Norwin, North Allegheny expect physical, high-energy battle for Class 4A championship
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Friday, November 3, 2023 | 12:55 AM
Fox Chapel’s Sam Littwin battles Norwin’s Rick Zappone for a header during their WPIAL Class 4A semifinal Tuesday.
North Allegheny’s Zach Nash heads the ball against Butler during their WPIAL Class 4A semifinal Tuesday.
Norwin’s Luke Halberg heads the ball against Fox Chapel during their WPIAL Class 4A semifinal on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023, at Hampton.
North Allegheny’s Luke Brady celebrates with Mykola Denysenko after the Tigers scored against Butler during their WPIAL Class 4A semifinal on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023, at Hampton.
Norwin’s Owen Christopher celebrates after scoring the go-ahead goal against Fox Chapel during their WPIAL Class 4A semifinal on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023, at Hampton.
North Allegheny and Butler engaged in some chippy final minutes in the WPIAL boys soccer semifinals.
There was physical play, even some shoving, which resulted in yellow cards and a red card on Butler.
Tigers second-year coach Manny Montero doesn’t condone that level of aggression, but he wasn’t completely put off by it either.
That late stretch in Tuesday’s 3-2 win could help prepare his team ready for a potentially similar WPIAL championship matchup against Norwin on Saturday night at Highmark Stadium.
Any combative moments will be fueled by the teams’ longing to experience WPIAL glory. Forget yellows and reds, the Knights and Tigers want gold.
No. 8 seed Norwin (14-5-1) and No. 2 North Allegheny (16-1-2) are scheduled to kick at 5:45 p.m. on the river at Station Square with the Class 4A title on the line.
“Norwin puts a lot of pressure on you,” said Montero, the Western Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association Class 4A co-coach of the year. “They’re aggressive and they work hard. They crash in. Physicality will be the key (to a win).”
Norwin, which defeated No. 1 Seneca Valley in the quarterfinals for one of the program’s most impressive wins, edged No. 5 Fox Chapel, 2-1, to reach its first final since 2018.
“We need to play Norwin soccer , double down on defense and win balls in the air,” Norwin coach Scott Schuchert said. “When we commit defensively, we’re an unstoppable team.”
North Allegheny beat No. 7 Canon-McMillan, 6-1, before holding back Butler.
“We can play numerous ways,” Montero said. “We have players with experience in our system.”
The Tigers’ last title-game appearance came in 2017 when they won back-to-back championships.
“We have to come out with the same energy we had (Tuesday),” said Schuchert, who is serving a two-game suspension for receiving two yellow cards in the quarterfinals and will not coach in the final. “Unlike before, when we were losing in the first round, the boys are believing we can win.
“We had 10 days off (before the playoffs started). It was like a brand-new preseason for us. To win these type of games, you need to put teams under pressure they’re not used to seeing.”
Former Knights star Carter Breen is the interim coach until Schuchert returns for the PIAA playoffs Tuesday.
Norwin has never won a WPIAL title in boys soccer.
Schuchert said he will be at Station Square on Saturday. He said he booked a room in a hotel near the stadium and will reconnect with the team after the game.
North Allegheny has nine titles and claimed a PIAA championship in 2000.
“This is the third time we have been here,” Norwin midfielder Owen Christopher said. “We didn’t come this far just to come this far. We want to finish it.”
Schuchert said seeing a different matchup in Fox Chapel was refreshing for the Knights.
Norwin lost to North Allegheny in the last game of the regular season, 3-1.
“We were happy for a new opponent,” he said. “There is some revenge with North Allegheny. It should be a great game.”
In the semifinal, North Allegheny’s Nathan Katari, Mykola Denysenko and Graham Kunz all scored goals. Zach Nash, who has a team-leading 15 goals, added an assist.
For Norwin, Owen Christopher tallied a late score, while Daniel Maddock had a goal and an assist against Fox Chapel.
The goalkeepers have been outstanding all season and could exchange takeaways. North Allegheny senior Dante Accamondo is an All-State player.
He and Norwin senior Anthony Scalise both made the All-WPIAL list. They are Beadling teammates.
“They’re a quality side,” Scalise said of the Tigers. “To do what they did in their section against Seneca Valley speaks for itself.”
North Allegheny’s lone loss was to Seneca Valley, 2-0. Those teams also tied, 1-1.
The Tigers and Fox Chapel, also Section 1 opponents, played to a scoreless draw after North Allegheny won the first matchup, 3-2.
Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.
Tags: North Allegheny, Norwin
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