Pine-Richland notebook: After big win, girls soccer team in thick of playoff race

By: Jerin Steele
Sunday, October 9, 2022 | 11:01 AM

The Pine-Richland girls soccer team finds itself in an intense playoff race in Section 1-4A and scored a big win on Oct. 3 that will help its cause.

The Rams defeated Fox Chapel, 1-0, in overtime on a game-winning goal by St. John’s recruit Stephanie Cornelius. The goal was assisted by Kentucky recruit Gianna Koss.

With the win, the Rams completed a season sweep of the Foxes.

The playoff picture in Section 1-4A is still quite unclear. North Allegheny and Seneca Valley are safe in the top two spots, but the final two are wide open.

Through Oct. 5, Fox Chapel was 5-5-1, Pine-Richland was 4-5-1 and Butler was 4-5, while Shaler and Allderdice were both 3-7.

The Rams split with Butler and have games remaining with Allderdice, North Hills (1-8) and two with Shaler over the last two weeks of the regular season.

If Pine-Richland finishes in the top four, it will qualify for the playoffs for a third consecutive season.

Rams top Tigers

After a two-year hiatus, the Pine-Richland and North Allegheny football teams renewed their rivalry Sept. 30, and the Rams came out on top.

Ryan Palmieri rushed for 202 yards and a pair of scores and had two touchdown passes in a 28-17 win.

Palmieri connected with Andrew Melis and Brad Gelly on touchdown passes. Ryan Pillar had a 39-yard run on a fake punt that set up the Gelly touchdown.

Following the win, Pine-Richland coach Jon LeDonne was named High School Coach of the Week by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The win ran the Rams’ winning streak over the Tigers to three. They won in the regular season and playoffs against the Tigers in 2019.

Pine-Richland was 3-3 entering a game Central Catholic at Carnegie Mellon Oct. 7. It was the last nonconference tune-up before three Northeast Conference games against Shaler, Woodland Hills and North Hills to end the regular season.

Hynds, Smith advance

Pine-Richland’s Lily Hynds and Rachel Smith teamed up to place third in the Section 2-3A tournament to earn a spot at the WPIAL championships.

Hynds and Smith were seeded 12th at WPIALs and were scheduled to face Mt. Lebanon’s Sophia Cunningham and Sylvie Eriksen in the first round. The WPIAL tournament began Thursday, which was past the deadline for this edition.

At sectionals, Hynds and Smith made the semifinals before falling, 6-0, 6-2, to top seed Emily Wincko and Abbey Swirsding of North Allegheny. They rebounded to win the consolation match in three sets, 1-6, 6-0, 7-5, over North Hills’ Elle Kim and Anna Tikhomirova.

Jerin Steele is a freelance writer

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