WPIAL soccer playoff capsules for Monday’s semifinals

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Sunday, November 1, 2020 | 5:03 PM

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WPIAL soccer playoff previews

Boys

Class AAA

Semifinals

3-West Allegheny (15-1) at 2-Franklin Regional (15-2)

6:30 p.m. Monday, Panther Stadium, Murrysville

Winner plays: Winner of 13-South Fayette (11-4-1) at 1-Mars (16-0) in WPIAL championship, 8 p.m. Thursday (site TBD)

Hat tricks: West Allegheny and Franklin Regional met in the last two WPIAL championship games with the Panthers winning both games by one goal. The Indians advanced to the final four for the fourth straight year as Joseph Pustover headed in the winning goal 2 minutes, 24 seconds into overtime in a 2-1 win over Moon. Junior Johnny Dragisich leads the Indians with 16 goals. Keegan Amos has 14 and Connor Blazer 12. … Franklin Regional blanked Knoch (7-0) and Indiana (4-0) to reach the semis for the third straight time, with Anthony DiFalco scoring twice, and Zach Johnston and Blake Cooper scoring in the latter win. DiFalco has five goals and four assists in the playoffs (35 goals and 21 assists for the season). The Panthers have 12 shutouts, including four in their last five games.

Class 2A

Semifinals

6-Mt. Pleasant (13-1) at 2-Deer Lakes (13-1)

6:30 p.m. Monday, Lancer Stadium, West Deer

Winner plays: Winner of 5-Elizabeth Forward (12-2-2) at 1-Shady Side Academy (13-2) in WPIAL championship, 5 p.m. Thursday (site TBD)

Hat tricks: Mt. Pleasant stunned No. 3 North Catholic, 2-1, to advance the semifinals for what is believed to be the first time. Luke Rivardo and Lucas Toohey had first-half goals to stake the Vikings to a 2-0 lead, and the defense did the rest. The Vikings’ defensive unit has surrendered just four goals this season. … Deer Lakes is in the semifinals for the third straight time. Devin Murray, an all-state pick alongside teammate Michael Sullivan, delivered off a corner in overtime to lift the Lancers over No. 7 South Park, 1-0, in the quarterfinals. Deer Lakes has not allowed a goal in the playoffs and has posted seven shutouts this season.

…

Girls

Class A

Semifinals

12-South Side Beaver (12-3) vs. 1-Greensburg Central Catholic (14-0)

6:30 p.m. Monday, Norwin Knights Stadium, North Huntingdon

Winner plays: Winner of 6-Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (11-2) at 2-Steel Valley (14-0-1) in WPIAL championship, 5 p.m. Thursday (site TBD)

Hat tricks: Greensburg Central Catholic handled fellow Section 1 team Springdale in the quarterfinals 8-1, as Jessica Nemeth, Sara Felder and Tatum Gretz had a pair of goals each. GCC, the WPIAL runner-up last year, has allowed 13 goals in 14 games but is averaging 6.8 goals per game. This is GCC’s 11th consecutive semifinal appearance. … South Side Beaver upset No. 5 Sewickley Academy, 2-1, in the first round before defeating No. 13 Serra Catholic by the same score in the quarters. GCC beat Serra twice in section play. Rian Garvey and Maura Heberle had goals for South Side in its most recent win, the Rams’ 11th in 12 games.

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 C.C.