Westmoreland soccer playoff preview capsules for games of Oct. 29, 2022

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Friday, October 28, 2022 | 4:56 PM

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WPIAL soccer playoffs preview

Girls

Class 2A

Quarterfinals

7-Freeport (14-2) at 2-Mt. Pleasant (17-1)

Noon Saturday, Viking Stadium, Mt. Pleasant

Winners plays: Winner of 6-Shady Side Academy (10-5)/3-South Park (13-5) 8 p.m. Tuesday in semifinals (site TBD)

Players to watch: Aleah Parison, F, Freeport; Morgan Gesinski, F, Mt. Pleasant

Corner kicks: Freeport took down No. 10 seed Southmoreland, 2-0, in the opening round. Akina Boynton and Katie Borromeo scored in the win, and Olivia Giancola earned the shutout in goal. Senior forward Parison led Freeport during the regular season with 13 goals. Freeport lost to South Park in the first round last year, 4-0. The Yellowjackets made the semifinals in 2019. … Mt. Pleasant exploded for a dozen goals in the first round as the Lady Vikings blanked West Mifflin, 12-0, for their 13th shutout of the season. Gesinski, a freshman, had seven goals and an assist, while sophomore Rylin Bugosh pumped in a hat trick to go with four assists. Freshman Laurel Rummel had the shutout in net. The Lady Vikings outshot the Titans, 29-0. Mt. Pleasant has 120 goals this season. The team has never reached the WPIAL semifinals.

Boys

Class 4A

Quarterfinals

6-Pine-Richland (12-4-1) at 3-Norwin (11-6)

2 p.m. Saturday, Norwin Knights Stadium, North Huntingdon

Winner plays: Winner of 7-Butler (12-4-2)/2-Peters Township (14-2) 8 p.m. Tuesday in semifinals (site TBD)

Players to watch: Colin Zvejnieks, F, Pine-Richland; Owen Christopher, MF, Norwin

Corner kicks: Pine-Richland finished third in a tough Section 1 behind top-seeded Seneca Valley and No. 4 Fox Chapel. The Rams, who have eight shutouts, have wins over Franklin Regional, Butler, North Allegheny and Hampton. They also tied Fox Chapel and lost 3-2 to Seneca Valley. Zvejnieks led the Rams during the regular season with 13 goals. The Rams have not been to the playoffs since 2018. … Norwin has won 11 of its last 13 games but has not played since Oct. 19 when it lost to North Allegheny, 4-2. The Knights began the season 1-4 before resetting and making a push for the section title. Norwin tied for second in Section 2 with Canon-McMillan. Alex Brown leads the Knights with 13 goals. Norwin lost in the first round last year to North Allegheny.

Class A

Quarterfinals

8-Charleroi (15-2) vs. 1-Greensburg Central Catholic (15-3)

Noon Saturday, Peters Township High School, McMurray

Winners plays: Winner of 5-Seton La Salle (13-3-1)/4-Eden Christian (14-2-1) 8 p.m. Tuesday in semifinals (site TBD)

Players to watch: Arlo McIntyre, MF, Charleroi; Kyler Miller, F, Greensburg Central Catholic

Corner kicks: This will be a rubber match between Section 2-A opponents. Greensburg Central Catholic won both section games, by scores of 7-3 and 9-0. … Charleroi advanced with a 2-0 win over Freedom as Dylan Klinger and Arlo McIntyre netted goals, and Nate Mazon recorded the shutout in net, the team’s 11th of the season. The Cougars edged 2A playoff team Belle Vernon, 2-1, in the last game of the regular season. … Greensburg Central Catholic cruised to an 8-1 victory over Bishop Canevin in the first round as Carlo Denis and Jackson Vacanti had hat tricks, and Miller added four assists. Denis leads the WPIAL with 52 goals. GCC has made the quarterfinals nine straight years.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Charleroi, Freeport, Greensburg C.C., Mt. Pleasant