Unbeaten streak, section title among many highlights in Bethel Park boys soccer season

By: Ray Fisher
Saturday, November 22, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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The Bethel Park boys soccer team lost its first and last games of the regular season. In between, the Black Hawks were unbeatable.

Bethel Park won the Section 2-3A title with a 12-0-2 record and finished 14-4-3 overall after advancing to the WPIAL semifinals.

The Black Hawks fell to section rival Thomas Jefferson, 3-2, in a tough-to-take double overtime decision in the WPIAL third-place game.

“Overall, I was pleased with the team’s performance throughout the season,” Bethel Park coach Doug Fink said. “After losing our opening game to Peters (Township), we went 15 games in a row without losing again. That takes consistency and determination. I felt the boys worked hard to win the section.

“We were able to achieve two out of our three goals set at the beginning of the season. We won the section and we also made a deep run in the WPIAL playoffs.”

After blanking No. 15 Knoch, 6-0, and No. 7 Mars, 2-0, in the first two rounds of the district playoffs, the second-seeded Black Hawks lost to No. 3 Franklin Regional, 1-0, in the semifinal round.

Bethel Park ended up with a 76-21 scoring advantage this season as forwards Youssef Benrabia and Xavier Jackson led the way offensively with 25 and 22 goals, respectively.

“I’d say I was overall pleased with how we performed this year in most matches, some more than others,” Jackson said. “Obviously, throughout the season, there’s going to be adversity you face and situations you’ll be put in that are tough, and I think when that came, we dealt with it well and made our way through it.

“Although we fell short of where we wanted to be, you can’t take away the fact that we went undefeated in section play, won the section and competed with strong teams along the way. At the end of the day, the season was still a success for the most part.”

Jackson was honored as an all-section, all-WPIAL and all-state selection in 2025. Benrabia was named all-section and all-WPIAL.

“I think we played pretty well in all of our playoff games but our semifinal,” Jackson said. “We breezed right by Knoch in the first round then came across a very solid Mars team in the second round. Before playing Mars, we had some doubts because they knocked us out last year, but in the end, we put that aside and played the game and got the job done.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t do enough in the next two games to move on, but we competed as much as we could.”

Along with the two strikers, Benrabia and Jackson, Bethel Park’s postseason lineup consisted of Luke Rubican at goalkeeper, defenders Gavin DeClair, Jonah Stearman, Cooper Kicinski and Aaden McClelland and midfielders Pravas Dahal, Ellis Stearman, Josh Pantin and Julian Kountz.

Rubican, who made the all-section team, and Jake Coffield combined for eight clean sheets. DeClair led the defensive corps as an honorable mention all-section selection.

Defensively, Kincinski started at the left back position, DeClair and Stearman manned the center back spots and McClelland played at right back.

Some of the team’s top reserves included seniors Jake Lang on defense and Jason Koerbel at midfield plus junior midfielder Thomas Opferman.

“I thought we had a really good run this season, going undefeated in the section,” Lang said. “We connected well the entire year and continued to improve as a team throughout the season.

“We performed really well throughout the playoffs. We were able to keep our heads high even in times of doubt, staying calm and not falling under pressure.”

Bethel Park edged out Thomas Jefferson (11-2-1) and Trinity (10-3-1) for the section crown while Laurel Highlands (7-7) and Ringgold (7-7) tied for fourth place.

Bethel Park allowed just 10 goals in 14 section games and 21 goals in 21 games overall. The Black Hawks held 16 opponents to a goal or less, which included eight shutouts.

“Unfortunately, we did not achieve our third goal of qualifying for the PIAA tournament,” Fink said. “It’s always bittersweet for me because teams are remembered for winning titles, but I also felt extremely close to this group of 18 seniors.

“I have many fond memories of training sessions, bus rides, locker room talks and seeing these young men off the field as well.”

The Black Hawks’ veteran field boss believes one of the strengths of the soccer program is its coaching collaboration on the sideline during games and at practices.

Fink is assisted by Jay Zeminski, Josh Kicinski, Mike Stearman and Josh Woodman.

“I truly appreciate these men for their dedication they have shown to the program,” Finks said. “I don’t believe that we have a head coach at Bethel Park. We like to collaborate as an entire staff and make decisions together.”

The senior class on this year’s team was represented by Jackson, Benrabia, Lang, Rubican, Coffield, DeClair, Jonah Stearman, Kicinski, Pantin, Koerbel, forwards Andrew Hughes, John Busalacchi and Eli McCullough, midfielders Rowan Darr and Brady McCarthy, defenders Aiden Good and Patrick Romito and defender/midfielder Tyler Benlock.

“As one of the graduating seniors, I would like to thank my coaches and teammates for everything they have done for me,” Lang said. “I’m really going to miss you guys.”

Ellis Stearman and Kountz, both sophomore midfielders, Dahal, a junior midfielder, and McClelland and Opferman on defense will be key returning players in 2026.

“I’ve already started thinking about next season, and it will be difficult for many reasons,” Fink said. “First, it will be hard to replace the leadership of 18 seniors. Second, we will be moving up a classification to 4A next year. Local rivals such as Peters Township, Canon Mac, Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair all present massive challenges if placed in the same section like in previous years.

“We will have to continue to train extremely hard in the offseason to compete at this level. I liken it to a team in the English Championship division that has been promoted to the English Premier League. In other words, we have our work cut out for us.”

Tags: Bethel Park