High school roundup for Oct. 22, 2018: Franklin Regional boys shut out Obama Academy

By:
Monday, October 22, 2018 | 10:57 PM


After a few early scoring chances failed to pay off, top-seeded Franklin Regional finally revved up its offense and cruised to a 4-0 victory over visiting Obama Academy on Monday night in a WPIAL Class 3A first-round boys soccer playoff game in Murrysville.

The Panthers (15-0-1), who have allowed just three goals all season, will play No. 8 Hampton (11-7) in the quarterfinals Thursday at a time and site to be determined.

After a short direct kick from Zack Snider clanked around the goal but did not go in, sophomore Isaac Gamwo found the back of the net on a feed from senior Auston Kranick for the first goal in the 22nd minute.

Anthony DiFalco crossed to Connor Hudson, who finished, to make it 2-0 five minutes later.

DiFalco added a score less than two minutes into the second half for the Panthers. Ryan Beard scored the last goal with 1:32 to play.

Obama (9-8-2) had two shots on goal.

Class 4A

Peters Township 1, North Allegheny 0 — Christian Verner scored the lone goal, and Jackson Basar made eight saves as No. 7 Peters Township earned a victory over No. 10 North Allegheny (10-6-1) in a WPIAL Class 4A first-round game.

The Indians (11-7) will play No. 2 Norwin (15-2-1) in the quarterfinals.

Canon-McMillan 4, Fox Chapel 1 — Coming into Monday night’s first round game, Austin McColpin had scored six goals on the season. He reached three more all in one half as the No. 4 Big Macs (15-2) won a WPIAL Class 4A first-round game over No. 13 Fox Chapel (11-7-1).

Joe Fonagy tallied the first goal at the 4:44 mark of the contest.

Alex Marotte scored the lone goal for Fox Chapel.

Canon-McMillan will play Pine-Richland in the quarterfinals.

Mt. Lebanon 3, Connellsville 2 — Zach Nellas scored the game-winner as No. 9 Mt. Lebanon (7-11-1) defeated No. 8 Connellsville (14-5) in a WPIAL Class 4A first-round game. Giuseppe Croce and Jack Remark added goals for the Blue Devils, who will play No. 1 Seneca Valley (14-2-1) in the quarterfinals.

Pine-Richland 5, Plum 2 — Reserve Christopher Hanlon scored twice in the first half for No. 5 Pine-Richland, as it defeated No. 12 Plum (11-8) at home in the first round of the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs. Abhinav Venkatakrishnan, Niko Marsh and Caleb Kim scored in the second half for the Rams (11-4-3), who advance to play No. 4 Canon-McMillan in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

Class 3A

Hampton 4, Laurel Highlands 0 — Corey Scherer’s hat trick lifted No. 8 Hampton (11-7) to a victory over No. 9 Laurel Highlands (10-7-1) in a WPIAL first-round contest at Hampton’s Fridley Field.

Following a scoreless first half, Scherer found the back of the net three times, including twice in a 27-second span. Luke Milan added a late goal and Josh Winek posted a shutout for Hampton, which advances to the quarterfinals to face No. 1 Franklin Regional on Thursday.

Ringgold 4, Indiana 0 — Kobe Norfleet and Mason Fabean scored first-half goals to lead No. 4 Ringgold (13-6) to a WPIAL Class 3A first-round win over Indiana (7-11).

Mars 4, Chartiers Valley 1 Mars coach Chris Knauff earned his 200th career win as the No. 3 Fightin’ Planets (17-1-1) defeated No. 14 Chartiers Valley (7-9-3) in a WPIAL Class 3A first-round game.

Tyler Nymberg had two goals, and Steven Papik and Dane Beller also scored for Mars.

South Fayette 2, Moon 0 – Ethan Bollinger and Josh Heineman scored to guide No. 6 South Fayette (12-5-1) to a WPIAL Class 3A first-round win over No. 11 Moon (13-4-1).

Thomas Jefferson 2, Blackhawk 1 (OT) — Preston Lutz scored the game-winner in overtime, as No. 12 Thomas Jefferson (14-4-1) defeated No. 5 Blackhawk (13-2-2) in the first round of the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs. AJ Meshanko also scored for the Jaguars, who will play Ringgold in the quarterfinals.

West Allegheny 13, Greensburg Salem 0 — Nathan Dragisich scored four goals to lead No. 2 West Allegheny (17-1) to a WPIAL Class 3A first-round win over Greensburg Salem (8-9).

Dragisich became West Allegheny’s all-time leading scorer with 76 goals, passing Tyler Graziani (73).

Class 2A

Charleroi 6, Elizabeth Forward 1 — Nick Laskey had a hat trick to help No. 4 Charleroi (17-0) earn a WPIAL Class 2A first-round win over No. 13 Elizabeth Forward (8-11). It was the Cougars’ first playoff win since 2002.

Cullin Woytovich had two goals, and Eben McIntyre also scored for the Cougars, who will play South Park in the quarterfinals.

Keystone Oaks 3, Central Valley 0 — Rutger Randall scored all three goals as No. 3 Keystone Oaks (15-1) rolled to a WPIAL Class 2A first-round win over No. 14 Central Valley (6-12) at South Fayette.

