Winner plays: Winner of 16-Franklin Regional (11-11)/1-Montour (21-1) Friday (time, site TBD) in quarterfinals
Players to watch: Max Butler, Latrobe; Colin Keller, Kiski Area
Layup lines: Latrobe is back in the playoffs after three years away. The Wildcats are one of the highest-scoring teams in the tournament at 65.9 points per game. Butler is a 1,000-point scorer, the fourth Butler brother to reach the milestone. John Wetzel is the floor general, while Ian DeCerb and Kyle McNeil are finishers. The Wildcats dropped three of their last six games but scored an 86-78 win at Albert Gallatin last Friday. Two tight losses preceded the win: 54-52 against Penn-Trafford and 73-71 to Franklin Regional in overtime. Latrobe has not won a playoff game since 2017-18. ... Kiski Area won its first section championship since 2013. The Cavaliers won at Penn Hills, 68-61, to clinch the title. Amaree Gonzalez and Keller scored 22 each, and Jake Musselman added 13. Kiski Area is riding a 12-game winning streak and has not lost in 2025.
Winner plays: Winner of 9-Latrobe (18-4)/8-Kiski Area (15-6) Friday (time, site TBD) in quarterfinals
Players to watch: Jonah Johnston, Franklin Regional; Ama Tening Sow, Montour
Layup lines: After a slow start, Franklin Regional breezed to a 71-50 win over Indiana in the preliminary round as Connor Crossey scored 24 points, Johnston added 14 and Anthony Mitchell had 11. The Panthers were the WPIAL and PIAA runners-up last season, but only Crossey and Drew Devola saw significant minutes. Franklin Regional has scored 70 or more points in its last three wins. ... Title-favorite Montour is on a 15-game winning streak with its only loss coming Dec. 17 against Countryside (Fla.), 65-47, at the Tampa Bay Invitational. Sow is a force at 6-foot-11 and is committed to play at Division I Tennessee at Martin. He averages 22 points a game, and guard Colton Straight averages 17.
Winner plays: Winner of 10-Mars (12-10)/7-South Fayette (15-7) Friday (time, site TBD) in quarterfinals
Players to watch: Brayden Stone, Penn-Trafford; Nate Wesling, Baldwin
Layup lines: Penn-Trafford finished fourth in Section 1 behind Uniontown, Latrobe and Gateway. The Warriors were the second-highest scoring team in the section at 63.5 points per game. They have won five of their past six, with the loss coming to Gateway in overtime. The Warriors scored 85 points against third-seeded Uniontown but gave up 100. Penn-Trafford's most recent playoff win came in 2021. ... Baldwin has a 12-game winning streak with its lone loss coming against South Fayette, 37-32. South Fayette could await the winner. Baldwin celebrated its first section title since 1986. The Highlanders average 64.4 points, with Wesling scoring 19 a game. They are 10-0 at home this season.
Winner plays: Winner of 13-Seton LaSalle (10-12)/4-Bishop Canevin (13-9) Friday (time, site TBD) in quarterfinals
Players to watch: Parker Hollick, Ligonier Valley; Erond Jakupi, Keystone Oaks
Layup lines: Ligonier Valley is back in the playoffs after two years away. The Rams won a preliminary-round game in 2021 when the WPIAL had an open playoff tournament. Hollick (18 ppg) is a career 1,000-point scorer. The fast-paced Rams average 61 points and have won six of their last seven games. ... Keystone Oaks finished second in Section 2 to Bishop Canevin. The Golden Eagles average 60.5 points and allow 52 a game. Jakupi (18 ppg) is a 6-2 point guard with range. His team has won five of six.
Winner plays: Winner of 14-Waynesburg (9-13)/3-Mohawk (17-5) Friday (time, site TBD) in quarterfinals
Players to watch: Mikey Jenkins, Carlynton; Noah Felentzer, Southmoreland
Layup lines: Carlynton finished fourth in Section 2. The Cougars did not win more than two games in a row all season and are 4-7 on the road. Carlynton made the Class A playoffs last year but moved up two classifications. ... Southmoreland won its first section title since 1992 and now will attempt to collect its first playoff win since 2017. The Scotties were given the No. 6 seed despite the section title. Felentzer is a career 1,000-point scorer but gets help from Brady Sherbondy, Elliot Premus and others in a tall lineup. Three of the team's five losses have come at home.
Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at [email protected].