What to watch for in WPIAL sports for Oct. 3, 2022: First place up for grabs in girls soccer

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, October 2, 2022 | 9:02 PM

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With two weeks left in WPIAL girls soccer section play, time is running out in the chase for section titles.

There are 42 section matches slated for a busy Monday around the district with two contests set where at least a share of first place is up for grabs.

One of the showdowns is in Section 2 where two of the top teams in Class A square off for a second time as Chartiers-Houston hosts Waynesburg Central.

The Raiders shut out the Buccaneers in the first meeting in Greene County, 1-0, on Sept. 7.

Since then, Waynesburg Central (10-1) has won seven matches in a row, allowing only five goals in those wins.

The Buccaneers have won five of six since suffering their only section loss. Chartiers-Houston is 10-2 this season with its most recent loss coming to South Side on Sept. 15.

The other match with first-place implications is Section 3-3A when Latrobe hosts Plum.

The Mustangs are alone in first place with an 8-0 record and have won all 10 of their matches this season.

They would still actually be in first if they lost, but would only be a half-game head of the Wildcats, who are 5-1-1 in the section.

Latrobe lost to Plum, 4-2, on Sept. 7 and later tied Penn-Trafford, 1-1.

Meet in the middle

While a lot of attention is paid to the quest for first place up and down WPIAL girls soccer, now is the time to pay attention to the middle of the pack and the battles for playoff positioning and postseason berths.

While Freedom (6-0) and Mohawk (5-1) sit comfortably atop Section 3-A, the other four teams are in scramble mode in an effort to make the postseason.

All four of those teams go head-to-head Monday when Riverside (2-5) visits Eden Christian Academy (2-4) and South Side (2-4) hosts Sewickley Academy (2-5).

Three other matches to watch Monday include Pine-Richland (3-4-1) at Fox Chapel (4-4-1) in Section 1-4A, Southmoreland (4-2) visiting Yough (4-2) in Section 3-2A and Bentworth (3-4-1) hosting South Allegheny (3-3-1) in Section 2-A.

Girls doubles tennis bracketology

If you are looking for a dynamic duo in WPIAL girls tennis, your best bet would be to begin your search is Saxonburg in Butler County.

The Knoch girls tennis program has an amazing run of success in the district girls doubles championships.

A team of Knights have been crowned WPIAL doubles champions the last three years.

Ally Bauer and Libby Conlon in 2019, Ally Bauer and Brooke Bauer in 2020 and another set of sisters last fall, Emily Grub and Lindsey Grub in 2021.

Senior Ally Bauer and junior Lindsey Greb defeated Knoch junior teammates Ava Santora and Jade Nether in the title match of the Section 3-2A qualifiers last week and are expected to be the top seed when the 2022 WPIAL girls doubles tournament bracket is released Monday.

New champions will be crowned in 3A after the graduation of 2022 winners Jenna Bell and Carolina Walters of Latrobe.

Tags: Bentworth, Chartiers-Houston, Eden Christian, Fox Chapel, Freedom, Knoch, Latrobe, Mohawk, Pine-Richland, Plum, Riverside, Sewickley Academy, South Allegheny, South Side, Southmoreland, Waynesburg, Yough