The Golden Eagles will play Shady Side Academy in the quarterfinals.

Mt. Pleasant 3, Freedom 1 — Brad Tait scored in the 48th minute and again in the 62nd minute to lift No. 8 Mt. Pleasant (13-4) to a WPIAL Class 2A first-round victory over No. 9 Freedom (8-10) at Pine-Richland.

Sam Napper also scored for the Vikings, who will play No. 1 Quaker Valley (16-3) in the quarterfinals Thursday at a time and site to be determined.

Jay Hessler scored for Freedom nine minutes into the game.

Quaker Valley 6, Freeport 1 — Franky Fernandez and Will Andrews each scored twice as top-seeded Quaker Valley (16-3) earned a WPIAL Class 2A first-round win over No. 16 Freeport (8-11).

Thomas David and Wil Dunda added goals, and Dom Reiter had three assists for the Quakers, who will play Mt. Pleasant in the quarterfinals.

Shady Side Academy 3, North Catholic 2 — Walter Navid scored twice, and Sam Farner added a goal as No. 11 Shady Side Academy (9-6-1) won a WPIAL Class 2A first-round game at Mars.

North Catholic, which reached the PIAA Class A title game last season, finished the season 12-4.

South Park 3, Southmoreland 0 — Nate Kacey, Lucas Erdner and Arion Washington scored to guide No. 5 South Park (12-4-1) to a WPIAL Class 2A first-round win at Belle Vernon.

Kacey one-timed a pass from Dylan Weiss home from 25 yards out to stake the Eagles to a 1-0 lead in the 37th minute. In the second half, South Park added two more goals, as Erdner fired a turning shot into the net from 5 yards out off of a pass from Jason Luffey in the 47th minute. In the 55th minute, Arion Washington’s shot from just inside the goal box hit the post and re-directed into the net to round out the scoring.

South Park outshot Southmoreland 11-1 on the night. Scotties goal keeper Matthew Rodriquez made eight saves in the losing effort.

The Eagles will play No. 4 Charleroi in the quarterfinals Thursday at a time and site to be determined.

No. 12 Southmoreland finished the season 8-10 overall.

Waynesburg 6, East Allegheny 2 — Gavin Benson scored three times to guide No. 7 Waynesburg (13-5) to a WPIAL Class 2A first-round win at Connellsville.

Tyler Switalski, Dalton Woods and Caleb Blair also scored for the Raiders, who will play No. 2 Deer Lakes in the quarterfinals.

Class A

Avonworth 4, Mohawk 0 — Tyler Bryan scored twice, and Michael Mucha and Jason Novosel added goals as No. 1 Avonworth (17-0-1) shut out No. 16 Mohawk (5-9-2) at Quaker Valley.

Avonworth will play Riverside in the quarterfinals.

Brentwood 4, Serra Catholic 2 — Heran Pradhan scored twice and Ben Betz and Shashak Gunung added goals for No. 7 Brentwood (10-2-2) in a WPIAL Class A first-round win over No. 10 Serra Catholic (10-7) at Peters Township. Joey Folino scored both goals for Serra Catholic.

Brentwood will play No. 2 Greensburg Central Catholic in the quarterfinals.

Riverside 2, Carlynton 0 — Alex Nour scored off a free kick, and Jesse Young added a second-half goal as No. 8 Riverside (10-4-1) blanked No. 9 Carlynton (10-6-1) in a WPIAL Class A first-round game at Blackhawk.

Seton La Salle 3, Trinity Christian 1 — Kylar Krebs, T.J. Cherry and Anthony Newman all scored to guide No. 3 Seton LaSalle (16-3) to a WPIAL Class A first-round win over No. 14 Trinity Christian (10-9) at Canon-McMillan.

The Rebels will play Winchester Thurston in the quarterfinals.

Sewickley Academy 5, Monessen 2 — At West Allegheny, Jack Wentz, Alex Gordon, Jack Duggan, Rees Blaylock and Cole Rychel all scored for No. 4 Sewickley Academy (13-4) in a WPIAL Class A first-round win.

The Panthers will play No. 5 Springdale in the quarterfinals.

Cameron Frolo scored twice for the No. 13 Greyhounds (9-5-2).

Winchester Thurston 3, OLSH 2 (OT) — Beck Buchanan scored 14 minutes into overtime on an assist from Diederik Schlingemann as No. 6 Winchester Thurston (11-5) won a WPIAL Class A first-round game over No. 11 OLSH (11-5-1). Schlingemann added two goals in regulation.

Field hockey

Latrobe 2, Oakland Catholic 0 — Lauren Jones and Lauren Sigut scored as Latrobe defeated Oakland Catholic in a WPIAL semifinal match at Penn-Trafford.

The Wildcats will take on Penn-Trafford in the WPIAL championship at 7:45 p.m. Oct. 30, at Fox Chapel.

More High School Soccer Boys

Championship WPIAL soccer coach to follow father into A-K Valley Sports Hall of Fame
Nick White approved as Franklin Regional boys soccer coach
PIAA discussing eliminating overtime in regular-season soccer games
The Kiski School builds on success, wins 4th straight PAISAA championship
Norwin’s Owen Christopher headlines 2023 Trib HSSN boys soccer all-stars