What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Nov. 2, 2021: Top seeds meet in volleyball final four

By: Don Rebel
Monday, November 1, 2021 | 9:20 PM

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Sixteen teams are one win away from playing for district gold this Saturday at Robert Morris University.

On Tuesday, that chance to play for a WPIAL title is up for grabs with eight semifinals matches.

Once again, the volleyball committee has done a great job as 12 of the 16 top-four seeds have advanced to the third round.

When you consider two of the four lower-seeds that have reached the semifinals are Armstrong in 3A and Seton LaSalle in 2A, a pair of No. 5 seeds, that really limits the surprise teams still playing for a championship.

The two Cinderellas are both No. 7 seeds: Plum in 3A and California in A.

All eight semifinals contest can be seen on Trib HSSN on Tuesday starting with four matches at 6 p.m.

They include:

4A: Moon vs. North Allegheny, Oakland Catholic vs. Shaler

3A: Armstrong vs. Freeport, Hampton vs. Plum

2A: Seton LaSalle vs. North Catholic, Laurel vs. Avonworth

A: Leechburg vs. Bishop Canevin, Greensburg Central Catholic vs. California

More final fours

Only two defending WPIAL boys soccer champions remain alive for a repeat, and they are both in action on Tuesday.

A year after winning its second WPIAL Class 4A boys soccer title in three years, Seneca Valley looks to return to the finals when it faces Fox Chapel.

The Foxes were also a semifinalist a year ago but lost to Peters Township, 2-1 in double overtime.

The other 4A final four match has 2020 runner-up Peters Township taking on North Allegheny. The Indians won back-to-back WPIAL crowns in 2013-2014 while the Tigers repeated as champions in 2016-2017.

In Class A, defending champion Greensburg Central Catholic faces Eden Christian Academy.

GCC beat Eden in the quarterfinals last year, 1-0. However, in the first game of this season, the Warriors edged the Centurions, 4-3, on Sept. 4.

The other Class A semifinal is Winchester Thurston taking on Riverside.

Winchester Thurston defeated Riverside, 6-0, in the first round of the 2020 playoffs.

Soccer semis

The Mars and North Catholic girls soccer programs continue to be out of this world.

The Fightin’ Planets and the Trojans are two wins away from a three-peat.

On Tuesday, Mars plays Montour in a Class 3A semifinal while North Catholic takes on Shady Side Academy in a 2A final four clash.

Only two other schools have won three straight crowns in the nearly 40-year history of the WPIAL girls soccer championships.

Sewickley Academy won Class AA gold in 2002, 2003 and 2004, followed in 2006, 2007 and 2008 with South Park winning three consecutive AA titles.

The other two semifinals Tuesday are South Fayette taking on Plum in Class 3A and Avonworth battling Southmoreland in 2A.