“The girls were confident, and they took care of business,” Norwin coach Brian Fleckenstein stated.
The Knights’ Ben McBride received the WPIAL Class 3A particular person cross nation championship.
Fleckenstein, who has piloted the Knights’ success in cross nation, was named the state coach of the 12 months for the game.
6. GCC ladies defend crown
With standout level guard Erica Gribble main the best way, the Greensburg Central Catholic ladies basketball staff rallied previous rival Shady Side Academy to win their second straight WPIAL championship.
Gribble had 24 of her game-high 31 factors in the second half because the Centurions received 56-51 at Petersen Events Center.
Another key guard, Jayla Peterson, had 15 factors — eight in the ultimate quarter — as GCC received a 3A title after profitable 2A the earlier season. It was this system’s seventh title total.
“Erica and Jayla were on another level in the last eight minutes,” GCC coach Chris Skatell stated. “They took over.”
Gribble carried momentum into this season when she broke the ladies and boys profession scoring marks at GCC.
5. Warriors declare state gold
Penn-Trafford made a highlight-filled run to its second PIAA softball championship in six years because the Warriors downed Greencastle-Antrim, 2-0, in the Class 5A ultimate at Penn State.
Back-to-back doubles by Liz Welsh and Ella Mains produced the offense, whereas ace pitcher Allyson Paulone tossed a three-hit shutout.
Penn-Trafford completed 24-3. Paulone went 20-3.
“We’ve had so many heroes come through for us,” coach Denny Little stated. “It’s been a different girl all year.”
4. Mazzoni’s javelin 3-peat
A repeat is spectacular. But a three-peat turns heads.
Derry’s Sophia Mazzoni continued her run as one of the WPIAL’s elite javelin throwers, profitable her third straight title, this time in Class 3A after two titles in 2A, with a throw of 156 ft at Slippery Rock.
“It feels great to win again,” Mazzoni stated. “I am glad that I could keep that consistency here.”
Mazzoni, an Auburn commit, added her second PIAA title with a throw of 158-2 on the state finals in Shippensburg. It was Derry’s first state title by a feminine athlete.
3. Jayhawks roll to 2nd hoops championship
Jeannette returned to the highest of the WPIAL boys basketball mountain, profitable its first title since 2008.
The Jayhawks had been dominant in the Class 2A ultimate, ripping previous Union, 63-39, at Petersen Events Center for his or her second title.
Said then-sophomore guard Jayce Powell: “No moment is ever too big for us.”
The title was the primary for longtime Jayhawks’ chief Adrian Batts as a head coach.
2. Salvino goes out a winner
Joe Salvino, the longtime boys basketball coach at Monessen, went out a winner in his seventh and ultimate season at Belle Vernon. The veteran coach guided the Leopards to a WPIAL Class 4A title, their first championship in boys basketball since 1978.
Salvino has 745 wins in 41 seasons, the second most wins in WPIAL boys hoops historical past.
Belle Vernon rallied previous North Catholic, 54-49, in the title sport at Petersen Events Center.
“When you are a coach and this is your final hurrah and you win a WPIAL championship,” Salvino stated, “it doesn’t get any better than this, I don’t think.”
With Jeannette additionally profitable a title, this was the primary 12 months in Westmoreland historical past the place two native boys basketball groups received championships in the identical season.
1. King makes WPIAL historical past
“Sweet 16.” Lily King remained the queen of WPIAL swimming, attaining a WPIAL and PIAA sweep for her prep profession, that means the Mt. Pleasant senior received the utmost 16 titles — eight WPIAL and eight state.
No WPIAL swimmer had achieved the feat earlier than.
King received the 100-yard freestyle in a PIAA-record 47.31 seconds on the state meet at Bucknell’s Kinney Natatorium to attain WPIAL greatness and cap a legendary profession.
Mt. Pleasant additionally received its third straight PIAA staff title.
King, a N.C. State commit, turned simply the second WPIAL swimmer (Gateway alum Michelle Chow was the primary) to win eight state titles.
King additionally set a state file in the 50 free as a freshman and received 4 titles in that occasion. She additionally took 4 200 free titles.
King set WPIAL marks in the 100 free, 50 free and 200 free.
Over the summer season, King was half of a world record-breaking relay staff. The 400 relay of King, Rylee Erisman, Liberty Clark and Julie Michler posted a time of 3 minutes, 35.53 seconds on the World Juniors in Otopeni, Romania.
Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter overlaying native sports activities in Westmoreland County. He will be reached at [email protected].
Tags: Belle Vernon, Franklin Regional