by
Highmark Stadium | Pittsburgh, PA
PSN Coverage Team: Matt Popchock, Rachael Kriger, Griffin Floyd (reporting)
Girls Class 2A — Quaker Valley 2, Burrell 1, FT
Boys Class 2A — South Park 1, Avonworth 0, FT
Girls Class 3A — South Fayette 4, Fox Chapel 0, FT
Boys Class 3A — Moon 3, Franklin Regional 1, FT
Congratulations to the two WPIAL Boys’ Soccer Champions crowned on Saturday, the South Park Eagles (2A) and Moon Tigers (3A)! And to the two WPIAL Girls Soccer Champions winning titles on Saturday: South Fayette and Quaker Valley.
The undefeated @moonboyssoccer/@MoonTigersAD add another trophy to the trophy case with a 3-1 win over Franklin Regional in the @wpial7 championship match. Goals by Luiz Silva, Aedan Costa, and Marc Haupt. https://t.co/qn9qSwu3XL pic.twitter.com/CRBs2v0UVb
— Brandon Rossi (@Ross__Eye) November 2, 2024
To the victor go the spoils, and the chance to speak with our own Matt Popchock after the victory!
Moon senior midfielder Aedan Costa, who netted the winning goal in the Boys’ 3A match (62′), spoke highly of the team effort as his Tigers ran the table for championship No. 7 in program history:
Looking ahead: Moon gets Lampeter-Strasburg, the fourth-place team in District 3, to open Tuesday’s PIAA Boys’ Class 3A tournament. Franklin Regional will open that night against Bellefonte, the District 6 champion.
Final numbers from the final match of Super Saturday: the Boys’ 3A Final.
FULLTIME: MOON 3:1 FRANKLIN REGIONAL.
You’ve heard of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood? Highmark Stadium is the Moon Tigers’ Neighborhood!
The Tigers have run the table (22-0!), and they win their second WPIAL Boys’ Class 3A championship in three years!
More to come.
71′: A free kick from a dangerous spot is blasted just over the bar by Aedan Costa. The Tigers are hungry for an exclamation point as time ticks away. MOON 3:1 FR
70′: Emotions running high. Carvajal is shown yellow for retaliating after the whistle after, apparently, being stepped on during a tie-up at the edge of the attacking third. Moon fans audibly upset. MOON 3:1 FR
67′: GOAL TO THE TIGERS! Sure enough, they’ve cracked open the floodgate. A suicide ball in Walker’s direction is misplayed by Bridges, and an oncoming Haupt slots it into the exposed cage. MOON 3:1 FR
64′: The Tigers are right back into the attacking third. They work this ball up to Dengel, who goes for it from 25, but pushes it wide to the left. It seems like a light bulb has suddenly gone on for Moon. MOON 2:1 FR
62′: GOAL TO THE TIGERS! Aedan Costa, blazing right down the middle, gets on the end of a ball chipped into the box by Thomas from the right wing, and he goes upstairs on Walker! MOON 2:1 FR
61′: Bayne, the Franklin Regional goal scorer, with a rug burner from 20 yards, just after the hour mark. Guarino gobbles it up from his knees. MOON 1:1 FR
56′: Walker, just shy of midfield, with impressive service into the box for Pipon, but Guarino makes a really impressive leaping, punching save to force the corner kick. And the Tigers have the corner well covered. MOON 1:1 FR
52′: Wagner, on the right wing, curls a pass inside the box for Lamanna, but the latter is denied by a well-positioned Guarino, right on the Moon keeper’s doorstep. MOON 1:1 FR
51′: Yellow is shown to Haupt for clotheslining Walker, who was holding the ball inside his box. Moon fans think it was unintentional; it certainly looked like Haupt’s momentum carried him into the keeper. MOON 1:1 FR
50′: Pipon and the Panthers building up possession. He leaves it for Christafano, who bends one from 25 yards out that comes right to Guarino. MOON 1:1 FR
47′: Thomas elects to go short with a corner kick at the flag to the left of Walker. Costa’s one-timer from deep on the right wing is collected by the pouncing Panthers keeper. MOON 1:1 FR
43′: A ball played into the Moon box confuses Guarino, who is adamant he was fouled. Fortunately for his sake, the ball is cleared before the Panthers can put it into the vacant net. MOON 1:1 FR
42′: Aedan Costa splits the Franklin Regional defense deep on the left wing and crosses from the back line for Zech Balbach, who is taken down without a whistle. MOON 1:1 FR
41′: The Tigers get the first touch of the second half, now attacking from right to left, and we’re back to action on the South Shore!
