Belle Vernon looks to rebound after section streak ends

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, September 16, 2020 | 6:23 PM

Belle Vernon is not that bad. It remains to be seen if Connellsville is that good.

It’s only one game, but the Section 2-3A girls soccer opener Tuesday produced somewhat of a surprising result.

Connellsville, which dropped down a classification this season in WPIAL realignment, scored a 5-0 victory over the visiting Leopards, a team that returns a host of offensive firepower but could not find the net in its first 80 minutes of the season.

Belle Vernon came in No. 3 in the Trib’s Class 3A rankings. It won the section title the last two years with 12-0 records and had stretched its section winning streak to 26.

Now, the Leopards will look to bounce back quickly with a home game Thursday against Albert Gallatin.

Belle Vernon coach Tracy Lovett said Connellsville is a solid opponent. But are the Falcons a sleeper team in the section and class?

“They are a very good team — fast, physical and they came out hard,” Lovett said. “We were taken off-guard, and we were outplayed. We will take that loss, and learn from it. We still have a long season ahead. We are putting it behind us and focusing on the games ahead.

“You learn when you lose.”

Connellsville was a third-place team last season in Section 3-4A behind perennial powers Norwin and Penn-Trafford. the Falcons lost to Butler in the first round of the playoffs, 6-0.

Navaeh Hamborsky had two goals Connellsville in the victory. The Falcons play Greensburg Salem Thursday.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Belle Vernon, Connellsville