Sewickley Academy boys soccer uses home-field advantage to get off to quick start

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, September 14, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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Sewickley Academy’s boys soccer team finally hit the road in mid-September.

The Panthers played their first four games on their home turf, compiling a 3-1 record and a 1-0 mark in Section 1-A.

Sewickley was scheduled to visit Freedom on Sept. 9 and South Side on Sept. 11 in section contests.

The Panthers opened the season with an 8-0 win against Serra Catholic, 2-1 victory over Trinity Christian, 3-1 loss to Aquinas Academy and a 5-1 win against Eden Christian Academy.

“Our first four games were at home,” Sewickley coach Joel Stewart said. “We played OK the first two games, not very good at all the third game, and really well the fourth game versus Eden Christian.”

The common denominator for the Panthers in all four matches was freshman goalkeeper Haden Haley, who started and played the entire time against all four opponents.

Haley recorded a shutout in his first varsity start and surrendered just one goal in his second game.

“Haden was not challenged a lot in the first two games, but when he was, he did a great job,” Stewart said. “He is a talented young goalie.”

Finn Wentz, an athletic senior midfielder, led the Panthers’ charge with a hat trick plus three assists, playing a role in six of the team’s eight goals in the 2025 season opener.

“Finn has done exactly what we have asked of him so far,” Stewart said. “He controls the middle of the field, defends well, distributes well and finishes goals when the opportunity is there.”

Wentz is a fourth-year competitor in soccer and will be in his fourth season in the boys tennis program in the spring.

“Our (soccer) team is very strong,” Wentz said, “and now that we have many of our players back from injury, the team is looking really good. This is my senior year. The WPIAL is really the only thing left to win.

“Our strength is our middle of the field. We build through the middle, and our midfield and central defenders know our defensive roles.”

Senior midfielder Nick Day contributed two goals and two assists against Serra Catholic while Blake Wilmot, a senior defender, added two goals. Junior midfielder Jake Donesec chipped in with one goal.

Wilmot is a fourth-year starter for the Panthers and the starting kicker for the Moon football team. In the spring, he competes in lacrosse for Sewickley as a long-pole defender.

Wilmot likes the resilience the boys soccer team has displayed so far in 2025.

“No matter the situation, we keep pushing and competing,” he said. “We may not have the deepest roster, but I can guarantee that every player is willing to give their all on the field.

“I believe this team can be something special. We have no excuses this year, and we know that if we put in the work, we can accomplish anything we set our minds to.”

Day is a second-year starter in soccer and also participates in track and field.

“We have a really strong group this year,” Day said about the boys soccer team, “and we look to achieve a lot of success. My expectations are to win the section and compete for a WPIAL championship.

“Expectations are high. The team gets along great, which is always a huge plus.”

Wentz, Wilmot, Day, forward Chase D’Antonio and defender Luca Peluso are seniors who have been teammates on the pitch for several years. Day is counting on that experience to carry the team far this season.

“We have five talented seniors who have been with the program for a long time and will look to end on a high note,” Day said.

Sewickley edged Trinity Christian, 2-1, on Aug. 28 as Wentz, on an assist by Day, and Wilmot accounted for Sewickley’s two scores. Wilmot scored the decisive goal in the game’s final minutes.

The Panthers jumped out to a 3-0 halftime lead Sept. 4 against Eden Christian on their way to their section-opening win. D’Antonio sparked Sewickley offensively with two goals and two assists.

Wentz and junior striker Ben Terrell both contributed one goal and one assist, Peluso added one goal, and Day closed out the Panthers’ scoring via an assist.

Tags: Sewickley Academy