Westmoreland PIAA soccer playoffs capsules for Nov. 17, 2020

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, November 16, 2020 | 4:02 PM

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Tuesday’s games

Boys

Class A

Semifinals

Greensburg Central Catholic (16-1) vs. Brockway (15-2)

7 p.m., Norwin Knights Stadium, North Huntingdon

Coaches: Tyler Solis, GCC; Andy Daugherty, Brockway

Winner plays: Winner of Faith Christian (8-2)/Tulpehocken (15-3-1) in PIAA championship, 1:30 p.m. Friday at HersheyPark Stadium

Free kicks: GCC is back in the state semis for the third consecutive season after back-to-back 3-2 wins in the playoffs. The most recent nailbiter came against District 5 champion Rockwood as sophomore Carlo Denis scored in the 76th minute — his second goal of the game — to propel GCC. Denis has 34 goals to lead the Centurions, and junior Mason Fabean, who also scored in the quarters, has 24. Senior Ricco Ciccarelli had two assists in the win. … Four-time defending District 9 champion Brockway blanked Belleville Mennonite, 4-0, in the quarterfinals. The Rovers are in the state playoffs for the fifth consecutive season. They lost in the first round the last two years to the WPIAL third-place team: Seton LaSalle in 2018 and Springdale last season. Senior Noah Bash, senior Ryan Lin and junior Jared Marchiori have at least 10 goals each. Bash leads with 18, and 15 assists.

Class AA

Semifinals

Fairview (19-0-1) at Deer Lakes (16-1)

6 p.m., Lancer Stadium, Cheswick

Winner plays: Winner of 3-1 Oley Valley and 4-1 Lewisburg in PIAA Finals Saturday, 1:30 p.m. at Hersheypark Stadium

Free kicks: The Lancers are looking for their second trip to the PIAA finals in three years. Deer Lakes has outscored its opponents 19-2 in the postseason this year. They earned a berth to the semifinals with a 2-0 victory over District 9 champion Karns City. … Fairview has nine shutouts this season and has allowed four goals in the PIAA playoffs. Their 5-3 win over Hickory in the first round was the first time the Tigers have allowed three or more goals this season. The only blemish on Fairview’s record came in a 2-2 double-overtime tie against Mercyhurst Prep, which knocked out Deer Lakes last season.

Girls

Class A

Semifinals

Greensburg Central Catholic (17-0) vs. Cambridge Springs (14-4-1)

5 p.m. Norwin Knights Stadium, North Huntingdon

Coaches: Olivia Kruger, GCC; Geoff Bristow, Cambridge Springs

Winner plays: Winner of Southern Columbia (13-9)/Conwell-Egan (4-5) in PIAA championship, 11 a.m. Friday at HersheyPark Stadium

Free kicks: GCC downed West Branch, 7-1, in the quarterfinals. Senior IUP commit Sam Felder had a hat trick, and junior Tatum Gretz, a Villanova recruit, scored twice. The Centurions are seeking their first trip to the state finals since 2014. They were stopped short in the semifinals in three of the past four years. Felder (23), sophomore Sara Felder (26) and Gretz (24) have more than 20 goals each. GCC is 4-0 at Norwin this postseason. … District 10 champion Cambridge Springs used a goal by Ella Nicholson with 6 minutes, 36 seconds left in the second overtime to edge Redbank Valley, 1-0, in the quarterfinals. The win was the first for the Blue Devils in the state playoffs in their first appearance in the PIAA tournament. They also won the district title in their first finals appearance. Freshman Nola Zook had a goal and an assist in the district championship, a 3-1 win over Seneca.

— Bill Beckner Jr. and Greg Macafee

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

Tags: Greensburg C.C.