Penn Hills notebook: Boys soccer team surges after slow start
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Sunday, October 3, 2021 | 11:01 AM
The Penn Hills boys soccer team appears reinvigorated.
The Indians lost seven of their first nine games and appeared to be heading toward another season without the playoffs, but the back half of the Section 4-3A schedule has been kinder to Penn Hills
The Indians showed major progress Sept. 29 at Nate Ferraco Field when Alinur Zhamaldinov scored with 25 minutes left to propel Penn Hills to a 1-0 win over West Mifflin. The Titans had beaten Penn Hills 3-0 on the road earlier in the season.
The win gave the Indians (5-7, 4-5) three consecutive wins — including two in section — to vault into a tie for fourth place with Woodland Hills. The top four teams in each section will reach the district playoffs.
Penn Hills won its other section contest, 5-1, over Obama Academy on Sept. 27, with Zhamaldinov scoring a game-high two goals. Mack Byrnes, Josh Lee and Lenny Duncan also scored against Obama. Duncan added three assists.
Football team finds momentum
The Indians’ matchup with Pine-Richland last Friday wasn’t an easy way to open Northeast Conference play, but Penn Hills gained confidence in the weeks before it.
The Indians (2-2) ground out the last 9 minutes, 12 seconds of a 21-14 victory over Upper St. Clair. Taking over at its own 20 following a Panthers’ touchdown, Penn Hills embarked on a 16-play drive that ended with the Indians ending the game by taking a knee on the Upper St. Clair 1-yard line.
“It feels good to control the game that way,” Penn Hills receiver Jaden Dugger said. “It feels even better to win the game and go home with a victory.”
Jaden Dugger hauled in two touchdown passes from his program Julian. Amir Key scored the other touchdown for Penn Hills.
Volleyball sweeps
Penn Hills girls volleyball program has shaken off the cobwebs following an 0-5 start in Section 1-3A.
The Indians swept rival Woodland Hills on Sept. 28 to improve to 2-5 in section play.
Tags: Penn Hills
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