Westmoreland County high school soccer playoff preview capsules for Oct. 28, 2025

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, October 27, 2025 | 5:01 PM

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WPIAL soccer playoffs

Class 3A

Semifinals

3-Franklin Regional (17-3) vs. 2-Bethel Park (14-2-3)

6 p.m. Tuesday, Dormont Stadium, Dormont

Coaches: Nick White, Franklin Regional; Doug Fink, Bethel Park

Winner plays: Winner of 8-West Allegheny (12-6)/5-Thomas Jefferson (17-2-1) in championship (time, date TBD) at Highmark Stadium

Players to watch: Aidan Alexander, Franklin Regional; Youssef Benrabia, Bethel Park

Throw-ins: Cruise Lamanna scored both goals, including a golden goal early in the second overtime, to lift the Panthers past No. 6 Chartiers Valley, 2-1, in the quarterfinals. Lamanna, a 6-foot-3 forward who has 11 goals this season, also scored on a penalty kick with about six minutes left in regulation. The Panthers had 13 shots to the Colts’ five. This is their third straight semifinal trip and seventh final-four appearance in eight years. The Panthers were runners-up to Moon last season. … Bethel Park returns to the semifinals after advancing that far last season for the first time since 2013. The Black Hawks upset Latrobe last year 3-2 in two overtimes to reach the semifinals. They then lost to Moon, 3-2, in overtime. This year, Youssef Benrabia and Xavier Jackson scored goals, and goalie Luke Rubican posted a clean sheet in a 2-0 victory over No. 7 Mars, the team Franklin Regional edged 2-1 in last year’s semis. Fink is in his eighth season leading the program. … The winner clinches a spot in the PIAA playoffs. The loser moves into the third-place game for state qualification.

Girls

Class 2A

Semifinals

8-Burrell (11-6-2) vs. 4-Mt. Pleasant (14-4-1)

6 p.m. Tuesday, Gateway’s Antimarino Stadium, Monroeville

Winner plays: Winner of 3-Quaker Valley (14-2-1)/2-Freeport (17-1) in championship (time, date TBD) at Highmark Stadium

Coaches: Frank Nesko, Burrell; Rich Garland, Mt. Pleasant

Throw-ins: They meet again. Burrell has upset Mt. Pleasant in the quarterfinals the last two years as an underdog, and has knocked out the Vikings in four of the last six years. Mt. Pleasant edged past Shady Side Academy, 2-1, in the quarterfinals as Morgan Gesinski had a goal and an assist, and Adi Cole added a score. Mt. Pleasant reached the finals in 2022 and lost to Avonworth. The Vikings are seeking their first WPIAL title. Goalkeeper Laurel Rummel has never missed a start in four years and has 67 career wins and 57 shutouts. … Giant killer Burrell is looking for a breakthrough after close calls in the recent past. It reached the WPIAL finals last year as a No. 9 seed and fell to Quaker Valley, 2-1. The Buccaneers lost to Shady Side Academy as a No. 6 seed in the 2023 semis. The Bucs blanked No. 1 seed South Park, 1-0, in this year’s quarterfinals. McKenna Miller had the goal on an assist from Makiah Buchak, who has had success against Mt. Pleasant, and Leah Waldsmith earned the clean sheet in goal. … The winner clinches a spot in the PIAA tournament. The loser can still qualify for the state playoffs if it wins the WPIAL third-place game.

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

Tags: Bethel Park, Franklin Regional, Mt. Pleasant