They say history repeats itself — and that old adage sounds like music to Neshannock’s ears right about now.
For the second year in a row, the unbeaten Lancers will make the trip to Penn State University to compete for the sport’s ultimate prize while entering the PIAA Class 2A championship with a pristine record of 25-0. And for the second year in a row, District 4 champion South Williamsport (18-5) awaits them on the other side, the last obstacle standing in between Neshannock and its pursuit of perfection.
One way or another, history will be made bright and early at 11 a.m. Thursday, so don’t forget to set your alarm.
The Class 2A championship will kick-start a six-game slate of PIAA softball title games at Penn State’s Beard Field, with three games each scheduled for Thursday and Friday. The Lancers are the only local team in action on Thursday, while Union and Penn-Trafford will compete in the Class 1A and Class 5A finals, respectively, the following day.
This time last year, Neshannock knocked off South Williamsport with a 12-2 mercy-rule victory to capture its second state title in three seasons — and although it is a new year, both teams appear to have the vast majority of key players back from last spring. Only time will tell if the outcome is any different this time around, but the Lancers certainly won’t be short on confidence going up against a familiar foe.
“I think it just makes it an easier, calmer feel when you know you have everything in line,” said Neshannock coach Jackie Lash. “We’ll just be ready to make this a very smooth trip for the girls. Give them a good practice, let them have some fun, but they know on Thursday morning, it’s all about taking care of business.”
Anybody who has been following WPIAL softball in recent years should already be well aware of the Lancers’ lofty status as arguably the greatest dynasty the sport has ever seen. Still, it’s worth taking a moment to highlight all of the historical implications at play for Neshannock on Thursday.
Winners of four consecutive WPIAL titles, a win against South Williamsport would bring the Lancers their second consecutive state title, third in the past four years and fourth overall in school history — but it would also represent so much more. For the team’s decorated senior class, led by ace pitcher Addy Frye and sweet-swinging catcher Gabby Quinn, a win on Thursday would cap off their sensational careers with an overall record of 100-1.
Neshannock is already the only school to capture WPIAL and PIAA titles with an undefeated record more than once, doing so in 2022 and 2024 while finishing 22-1 in 2023. One more win would clinch the Lancers’ third perfect season in the past four years, a feat only five other teams have achieved since the PIAA championships began in 1975 — Leechburg (1992), Carmichaels (1998), Canevin (1999), Hempfield (2017) and Beaver (2021).
“It’s just been great to spend so many years with them,” Lash said about Frye and Quinn. “Both of them I have known since they were younger girls. But to watch them on the ballfield starting in ninth grade, wearing that Neshannock uniform and seeing them get better and better every single game and every single year — they’re the same great kids.”
Heralded outfielders Miley Anderson and Jaidon Nogay set the tone on offense for Neshannock with their uncanny knack for putting the bat on the ball, and the pair of Kent State recruits then wreak havoc on the basepaths with their blinding speed. Frye, a Providence recruit, bats in the No. 3 hole, followed by Quinn, another Kent State recruit, batting cleanup. Both Frye and Quinn have blasted 29 career home runs, and each of the power-hitting seniors are well over 100 hits and RBIs for their careers.
For the season, Nogay leads the team with a .585 batting average to go with 6 doubles, 2 triples, 34 RBIs and 32 runs scored. Batting out of the leadoff spot, Anderson is slashing .532/.604/1.000 with 14 doubles, 11 triples, 37 RBIs and 44 runs scored, while Quinn is slashing .423/.500/1.042 with a team-leading 11 home runs. A former third baseman who has shifted seamlessly to the backstop as a senior, “Big Game Gabby” also has 7 doubles, 2 triples, 36 RBIs and 24 runs scored.
As for Frye, “The Great 8” is a proven playoff performer looking to put the final stamp on one of the greatest careers of any WPIAL player in recent memory. Frye is slashing .545/.640/1.152 while mashing 16 doubles and 8 home runs with a team-high 43 RBIs, and she has drawn 19 walks while only striking out twice all season. As a pitcher, she is 23-0 with an 0.75 ERA, 0.66 WHIP and 218 strikeouts to just 15 walks in 121 innings of work.
But while Neshannock’s “Fantastic Four” generate most of the headlines for their prolific production at the top of the lineup, the bottom half of the Lancers’ order has also carried its fair share of the load during the team’s playoff run. Juniors Gianna DeSalvo and Payton Newman have provided some extra pop in recent games to help bolster an already fearsome unit — and if that trend continues on Thursday, South Williamsport will need a miraculous effort to pull off the upset.