The Tigers, thanks to Silva (5′), started fast. But the Panthers are holding their own against the unbeatens, thanks to Bayne’s header (21′) and a gorgeous assist from the two-time All-WPIAL selection, Christafano.
39′: Thomas, no worse for the wear, makes a nice run down the left wing and leaves it for an open Silva inside the 18. The Panthers catch a break; the shot has serious pace, but it’s airmailed by Moon’s lone goal scorer. MOON 1:1 FR
34′: Thomas gets up slowly after drawing a hard foul just shy of the box that, oddly enough, does not elicit a card. Silva does right at goal on the resulting free kick from the upper left corner of the box, and Walker pounces on it. MOON 1:1 FR
31′: Haupt with an amazing, backward pass that rainbows to Thomas at the 18 for a shot to the far post, but Walker dives to his right in time to corral it. MOON 1:1 FR
30′: Bayne is, questionably, awarded a corner kick at the flag to Guarino’s left after a clearing attempt by Hildenbrand along the back line. Bayne goes for an Olimpico, but it goes out of bounds. MOON 1:1 FR
26′: The ensuing free kick from 40 yards out on the left wing finds its way to Aedan Costa, who nods it just over the bar. MOON 1:1 FR
25′: Yellow shown to Pipon for an awkward challenge on Thomas in the Franklin Regional half. MOON 1:1 FR
22′: A stoppage in play. Tim Wagner comes in off the Franklin Regional bench to sub out Benson, who walks off under medical supervision after being shaken up in the defensive half. MOON 1:1 FR
21′: THE PANTHERS ARE LEVEL! Christafano with service from the right elbow into the six-yard box for Bayne, who nods it inside the near post, past a diving Guarino! MOON 1:1 FR
15′: Silva dangerous again on the left wing, with a deep cross into the 18 for Thomas. Luckily for the Panthers, Bridges is right there to turn it away before it gets on frame. MOON 1:0 FR
13′: Walker with a very lengthy service all the way into the six-yard box, but Fabrizzio Costa can’t control it before it bounces out for a Moon goal kick. MOON 1:0 FR
9′: Bayne, with some fancy footwork in the attacking third, earns the first corner of the match for the Panthers, at the flag to the right of Guarino. The in-swinging ball is cleared calmly by Jon-Mark Balbach at the near post. MOON 1:0 FR
5′: GOAL TO THE TIGERS! A clinical ball movement sequence from Haupt, to Zech Balbach, to Silva, who easily beats Walker to the far post from the top of the 18-yard box. MOON 1:0 FR
1′: The Panthers, in white, get the first touch against the Tigers, in red, and we’re underway from Highmark!
PREGAME: Moon Starting XI (HC Tyler Blake): Dengel, Thomas, Jon-Mark Balbach, Zech Balbach, Aedan Costa, Silva, Carvajal, Hildenbrand, Sprott, Haupt, Guarino-GK. Franklin Regional Starting XI (HC Nick White): Bridges, Mascara, Fabrizzio Costa, Benson, Bayne, Lamanna, Christafano, Pipon, Murray, Sheetz, Walker-GK.
Matt Popchock back again at Highmark Stadium, where the Tigers are going for their second title in three years and first under head coach Tyler Blake.
Meanwhile, the upstart Panthers, under head coach Nick White, go for their first since they went back-to-back in ’18 and ’19.
FULLTIME: SOUTH PARK 1:0 AVONWORTH.
One for the thumb, the time has come!
