North Allegheny boys soccer focused on unfinished business

By: Chris Harlan
Saturday, September 7, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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A WPIAL title slipped away on penalty kicks and a trip to the state finals fell two rounds short.

It’s easy to understand why “unfinished business” was the motto North Allegheny’s boys soccer team adopted this year. In this, coach Manuel Montero’s third season, the Tigers want to accomplish more.

“I don’t think anybody — not the coaches or the players — were satisfied with the results of last year,” Montero said. “Until this day, I’m bitter. It was kind of a bittersweet season. More bitter than sweet.”

North Allegheny graduated a small but talented senior class from a WPIAL runner-up lineup that finished 17-3-3 and reached the state quarterfinals. Gone is the second-leading scorer and an all-section goalkeeper, among others. But Montero said the Tigers return “a good amount,” including top scorer Zach Nash, now a senior.

Nash, a first-team all-section forward, scored 13 goals.

Nathan Katari is also back after an eight-goal junior season and second-team all-section honors. Senior striker Noah Hutter (two goals) and midfielder Mykola Denysenko (two) also have experience. Junior midfielder Leonardo Yu and senior defender Caleb Rumberger (four goals) earned all-section honorable mention.

And after two years as Dante Accamando’s backup, senior Ryan Young takes over at goalkeeper.

“In any other district, he would’ve been a two- or three-year starter,” Montero said of Young. “I think he has a chance of being goalkeeper of the conference.”

So rather than dwell on disappointment in the months since last season ended, Montero said he saw his team motivated to make North Allegheny a mainstay in championship games.

“It’s just a win at a time and don’t look too far ahead. But the boys know the standards,” Montero said. “This group knows how grueling the season is. They know what it takes to get there.”

North Allegheny came close to gold last year, losing to Norwin, 2-1, in a shootout in the WPIAL Class 4A final. The Tigers were trying to add to their nine WPIAL titles, the most recent won in 2017.

That finals loss created a memory that stuck around, since last year’s team was junior heavy. Montero said most of his junior varsity players were also there at Highmark Stadium to watch.

“That drove their hunger,” he said. “For the younger guys, we’re turning the corner into becoming kind of a powerhouse. When I took over the program, it was a good program. But now it’s taking that next step. You have to learn to win.”

The Tigers held a one-goal lead in the WPIAL finals until Norwin scored in the 74th minute. After two scoreless overtimes, Norwin eventually won on penalty kicks.

That was one of six overtime games for NA.

“Our whole season was like that,” Montero said. “We dominated games but didn’t put them away with goals. In the finals, the same things happened. We kept missing chances.”

But overall, year two under Montero saw the program grow after missing the playoffs in year one. The Tigers went 10-1-3 in the section last season and finished a game behind Seneca Valley, despite splitting their regular-season series with the Raiders.

Now, Montero wants to keep building.

“With the talent we have, we shouldn’t be a one-year wonder,” he said. “From year one, my goal was to make the finals of WPIALs. That should be part of it. That should come with it. The question should be: Can we challenge for the state playoffs every year?”

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: North Allegheny