By: Don Rebel


Wednesday, December 11, 2024 | 10:30 PM

Opening night of the WPIAL girls basketball section schedule arrives with a bang Thursday featuring a battle of unbeatens in Class 5A.

Two teams with a combined record of 10-0 and whose average margin of victory combined is 30 points collide in an early season showdown when Peters Township visits Thomas Jefferson in a Section 4-5A lid lifter.

The visiting Indians are off to a 4-0 start this season, a year after reaching the WPIAL Class 6A championships game and finishing with a 24-3 record.

Many key players are back from that group led by 6-foot-3 senior Natalie Wetzel, who is averaging 25.3 points per game this season. Wetzel is a Miami (Ohio) commit.

Seniors Daniela Radulovich, Megan Castor and junior Bri Morreale all return and are joined in the Peters Township lineup by promising freshmen Taylor McCullough and Jordyn Welsh.

The Jaguars won nine games last season and are now only three wins from tying that mark after a red hot start at 6-0.

TJ has defeated Quaker Valley, Knoch, Chartiers Valley, West Mifflin and Elizabeth Forward in nonsection games, and already is 1-0 in section following a win at Uniontown, 65-14.

The closest margin of victory in those six wins for Thomas Jefferson was a 20-point triumph over Chartiers Valley.

The Jags have been led by two players new to the program this year in junior Maggie Spell, who is averaging 21 points per game and captured gold a year ago with Shady Side Academy, and sophomore Kaylee D’Angelo, a transfer from Oakland Catholic who has averaged over 15 points per game.

Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. and can be viewed here on Trib HSSN.

Trinity (4-0) is also off to a perfect start in Section 4-5A. The Hillers visit Bethel Park (2-1) on Thursday.

Nonsection champs

As good as Section 4-5A has been in WPIAL girls basketball nonsection games this season with three undefeated teams and only a combined six losses, Section 3-5A is right there with them as seven teams have combined for a record of 20-6.

They also have three undefeated teams entering the section opener Thursday with South Fayette and New Castle at 4-0 and West Allegheny at 3-0.

The slate of games in what should be a very competitive section has South Fayette at Mars (2-1), New Castle visiting Montour (3-1) and West Allegheny hosting Chartiers Valley (3-2).

‘A’ perfect matchup

Section openers are not only taking place in Class 5A, but also in 4A, 3A and Class A on Thursday.

The district’s smallest classification has one of the better section openers pitting two undefeated teams when West Greene visits Geibel Catholic in Section 2-A.

The Pioneers are off to a 4-0 start with two of the victories coming against Class 2A teams and two wins against 3A competition.

The Gators are now 6-0 and have outscored their opponents by an average score of 61-25.

Geibel Catholic is led by the WPIAL’s leading scorer in Emma Larkin, who is averaging 25.2 points per game.