Soccer
PIAA Alignment Numbers for 2016 & 2017 – Fall Sports
November 24, 2015
The new alignment list has been released by the PIAA for the 2016 and 2017 fall sports seasons. With the expanded classifications, there are still a lot of questions to be answered by WPIAL school officials and the schools themselves before anything in finalized and conferences are set. School must make a decision by mid-December if they want to remain in their designated classification OR decide to move up in class. A school is not permitted to move down.2015 PIAA Boys Soccer State Playoff Results
November 22, 2015
In an amazing feat, the WPIAL sent three boys soccer teams to Hershey to play for state gold - Seneca Valley, South Park and Sewickley Academy...this after none of the three even made it to the WPIAL championships two weeks ago. Sewickley Academy was the only team to bring home gold as the Panthers captured the schools third Class A boys soccer state crown. Meanwhile both the Seneca Valley Raiders in AAA and the South Park Eagles in AA settled for silver after greats runs to the PIAA title matches. Here are ALL of the results from the 2015 PIAA Boys Soccer Playoffs. 2015 PIAA CLASS AAA BOYS SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: Central Bucks East Patriots 2 - SENECA VALLEY RAIDERS 02015 PIAA Girls Soccer State Playoff Results
Upper St. Clair played the role of undefeated spoiler to perfection and in the end, had the gold to prove it. After beating undefeated Norwin in the PIAA Class AAA Semifinals, the Panthers knocked off previously unbeaten Central Bucks East to capture the schools first ever girls soccer state championship. District 10 champion Villa Maria Academy in AA and District 3 champion Camp Hill Trinity in A were the other state champs crowned in Hershey. Here are ALL the results from the 2015 PIAA Girls Soccer Playoffs. 2015 PIAA CLASS AAA GIRLS SOCCER STATE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: UPPER ST. CLAIR PANTHERS 2 - Central Bucks East Patriots 1 PIAA CLASS AAA Semifinals:
Upper St. Clair Wins First PIAA AAA Girls Soccer Championship
November 21, 2015
Two shots, two goals, one championship. That was the recipe for success for the Upper St. Clair Panthers girl soccer team Saturday evening at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey as they edged the Central Bucks East Patriots 2-1 in the PIAA Class AAA title match. Senior Emma Hasco scored an unassisted goal with just over six minutes left in the first half to give the WPIAL runner-up Panthers a 1-0 lead which they took into the half. With about 16 minutes left in regulation, Emma Loving scored for Central Bucks East to tie the game at 1-1 with an assist from Hannah Zach. But with one second under seven minutes left in regulation, Hasco struck again as she executed a great give and go with Rachel Witte before slamming a shot past Kristen Obetz to give USC a 2-1 lead.
Seneca Valley Soccer Settles for State Silver After Loss to CBE
Five years ago, Central Bucks East lost 2-1 in an overtime heartbreaker to Landisville Hempfield in the PIAA AAA boys soccer title match. In their first championship appearance since then, the Patriots made sure history would not repeat itself. Austin Prime was great in primetime as he made eight saves en route to a 2-0 victory over the Seneca Valley Raiders Saturday night in Hershey. Central Bucks East scored early as Brian Gilligan scored at 12:13 of the first half on an assist from Evan Vare. Then with just over 13 minutes left in the first half, Vare connected on an unassisted goal to make it 2-0 Patriots at halftime.South Park Falls to Unbeaten Lewisburg in PIAA Boys AA Soccer
Heading into the Class AA Championship game in Hershey Saturday, the South Park Eagles knew it faced a tall task against Lewisburg, who was looking to cap off a perfect season without a loss. South Park knows the feeling of imperfection all too well, after suffering its first loss last season in the WPIAL Quarterfinals. However, history did not repeat itself Saturday, As Lewisburg, the District 6 champions, capped off a perfect 25-0-0 season with a 4-0 win over South Park. The Green Dragons kicked off the scoring in the 16th minute off a corner kick that was played short and sent into the box, but couldn’t initially be cleared by South Park. The second clearing attempt failed as well, and Lewisburg was able to bury the second chance.Sewickley Academy Wins PIAA Boys Class A Soccer Title
