Chartiers Valley Hold Off Mars to Win WPIAL 3-A Boys Soccer Championship

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, November 5, 2016 | 10:43 PM

Chartiers Valley capped their first playoff season since 2009 in grand fashion, winning their first Boys Soccer Championship in 15 years with a 1-0 win over Mars at Highmark Stadium.

It took a while for these teams, which hadn’t met on the pitch since the 2009 playoffs, to get going as they felt each other out for most of the first half.  The Colts came up with the best scoring chances in the opening half, with the first coming in the 27th minute.  Off of a free kick, the ball got past Mars goalkeeper Emin Diren and rolled towards the goal line, but Lucas Mowery was able to bail his team out by clearing the ball away from the net as it laid right on the line.  Chartiers Valley had another great chance in 37th minute, but the Planets kept them off the board again.  Diren made a great diving save on Colts leading scorer Sean Tinney, then Josh DiMatteo fired the rebound off of the far goal post.  The game would go to the half scoreless.  Chartiers Valley had the better of the play through the first 40 minutes, outshooting Mars 4-2, and generating 8 scoring chances to the Planets 5.

The only goal of the game came on a fluky play in the 44th minute.  Jimmy Boyle let a long range shot go from 40 yards that Diren didn’t react to.  The floating shot bounced into the Planets goal, giving the Colts the only goal they would need with 36:40 left in regulation.  Mars had a great chance later in the half, very similar to the Colts scoring chance in the first half where the defense saved their keeper.  Caleb Zajicek made a save that went off of his hand and rolled behind him, but Charlie Kovach was there to clear the ball away just as it neared crossing the goal line.  The Colts outshot the Planets 4-3 in the 2nd half, and out-chanced them 9-4 as well.  Zajicek posted the shutout for Chartiers Valley, stopping all 5 shots he faced on the evening.

After going 30-53-13 over the past six seasons as a member of Class-AAA, Chartiers Valley won their first boys soccer title since 2001, when head coach Garrett MacKenzie was a player on that team.  The Colts improved to 17-4-0 with the win, and will take on District-5 champion Somerset in the first round of the PIAA tournament.

For the second consecutive season, the Planets came up a goal short in the WPIAL championship.  This was Mars 4th championship game appearance since 2010, and the 4th time the Planets finished as the runners up.  Mars fell to 16-4-1 after the loss, and will take on District-6 champ Hollidaysburg the PIAA opening round.

SCORING RECAP AND STATS

Jimmy Boyle (CV) — 44th minute

SHOTS

CV      8
Mars  5

CHANCES

CV     17
Mars   9

CORNERS

CV      3
Mars  2

Tags: Chartiers Valley