A-K Valley soccer playoff preview capsules for games of Oct. 31, 2022

By: Michael Love
Sunday, October 30, 2022 | 3:20 PM

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WPIAL soccer playoffs preview

Boys

Class 3A

Semifinals

2-Plum (18-1-1) vs. 11-Ambridge (13-6-1)

6:15 p.m., West Allegheny’s Joe P. DiMichela Stadium, North Fayette

Winner plays: Winner of 1-Moon (18-0-1)/13-Montour (12-4-4) Saturday in WPIAL championship at Highmark Stadium (time TBD)

Coaches: Raf Kolankowski, Plum; Kevin Amos, West Allegheny

Players to watch: TJ Schrecongost, MF, Plum; Will Gruca, F/MF, Ambridge

Corner kicks: Plum reached the semifinals after beating North Catholic, 6-2, and South Fayette, 2-1 in penalty kicks. In the quarterfinals, TJ Schrecongost scored in regulation, and Nathan Morrill had the decisive goal in the penalty kick shootout. Lucas Pittman scored 17 goals in the regular season to lead the Mustangs. … Ambridge upset No. 6 Hampton, 3-0, in the first round and No. 3 Thomas Jefferson, 7-1, in the quarterfinals. Against TJ, Anthony Powell and JJ Simms scored two goals apiece. Will Cruca led the Bridgers with 21 goals in the regular season.

Class 2A

Semifinals

1-South Park (19-0) vs. 4-Deer Lakes (18-2)

8 p.m., Confluence Financial Partners Stadium, McMurray

Winner plays: Winner of 2-Quaker Valley (17-3)/6-Beaver (13-6) Thursday in WPIAL championship at Highmark Stadium (time TBD)

Coaches: Jon Cantwell, South Park; Aaron Smith, Deer Lakes

Players to watch: Kaiden Fischer, M, South Park; Ryan Hanes, F, Deer Lakes

Corner kicks: Top-seeded South Park beat Mt. Pleasant and McGuffey, both 6-0, to reach the semifinals. The Eagles’ leading scorer Kaiden Fischer (13 regular season goals) had two goals, and Cam Loveland, Daniel Battista, Jack Ozimek and Kirk Brdar also scored in the quarterfinals. The Eagles were the top seed last season, as well, but lost in the WPIAL quarterfinals to North Catholic. … Deer Lakes shut out Hopewell and West Mifflin, both 1-0. Center back Nate Litrun scored the lone Lancers’ goal in both games off a corner kick. Ryan Hanes led the Lancers in scoring during the regular season with 31 goals. Deer Lakes is looking to reach the WPIAL finals for the third time in four seasons.

Girls

Class A

Semifinals

2-Springdale (15-3) vs. 6-Waynesburg Central (16-3)

6 p.m. Monday, at Confluence Financial Partners Stadium, McMurray

Winner plays: Winner of 1-Freedom (15-4)/5-Greensburg Central Catholic (12-3) Friday in WPIAL championship game at Highmark Stadium (time TBD)

Coaches: Marc Bentley, Springdale; Greg Basinger, Waynesburg Central

Players to watch: Briana Ross, F, Springdale; Ashlyn Basinger, F, Waynesburg

Corner kicks: Springdale is in the WPIAL semifinals for the second year in a row. The Dynamos fell short of Highmark Stadium last year in a 1-0 loss to Steel Valley. Springdale punched its ticket to this year’s WPIAL Class A final four with a 2-0 win over No. 7 Mohawk last Wednesday at Kiski Area High School. The Dynamos are 33-6 over the past two seasons combined. Springdale enjoyed its stay at Kiski Area’s Richard Dilts Stadium, as the Dynamos also defeated Sewickley Academy, 3-2, on that field in the first round. Against Mohawk, Springdale sophomore Briana Ross and senior Grace Gent each scored a goal for the second time this postseason. The Dynamos led 2-0 after 13 minutes, and senior Caity Stec and the defense kept Mohawk off the scoreboard the rest of the way. … Waynesburg is going after its second WPIAL title. The Raiders captured the Class 2A title in 2017 and made it to the PIAA quarterfinals. They defeated Freedom, this year’s Class A top seed, by a 4-2 score in the title game. This year’s Waynesburg team finished runner-up to Chartiers-Houston in Section 2. The teams split their season series. The Raiders have won five in a row. They topped Aquinas Academy, 1-0, in the first round, and edged Section 4 champion and No. 3 seed Winchester Thurston, 2-1, in the quarterfinals behind a pair of goals from Basinger, a senior Maryland commit. She also scored the lone goal against Aquinas.

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: Ambridge, Deer Lakes, Plum, South Park, Springdale, Waynesburg