Five straight clean sheets for Hochendoner and the Eagles, five WPIAL championships all-time for Jon Cantwell’s side!
South Park blanks the third-highest scoring team in the district to capture back-to-back Class 2A crowns.
Looking ahead: South Park begins the PIAA Class 2A playoffs next Tuesday against District 10 runner-up Cathedral Prep, and Avonworth will open with Bedford, the District 5 champ, that night.
PSN’s Matt Popchock caught up with the winning keeper, South Park’s Cooper Hochendoner, whose four second-half saves preserved the victory for the Eagles:
Another team goes back-to-back, as @SFGS2022/@sflionssports wins its 2nd straight @wpial7 championship, 4-0 over Fox Chapel. 2 goals for @MiaDeramo (@ysuWsoccer commit), one apiece for @GabbyBeinecke and Emma Ferrari. https://t.co/qn9qSwu3XL pic.twitter.com/faeZqXWi2N
— Brandon Rossi (@Ross__Eye) November 2, 2024
PSN Post Match
“It feels amazing to win back-to-back”@SFGS2022’s Mia Deramo led the way with a brace in repeat as WPIAL Girls Class 3A champs
🎥: @GriffinFloyd62 pic.twitter.com/Z6SHH9hwx4
— Pittsburgh Soccer Now (@pghsoccernow) November 2, 2024
The champs are still here in Class 2A boys, as @sphsbsoccer_/@SPSD_Athletics goes back to back with a 1-0 win over Avonworth in the @wpial7 championship. Only goal was scored by @cadenl123. https://t.co/qn9qSwuBNj pic.twitter.com/GpRDeZmvGJ
— Brandon Rossi (@Ross__Eye) November 2, 2024
“Coming into the second half, our coach told us to just play our game, and don’t fall into their play. I think we did that really well.” -On Avonworth’s second-half attack
“We just work really well in the back. Bottom line, we’re a tough team to score on. The defenders do really well to keep the ball up. We’re just really strong on the ball this year.” -On the key to five straight clean sheets
“It was a great feeling. Any time you can jump on a team in the first half, it gives you all the momentum you need to keep playing hard, and keep them on the ropes. I think we did that well in the second half.” -On his reaction to Caden Loveland’s goal (34′)
“We lost a lot of seniors, but people still came to practice every day and stepped up. Our motto was, ‘Keep stacking days.’ And as the season kept going on, we thought, we have a shot at this again.” -On the difference between this year’s championship team and last year’s
Final numbers from the Boys’ 2A Final:
78′: South Park playing keepaway along the Avonworth touchline, trying to shorten this match any way it can. Can the Eagles hang on? SP 1:0 LOPES
74′: Back-to-back corners for the Eagles at the flag to Rowe’s right. The second one ping-pongs off both teams in the six-yard box, and Holmes is unable to put it home through the heavy traffic. Tense moment there for the Lopes. SP 1:0 LOPES
70′: South Park gets a free kick on the left elbow for Ellis, but Danny Battista can’t get his header to go where he wants. Wesolowski’s turning strike from the top of the 18, a moment later, is easily stopped by Rowe. SP 1:0 LOPES
67′: Jeremias, off an official restart, drives a high-bouncing ball deep into the box from 50 yards away, just beyond the outstretched right foot of Basit–and just low enough for Hochendoner to grab it. SP 1:0 LOPES
64′: Another corner kick for the Lopes, this time at the flag to Hochendoner’s left, comes out toward Basit, who redirects it to Hayes. Hayes tries to chip it over Hochendoner, but to no avail. SP 1:0 LOPES
60′: Avonworth gets a free kick in a dangerous spot for Mahan, whose shot is parried away to the right by Hochendoner. At the hour mark, the resulting Avonworth corner kick leads to a great save by Hochendoner on a bicycle attempt by Wahab, set up by Quinn. Oh, what chaos! SP 1:0 LOPES
58′: Corner for Loveland at the flag to the left of Rowe. The out-swinging ball to Danny Battista, 12 yards from goal, is nodded wide to the left. Goal kick for the Lopes. SP 1:0 LOPES
55′: The Eagles finally get a chance to tilt the pitch the other way. A slow, rising strike by Wesolowski 25 yards from goal on the left wing is held by a leaping Rowe. SP 1:0 LOPES
