Belle Vernon boys soccer holds off Mt. Pleasant, takes over 1st place

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, September 14, 2023 | 11:25 PM

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It took blood and sweat, but first place in Section 3-2A belongs to Belle Vernon — for now.

Belle Vernon, playing at full strength for the first time all season after a few key players came back from injury, put up an early goal and grinded out a 1-0 boys soccer victory over visiting Mt. Pleasant on Thursday night at James Weir Stadium.

It was just the second game this season where the Leopards starters played a full game. They worked to get it done, holding together like a clenched fist until the final horn as Mt. Pleasant went on the offensive down the stretch.

“It scared me at first, but our center backs played really well and helped us keep the lead,” said junior forward Trevor Kovatch, who had the lone goal. “We knew this would be a tough game.

“We’re not getting a lot of love around the WPIAL, but maybe we will now.”

The Leopards (7-1, 6-0) have won five in a row and are a game up on the Vikings (5-2, 5-1), who have given up just four goals all season.

Belle Vernon has outscored its opponents 36-7. But no goals have been allowed with its starting back liners on the field.

“I was sure it was going to be a good game, a one-goal game,” Belle Vernon coach Al Yeschenko said. “We got good minutes off our bench. We made Mt. Pleasant play out of their typical style of play tonight. They got more defensive-minded, and I think that threw them off a little.”

Kovatch’s goal was the difference in an otherwise even matchup that had plenty of scoring chances on both sides and active play from the goalkeepers.

“I thought we were sluggish in the first half, but we played a lot better in the second half,” 16th-year Mt. Pleasant coach Floyd Snyder said. “We had some nice build-ups. We figured it would be close. We went to overtime here last year. We’ll see what we can do next time against them.”

Kovatch connected for his 21st goal of the season in the 17th minute, getting an assist from his right-hand man. Junior Brandon Yeschenko sent him a pass on the wing, and Kovatch turned up field.

Showing his trademark speed, Kovatch sprinted down the far sideline and finished bottom corner for a 1-0 advantage.

“Me and Brandon have been playing together for like eight, nine, 10 years,” Kovatch said. “He puts his hand up like, go, and I know to go. He sent me a curve ball and I took it. I saw the keeper’s legs were open and I sent it in.”

Snyder called Kovatch “a lightning bolt.”

Brandon Yeschenko locked down Mt. Pleasant’s leading goal scorer, senior Luke Rivardo, holding him without a shot on goal.

There was physical play, as evidenced by three players’ bloody noses on the Belle Vernon sideline.

Junior Mason Yeschenko left the game with 18:57 left in the first half after he took an elbow to the face. He fell to the turf and was treated by an athletic trainer.

His nose bloodied, he was helped off the field and the game was delayed about 10 minutes while personnel scrubbed blood off the golden turf.

Freshman Landon Bell filled in nicely for Yeschenko, who did return.

After the game, his father and coach was unsure if the nose is fractured.

“I never saw that much blood,” Al Yeschenko said. “He came over, plugged it up and said, ‘OK I am ready to go back in.’

“We will follow up with the medical staff tomorrow.”

Mt. Pleasant made a number of pushes in the second half, and the Leopards had four corner kicks, but no scoring came from it.

Junior Aidan Johnson kept the Vikings offense moving, nearly scoring in the 63rd minute. His shot sailed high from inside the 10.

Belle Vernon junior keeper Bryce Burkhart made three saves for the Leopards, while senior Jake McGuiness had four stops for the Vikings, including a tip save on a Kovatch header inside the box a minute later. McGuiness got his fingertips on it and sent the shot upward and away.

“Bryce was tremendous,” Al Yeschenko said. “His off-line game tonight was so good. He helped us a ton with clearing the ball.

“I thought their keeper was their MVP tonight.”

Kovatch made a nifty crossover move around three defenders late in the first half, but McGuiness secured the save.

A few minutes before that, Johnson sent a bending shot from 30 yards toward the frame, but Burkhart denied him.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Belle Vernon, Mt. Pleasant