What to watch for in high school sports for March 14, 2022: PIHL semifinals begin

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, March 13, 2022 | 8:49 PM

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A busy week of high school hockey semifinals action begins Monday.

The PIHL Penguins Cup playoffs have reached the Final Four.

The Class 3A semifinals are scheduled for Monday, 2A will be Tuesday, Class A on Wednesday and the Division II semis will be played Thursday.

All eight final four games will be played at the RMU Island Sports Center on Neville Island and can be viewed on Trib HSSN.

Familiar foes

The last two PIHL Class 3A champions collide in the first Penguins Cup semifinals game Monday.

North Allegheny won it all in 2021 and 2019 while Seneca Valley was crowned PIHL champion in 2018. There was no champion crowned in 2020 due to the covid-19 outbreak.

This is the third meeting of the year between the Tigers and Raiders and the third postseason in a row these rivals have clashed.

North Allegheny beat Seneca Valley twice this year, 2-1 in both games, including an outdoor game in early January at North Park.

The Tigers also eliminated the Raiders in the 2021 and 2019 quarterfinals by scores of 5-0 and 3-2.

Golden again?

Twenty years ago, Peters Township won the school’s first PIHL Penguins Cup championship when it won gold in Class 2A.

That began a stretch from 2002-08 of seven straight Class 2A crowns for Peters Township and Pine-Richland.

The Indians won four from 2002-06 while the Rams won three in a row from 2007-09 with the 2009 title being a Class 3A championship.

On Monday, these two elite programs meet in a 3A semifinals game at 8:45 p.m.

Peters Township has won a total of six PIHL championships with the latest coming in 2017.

Pine-Richland has four Penguins Cup crowns, the most recent coming three years ago when the Rams won the 2A title.

The Rams swept the Indians this year, winning 8-1 on opening night in October and 5-4 back in December.

Love means nothing

While this past Saturday was the first day schools were allowed to scrimmage in baseball, softball, boys and girls lacrosse, boys volleyball and boys and girls track, one sport begins playing actual games Monday.

The 2022 WPIAL boys tennis season gets going with a mixed bag weather-wise.

Temperatures will be in the mid 50’s with the sun shining and with snow on the ground as a backdrop.

Section play runs from now until April 21.

The defending team champions are Shady Side Academy in 3A and Quaker Valley in 2A.

Tags: North Allegheny, Peters Township, Pine-Richland, Quaker Valley, Seneca Valley, Shady Side Academy