53′: Hochendoner remains the hardest-working player on either side in this second half. A free kick by Mahan from the offensive edge of the center circle is into the box, and the South Park keeper snatches it in midair. SP 1:0 LOPES
51′: Basit continues to knock on the door for Avonworth. He takes a feed from Kline into the box, but his attempt is palmed away by Hochendoner, who barely flinches. Aidan Battista, not standing on ceremony, clears for South Park. SP 1:0 LOPES
49′: Kline with a sneaky ball into the box for Hayes, but he just pushes it wide. The ensuing corner kick for the Lopes leads to another good chance, this time for Carmichael, but the Eagles have too many blue shirts in front of Hochendoner. SP 1:0 LOPES
41′: Basit, from the right flank, crossing deep into the box for a hard-charging Carmichael, but Carmichael is interrupted by an oncoming Hochendoner and can’t get on the end of that ball. Goal kick to the Eagles. SP 1:0 LOPES
41′: The Lopes get the first touch of the second half, now attacking left to right, and we’re back to action on the South Shore! SP 1:0 LOPES
NOTE: No official assist for Wesolowski, unfortunately, as scorekeepers rule that Loveland had to beat a defender first to get a clear path to goal. Still, it was the former’s clinical pass down the right wing that led to Loveland’s tally.
HALFTIME: SP 1:0 LOPES. Loveland’s goal (34′), with an unofficial assist to Wesolowski, is the difference at the interval. The Eagles are 40 minutes of football from back-to-back WPIAL Class AA championships, and five all-time.
36′: Mahan was looking for a quick answer, putting a good service in the box from 40 yards out on the right. But Hochendoner goes upstairs and brings it down. SP 1:0 LOPES
34′: GOAL TO THE EAGLES! Loveland, through the shallow sea of humanity, dribbles into the bottom right corner of the box and goes bar-down on Rowe! SP 1:0 LOPES
33′: Yellow shown to Wahab for getting a handful of blue shirt in the defensive third. South Park gets a free kick from a dangerous spot on the right wing, which is dummied by Ellis and Wesolowski, and sent high and wide by Loveland.
32′: Save by Rowe again! Wesolowski’s turning shot from right in front sends him leaping to his left to grab the ball and keep this game goalless.
31′: Loveland, back into the match to take a corner at the near flag for South Park, curls it into the crowded 6-yard box. Rowe, somehow, gets about three feet of air and comes down with the save.
26′: Jeremias’ throw-in finds Basit, in traffic, but Latona is right there to help Hochendoner clear his line. The Eagles survive another set piece.
25′: Wesolowski fakes out a pair of defenders and takes a chance from over 30 yards away on the left flank, but this ball is hit well off target.
24′: Stoppage in play. Kline comes up limping a bit after staying down at midfield until the whistle. Basit and Mahan check back in for the Lopes after a brief respite.
22′: Big break for the Lopes. Danny Battista’s perfect ball into the box is redirected in by Fehr, but officials immediately call for offside.
20′: A questionable decision by Stock to concede a corner to the Lopes at the flag to Hochendoner’s left. Kline’s in-swinging ball is lifted well over the bar by Basit.
19′: Yellow shown to Mahan. The aggrieved party: Loveland, who got hit below the belt (literally) at midfield.
18′: Owen Dugan, off the Lopes bench, accepts a short pass from Basit inside the box, but his turnaround shot goes well wide of the far post.
15′: Ellis with dangerous service into the Avonworth box from beyond midfield. Wesolowski goes for it on the bounce, but it bounds into the outstretched arms of Rowe, who clears the area.
11′: The Lopes continue to tilt the pitch, but the Eagles are keeping their poise. Ellis minds his gap to block an attempt by Basit at the top of the 18-yard box.
8′: Basit, on the right wing, leads it on for Carmichael, but without much room to shoot, he fires it toward Tuffy’s box for another South Park goal kick.