Sewickley Academy didn't even make it to this years WPIAL Class A championship after losing in the Semifinals to Avonworth in a 2-1 shootout, but now the Panthers are the best team in the state. Sewickley Academy shut out East Juniata 3-0 at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey Friday night to win the schools third PIAA boys soccer title. Sewickley Academy beat Greensburg Central Catholic 5-0 in the Class A Consolation match to earn a spot in the PIAA playoffs before beating Karns City, Mercyhurst Prep and Bishop McCort to reach the state championship match for a fourth consecutive season. The Panthers won it all in 2013 and lost in 2012 and in last years final, a 4-0 triumph for Moravian Academy.Scholastic Notebook – 11/20/2015
November 20, 2015
In his first season as a starter, Pine-Richland sophomore quarterback Phil Jurkovec has played his way into the WPIAL spotlight, becoming only the second QB in WPIAL history to throw for 2,000 yards and run for 1,000. But there is another sophomore quarterback at the Class AAAA level who also has made a gigantic impact in his first season as a starter. Pittsburgh Central Catholic’s Troy Fisher doesn’t have the jaw-dropping statistics like Jurkovec, but Fisher has uplifted the Vikings’ offense with his passing and running, and also helped the team reach the WPIAL Class AAAA semifinals.
WPIAL Alum Q&A – Maddie Layman
November 16, 2015
This week’s installment of the WPIAL Alum Q&A focuses on Maddie Layman, a former North Allegheny standout who has now been an integral part of the Duquesne University women’s soccer team. In her time with the North Allegheny, Layman was a three-year starter on the varsity squad, and helped guide the Tigers to playoff appearances in all of those seasons. During this span, she earned all-section honors three times, and during her senior campaign in 2012, she netted 17 goals. She continued her career at Duquesne University, and in 2013, she made an immediate impact as a true freshman. She played in 17 games at midfield, starting 11, and scored three goals. Her play in her first year with the Dukes earned her a spot on the Atlantic 10 Conference All-Rookie Team.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.
Dominant Norwin Wins WPIAL Girls AAA Title
The top-seeded Norwin Knights continued their incredible defensive run with a dominatin 3-0 over the Upper Saint Clair Panthers at Highmark Stadium at Station Square Friday night to win their first WPIAL girls soccer championship since 1997. The Knights dominated throughout finally cracking the scoreboard in the 21st minute of play when Emily Harrigan headed a perfect cross from Lexie Kolano to the upper left hand corner of the goal behind USC keeper Nikki Gibbons for a 1-0 lead. As has been the case 18 times this season, that single goal would be all the Knights needed. The goal for Harrigan was her 19th of the season.Scholastic Notebook – 11/06/2015
November 6, 2015
The WPIAL football playoffs start Friday night. Does that mean the Tri-County South Conference turns into the Tri-County Sour bunch once again? The Tri-County South in Class A hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2010 season. Since then, Tri-County South teams are 0-16 in the postseason. But maybe there is hope to end the postseason drought this year. Frazier finished the regular season with a 9-0 record and the Commodores were given the No. 4 seed. Frazier led the entire WPIAL in fewest points allowed this season and it plays host to South Side in a first-round game.WPIAL Soccer Semifinals Recaps
November 3, 2015
On one side, the girls held serve as all three top-seeds and a pair of #2-seeds have advanced through the first three rounds to lead to three anticipated title matches. On the other side of the pitch, it has been a great postseason to be a #4-seed as all three upset the top-seeds in the Semifinals and are one victory away from district gold. Here are ALL of the summaries from the twelve district boys and girls Semifinals contests from Monday in the WPIAL Soccer Playoffs. A special thanks to Rob Longo, Mike Azadian, Lee Mohn, Randy Gore, Adam Hoerner, James Dotson, Matt Vandriak, Brandon Showers, Greg Kuntz and Kyle Dawson for their help on these recaps. WPIAL CLASS AAA BOYS Semifinals:
