Shady Side Academy soccer teams find playoff success

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, October 29, 2017 | 11:00 PM

The Fox Chapel and Shady Side Academy soccer teams all advanced to the WPIAL playoffs. The Shady Side Academy boys advanced to the WPIAL championship game, while the girls moved on to the semifinals. Both Fox Chapel teams were eliminated last week.

Shady Side Academy

Shady Side Academy's girls team shutout Apollo-Ridge, 4-0, in the first round of the WPIAL Class A playoffs Oct. 23.

“I am thrilled that we won,” SSA coach Leah Powers said. “I believe that Apollo-Ridge was far better than their No. 12 seeding would suggest.”

SSA got a goal from Callie Davis in the first half to get things rolling and Krystyna Rytel scored with two seconds left in the half. They also added a goal apiece in the second half.

“The team worked together to earn that win,” Powers said. “Melissa Riggens made key plays all night to aid the defense and the offense and just generally helped to distribute the ball. The defense was led by our captains, Hannah Steffey and Julie Staley, to help shut down their offense.”

In their quarterfinal match against Sewickley Academy (12-5-2) on Oct. 26, the Indians (12-3) erupted for four goals in the second half to post a 4-0 win and advance to the semifinals. Davis scored a pair of goals while Sophia McMahon added a goal. Krystyna Rytel had a goal and two assists.

“My girls played an incredible game,” Powers said. “They won challenges out of the air, possessed the ball and shut down Sewickley's offense. It took us a long time to score, but I knew it would happen because we were creating all kinds of opportunities.”

• After upsetting No. 2 South Park in the first round 5-2 and then beating Waynesburg, 3-0, in the quarterfinals, the No. 15-seeded Shady Side Academy boys soccer team defeated Central Valley, 2-0, in the semifinals Saturday.

Adrian Beckford and Kenny Shergill each scored and Chester Todd recorded the shutout in goal.

The Indians (12-7-1) will play No. 1 Quaker Valley in the championship game at a time, date and site to be determined.

Fox Chapel

In the first round of the WPIAL Class AAAA playoffs Oct. 23, Fox Chapel prevailed in a shootout to defeat Butler 2-1. The Foxes outscored Butler, 4-2, in the shootout.

“It's the kind of game we expected,” FC coach Peter Torres said. “While Butler was a fourth-place finisher in the section, we understood that was misleading. They were playing as good as anybody when the season ended. They had a big win over North Allegheny in that stretch. We respected their team and knew they were well-coached.”

The Foxes missed their first shot in the shootout, but Sabrina McQuarrie, Maura Curry, Claudia DeMartino and Katie Livingston all scored.

“They maintained their composure and didn't let the moment overcome them,” Torres said. “Kate Fetzko was able to make one save in the shootout and one of their girls shot high over the goal. We have experienced the other side of a shootout so we were excited to come out ahead.”

Fetzko had 20 saves.

The Foxes went up against No. 2 seed Penn-Trafford on Oct. 26 in the quarterfinals at Norwin and lost 3-2.

FC goals were scored by Maura Curry and Kate Livingston. Blair Echnat and Claudia DeMartino added assists.

“Penn-Trafford moved the ball well and they were very deceptive and creative,” Torres said. “We struggled with containment, and that led to two of the goals. We thought we had captured the momentum with our goal in the first half but they answered 22 seconds later. We hoped to get to halftime tied so we could regain our composure but we gave up a goal late in the first half.”

The Warriors added a goal in the second half to make it 3-1.

The Foxes got a goal off of a corner kick to make it 3-2 but that would finish the scoring.

“Their goalkeeper came up with a big series of saves at the end of the game,” Torres said. “Our girls gave everything they could to win the game.”

• The Fox Chapel boys lost to No. 1 Peters Township in the opening round, 2-0, to finish the season 9-9 overall.

Marty Stewart is a freelance writer.

Tags: Fox Chapel, Shady Side Academy