A-K Valley soccer playoff preview capsules for games of Oct. 25, 2022

By: Michael Love
Monday, October 24, 2022 | 3:48 PM

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Tuesday’s games

Boys

Class A

First round

10-Serra Catholic (9-6) at 7-Burrell (14-3)

8 p.m., Buccaneers Stadium, Lower Burrell

Winner plays: Winner of 2-Winchester Thurston (12-2-1)/15-California (5-11) in quarterfinals Saturday (time, site TBD)

Players to watch: Ethan Coddington, GK, Serra Catholic; Seth Trisoline, MF, Burrell

Corner kicks: Serra Catholic finished second in Section 4 with a 7-3 record. The Eagles won their final four games of the regular season. They outscored opponents 29-23 over 15 games. Senior keeper Coddington is a three-time all-section selection who was All-WPIAL a year ago, and juniors AJ Mejalli and Jaxson Pozivak are two-time all-section picks. Serra Catholic lost in the first round to Eden Christian last year. … Burrell had a six-game winning streak snapped with a 4-0 loss to Winchester Thurston to end the regular season. The Bucs ended up tied for second in Section 3. Trisoline and Jayson Ireland lead the scoring for the Bucs. Burrell lost in the first round last year in the Class 2A playoffs. The Bucs dropped down to Class A this season via PIAA realignment.

11-Carlynton (10-4-2) vs. 6-Springdale (12-4)

6 p.m., Buccaneers Stadium, Lower Burrell

Winner plays: Winner of 3-Sewickley Academy (14-2)/14-OLSH (8-7) in quarterfinals Saturday (time, site TBD)

Players to watch: Ryan Lewis, F, Carlynton; Billy Lawrence, F, Springdale

Corner kicks: Carlynton had a strong finish to the season, going 8-1-1 down the stretch to secure third place in Section 4. Sophomore Lewis is a two-sport standout for the Cougars, also suiting up as a wide receiver/defensive back for the football team. … The Dynamos tied Burrell for second in Section 3 with a 9-3 record. They hit their stride mid-season and won eight of their final nine games, including a five-game winning streak to end the regular season. Junior Lawrence and senior Chris Mitchell were all-section picks last year. Springdale reached the WPIAL quarterfinals last season before falling to Greensburg C.C., 4-0. Cesareo Sanchez is in his first season as the Dynamos’ coach.

Girls

Class 2A

16-Valley (7-9) at 1-North Catholic (13-1)

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

Winner plays: Winner of 9-Burrell (11-3-3)/8-Beaver (7-5-3) in quarterfinals Saturday (time, site TBD)

Players to watch: Jordan Kirkwood, MF, Valley; Lauren MacDonald, F, North Catholic

Corner kicks: Valley earned a WPIAL playoff berth for only the second time in the program’s 20-year history. The Vikings finished fourth in Section 2-2A. Seven of their section games were decided by one goal. Valley defeated Class 3A Penn Hills to close out the regular season. Senior Kirkwood led the team in goal scored during the regular season. … North Catholic hopes to return to the top in WPIAL Class 2A. The Trojanettes won the first two WPIAL titles in the history of the program in 2019 and 2020. Last year, North Catholic fell to Avonworth, 2-1, in two overtimes in the WPIAL title game at Highmark Stadium. The Trojanettes have won 12 in a row since a 5-4 loss to Fox Chapel at the Mars tournament Sept. 4. MacDonald, a senior, and freshman Simone Sharpless are top scoring leaders for North Catholic.

10-Southmoreland (11-3-1) at 7-Freeport (13-2)

8 p.m. Freeport Area Athletic Stadium, Buffalo Township

Winner plays: Winner of 15-West Mifflin (8-6-1)/2-Mt. Pleasant (16-1) in quarterfinals Saturday (time, site TBD)

Players to watch: Kendall Fabery, MF, Southmoreland; Aleah Parison, F, Freeport

Corner kicks: Southmoreland started 7-0 and went 4-1-1 to close out the regular season and wrap up the runner-up spot in Section 3 behind No. 2 Mt. Pleasant. Fabery is a key scoring threat for the Scotties. She gave a verbal commitment to Division I Cleveland State before her junior season. Last year, as the No. 2 seed, Southmoreland advanced to the Class 2A semifinals before falling to Avonworth. … Freeport hopes to capitalize on a strong regular season and deep roster led by 13 seniors. The Yellowjackets finished 10-2 in Section 2, one point behind Knoch (10-1-1) for the title. Freeport’s only two losses are to the Knights and Burrell in a pair of one-goal results. Senior forward Parison leads the Yellowjackets with 13 goals. Fellow senior Cryatal Zembrzuski and freshman Peyton Los own seven goals apiece. Freeport is in the playoffs for the 10th straight season.

4-Knoch (14-3-1) vs. 13-Hopewell (6-9-1)

6 p.m., Freeport Area Athletic Stadium, Buffalo Township

Winner plays: Winner of 5-Avonworth (15-3)/12-Keystone Oaks (8-8-1) in quarterfinals Saturday (site/time TBD)

Players to watch: Macrina Robb, F, Knoch; Dionna Santia, F/MF, Hopewell

Corner kicks: Knoch captured the Section 2-2A championship. The Knights, paced on the scoresheet by Robb and senior midfielder Megan Vasas, were beaten just once in section (No. 7 Freeport, 2-1) and also played to a scoreless tie with No. 9 Burrell. Vasas recorded a hat trick last week in a 3-1 win over Apollo-Ridge, which clinched the section title. Knoch is in its first year in Class 2A. The Knights qualified for the WPIAL playoffs for the first time since 2017. … Hopewell had won four of five games before a loss to No. 8 seed Beaver in the Section 1 finale last week. The Vikings finished 5-6-1 in section play, good for the fourth and final playoff berth from the section. Hopewell finished just one point behind third-place Beaver. The teams tied 3-3 on Sept. 26. The Vikings also battled No. 1 North Catholic and No. 5 Avonworth to a pair of one-goal setbacks. Hopewell is back in the playoffs after a two-year hiatus. It went winless just two years ago.

9-Burrell (11-3-3) at 8-Beaver (7-5-3)

8 p.m., Gypsy Glen Stadium, Beaver

Winner plays: Winner of 16-Valley (7-9)/1-North Catholic (13-1) in quarterfinals Saturday (time, site TBD)

Players to watch: Miley Kariotis, M, Burrell; Sydney Chontas, M/F, Beaver

Corner kicks: Burrell has qualified for the playoffs for the seventh year in a row. Kariotis is a main scoring threat for the Bucs. Senior Ali Hughes has played in the field and also is the main goalkeeper for Burrell, which fashioned a 10-game unbeaten streak (8-0-2) during the regular season. The Bucs finished third in Section 2 behind Knoch and Freeport with an 8-2-2 record. Burrell defeated Freeport and played to a scoreless tie with Knoch and also scored nonsection wins over playoff qualifiers Waynesburg, Shady Side Academy and South Park. … Beaver scored five goals in two section games against No. 1 North Catholic. The Bobcats edged Hopewell by one point for third place in the section standings. Beaver, as the No. 10 seed, fell to Mt. Pleasant, 2-1, in last year’s Class 2A first round. The Bobcats are making their third straight trip to the WPIAL playoffs.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Beaver, Burrell, Carlynton, Freeport, Hopewell, Knoch, North Catholic, Serra Catholic, Southmoreland, Springdale, Valley