5′: A Mahan cross from deep in the right corner dances across the frame of goal, but no need for Hochendoner to get involved. Goal kick to the Eagles.
1′: The Eagles, in blue, get the first touch against the Lopes, in white, and we’re underway from Highmark!
PREGAME: South Park Starting XI (HC Jon Cantwell): Latona, Ellis, Daniel Battista, Dawson Battista, Wesolowski, Aidan Battista, Fehr, Stock, Holmes, Loveland, Hochendoner-GK. Avonworth Starting XI (HC Tom Angell): Kline, Mahan, Carmichael, Hayes, Jeremias, Boyd, Berad, Wahab, Quinn, Basit, Rowe-GK.
PREGAME: Two things are noticeably different at Highmark Stadium since I was here over the summer. First, the press box is even more packed! Second, the Riverhounds’ now-iconic team selfie that followed their Open “Cupset” of Columbus Crew is the latest addition to Highmark Stadium’s adjoining bar.
Matt Popchock here to bring you a championship match between the top two teams in the bracket.
The Eagles are going for a repeat, while the Lopes are trying for their first title since 2018!
For the first time in 32 years, @QV_GirlsSoccer wins the @wpial7 Championship, a 2-1 win over Burrell with goals by @annabelmiko and Lily Baker. https://t.co/qn9qSwuBNj pic.twitter.com/xLtj0lsPl1
— Brandon Rossi (@Ross__Eye) November 2, 2024
Rachael Kriger, Pittsburgh Soccer Now contributor
Quaker Valley won their first WPIAL Championship title for the first time in 32 years on Saturday morning, taking down the ‘Cinderella’ team, Burrell.
Quaker Valley freshman Lily Baker scored the game-winning goal off a scramble inside the box. Burrell junior goalkeeper Dana Barczykowski made the save on an initial shot at the top of the box but was unable to hang onto the ball. The rebound fell to another Quaker Valley player, who saw her shot cleared on the goal line.
On the third attempted clearance, the ball rebounded to Baker, who calmly tapped it into net. Baker didn’t start the game but featured as a substitute at the end of the first half and the end of the second half.
Baker said it was a moment she dreamed of when she was a little kid.
“It was so exciting,” Baker said. “I’m so happy, I have no words.”
Quaker Valley sophomore Annabel Miko scored the first goal of the match, early in the second half. Senior, and captain, Mia Modrovich recorded the assist. Just a minute later, Burrell evened the score again, thanks to a confident dribble-and-shoot sequence by sophomore Makiah Buchak.
“We got the first goal, and it was amazing,” Modrovich said. “With that much time, you know everything can happen. Unfortunately, they scored, and it was a 1-1 game. We just needed to find a way, and that’s what we did. Getting here was such a great feeling, but winning was better.”
Quaker Valley was the favorite of the two, coming in as the No. 2 seed. Meanwhile, the Burrell Buccaneers were slotted at No. 9 seed but took down No. 8 Keystone Oaks and No. 1 Mt. Pleasant before narrowly defeating No. 4 South Park in the semifinals.
Quaker Valley co-head coach Rachel Loudermilk said that the team had a lot of investment from the community coming into the match. She also knew not to expect an easy match from the lower-seeded Burrell.
“We did our homework. It wasn’t the prettiest game, but we did it,” fellow co-head coach Maggie Behun said.
In goal, the standout was Quaker Valley freshman Ava Hajok, who made six saves. On the other side, Barczykowski made five saves.
