WPIAL soccer playoff preview capsules: Oct. 29

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, October 28, 2020 | 6:26 PM

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Today’s games

Girls

Class 4A

Quarterfinals

5-North Allegheny (8-2) at 4-Norwin (9-2-1)

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

Winner plays: Winner of 1-Peters Township (10-1-1) vs. 8-Seneca Valley (8-3) in semifinals 6:30 p.m. Monday (site TBD).

Hat tricks: Norwin, seeking a sixth consecutive appearance in the semifinals, is coming off a first-round bye. The Lady Knights’ last game was Oct. 20 at Penn-Trafford. They have seven wins in a row since a 2-2 tie with Penn-Trafford. This is the first time in more than two decades neither Norwin nor Penn-Trafford won a section they both occupied. … North Allegheny, which defeated Norwin in the WPIAL title game last season, blanked No. 12 Bethel Park, 3-0, in the first round. The Tigers, who had their final four regular-season games postponed and sat through a 19-day layoff, are led by senior Sarah Schupansky, a Pitt recruit and returning all-state player who has 16 goals. Sophomores Anna Bundy and Lucia Wells joined Schupansky with goals in the first round.

6-Moon (8-3-2) at 3-Fox Chapel (11-2)

6:30 p.m., Thursday, James M. Burk Stadium, Fox Chapel

Winner plays: Winner of 2-Butler (9-1) vs. 7-Upper St. Clair (8-5) in semifinals Monday at 6:30 p.m. (site TBD).

Hat tricks: Fox Chapel lost once in Section 3 play this year and finished two points ahead of Norwin (8-1-1) for the section championship. Lucy Ream, one of nine seniors on an experienced roster, is an Eastern Kentucky commit. Fox Chapel will play a quarterfinal game for the seventh time in the past eight seasons and is seeking its first semifinal trip since making back-to-back appearances in 2015 and 2016. … Moon scored one goal in Monday’s first-round game against No. 11 Pine-Richland, but it was enough to get by the Rams. Kayla Leseck scored the decisive goal, and Alayshja Bable recorded the shutout. The Tigers, 3-0-1 in their last four games, finished second to Peters Township in Section 2 and the teams tied 1-1 at Moon on Oct. 5.

Class 3A

Quarterfinals

13-Montour (9-6) at 5-Franklin Regional (11-1-1)

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

Winner plays: Winner of 8-Oakland Catholic (10-4) vs. 1-Mars (13-0) in the semifinals 6:30 p.m.Wednesday (site TBD).

Hat tricks: Franklin Regional advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2017 with a 2-1 win over South Fayette. Junior Sydney Lindeman (12 goals) had both scores, the second with just more than a minute to play, and freshman goalkeeper Aris Lamanna made 19 saves in a notable playoff debut. Senior goalkeeper Sydney Caldwell is out with a high-ankle sprain. … Montour surprised No. 4 Connellsville, which not only was undefeated but had not allowed a goal all season, 4-1, in the first round. Eliana Davin and Saveria Ulizzi scored two goals apiece in the victory. The Spartans made the quarterfinals last year but lost to Mars, 3-0.

7-Thomas Jefferson (14-2-1) at 2-Plum (14-0)

6:30 p.m., Thursday, Mustangs Stadium, Plum

Winner plays: Winner of 3-Hampton (12-2) vs. 6-West Allegheny (10-3) in semifinals Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 6:30 p.m. (site TBD).

Hat tricks: This will be the third meeting of the season between the Section 3 rivals. Plum won both, but Thomas Jefferson came the closest to knocking off the Mustangs with a 1-0 result Sept. 29. The Mustangs kicked off its playoff run with a 6-0 win over Gateway on Monday behind two goals from senior Gina Proviano and single tallies from Annabel Arhin, Ava Weleski, Kaitlyn Killinger and Camryn Rogers. Proviano leads the team with 17 goals. … Emma Martinis scored a tie-breaking goal with 12 minutes left in regulation as Thomas Jefferson topped No. 10 Kiski Area in the first round Monday. Natalie Lamenza scored twice for the Jaguars. Thomas Jefferson is in the WPIAL playoffs for the seventh year in a row and in the quarterfinals for the fourth time in five years. The Jaguars defense has allowed one or fewer goals in 14 of the 16 games they have played.

Boys

Class 2A

Quarterfinals

6-Mt. Pleasant (12-1) at 3-North Catholic (13-1-1)

6:30 p.m. Thursday, Mars Athletic Complex

Winner plays: Winner of 7-South Park (12-2) vs. 2-Deer Lakes (12-1) in semifinals 6:30 p.m.Monday (site TBD).

Hat tricks: North Catholic was supposed to play its junior varsity players in the first round against Leechburg, but the recently-quarantined varsity players were cleared to play and the Trojans blanked the Blue Devils, 2-0. Ryan Shantz scored a first-half goal, and Dylan Greggs converted a penalty kick in the victory. It was their fifth shutout of the season. … Senior midfielder Lucas Toohey scored twice for Mt. Pleasant in a 3-1 first-round victory over Burrell. Vikings senior goalkeeper John Menefee and a strong defense have given up just two goals all season — in a 2-1 loss to Charleroi. Freshman Luke Rivardo also had a goal in the win.

7-South Park (12-2) at 2-Deer Lakes (12-1)

6:30 p.m., Thursday, Lancer Stadium, Russellton

Winner plays: Winner of 6-Mt. Pleasant (12-1) vs. North Catholic (13-1-1) in semifinals Monday at 6:30 p.m. (Site TBD).

Hat tricks: The Lancers were limited to just two goals in the first half of their first-round matchup with Southmoreland, they scored five in the second half. This is Deer Lakes’ fifth straight trip to the quarterfinals. The Lancers beat South Park, 3-0, in the semifinals last season. … The Eagles started their season on a 10-game winning streak before losing back to back games to Keystone Oaks and Elizabeth Forward. They’ve outscored opponents 56-8 this season. South Park has also recorded nine shutouts this season.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Franklin Regional, Montour, Mt. Pleasant, North Allegheny, North Catholic, Norwin