A-K Valley soccer playoff preview capsules for games of Oct. 22, 2022

By: Michael Love
Friday, October 21, 2022 | 7:36 PM

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Saturday’s games

Boys

Class 3A

First round

12-Gateway (10-7-1) at 5-Kiski Area (14-3)

2 p.m., Richard Dilts Stadium, Allegheny Township

Winner plays: Winner of 13-Montour (9-4-4)/4-Franklin Regional (14-4) in quarterfinals at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (site TBD)

Players to watch: Brendan Strawser, MF, Gateway; Anders Bordoy, MF, Kiski Area

Corner kicks: The Gators finished third in Section 4 with an 8-5-1 record, suffering a pair of losses to section leaders North Catholic and Franklin Regional. They rebounded from a three-game skid to beat Latrobe and Obama Academy in the final two games of the regular season. Gateway averages 4.3 goals per game. Brendan Strawser (23 goals) and Colton Corrie (15 goals) are the team’s leading scorers. … The Cavaliers won seven of their past eight games en route to capturing the Section 1-3A title with an 11-1 mark. The lone loss came Oct. 11 against Mars. Kiski Area posted nine shutouts during the regular season. Kiski Area senior Anders Bordoy is a Memphis recruit.

15-North Catholic (7-6-3) at 2-Plum (16-1-1)

2 p.m., Mustang Stadium, Plum

Winner plays: Winner of 7-South Fayette (10-4-3)/10-Trinity (12-5) in quarterfinals at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (site TBD)

Players to watch: Ryan Shantz, MF, North Catholic; Lucas Pittman, MF, Plum

Corner kicks: North Catholic was the WPIAL runner-up in Class 2A last season before moving up to 3A in the offseason via PIAA realignment. The Trojans went 5-2-1 down the home stretch en route to a 6-5-1 record in Section 1-3A, good for fourth place. They rebounded from a 0-2-2 start to the season. … Plum reached the WPIAL semifinals last season and returned a talented roster that earned the No. 2 seed. The Mustangs outscored opponents 88-9 this season and posted 10 shutouts.

Girls

Class A

First round

13-Riverview (8-7) at 4-Chartiers-Houston (14-2)

5 p.m., Buccaneers Stadium, Houston

Winner plays: Winner of 12-Riverside (5-9)/5-Greensburg Central Catholic (10-3) in quarterfinals, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (site TBD)

Players to watch: Lola Abraham, F, Riverview; Lexi Durkacs, F, Chartiers-Houston

Corner kicks: Riverview is in the playoffs for the second straight season after having to shut down the program in 2020 because of low numbers. The Raiders finished tied fourth in Section 1 with Serra Catholic. Abraham, a junior in only her second varsity season, owns 55 goals this season and is two away from 100 for her career. Senior Riley Ulrich also is a goal-scoring threat for the Raiders. … Chartiers Houston edged Waynesburg by one game for the Section 2 title. The Buccaneers are on a seven-game winning streak. Durkacs, a senior who has had to overcome injury the past two seasons, is a leading goal-scoring threat. Chartiers-Houston made it to the quarterfinals last year before falling to eventual champion Steel Valley, 6-2.

15-Sewickley Academy (8-7) at 2-Springdale (13-3)

Noon, Richard Dilts Stadium, Allegheny Township

Winner plays: Winner of 10-Charleroi (10-7)/7-Mohawk (9-6) in quarterfinals, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (site TBD)

Players to watch: Grace Gent, F, Springdale; Katherine Varghese, F/M, Sewickley Academy

Corner kicks: Springdale has continued is resurgence this fall. The Dynamos lost just one game in Section 1 play (11-1) and swept rival Greensburg Central Catholic to claim the section championship. Springdale made it to the WPIAL semifinals last year before falling 1-0 to eventual champion Steel Valley. The Dynamos avenged those losses, 6-0 and 4-0, as section foes this year. Gent and sophomore Briana Ross, Carissa Walsh and Molly Hurley are among a number of leading scoring threats for Springdale. … Sewickley Academy won four of five games to close out the regular season and gave up just three goals in the quartet of victories. The Panthers finished tied for third place with Riverside in Section 3. Varghese, a sophomore, has proven herself a goal-scoring threat for Sewickley Academy.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Chartiers-Houston, Gateway, Kiski Area, North Catholic, Plum, Riverview, Sewickley Academy, Springdale