High school roundup for Oct. 27, 2018: Mars girls edge Hampton in semifinals

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, October 27, 2018 | 9:57 PM

Ellie Coffield smashed home a 32nd-minute goal to give Mars the only score of the game and send the Planets to the WPIAL Class 3A championship match with a 1-0 victory over Hampton in a semifinal girls soccer match Saturday.

Taylor Hamlett’s cross bounced through the box and past three players before Coffield scored from 5 yards out on the back post.

The Mars lead was put in jeopardy just five minutes later when the Planets were called for a hand ball in the box. Hampton’s Courtney Coholich, who scored the game-winning penalty kick in the quarterfinals, was denied by Mars’ Claire Valentine to preserve the team’s 14th shutout on the season.

Freshman keeper Sophia Kelly made nine saves for the Talbots (16-5, 11-3), who will play South Fayette in the consolation match on Tuesday.

Mars (18-0, 14-0) will try to cap a perfect season in the championship match against Oakland Catholic next week at Highmark Stadium.

Oakland Catholic 1, South Fayette 0 — Anna Spraule scored at the 27:01 mark of the first half as Oakland Catholic (17-1) shut out South Fayette (11-7-1) at West Allegheny in the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals.

Oakland Catholic has won 16 straight games after losing its opening game of the season.

Class A

Freedom 2, Shady Side Academy 1 (OT) — Freshman Renae Mohrbacher scored the game-winning goal 8 minutes into overtime to give top-seeded Freedom (19-1) the WPIAL Class A semifinal win over No. 5 Shady Side Academy (11-4) at North Allegheny High School. Sophomore midfielder Melissa Riggins gave Shady Side Academy a 1-0 lead with a turning shot from 15 yards out in the ninth minute of play.

Freedom, which came into the semifinals with 159 goals scored, had to wait until the 73rd minute to tie the game when senior Myla Sharpless beat goalkeeper Molly Skvorak on a penalty kick after a hand ball in the box. Sharpless, a Florida Atlantic recruit, returned to action late in the season after an ACL injury.

Senior Kassandra DePoppe earned the win in goal for Freedom, which heads to the finals to face No. 3 Bentworth. Freedom will play in the championship game for the third straight season, after finishing as runner-up and winning the Class 2A championship the last two years.

Shady Side Academy will play in the consolation match Tuesday against rival Greensburg Central Catholic for the WPIAL’s third spot in the PIAA Class A playoffs.

Football

Imani Christian 54, Chartiers-Houston 0 — In a nonconference game, Israel Reed threw for 349 yards and five touchdowns, as Imani Christian (7-3) earned a wild-card playoff berth in Class A.

Dashawn Wright caught four passes for 119 yards for the Saints.

Laurel 60, Northgate 0 — Luke McCoy ran for 204 yards and five touchdowns to lead Laurel (6-4, 5-2) to a Class A Big Seven Conference win. Despite the victory, Laurel fell short of a playoff wild card berth.