Westmoreland County WPIAL soccer playoff preview capsules: Oct. 31

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Friday, October 30, 2020 | 4:43 PM

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Boys

Class 4A

Quarterfinals

6-North Allegheny (13-3-1) at 3-Norwin (10-0-2)

Noon Saturday, Norwin Knights Stadium, North Huntingdon

Winner plays: Winner of 10-Butler (11-5-1) at 2-Seneca Valley (11-1-1), 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (site TBD) in semifinals

Hat tricks: Norwin has been off since Oct. 19 with a first-round bye. The Knights are getting some players back healthy after nagging injuries, including senior forward Brendan Ash. The Knights, who oddly have not played North Allegheny since 2017, have not lost in six home games this season. … North Allegheny advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2017 when the Tigers won the WPIAL title. Jonathan Swann had two goals and Ben Christian, Evan Anderson and Kensly Owens added one apiece in a 5-1 first-round victory over Allderdice. The Tigers have 10 shutouts.

Class A

Quarterfinals

9-Eden Christian (9-2) vs. 1-Greensburg Central Catholic (12-1)

2 p.m. Saturday, North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium, McCandless

Winner plays: Winner of 5-Springdale (11-1) at 4-Seton La Salle (12-2), 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (site TBD) in semifinals

Hat tricks: Greensburg CC raced to a 7-0 lead against 16th-seeded Aquinas Academy on Tuesday in the first round and rested its starters. Aquinas rallied for five goals, but GCC posted a 7-5 win to get back to the quarterfinals. Carlo Denis had a hat trick, giving him 31 scores for the season. Mason Fabean scored twice, and Dylan Sebek and Seth Skowronek also found the net for the defending WPIAL champions. … Malachi Manges, Elijah Manges, Ben Rice and Jack Jones had goals for Eden Christian in a 4-2 first-round win over Serra Catholic, which finished third in GCC’s section. Eden last made the quarterfinals in 2016. The Warriors finished second in Section 3 behind Springdale.

Girls

Class 2A

Quarterfinals

5-Avonworth (12-1-1) at 4-Southmoreland (13-1)

Noon Saturday, Russ Grimm Field, Alverton

Winner plays: Winner of 9-Yough (10-4) at 1-South Park (12-0-1), 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (site TBD) in semifinals

Hat tricks: Southmoreland posted its first playoff win in a decade, 3-1 over No. 13 Ambridge as Olivia Cernuto had two goals and an assist, and Kiley Queer added a goal. The Scotties will play back-to-back home playoff games for the first time. They are 8-0 at “The Grimm” this season. … Avonworth made the semifinals two years ago but missed the playoffs last year. The Antelopes beat Deer Lakes, 3-1, to open the postseason. They finished second in Section 1 behind No. 3 seed North Catholic, a team they tied, 0-0, and lost to, 2-1.

9-Yough (10-4) at 1-South Park (12-0-1)

Noon Saturday, South Park High School, South Park

Winner plays: Winner of 5-Avonworth (12-1-1) at 4-Southmoreland (13-1), 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (site TBD) in semifinals

Hat tricks: Yough went back and forth in the opening round with No. 8 Elizabeth Forward before pulling out a 3-2 win. McKenzie Pritts scored twice, including the game-winner with 7:32 to play, and Hannah Biros also had a goal for the Cougars, who finished as the WPIAL runners-up last season. Yough and South Park were section foes last year and the Cougars went 0-1-1 against the Eagles. … Section 4 champ South Park got goals from Nora Ozimek and Maddie Raymond to down Beaver, 2-0, in the first round. The Eagles were a semifinalist last season. They have outscored their 13 opponents, 49-1, and have 12 shutouts.

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

Tags: Avonworth, Eden Christian, Greensburg C.C., North Allegheny, Norwin, South Park, Southmoreland, Yough