What to watch for in WPIAL sports for Oct. 17, 2022: Teams battle for final postseason berths

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, October 16, 2022 | 10:29 PM

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Forty-nine WPIAL girls soccer teams have clinched a WPIAL playoff berth, but as the end of the regular season is near, there are still several postseason berths up for grabs.

With a couple of exceptions, most district teams end section play Monday.

Here are the matches that carry postseason ramifications.

Section 1-3A, Kiski Area (4-7) at Indiana (5-6): The Little Indians have clinched and will be joined in the playoff by the Cavaliers if KA wins on the road.

Section 2-3A, Laurel Highlands (5-8) at Connellsville (7-6) and Belle Vernon (7-6) at Elizabeth Forward (11-1-1): Both the Falcons and Leopards qualify with a win. If Connellsville and Belle Vernon both win, tie or lose, then they both clinch.

Section 1-2A, Beaver (4-4-2) at North Catholic (11-0), Central Valley (3-7) at Hopewell (4-5-1) and Avonworth (9-2) at Quaker Valley (4-6-1): The Bobcats and the Vikings can clinch with a win. The Quaker Are eliminated with a loss. Beaver visits Hopewell to close out section play Tuesday.

Section 2-2A, Burrell (7-2-2) at Valley (5-6) and hosts Deer Lakes (4-6-1) at Knoch (8-1-1): The Vikings clinch with a win or a tie. The Lancers clinch with a win and a Valley loss or tie.

Section 1-A, Springdale (10-1) at Riverview (5-5): A Raiders win Monday or when they face Greensburg Central Catholic (8-2) on Tuesday eliminates Serra Catholic. Two Riverview losses, and the Eagles clinch.

Section 2-A, Bentworth (4-6-1) at Beth-Center (1-10) and South Allegheny (4-6-1) at Waynesburg Central (9-2): A Bearcats win or a Gladiators loss or tie clinches a playoff berth for Bentworth and eliminates South Allegheny based on head-to-head tiebreaker in favor of Bentworth.

Section 3-A, Mohawk (6-2) at Sewickley Academy (3-6) and Freedom (9-0) at South Side (3-6): A Panthers win or a Rams loss or tie clinches a playoff berth for Sewickley Academy and eliminates South Side based on head-to-head tiebreaker in favor of Sewickley Academy.

Teeing off for state gold

The top golfers will tee off on the first of two days in PIAA individual golf championships at the Penn State Golf Course in State College.

A total of 32 boys and 17 girls golfers from the WPIAL and City League are set to participate in the 36-hole state championship event.

The district golfer are listed below with their year and school:

3A Boys

Bertolo Blake 12 Mars

Burchianti Aidan 12 Central Catholic

Salvitti Rocco 12 Central Catholic

Walker Connor 12 Central Catholic

Carlson Kai 11 Avonworth

Hoffman Chris 10 North Allegheny

Joon Neil 11 Upper St. Clair

Lorish Wes 10 Plum

Lusk Colton 10 Peters Township

Martineau Harrison 11 Indiana

Masciantonio Blaise 12 Pine Richland

Ross Zack 11 Moon

Turowski Nick 11 Penn Trafford

Swidzinski Hunter 11 Butler

Taromina Benito 12 Allderdice

2A Boys

Bould Jackson 12 Quaker Valley

Dai Ethan 10 Quaker Valley

Schollaert Jonah 9 Quaker Valley

Davies Mitch 12 Knoch

Boyle Wade 12 Greensburg Central Catholic

Covey Nate 12 Freeport

Erdely Nixen 11 Frazier

Harbert Josh 12 Ligonier Valley

Harmon Severin 10 Sewickley Academy

Mucci Joey 12 Sewickley Academy

Jurica Hunter 12 Derry

Lohr Liam 11 Carmichaels

Maloney Rogan 11 Belle Vernon

Sethman Daniel 11 Brownsville

Tusai JP 11 South Park

Voytish Logan 11 Uniontown

Wrona Jay 11 Mohawk

Girls 3A

Benson Ellie 9 Peters Township

Brayton Lucy 12 Penn Hills

Malosh Marissa 12 South Fayette

Morgan Mya 9 Elizabeth Forward

Ranaweera Lihini 11 Seneca Valley

Sharek Madison 11 Seneca Valley

Rankin Katie Rose 12 North Allegheny

Gedris Lily 9 Allderdice

Girls 2A

Aigner Izabela 11 Greensburg Central Catholic

Bulger Eva 12 Quaker Valley

Konieczny Claire 12 Geibel Catholic

Lundgren Pearl 9 Eden Christian Academy

Mulderig Delaney 12 Shady Side Academy

Norton Kennedy 12 Central Valley

Petersen Gianna 12 Bethlehem Center

Snow Lillie 11 Freeport

Yourish Anna 12 Deer Lakes

Final four Monday

The WPIAL girls team tennis playoffs are halfway through the brackets with the semifinals matches in both Class 3A and 2A set for Monday.

The top four teams have advanced to the district final four with one exception. No. 5-seed Bethel Park edged rival and No. 4-seed Upper St. Clair in the quarterfinals, setting the stage for a new champion to be crowned after USC hoisted gold last season.

Bethel Park will battle another South Hills rival when it faces top-seed Mt. Lebanon at 3 p.m. at Thomas Jefferson high school.

The other semifinals match in 3A pits No. 2 seed Shady Side Academy against No. 3 North Allegheny in a match to be played at 3 p.m. at Sewickley Academy.

The Class 2A semifinals will be played at North Allegheny high school as top seed and defending champion Sewickley Academy faces No. 4 seed South Park at 3 p.m. and No. 2-seed Knoch takes on No. 3 seed Beaver at 2 p.m.

The winners meet for WPIAL gold Wednesday afternoon at the Janet L. Swanson Tennis Center at Washington & Jefferson.

Tomorrow’s losing teams also will meet Wednesday in the district consolation matches. The top three teams in both classifications qualify for the PIAA girls team tennis tournament.

Tags: Allderdice, Avonworth, Beaver, Belle Vernon, Bentworth, Beth-Center, Bethel Park, Brownsville, Burrell, Butler, Carmichaels, Central Catholic, Central Valley, Connellsville, Deer Lakes, Derry Area, Eden Christian, Elizabeth Forward, Frazier, Freeport, Geibel, Greensburg C.C., Indiana, Kiski Area, Knoch, Laurel Highlands, Ligonier Valley, Mohawk, Moon, Mt. lebanon, North Allegheny, North Catholic, Penn Hills, Penn-Trafford, Peters Township, Pine-Richland, Plum, Quaker Valley, Riverview, Seneca Valley, Sewickley Academy, Shady Side Academy, South Park, Springdale, Uniontown, Upper St. Clair, Valley