A-K Valley PIAA soccer playoff preview capsules for Nov. 5, 2024

By: Bill Hartlep
Monday, November 4, 2024 | 6:17 PM

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PIAA soccer playoffs

Boys

Class 4A

First round

3-4 Mechanicsburg (10-8-3) at 7-1 Fox Chapel (13-4-2)

5 p.m. Tuesday, Burke Stadium, Fox Chapel

Winner plays: Winner of 1-2 Conestoga (18-2)/3-2 Warwick (17-3) Saturday in quarterfinals

Coaches: Joseph Panuccio, Mechanicsburg; Erik Ingram, Fox Chapel

Players to watch: Juan Valencia, Mechanicsburg; Carson Krushanky, Fox Chapel

Corner kicks: Mechanicsburg is in the PIAA playoffs for the second straight season. The Wildcats, who were the 11 seed in districts, are coming off a 3-0 loss to Warwick in the District 3 semifinals. Sergio Ascensios and Juan Valencia scored in a 2-1 win over Landisville Hempfield in the district quarterfinals. … The Foxes captured their sixth WPIAL title Friday with a 1-0 win over Plum. Carson Krushanky scored the game-winner with 10 minutes left in regulation to seal the Foxes’ first title since 1995. Fox Chapel is 6-1-1 in its last eight games.

7-2 Plum (17-1-3) at 10-1 McDowell (16-4)

6 p.m. Tuesday, Gus Anderson Field, Erie

Winner plays: Winner of 3-1 Cumberland Valley (18-1-1)/1-6 Souderton (18-5) Saturday in quarterfinals

Coaches: Raf Kolankowski, Plum; Aaron Pentz, McDowell

Players to watch: Christian Alter, Plum; Jake Levy, McDowell

Corner kicks: Plum lost 1-0 to Fox Chapel in the WPIAL championship game Friday. It was the Mustangs’ first loss of the season. Kent Holmes and Christian Alter scored for the Mustangs in a 2-1 win over North Allegheny in the WPIAL semifinals. … McDowell advanced to the PIAA first round after a 5-2 subregional win over State College. Jake Levy had two goals, and Tyler Perkins, Ibro Duric and Lucas Bentsen added scores.

Class 2A

First round

7-3 Deer Lakes (18-3-1) at 10-1 Fairview (19-2)

7 p.m. Tuesday, Jack Bestwick Field, Fairview

Winner plays: Winner of 5-1 Bedford (14-3-3)/7-2 Avonworth (17-3-2) Saturday in quarterfinals

Coaches: Aaron Smith, Deer Lakes; Sonny Vidakovic, Fairview

Players to watch: Cuyler Crim, Deer Lakes; Jackson Chiocco, Fairview

Corner kicks: Deer Lakes earned a 2-1 win over Burrell in the WPIAL third-place game. Connor Moore and Cuyler Crim scored to seal the win. Jacob Orseno assisted both goals. Deer Lakes lost in the PIAA first round in 2022, falling 2-1 to Harbor Creek. … Fairview won the District 10 title with a 4-3 victory over Cathedral Prep. It was the school’s 13th district title and fourth in the past five years. Mason Melaragno scored the winning goal. Jackson Chiocco had a hat trick.

Girls

Class 3A

First round

7-2 Fox Chapel (18-4) at 6-1 Hollidaysburg (15-5-1)

6 p.m. Tuesday, Tiger Stadium, Hollidaysburg

Winner plays: 3-1 Lower Dauphin (19-2) Saturday in quarterfinals

Coaches: Carlo Prati, Fox Chapel; Tristan delGiudice, Hollidaysburg

Players to watch: Emily McKee, Fox Chapel; Allie Hayer, Hollidaysburg

Corner kicks: Fox Chapel was shut out for only the second time this season, 4-0, vs. South Fayette on Saturday in the WPIAL championship game. Last year, after winning the WPIAL Class 4A title, the Foxes shut out District 3’s Landisville Hempfield, 3-0, in the first round before falling to District 1 runner-up Conestoga, 3-2, in the quarterfinals. McKee, a sophomore, leads the Foxes with 33 goals. Seniors Alyssa Quackenbush (15 goals, eight assists) and Maddie Grimsley (11 goals, 15 assists) also will be counted on to get the offensive attack going. … Hollidaysburg avenged an overtime loss to Bellefonte in the 2023 District 6 title game by upending the Red Raiders, 1-0, for the championship Oct. 29. Freshman Allie Hayer was the hero with the lone goal 15:05 into the game.

Class 2A

First round

7-2 Burrell (14-6-1) at 10-1 Cathedral Prep (17-2-1)

6 p.m. Tuesday, Hagerty Family Events Center, Erie

Winner plays: Winner of 5-1 Bedford (18-0-1)/7-3 North Catholic (16-4) Saturday in quarterfinals

Coaches: Frank Nesko, Burrell; Peter Wagner, Erie Cathedral Prep

Players to watch: Makiah Buchak, Burrell; Olivia Dixon, Erie Cathedral Prep

Corner kicks: Burrell hopes to rebound after a 2-1 loss to Quaker Valley in the WPIAL championship game. Buchak, a sophomore forward, scored her team-leading 13th goal. Senior Maggie Nesko (11), sophomores Leah Waldsmith (9) and McKenna Miller (8) and senior Miley Kariotis (8) also are among the Bucs’ goal-scoring leaders. … Cathedral Prep captured the District 10 championship Oct. 10 with a 3-1 victory over Fort LeBoeuf. It’s the 12th District 10 title for the program and first as Cathedral Prep as the first 11 were won as Villa Maria Academy. Dixon, a senior forward, scored two goals, including the game winner, and junior defender/midfielder Mackenzie Prather also scored. Cathedral Prep has won 15 games in a row.

Class A

First round

7-1 Springdale (17-1) vs. 5-2 Conemaugh Township (16-4-1)

7 p.m. Tuesday, Burke Stadium, Fox Chapel

Winner plays: Winner of 6-1 Bishop Guilfoyle (15-3-1)/10-1 Seneca (19-0) Saturday in quarterfinals

Coaches: Marc Bentley, Springdale; Alexa Fetterman, Conemaugh Township

Players To watch: Briana Ross, Springdale; Izzy Slezak, Conemaugh Township

Corner kicks: Springdale captured its third WPIAL championship with a 5-3 victory over Winchester Thurston on Thursday. Ross, a Penn State Behrend recruit, scored two goals, giving her 40 for the season. Senior Carissa Walsh (16 goals) added two scores and senior Molly Hurley (16 goals) also tallied a goal. The Dynamos are averaging six goals a game and surrendering 0.7. … Conemaugh Township fell to McConnellsburg, 2-1, in the District 5 title game. Last year, as the District 5 champion, Conemaugh Township lost 5-3 to Riverview in the first round. Senior Izzy Slezak leads the Indians with 32 goals. Fellow senior Ashlyn Fetterman scored her 100th career goal in the District 5 title game. She has 20 goals and a team-best 23 assists.

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

Tags: Deer Lakes, Fox Chapel, Plum, Springdale