What to watch for in WPIAL sports on April 23, 2021: Lacrosse academies do battle
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Friday, April 23, 2021 | 12:37 PM
Two of the top district girls lacrosse teams in Class AAA clash Friday for a share of first place in Section 2 in another battle of the academies.
Sewickley Academy and Shady Side Academy are both 4-0 in section play, tied for first place with North Allegheny and Fox Chapel.
The Panthers are a perfect 6-0 on the season while the Bulldogs are 6-1 with their lone loss coming against Mt. Lebanon.
This is the first meeting between the programs since they met in the 2019 Class AAA postseason, a quarterfinals match won by the Bulldogs, 12-5. Shady Side Academy went on after that victory to win the school’s first WPIAL girls lacrosse championship.
Two standout matches in boys lacrosse Friday include a battle for first place in Section 1-AAA when Upper St. Clair (3-0, 6-1) hosts Mt. Lebanon (3-0, 3-2).
In Section 2-AAA, Seneca Valley (2-1, 3-3) visit Pine-Richland (3-1, 4-3) as both teams try to stay on the heels of section leaders North Allegheny and Shady Side Academy.
Friday softball fray
As the mercury rises to break a 48-hour chill throughout the area, two teams near the top of Section 2-3A go head to head Friday.
Ellwood City has won eight of nine games this season; however, the lone loss was to Keystone Oaks on Apr. 9.
That outcome is the difference as Keystone Oaks (3-0, 6-2) has a half-game lead over the Wolverines (3-1, 8-1).
On Friday, Ellwood City visits South Park. The Eagles are 3-4 overall, but are 2-1 in the section and only one game behind KO and a half-game behind the Wolverines.
More Lincoln High
Speaking of Ellwood City, the Wolverines baseball team will once again lock horns with neighboring rival Riverside on Friday afternoon at Riverside.
This marks a rare second meeting against a nonsection foe.
The teams that met in the 2012 WPIAL Class AA title game also met at Ellwood City on Apr. 3 with the Panthers edging the Wolverines in a wild one, 15-13.
Both teams are tied for second place in their respective sections, EC in Section 1-3A and Riverside in Section 2-2A.
More High School Lacrosse
• After program’s 1st playoff berth last year, Penn-Trafford girls lacrosse keeps growing• Lacrosse a family affair for coaching staffs at Franklin Regional
• Faced with choice between football, lacrosse at Mount Union, Hampton senior picks both
• Led by senior midfielder, Fox Chapel boys lacrosse counts on explosive offense
• Championship culture helps Pine-Richland girls lacrosse team reload
