Shady Side Academy gets past Aquinas Academy for record-tying 22nd WPIAL field hockey title

By: Ted Sarneso
Wednesday, October 29, 2025 | 11:36 PM

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For the third straight year, Aquinas Academy and Shady Side Academy met in the Class A field hockey title game.

The Crusaders came in looking to finally get over the hump, having played in the championship game the last four years and coming up empty.

The Bulldogs were looking to win their third straight and make history along the way.

After a fast, up-and-down game, the record books now have a new entry.

No. 1 seed Shady Side Academy (17-2-1) got a late third-quarter goal from sophomore Harley Tomasi and survived a late push from No. 2 Aquinas Academy (9-6) to secure its fourth consecutive title and 22nd all-time in a 1-0 win at rain-soaked North Allegheny.

“A tight one as usual when we play Aquinas in these situations,” said Shady Side Academy coach Elizabeth Patterson. “We love playing their team. It’s always a great game, and we were fortunate to come out on top tonight.”

The win ties Shady Side with North Allegheny for the most field hockey titles all time.

The first half of the game saw the teams trading chances as the players were up and down the field almost nonstop.

Shady Side came out with the majority of chances and outshot Aquinas 5-2 in the first half. The Bulldogs also had the advantage in penalty corners, with four, two of them coming in the first quarter.

Aquinas’ gameplan was to come out and get as many chances as they could and they missed on a few opportunities to score on an empty cage, but the shots were either blocked or just went wide of the goal.

“We organized our game to get as many chances as we could, even attempting some breakaways,” said Aquinas coach Albert Casas. “We tried, but unfortunately, it just didn’t happen for us.”

For Shady Side, a team that came into the contest scoring 81 goals on the season, it was frustrating to go into the half scoreless after coming up empty on their chances

“It was a little stressful, but we know our team, especially when we’re put in that position,” Tomasi said. “I think we always know how to climb back. We came back even harder tonight, and the effort really showed.”

At the half, Patterson reassured her players that they were on the right track and if they kept playing how they were, they would see results.

“I told them to bring it back to the basics and not let the conditions or anything else get into our heads,” Patterson recounted. “Told them to trust their bodies, trust the skills they have and play together as a team and keep pushing in on net.”

The Bulldogs had to wait almost an additional 10 minutes, but their persistence finally paid off when Tomasi was able to turn and fire a shot that whizzed past netminder Aarona Casas-Arnedos.

“It wasn’t just my goal, but it belonged to the team,” said Tomasi. “The effort we all put in tonight, it felt like it all came together. It felt absolutely amazing.”

The Bulldogs weathered one more quarter as the Crusaders began to up their offensive pressure looking for the equalizer.

Just two minutes into the final frame Aquinas missed a perfect opportunity as Shady Side’s freshman goalkeeper, Rosa Iannetti, was just out of position and the ball went by on her left side.

But luckily for Iannetti and the Bulldogs, it missed the post by what seemed millimeters and rolled harmlessly away.

“I thought it was fantastic,” said Patterson. “We’ve been training for this since August, and we were ready to peak tonight and ready to take it to the next level. Everyone on our team stars in every game.”

Iannetti stopped all nine shots she faced and preserved the Bulldogs’ 11th shutout in 20 contests this season. Shady Side also played Aquinas three times during the year and shut them out each time.

For Aquinas, it’s the fifth year in a row that the season has ended just short of a trip to states, but Casas says his girls have nothing to hang their heads about.

“We knew since the beginning that Shady Side has a very good team, very good program. They’re a phenomenal opponent,” Casas said. “I’m very happy with how the girls played tonight and very satisfied with the job they have been doing all season long. It’s not about the result on the scoreboard, but how they feel as an athlete and as a person.”

The Bulldogs are off again to the PIAA playoffs and are looking forward to the challenge other teams in Pennsylvania bring.

“We’re looking forward to the challenge trying to put all of the pieces of the puzzle together and have a good performance,” Patterson said.

Tags: Aquinas Academy, Shady Side Academy