Alle-Kiski Valley high school lookahead: Week of Sept. 18, 2017

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, September 17, 2017 | 7:06 PM

MONDAY

• Apollo-Ridge girls soccer faces the first of two consecutive big-time opponents when Class A No. 2 Shady Side Academy visits. The Vikings (3-0, 3-0) outscored their first two Section 1-A opponents by a 20-3 margin, but Shady Side Academy (2-2, 2-1) is the defending WPIAL champion and PIAA runner-up. After that comes a Wednesday matchup at No. 1 Greensburg Central Catholic.

• Another test game: Springdale girls soccer travels to Freeport. The Class AA No. 2 Yellowjackets (5-1, 3-0) hold a 15-game Section 2-AA unbeaten streak and scored 39 goals in their first six games of the season. All of Springdale's (3-1, 3-1) victories thus far came via shutout.

• The sectional boys golf qualifiers take place as Plum hosts the Section 4-AAA qualifier at Willowbrook Country Club, and Deer Lakes hosts the Section 3-AA qualifier at Pheasant Ridge. Other local golfers will compete at Kittanning Country Club and Greensburg Country Club.

TUESDAY

• Deer Lakes boys soccer had to replace all but three starters from last season's playoff team, and the Lancers got off to a promising start in section play. The Lancers welcome Section 2-AA rival Valley, which had a near-upset of No. 3 Freeport last week.

• Fox Chapel girls volleyball, looking to prove itself in section play, hosts defending section champion Oakland Catholic.

WEDNESDAY

• Freeport and Highlands girls soccer built a strong rivalry in recent years and had a pair of battles last season, with Freeport rallying to win the first meeting and the teams playing to a scoreless tie in the second. The Golden Rams host No. 2 Freeport, hoping to pull an upset.

• Kiski Area girls soccer won its first two Section 4-4A games, but after a Monday meeting against Penn-Trafford, the Cavaliers face their most difficult game yet: a road contest at Norwin, the two-time defending WPIAL champion, which is ranked No. 1 in the country by Top Drawer Soccer.

• The WPIAL girls golf qualifiers take place as Fox Chapel and Kiski Area will compete at Pittsburgh North Golf Course, and St. Joseph travels to Norvelt Golf Course.

THURSDAY

• Springdale boys soccer kept Riverview out of the playoffs last season by beating the Raiders in their Section 3-A finale at Riverside Park. Now Riverview, off to an unbeaten start in section play, will get its chance for revenge in the rivals' first meeting of the season, again at Riverside Park.

• Freeport boys soccer clinched its first section title since 1999 when it beat Deer Lakes in overtime last season. The Yellowjackets will host their Section 2-AA rivals at Freeport Area Athletic Stadium.

• Deer Lakes girls volleyball hopes to stay in the race for the Section 5-AA championship with a match against Derry, which finished tied for second last season.

FRIDAY

• Needing a bounce-back from a blowout nonconference loss at Class 3A No. 1 Aliquippa, Freeport (2-1, 1-0) hosts rising Shady Side Academy (2-1, 2-1) in an Allegheny Conference matchup. Led by New Kensington native Skyy Moore at quarterback, Shady Side is coming off big victories over Burrell and Apollo-Ridge.

• Coming off a stirring victory over rival Knoch, Highlands (2-1, 2-1) visits Northwest Nine rival Mars (3-1, 2-1). The No. 4 Planets are coming off a big victory over ranked Montour, and their vaunted Wing-T option always presents a challenge.

• Plum pulled an upset of Franklin Regional in Week 3, and now the Mustangs (2-2, 2-1) will look to do the same to Big East Conference rival McKeesport. The Tigers, ranked fifth in Class 5A, were WPIAL runners-up last season.

SATURDAY

• The St. Joseph and Serra Catholic boys soccer teams went to overtime in their first meeting, with Serra prevailing 5-4. The Spartans hope to avenge that loss when they visit the Eagles in Section 2-A play.

• Springdale boys soccer plays its second big Section 3-A game in three days, hosting defending section champion Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic.

WEEK IN REVIEW

• Seeing double (digits): It was a week of high goal totals, as a handful of Alle-Kiski Valley teams cracked 10 or more goals in a game. The Fox Chapel, Freeport, Kiski Area and St. Joseph girls all hit the mark Wednesday, and the Deer Lakes boys followed suit Thursday.

• Cant's stop the gingerbread man: Kiski Area cross country hosted the Saucony/Gingerbread Man Kiski Cavalier Invite on Saturday. Fox Chapel paced the Alle-Kiski Valley girls teams with a sixth-place finish behind Isabelle Doerr (16th). Kiski Area finished eighth as a team, led by Kierra Shreffler (eighth). Plum's Angela Valotta took sixth individually. Kiski Area had the highest local boys team finish, placing eighth, led by Nick Gabrielli (19th) and Angelo Pisani (31st). Freeport's Johnathan Asay placed the highest individually of local runners, taking 13th. Marion Center's MacKenzie Walker won the individual girls title, and Marion Center also won the team title. Central Catholic's Sam Gatti won the boys individual title, while Mt. Lebanon won the boys team title.