Breaking down the 2018 WPIAL boys soccer playoffs

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, October 17, 2018 | 6:06 PM

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CLASS 4A

Favorite: Seneca Valley emerged from an ultracompetitive race as the Section 1-4A champion and looks poised for a run at its first WPIAL title after finishing as runner-up in 2016. The Raiders’ resume includes a nonsection win over Norwin in both team’s season opener, a sweep of section opponent Fox Chapel and wins over Butler, North Allegheny and Pine-Richland. Goalkeeper Will Gallagher registered eight shutouts.

Contenders: Can this be the year Norwin ends its seven-year run of losing in the first round? The Knights look to have staying power after rolling to the Section 3-4A title, with all-time leading scorer Carter Breen providing plenty of firepower (33 goals). The Knights outscored teams 79-14, losing only to Seneca Valley (2-1) and Franklin Regional (2-0). Pine-Richland, a semifinalist last season, finished just behind Seneca Valley in Section 1 and picked up a win over Mars in nonsection play. Tate Mohney has been money for Butler, the third-place team from Section 1 and a WPIAL quarterfinalist last season. Upper St. Clair went 8-1-2 over its final 11 games to take the Section 2 championship, just ahead of Canon-McMillan, which begins the postseason on a five-game winning streak.

Don’t overlook: Even with a fourth-place finish in Section 1, North Allegheny is the two-time defending champion and will be a tough team to contend with.

Prediction: Seneca Valley over Norwin

CLASS 3A

Favorite: Franklin Regional dropped from Class 4A before the season and has suffocated opponents in its new classification, allowing three goals and posting 12 shutouts. The Panthers are coming off a strong nonsection win over Class 4A contender Norwin.

Contenders: A recent 1-0 loss to Blackhawk aside, West Allegheny dominated opponents all season. The Indians, who lost in the WPIAL final to Montour last season, outscored teams 85-7 this season. Senior Nathan Dragisich scored a team-high 31 goals and added 14 assists. Mars breezed to a Section 1 title, outscoring opponents 83-5, with 13 shutouts. The Planets begin the playoffs on a 13-game winning streak and appear ready to challenge for their first championship since 2009. South Fayette made a run to the semifinals last season and won the WPIAL consolation game to reach the PIAA playoffs. The Lions played Franklin Regional to a scoreless draw in their second meeting and are 7-1-1 since a 3-4 start. Blackhawk upset Mars in the first round last season and is the only team to beat West Allegheny this season. Ringgold emerged from a tight Section 2-AAA race with Laurel Highlands as the champion and then posted an impressive victory over Peters Township in its regular-season finale.

Don’t overlook: Moon had a surprising late loss to Obama Academy, but the Tigers also posted 10 shutouts during the regular season, played West Allegheny to a one-goal loss in their second meeting and beat North Catholic in nonsection play.

Prediction: West Allegheny over Franklin Regional

CLASS 2A

Favorite: Quaker Valley lost its first three games of the season. Then the defending PIAA champions kicked their season into high gear, winning their final 14 games by a combined 101-3 margin. Will Andrews leads a balanced offensive attack. The Quakers, in the playoffs for the 36th straight season, have won eight titles, most recently in 2016, and were runners-up last fall.

Contenders: Deer Lakes used an overtime loss in last season’s WPIAL quarterfinals as motivation, claiming the Section 2 championship, its first in 15 years, with an unbeaten record. Seniors Nick Caro, a defender, and Jesse Greyshock, the goalkeeper, anchor a defense that posted six shutouts. North Catholic won a WPIAL title and finished second in the state in Class A last season, and the Trojans have been no less successful at a higher level. Prolific striker Joe Kearney leads a Trojans offense that topped 80 goals. They lost twice to West Allegheny and once to Moon. Charleroi cruised to the Section 3 title, with no section opponent coming closer than four goals. The Cougars blanked nine teams. Keystone Oaks finished unbeaten in Section 1 and outscored its opponents 75-4, with the Golden Eagles’ lone loss coming by 1-0 margin to Thomas Jefferson. Mt. Pleasant had some surprising losses but features a strong scorer in senior Brad Tait and went to the quarterfinals last season.

Don’t overlook: Shady Side Academy stunned the WPIAL by winning the championship last season as the No. 15 seed, knocking off No. 2 South Park and No. 1 Quaker Valley along the way. So keep an eye on the Indians, who finished third in Section 2 and played Deer Lakes to a draw.

Prediction: QV over North Catholic

CLASS A

Favorite: Greensburg Central Catholic established itself as the team to beat with a 2-1 nonsection victory over fellow top contender Sewickley Academy. The Centurions won 12 consecutive games after a 6-1 loss to Kiski School early in the season. Top scorers Luke Mort and junior Nate Ward lead the GCC offense.

Contenders: Only a scoreless draw with Springdale kept Avonworth from a perfect season. The Antelopes outscored their opponents 91-7 and posted 11 shutouts. Sewickley Academy won a WPIAL championship in 2016 and is a strong contender for another after something of a down season in 2017. The Panthers dropped just one Section 1 game, to Riverside; their other losses included North Catholic, Quaker Valley and Greensburg Central Catholic. Eleven of the team’s victories came by shutout. Springdale made a run to the WPIAL championship game last season as the No. 7 seed. Goalkeeper Mike Zolnierczyk, a Division I recruit, had 11 shutouts and yielded five goals all season. Kellen Krebs leads a motivated Seton LaSalle team that qualified for the PIAA playoffs last season after winning the consolation game. The Section 4 champion Rebels had an eight-game winning streak snapped last week by Chartiers Valley.

Don’t overlook: Riverside was a quarterfinalist in Class AA last season, and could surprise some teams in the Class A bracket. The Panthers enter the playoffs on a two-game losing streak, but they were the lone Section 1 team to beat Sewickley Academy this season.

Prediction: Sewickley Academy over GCC

Doug Gulasy is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Doug at dgulasy@tribweb.com or via Twitter @dgulasy_Trib.