Soccer
Scholastic Notebook – 11/13/2015
November 13, 2015
A Steel Valley player made some history last week. Now, the Steel Valley team will try to make some more history Friday night. It went pretty much unnoticed, but Steel Valley running back DeWayne Murray surpassed 4,000 career yards rushing last week in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs. Although close to 70 runners have gained 4,000 yards rushing in their careers, it is a noteworthy feat for Murray because he is only a junior and is the first Steel Valley player to reach 4,000 yards. Murray has 4,097 yards on 363 attempts, an impressive 11.3 yards-per-carry average. Because he is only a junior, he has a good chance to next year become the 17th runner in WPIAL history to gain 5,000 career yards.2015 WPIAL GIRLS SOCCER PLAYOFFS RESULTS
November 8, 2015
One team was perfect, one team was back on top for the fourth time in six year and a third was hoisting a second consecutive golden crown. The Norwin Knights have won every match they played en route to the Class AAA championship while the Mars Fighting Planets were back on top of the Class AA soccer solar system after a two year absence and the Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions were the only district team to successfully defend their title from a year ago. Here are ALL of the final results from the 2015 WPIAL Girls Soccer Playoffs.2015 WPIAL BOYS SOCCER PLAYOFFS RESULTS
You know the soccer is competitive when all three title matches need overtime to decide a champion. That is what happened this season as golden goals were needed to crown Canon-McMillan in Class AAA, South Fayette in Class AA and Seton-LaSalle in Class A. The championships were the sixth for the Rebels, the second for the Big Macs and the first ever for the Lions. Here are ALL the results from the 2015 WPIAL Boys Soccer Playoffs. All results below followed by (MSA) are matches that can be heard archived on the MSA Sports Network. Just click on the broadcast tab and the day the match was played. You can watch the archived video stream of all the WPIAL championship matches.
South Fayette Roars to WPIAL Boys AA Soccer Crown
Jordan Smith’s blast just more than halfway through the first overtime period provided the golden goal for South Fayette, as the Lions captured their first boys’ soccer title. South Fayette, the No. 4 seed, edged second-seeded Mars 3-2 in the Class AA Championship at Highmark Stadium. Smith’s winner came from distance, but the senior’s kick was perfectly placed in the top corner, as Fighting Planets’ goalkeeper Dale Glavin had no chance to make the save. It marked Smith’s second tally of the contest, as he broke a scoreless tie in the 45th minute on a scramble in front. Originally, the play appeared to be an own-goal by Mars, but Smith was credited with the goal.
Mars Back on Top of the WPIAL Girls AA Soccer World
November 7, 2015
The number one seeded Mars Planets used a pair of goals and a stout defense to defeat the number two seeded South Park Eagles 2-1 at Highmark Stadium for the 2015 WPIAL Girls Soccer Class AA Championship. Since 2006, only one finals matchup has been held without one of these two teams as participants with the 2015 finals match being the second time they had met in the championship round. Mars, last year’s runner up, was shooting for their 4th WPIAL AA Girls Soccer Championship and entered the championship game not having given up a goal in the playoffs. South Park, owners of three WPIAL AA Championships themselves headed to the finals for the first time in four years.
Seton-LaSalle Goes Overtime to Win Boys A Soccer Title
The Avonworth Antelopes and the Seton-LaSalle Rebels had met twice during the regular season in Class A Section 3 with each team coming away with a 2-1 win. So it was no surprise that the WPIAL Class A Title match at Highmark Stadium between the two schools was a tight battle as well. Senior midfielder Brandon Benedetti who had the game-winning goal in the Rebels 2-1 opening round win over Aquinas Academy stepped into solid right footed strike from 25-yards out and found the top left corner of the goal in the 7thminute of overtime propelling Seton-LaSalle to a 1-0 win and giving the Rebels their 6th WPIAL Class A Championship.
Greensburg CC Repeats as Girls A Soccer Champs
It may have taken awhile, but once again the Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions (21-1) can call themselves WPIAL champions. Sarah Ward scored the game's lone goal with 11:55 to play in the second overtime in a game played Saturday morning at Highmark Stadium. As the play developed, the ball came to Bailey Cartwright in the box. Cartwright tried to create a scoring opportunity with her back to the net. The ball came free to Ward, who softly guided it into the back of the net, to give the Centurions the win and their fourth WPIAL title in five years.
Canon-McMillan Comes Back to Claim Boys AAA Soccer Gold in OT
The Canon-Mac Big Macs won their second WPIAL boys soccer championship at Highmark Stadium at Station Square when in the 8th minute of overtime Brandon Byer beat Fox Chapel keeper Jacob Dunn for a "Golden Goal", and a 2-1 Canon-MacMillan win. Fox Chapel had the better of play for most of the night out shooting and out-chancing the Big Macs. Fox Chapel took the lead in the 11th minutes when Kota Furuhata headed a Nathan Wecht corner behind Big Mac keeper Christian Snatchko.
