Norwin’s Owen Christopher headlines 2023 Trib HSSN boys soccer all-stars

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Tuesday, November 28, 2023 | 5:01 PM

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Trib HSSN Boys Soccer All-Stars

Fab 15

Player of the year

Owen Christopher

Sr., MF, Norwin

Watch Owen Christopher play soccer and you see his leadership ability. His head is always on a swivel. He sets everyone up, pointing and waving like a Hollywood director, to get the right position, the right shape, for an attack or stop.

The Norwin senior led an unlikely playoff run as the eighth-seeded Knights won their first WPIAL championship and reached the PIAA semifinals in Class 4A.

The man in the middle often marked the opponents’ top player, reset the offense and always seemed to be in the right spot to make a pivotal play.

For his impressive season, Christopher is the TribLive HSSN Boys Soccer Player of the Year.

Plum’s Tristan Ralph and Tyler Prex of Seneca Valley also were considered.

Christopher also was the TribLive Westmoreland player of the year.

Norwin finished 17-6 as Christopher scored 13 goals and delivered five assists, scoring three penalty kicks in the playoffs, including one in an upset of No. 1 seed Seneca Valley in the quarterfinals.

He also scored in shootout wins against North Allegheny in the WPIAL title game and Abington in the PIAA quarterfinals.

Christopher was an all-section, All-WPIAL and all-state selection. He also made the WPIAL Class 4A all-star game.

All-stars

Dante Accamando, Sr., GK, North Allegheny

Named to all-state and All-WPIAL lists after guarding the net for WPIAL runner-up and PIAA quarterfinalist Tigers.

Jaxon Camp, Sr., F, Montour

Selected to all-state and All-WPIAL teams after leading Spartans to WPIAL 3A semifinals and state tournament.

Nick Cherry, Sr., GK, Seton LaSalle

Picked for all-state and All-WPIAL lists, he stopped shots with regularity for WPIAL Class A semifinalists.

Kaiden Fischer, Sr., MF, South Park

An all-state and All-WPIAL performer, he led Eagles (22-1) to WPIAL 2A championship and berth in PIAA playoffs.

Luke Fiscus, Sr., MF, Hampton

Named to all-state and All-WPIAL lists and led Talbots to WPIAL runner-up finish and PIAA quarterfinals.

Nathan Froelich, Sr., MF, Peters Township

Was named to the all-state and All-WPIAL lists and led a 4A playoff team to WPIAL quarterfinals.

Ryan Galicic, Sr., F, Canon-McMillan

An all-state and all-WPIAL selection for the Big Macs, who made the WPIAL 4A postseason.

Trevor Kovatch, Jr., F, Belle Vernon

Second-leading scorer in the WPIAL with 49 goals was an All-WPIAL selection for playoff team.

Billy Lawrence, Sr., F, Springdale

The WPIAL Class A player of the year was an all-state and All-WPIAL honoree who powered the Dynamos to WPIAL Class A quarterfinals.

Pablo Linzoain, Jr., MF, Fox Chapel

An all-state and All-WPIAL performer, he helped Foxes reach WPIAL 4A semifinals.

Tyler Prex, Jr., MF, Seneca Valley

An all-region, all-state and All-WPIAL performer, he was named the WPIAL 4A co-player of the year for No. 1 seeded Raiders.

Tristan Ralph, Sr., MF, Plum

The WPIAL 3A player of the year was an all-region, all-state and All-WPIAL selection for top-seeded Mustangs.

Anthony Scalise, Sr., GK, Norwin

All-WPIAL keeper for the underdog Knights, who won a WPIAL 4A championship and reached the PIAA semifinals.

Jordan Taylor, Sr., F, Jeannette

All-state and All-WPIAL pick and WPIAL 2A player of the year led WPIAL with 54 goals and finished third all time in the district with 162.

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

Tags: Belle Vernon, Canon-McMillan, Fox Chapel, Hampton, Jeannette, Montour, North Allegheny, Norwin, Peters Township, Plum, Seneca Valley, Seton La Salle, South Park, Springdale