A-K Valley soccer playoff preview: Nov. 5

By: Greg Macafee
Wednesday, November 4, 2020 | 12:23 PM

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Today’s game

Class AA

Championship

2-Deer Lakes (14-1) vs. 1-Shady Side Academy (14-2)

5:15 p.m. Thursday, Newman Stadium, North Allegheny, McCandless

Coaches: Dan Yates, Deer Lakes; Ed Ellsworth, Shady Side Academy

How they got here: Deer Lakes defeated Southmoreland, 7-0; South Park, 1-0 (OT); and Mt. Pleasant, 7-1; Shady Side Academy defeated Hopewell, 3-0; Ambridge, 4-1; and Elizabeth Forward, 4-0.

WPIAL championships: Deer Lakes 0. Shady Side Academy 2 (2017, ’18)

Corner kicks: Deer Lakes is heading to the WPIAL championship for the second straight year. Dan Yates took over the program last season and has an overall record of 31-7. Senior Michael Sullivan, an all-state player, leads the team in goals and has drawn double- and triple-teams throughout the playoffs. Senior Devin Murray, another all-state player, scored the winner against South Park in the second overtime. Nick Braun, a sophomore goalkeeper, has seven shutouts this season, and the Lancers have only allowed eight goals. … Before last season, Shady Side had gone to three straight WPIAL championships and has been there four of the last five years. Shady Side’s only losses this season came against Deer Lakes and Class 4A Fox Chapel. Shady Side beat Quaker Valley in the finals for both of its WPIAL titles. Shady Side has seven shutouts this season and has only allowed one goal in the playoffs. The teams have met 10 times in the past four years, and the Lancers lead the series, 5-3-2. The winner advances to the PIAA tournament.

Greg Macafee is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Greg by email at gmacafee@triblive.com or via Twitter .

Tags: Deer Lakes, Shady Side Academy