“[Monday’s semifinal win] was a great example — every single girl in the starting lineup and in the dugout came to play,” Lash said about Neshannock’s 12-1 win against Chartiers-Houston in a WPIAL championship rematch. “It’s really exciting, especially when you see so much community support.”
Despite the one-sided nature of last year’s state championship showdown against South Williamsport, though, Lash expects a much more competitive battle between the teams this time around. And above all else, she expects her players to keep the same laser-focused mindset that has gotten them to this point, regardless of how the game plays out.
“We weren’t really surprised to see that they won [Monday],” Lash said. “It’s not that we even knew anything about their opponent, but we weren’t surprised about the fact that they won, because we know they’re a solid team. We know they’re going to be scrappy in any game they play. … I definitely think it’s going to be a great competition.”
Class 5A
For the second time in six years, Penn-Trafford finds itself playing for a PIAA championship despite falling short of capturing its first WPIAL title — and the Warriors are hoping to bring home a second state title from Penn State for their trophy case when they take on District 3 third-place finisher Greencastle-Antrim (22-3) at 4 p.m. Friday.
Fresh off an impressive 8-2 win against West Allegheny in Monday’s PIAA semifinals, Penn-Trafford is playing like a team with nothing to lose while riding a wave of momentum into Friday’s championship clash.
Following a devastating 2-1, 11-inning loss against Shaler in the WPIAL title game, the Warriors have relied on their deep, balanced lineup along with the rapid ascension of sophomore starting pitcher Allyson Paulone to navigate their way through the PIAA tournament. In order to get back to the big game, though, Penn-Trafford had to pull off some late-game magic en route to victory in its first two PIAA playoff games.
First, the Warriors eked out a 3-2 first-round win over District 6 champion Central Mountain before rallying to defeat District 3 champion Red Land in the quarterfinals, 6-5. Meanwhile, Greencastle-Antrim has steamrolled the competition on its way to the state finals, outscoring its first three opponents in the PIAA tournament by a combined score of 25-1 — including a 13-0 beatdown against District 1 runner-up West Chester East in the state semifinals.
For Penn-Trafford, senior third baseman Cam Ponko is the team’s unquestioned centerpiece, and senior shortstop Kylie Anthony is also enjoying a phenomenal postseason run. As for Greencastle-Antrim, senior shortstop Meadow Gambacurta (.464, 7 doubles, 4 home runs, 34 RBIs) and senior third baseman Caroline Logsdon (.471, 10 extra-base hits, 21 RBIs) are the top two offensive threats, while sophomore Kiersten Swain has emerged as the team’s unquestioned No. 1 pitcher during its dominant postseason run.
Class 1A
After clinching its second state championship appearance in the past three seasons with a convincing 8-0 win against District 10 champion Cambridge Springs on Monday, WPIAL champion Union had to wait an extra day to find out its dance partner for Friday’s PIAA Class 1A championship game at 11 a.m.
The Scotties (22-2) got their answer on Tuesday evening, and it came as a bit of a surprise to most, as previously unbeaten District 6 champion Claysburg Kimmel took its first loss via a 1-0 defeat in eight innings against District 4 champion Northeast Bradford (15-7). That means Union will meet Northeast Bradford for all the marbles on Friday morning, with both teams seeking their first state title.
In their previous state finals appearance in 2023, Union lost a 6-3 verdict in the PIAA Class 1A title game against Tri Valley. Senior Mia Preuhs was also the starting pitcher for the Scotties two years ago — and although she has excelled throughout her four-year career, there is no question Preuhs has elevated her game to new heights during her final playoff run.
Through six postseason games this spring — three in the WPIAL tournament and three in the PIAA tournament — Preuhs has pitched six consecutive shutouts, including a no-hitter with 16 strikeouts in a 3-0 win against Carmichaels to bring Union its third WPIAL title in four years. The Scotties have outscored their playoff foes by a combined score of 56-0, flexing their muscles offensively while Preuhs shuts down every lineup she faces.
Union’s high-powered offense has produced a whopping 47 home runs this season, led by sophomore slugger Irelyn Fisher with 13. Fisher also leads the team with 41 RBIs, followed by Preuhs with 38, and Preuhs and junior Olivia Benedict each have nine homers apiece. As a pitcher, Preuhs is 16-2 with an 0.73 ERA and 221 strikeouts to 34 walks in 106 innings.
On the other side, Northeast Bradford has just four home runs as a team, with no players having tallied 20 RBIs or more. The team relies on a tandem of trustworthy pitchers in seniors Makenna Callear (8-2, 2.51 ERA) and Kelsea Moore (6-4, 3.39 ERA), but they will certainly have their hands full going up against an ace of Preuhs’ caliber on Friday.
Steve is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at srotstein@unionprogress.com.
