Westmoreland high school PIHL playoff preview capsules for March 12, 2024

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, March 11, 2024 | 5:03 PM

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PIHL playoffs

Class 2A

Semifinals

8-Penn-Trafford (8-9-0-2) vs. 4-Norwin (12-7-0-2)

7 p.m. Tuesday, Robert Morris University Island Sports Center, Moon

Winner plays: Winner of 6-Franklin Regional (11-7-0-1)/2-Thomas Jefferson (18-2-0-0) in championship 6:15 p.m. Monday at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, Cranberry

Players to watch: Alex Thomas, Norwin; Marco Ferracio, Penn-Trafford

Ice chips: Norwin and Penn-Trafford played a pair of one-goal games during the regular season, each winning one. Penn-Trafford won the first matchup 5-4 in overtime. Norwin won 6-5 in a shootout. … Class 2A newcomer Norwin advanced to its third straight semifinal with a 5-2 victory over Fox Chapel. Dom Costantino, one of five goal scorers, had a goal and three assists, and Owen Burmeister made 33 saves for the Knights. Alex Thomas, the program’s all-time leading goal scorer and point getter, has 33 goals and 29 assists this season. Norwin was the Class A champion two years ago. … Penn-Trafford slipped past top-seeded South Fayette, 4-3, in the quarterfinals. Ben Zierski, Cam Kriste, Gavin Paterson and Robert Thatcher each had one goal, and Tyler Funk stopped 31 shots in net. The Warriors played in the semifinals two years ago and lost to Thomas Jefferson.

6-Franklin Regional (11-7-0-1) vs. 2-Thomas Jefferson (18-2-0-0)

9 p.m. Tuesday, Robert Morris University Island Sports Center, Moon

Winner plays: Winner of 8-Penn-Trafford (8-9-0-2) vs. 4-Norwin (12-7-0-2) in championship 6:15 p.m. Monday at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, Cranberry

Players to watch: Shawn Sinclair, Franklin Regional; Nathan Weiss, Thomas Jefferson

Ice chips: Franklin Regional overcame a tight quarterfinal against Latrobe, using a third-period goal from Sinclair to get past Latrobe, 4-3. Sinclair had two goals in the win, which saw the Panthers score three times in the second period. Brendan Yohe and Max Williams also scored in the win. The Panthers won back-to-back WPIAL Class A titles in 2016 and ’17. … Thomas Jefferson scored twice in the third period to top Hempfield, 5-3. Five scorers lit the lamp for the Jaguars, including Weiss, Jake Stock, Andrew Oliver, Scott Allan and Liam Mahoney. The Jaguars outshot the Spartans, 54-25. Four-time Penguins Cup champion Thomas Jefferson last won a title in 2022.

Class A

Semifinals

5-Greensburg Salem (14-5-0-1) vs. 3-Shaler (17-3-0-1)

8:45 p.m. Wednesday, Robert Morris University Island Sports Center, Moon

Winner plays: Winner of 2-Indiana (16-3-0-1)/1-Chartiers Valley (21-0-0-0) in championship, 8:45 p.m. March 19 at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, Cranberry

Players to watch: Hunter Webb, Greensburg Salem; Matt Stelitano, Shaler

Ice chips: Greensburg Salem pulled a pair of upsets to reach the semis, defeating No. 4 Plum and No. 1 Quaker Valley. Luke Dieter and Webb scored in a 2-0 win over Quaker Valley, which saw goaltender Tristan Gonzales make 27 saves. The Quakers had not been shut out all season. Greensburg Salem made the semifinals last year and lost to Kiski Area, 3-1. … Shaler, the highest-scoring team in Class A during the regular season (132 goals), powered past Avonworth, 6-2, to reach the semis. Stelitano scored four goals, and Luca Wallander and Jacob Kunc had two assists apiece. The Titans have one PIHL title, in 2009 (3A).

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

Tags: Franklin Regional, Greensburg Salem, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Shaler, Thomas Jefferson