A-K Valley soccer playoff preview capsules for games of Oct. 26, 2022

By: Michael Love
Tuesday, October 25, 2022 | 7:54 PM

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Wednesday’s games

Boys

Class 3A

Quarterfinals

13-Montour (11-4-4) at 5-Kiski Area (16-3)

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

Winner plays: Winner of 1-Moon (17-0-1)/8-Bethel Park (14-5) in semifinals Monday (time, site TBD)

Players to watch: Andrew Prunier, MF, Montour; Maddox Anderson, GK, Kiski Area

Corner kicks: Montour opened the playoffs with a 2-1 upset over No. 4 Franklin Regional. Andrew Prunier scored both goals for the Spartans. He and Parker Brennan had 11 goals apiece during the regular season as the Spartans finished fourth in Section 2 behind No. 1 seed Moon, No. 7 South Fayette and No. 11 Ambridge. Montour lost in the first round last year. Senior keeper Arthem Faerovitch had four saves in Saturday’s victory. … Kiski Area, the Section 1 champion, advanced to the quarterfinals with a 2-0 win over No. 12 Gateway. Seniors Cole Fluman and Memphis recruit Anders Bordoy tallied second-half goals. Keeper Maddox Anderson made two saves Saturday to post his school-record 10th shutout. The Cavaliers, who also reached the quarterfinals in 2021, have matched the program’s all-time record for single-season victories (16).

7-South Fayette (11-4-3) at 2-Plum (17-1-1)

6:30 p.m., Mustang Stadium, Plum

Winner plays: Winner of 3-Thomas Jefferson (17-2)/11-Ambridge (12-6-1) in semifinals Monday (time, site TBD)

Players to watch: Nate Belcufine, F/MF, South Fayette; Tristin Ralph, F, Plum

Corner kicks: South Fayette advanced to the quarterfinals after a 1-0 win over No. 10 Trinity on Saturday. Nate Belcufine, who scored 15 goals in the regular season, had the lone goal in the first-round win, finding the net on a penalty kick. The Section 2 runner-up Lions ended the regular season on a 3-0-2 run. … Section 4 champion Plum rolled to a 6-2 win over No. 15 North Catholic in the first round Saturday. Tristin Ralph and TJ Schrecengost each had two goals, and Aldi Flowers and Lucas Pittman also scored. Pittman led the Mustangs with 17 goals in the regular season, Schrecengost had 15 and Ralph 14. Plum reached the WPIAL semifinals last season.

Girls

Class A

Quarterfinals

7-Mohawk (10-6) vs. 2-Springdale (14-3)

6 p.m. Wednesday, Kiski Area’s Richard Dilts Stadium, Allegheny Township

Winner plays: Winner of 3-Winchester Thurston (10-0-1)/6-Waynesburg (15-3) in semifinals Monday (site/time TBD)

Players to watch: Molly Hurley, F, Springdale; Madisyn Cole, M, Mohawk

Corner kicks: Springdale will attempt to punch its ticket to the WPIAL Class A semifinals for the second year in a row. The Dynamos have won six of seven with the only loss a 2-1 setback to Class 4A North Hills. Springdale advanced to the quarterfinals with Saturday’s 3-2 victory against No. 15 Sewickley Academy at Kiski Area. The Dynamos scored once in the first half and two more times in the second half – scoring were sophomore Briana Ross, senior Grace Gent and sophomore Molly Hurley to build a 3-0 lead before the Panthers rallied for two goals, one on a penalty kick, over the final seven minutes. Springdale held a 14-6 advantage in shots on goal. … Mohawk finished runner-up to WPIAL power Freedom in Section 3. The Warriors have won eight of nine games after a 2-4 start. Mohawk has surrendered just 22 goals in 16 games with six shutout victories. Cole and seniors Ava Nulph and Alexa Kadilak each scored a goal as the Warriors topped No. 10 Charleroi, 3-1, in the first round Saturday at Neshannock. Mohawk is back in the playoffs after a two-year hiatus.

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: Kiski Area, Mohawk, Montour, Plum, South Fayette, Springdale