Congratulations to @QV_GirlsSoccer! 🥇 ⚽️ #WPIAL @pghsoccernow @GIRLSWPIALSOC pic.twitter.com/b4hIxCQ3KI
— Rachael Kriger (@RachaelKriger) November 2, 2024
Co-head coaches of @QV_GirlsSoccer, Rachel Loudermilk and Maggie Behun, speak about their goalkeeper, the Quaker Valley community and breaking a 32-year championship drought. #WPIAL @GIRLSWPIALSOC pic.twitter.com/8YL4YfW9uO
— Pittsburgh Soccer Now (@pghsoccernow) November 2, 2024
#WPIAL Class 2A Runner Up @bhsgirlssoccer3 head coach Frank Nesko talks about his team’s fight in the championship match. 🥈 @RachaelKriger @GIRLSWPIALSOC pic.twitter.com/yGpN2TwC5h
— Pittsburgh Soccer Now (@pghsoccernow) November 2, 2024
Well that’s something! After a scoreless first half, we’re back to a tied game, but now at 1-1.@QV_GirlsSoccer goal scored by sophomore Annabel Miko and assisted by Mia Modrovich.@bhsgirlssoccer3 goal by Makiah Buchak, who got her own rebound.@pghsoccernow @GIRLSWPIALSOC
— Rachael Kriger (@RachaelKriger) November 2, 2024
HALF — QV 0, Burrell 0
Beautiful day at Highmark! Here for @pghsoccernow for the first match: Quaker Valley vs. Burrell. #WPIAL Class 2A Girls Championship just kicked off! pic.twitter.com/m9AYJTxdM1
— Rachael Kriger (@RachaelKriger) November 2, 2024
The WPIAL Boys and Girls soccer season will come to a rousing conclusion for play within the District competition with the annual ‘Super Saturday’ at Highmark Stadium featuring four Championship matches!
Be sure to follow our coverage team, plus check back here on the Super Saturday Match Day Blog for further updates, post match reaction and more!
Both schools are making their first-ever appearance in a WPIAL Final in Girls Soccer!
There will also officially be a new champion and a new runner-up this season, as both Avonworth and Shady Side Academy were eliminated in the early rounds.
Burrell has come out of nowhere to reach its first-ever Girls Soccer WPIAL Final. The Bucs defeated South Park in a wild match in the quarterfinals that featured four second half goals. For the Bucs, Eva Wilson executed two perfect corner kicks, with finishes coming from Parker Moore and Maggie Nesko. After South Park found an equalizer, Burrell’s Makiah Buchak scored the game-winner with just 16 seconds left in the match.
Burrell were very much in contention for Section title this year in a good battle with Freeport and North Catholic, but their attack has hit its stride in the postseason playing against teams from other sections, they’ve shown how much firepower they have by completely dominating Keystone Oaks, 6-0 in the first round, then really sending shockwaves through the rest of the field with their commanding win against No. 1 Mt. Pleasant, which Head Coach Frank Nesko credited to neutralizing the Vikings top three attackers and controlling midfield play. Sophomore Makiah Buchak scored twice to lead the assault in the 4-0 win vs Mt. Pleasant. Only senior midfielder Maggie Nesko, earned All-WPIAL honors from a squad that’s definitely playing with a bit of a chip on their shoulders.
In the earlier rounds, Quaker Valley didn’t have much difficulty defeating Southmoreland, then passed a stern test from Deer Lakes, with Lily Baker scoring the match’s lone goal, while Ava Hajok had the clean sheet. The Quakers’ leading scorers, Annabel Miko (26 goals) and Ari Bosh (14) have combined for 40 goals during the regular season.
Defending Champs South Park look for repeat, but it’s not going to be easy against an explosive Avonworth side
The top two seeds in the tournament, South Park and Avonworth played to their strengths in getting to the WPIAL Final, each capping off runs to the semifinal round by scoring convincing wins against quality opponents (South Park 3-0 over No. 13 Burrell and Avonworth took a 3-1 decision against 2022 champs Deer Lakes)
If we look back at the meeting between the two schools in last year’s WPIAL semifinal, South Park would be hoping for a repeat, as they responded to an early Avonworth goal, with four unanswered goals by early second half.
South Park ‘needed some adversity’ as they dispatch of Avonworth to move onto Boys Class 2A Final
A bunch of players who played in that match on both sides return to the mix, but the talented core of Avonworth are now a year older and a bit more battle-tested, so this is expected to be a tighter contest.
South Park boast Danny Battista as its leading scorer while Dawson Battista and Caden Loveland also were double-digit scorers. The Eagles were in command in win against upstart Central Valley squad which made some noise this year.
