A-K Valley soccer playoff preview capsules for Oct. 20, 2025

By: Triblive And Michael Love And Bill Hartlep
Sunday, October 19, 2025 | 3:37 PM

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WPIAL soccer playoffs

Boys

Class 2A

First round

11-Central Valley (12-5) at 6-Deer Lakes (14-3-1)

6:30 p.m. Monday, Lancer Stadium, West Deer

Winner plays: Winner of 3-North Catholic (15-2-1)/14-Yough (13-5) on Thursday in quarterfinals (time/site TBD)

Players to watch: Owen Shearer, Central Valley; Cuyler Crim, Deer Lakes

Throw-ins: Central Valley finished fourth in Section 2 at 11-5. The Warriors averaged 4.9 goals per game. They started 5-0 and won three of their final four games, including avenging losses to Beaver and Avonworth. … Deer Lakes made the semifinals last year and won the championship in 2022. The Lancers finished second in Section 1 at 12-1-1. They averaged 7.0 goals per game and outscored section opponents 114-11. After a 2-1 loss to North Catholic on Sept. 23, Deer Lakes went 5-0-1.

15-Highlands (8-7-1) at 2-Quaker Valley (15-2-1)

6:30 p.m. Monday, Chuck Knox Stadium, Leetsdale

Winner plays: Winner of 7-Seton LaSalle (15-3)/10-Shady Side Academy (11-4-1) on Thursday in quarterfinals (time/site TBD)

Players to watch: Ryan Maloney, Highlands; Tanner Shultz, Quaker Valley

Throw-ins: Highlands is in the WPIAL playoffs for the first time in 21 years. The Golden Rams finished fourth in Section 1 at 7-6-1, including back-to-back shutouts over Freeport and Burrell late in the season. They averaged 4.6 goals per game. Maloney has scored 35 times and has 18 assists. … Quaker Valley, which won its 30th section title, is chasing an 11th WPIAL championship. The Section 2 champion Quakers have scored 96 goals and average 5.3 per game. The Quakers are unbeaten since starting 0-2 after losses to Wilson and Beaver.

Girls

Class 3A

First round

13-Chartiers Valley (6-10-2) at 4-Plum (15-1)

6:30 p.m. Monday, Mustangs Stadium, Plum

Winner plays: Winner of 12-Kiski Area (8-7)/5-Mars (13-3-1) on Thursday in quarterfinals (site/time TBD)

Players to watch: Layla Anthony, Chartiers Valley; Olivia Bigger, Plum

Throw-ins: Plum captured its seventh consecutive section title with a perfect 12-0 record. The Mustangs’ lone loss of the season came at Class 6A power Norwin, 2-1, in overtime Sept. 27. Plum made the WPIAL semifinals last year before falling to Fox Chapel at North Hills. The Mustangs then lost to Mars in the third-place consolation. Plum made three straight WPIAL finals appearances from 2019-21. The Mustangs again feature multiple scoring threats, including seniors Gianna Revetta and Olivia Bigger, junior Emily Grubich and sophomore Ali Joyce. Plum outscored its opponents 69-8 over 16 regular-season games. … Chartiers Valley finished fourth in a rugged Section 2 behind Moon, Montour and West Allegheny. The Colts clinched a spot in the playoffs with a 3-1 victory over Trinity in its section finale Oct. 13. Chartiers Valley, in the playoffs for the first time since 2017, won just one game last year. Freshman Layla Anthony is an offensive threat for Chartiers Valley to keep an eye on. She scored twice to lead the way in the win over Trinity.

12-Kiski Area (8-7) at 5-Mars (13-3-1)

6:30 p.m. Monday, Mars Athletic Complex, Mars

Winner plays: Winner of 13-Chartiers Valley (6-10-2)/4-Plum (15-1) on Thursday in quarterfinals (site/time TBD)

Players to watch: Ellie Arnold, Kiski Area; Addison Orehowsky, Mars

Throw-ins: Kiski Area finished third in Section 4 behind champion Plum and runner-up Franklin Regional. The Cavaliers won three of their final four section games to solidify third place. They shut out Elizabeth Forward and West Mifflin, were competitive in a 2-0 loss to Plum, and rolled past Indiana. The Cavaliers are in the WPIAL postseason for the 11th consecutive season. Kiski Area is seeking its first playoff victory since 2021. It fell to eventual WPIAL champion South Fayette, 4-0, in last year’s first round, and lost to Plum in 2022 and 2023. Sophomore Ellie Arnold, a top scoring threat for the Cavaliers, recorded a hat trick among her team’s six goals in the 6-1 win over Indiana on Oct. 13. Seniors Val Klingensmith, Addison Bell and Marlee Koziatek added goals in the triumph. … Mars finished runner-up to Fox Chapel in the Section 1 race. The Planets handed the Foxes their only section blemish in a 1-1 tie Oct. 1. Around that tie, Mars won six games by a combined 29-0. The Planets recorded 10 shutouts in the regular season and outscored their opponents 62-9. Last year, as the No. 6 seed, Mars upset No. 3 West Allegheny in the quarterfinals before falling to South Fayette on penalty kicks in the semifinals. The Planets bounced back to defeat Plum in the third-place consolation to clinch a berth to the state tournament. Robert Morris commit Addison Orehowsky shores up the Mars defense.

16-Laurel Highlands (6-8-1) at 1-Fox Chapel (15-1-1)

6:30 p.m. Monday, Burke Stadium, Fox Chapel

Winner plays: Winner of 9-West Allegheny (9-8)/8-Thomas Jefferson (10-8) on Thursday in quarterfinals (site/time TBD)

Players to watch: Adrianna Walker, Laurel Highlands; Emily McKee, Fox Chapel

Throw-ins: Fox Chapel holds the top spot in Class 3A as it seeks its third straight trip to a WPIAL championship game and its second title in three years. The Foxes, as the No. 6 seed, won the 2023 Class 4A title, defeating North Allegheny in the title game. Last year, they fell to South Fayette in the championship final at Highmark Stadium. Fox Chapel again claimed the Section 1 title, this time with a 9-0-1 record. The only blemish was a 1-1 tie against Mars on Oct. 1. The Foxes lost only to Class 6A power North Allegheny in the regular season. Junior Emily McKee, a Pitt verbal commit, continues to be one of the most prolific goal scorers in the WPIAL. McKee scored all three goals in a 3-2 overtime victory over Class 4A top seed Peters Township on Oct. 13. She then scored the go-ahead goal in the Foxes’ 2-1 win over Class 4A contender Norwin two days later. … Laurel Highlands will seek a major upset as it heads into the playoffs hoping to snap a mini two-game skid to end the regular season. The Mustangs finished fourth in Section 3 behind South Fayette, Thomas Jefferson and Oakland Catholic. They took Oakland Catholic to the limit in a 2-1 loss Oct. 8. Senior Adrianna Walker, junior Camryn McLean, and senior Taylor Irwin pace the Laurel Highlands offense. Senior Morgan Ferris helps shore up the Mustangs defense. Laurel Highlands, as the No. 14 seed, lost to No. 3 West Allegheny, 3-0, in last year’s first round.

Tags: Central Valley, Chartiers Valley, Deer Lakes, Fox Chapel, Highlands, Kiski Area, Laurel Highlands, Mars, Plum, Quaker Valley