Avonworth has lots of attacking firepower, to the tune of scoring over five goals per season. In the first round of the playoffs, the Lopes’ put it on full display, rolling to a 7-0 win against McGuffey, but Shady Side Academy slowed down them down a bit in the Quarterfinals, forcing the match to go to extra time. Still, patience paid off for Avonworth as Rowan Carmichael scored the winning goal off an assist from Abdul Basit Sleiman Kaije. Basit ended the regular season as the ‘Lopes’ leading scorer, with 18 goals.
It’s a Battle of Two Reigning Defending WPIAL Champions
It was quite a doubleheader at Matorelli Stadium on Tuesday night that decided this match-up.
Fox Chapel showed why they were selected as the No. 1 seed, with a dominating effort that had them on the front foot with a 15-3 shots edge, as Alyssa Quackenbush, Emily McKee and Maddie Grimsley made their chances count in defeating a strong Plum side, 3-0.
Then, in the nightcap, South Fayette and Mars went the distance — as 110 minutes couldn’t settle things — with the match going to a penalty kick shootout.The defending 3A champs (South Fayette) showed plenty of mettle in PKs, winning 4-2.
Much like the boys Class 4A final, the two sides in this match-up played each other near the end of the season in a non-conference match-up. In that contest, South Fayette won, 3-1. Up until the last two, non-conference matches of the season, Fox Chapel did not lose all season, finishing unbeaten in section. Its only other loss came to Class 4A finalist, Peters Township.
The Lions were tested in the quarterfinals, as Bethel Park pushed them to extra time, but freshman Gabby Beinecke’s goal, assisted by Abbey Spalla, lifted the Lions to yet another dramatic playoff victory, 1-0, for a group of juniors and seniors who were part of last year’s remarkable run. Four South Fayette players, earned All-WPIAL honors: Mia Deramo, who scored the game winner in WPIAL title game last year vs Moon, Spalla and goalkeeper Caitlyn Thompson. Remarkably, Deramo is the veteran of the group, as a junior.
Fox Chapel on the other hand have cruised through its first two playoff matches, with 8-0 win over Indiana, then a 7-1 rout of Montour. If there’s a key to stopping the Foxes, it will be to neutralize Emily McKee and Alyssa Quackenbush, Fox Chapel’s two All-WPIAL honorees, who have led the way through the first two playoff contests. McKee scored five goals and assisted on five others, while Quackenbush owns six playoff goals. The Foxes have allowed just 11 goals in 19 games. Five of the 11 came in their two losses. Fox Chapel dropped down to Class 3A after winning last year’s Class 4A championship.
Moon has been nearly unstoppable this season, but now they face the school, Franklin Regional, who upset them in last year’s playoffs
In a doubleheader at Dormont Stadium on Monday, Franklin Regional defeated Mars, 2-1, then Moon rallied with a 2nd half equalizer, then an extra time game winner to defeat a valiant Bethel Park side to remain unbeaten.
The Tigers had no problem in the first two rounds, scoring early and often in a 6-0 win vs Belle Vernon, then after waiting a day to play due to a weather postponement, defeated a stingy Hampton side, 3-0 in the quarterfinal.
Head Coach Tyler Blake, a guest on the Kids on Pitch podcast after the brackets came out, is bullish on his team’s depth and scoring balance.
The Tigers, who play fast and look to always bring numbers forward quickly, had six players post at least nine goals: Aedan Costa (17), Marc Haupt , Evan Thomas, Zech Balbach (12 each)- Luiz Silva, Hayden Dunn (9 each). As dynamic as Moon has been in the attack, they’ve been downright stingy and a difficult opponent to score against, giving up only eight goals, with 11 clean sheets.
The Panthers upset No. 2 Thomas Jefferson, 2-1, in the quarterfinals as Jovan Sankoorikal had the game-winning goal and an assist, and Fabrizzio Costa also scored. Danny Christafano leads the team with 23 goals, and he and Sankoorikal have 11 assists each.
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