WPIAL soccer playoff capsules: Oct. 26

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Sunday, October 25, 2020 | 3:38 PM

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Boys

Class 2A

First round

11-Burrell (7-4) at 6-Mt. Pleasant (11-1)

6:30 p.m., Monday, Viking Stadium, Mt. Pleasant

Winner plays: Winner of 14-Leechburg (7-6) at 3-North Catholic (12-1-1), 6 p.m., Monday, Mars Athletic Complex, Mars

Hat tricks: Mt. Pleasant has allowed two goals all season and has 11 shutouts. Charleroi scored two goals against the Vikings in their Sept. 28 matchup. The Vikings are looking for their first WPIAL title. … The Bucs are led by 12 seniors. After a five-year playoff drought, the Bucs are making their second straight playoff appearance. They outscored their opponents 60-14 this season.

14-Leechburg (7-6) at 3-North Catholic (12-1-1)

6 p.m., Monday, Mars Athletic Complex, Mars

Winner plays: Winner of 6-Mt. Pleasant (11-1) at 11-Burrell (7-4), 6:30 p.m., Monday, Vikings Stadium, Mt. Pleasant

Hat trick: The Blue Devils are making their first playoff appearance in their second year of existence. Leading goal scorer Gavin Cole has 19 goals in 13 games. They recorded seven shutouts this season. … The Trojans will be using their JV team because of a coronavirus exposure during their second game with Quaker Valley. The varsity team’s return-to-play date is Oct. 28. Along with the JV team, the Trojans will be using basketball players who have played soccer in the past.

15-Southmoreland (6-8) at 2-Deer Lakes (11-1)

6:30 p.m., Monday, Lancer Stadium, Russelton

Winner plays: Winner of 10-Waynesburg Central (9-4) at 7-South Park (11-2), 6:30 p.m., Monday, South Park High School

Hat tricks: Deer Lakes has won a share of the Section 2-2A title the past three seasons. Its only loss came Sept. 24 to No. 1 Shady Side Academy. Senior captain Mike Sullivan has scored 17 goals this season. … Southmoreland won two of its final three games. The Scotties have two shutouts this season. They outscored their final three opponents 10-5.

Girls

Class 4A

First round

10-Latrobe (4-4-1) at 7-Upper St. Clair (7-5)

6:30 p.m. Monday, Upper St. Clair Stadium, Upper St. Clair

Winner plays: At 2-Butler (9-1), 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

Hat tricks: Latrobe made the playoffs for the first time since 2014. The clinching win came against Penn-Trafford, a team it hadn’t beaten since 1995. Multiple backups have played above the line for the Wildcats because of injuries to starters. … Upper St. Clair, a perennial playoff team, is led by UNC-Ashville commit Carson Bogan. The Panthers own a 1-0 win over No. 1 Peters Township. Four of their wins were by one goal.

9-Penn-Trafford (5-5-2) at 8-Seneca Valley (7-3)

6:30 p.m. Monday, NexTier Stadium, Jackson Township

Winner plays: At 1-Peters Township (10-1-1), 6:30 p.m. Thursday

Hat tricks: Penn-Trafford is used to making the playoffs as a section champion or runner-up, but the Warriors were a third-place team this year. The Warriors were supposed to play Seneca Valley last month, but that game was postponed. Senior McKenzie Septak and Junior Malia Kearns are the team’s top scorers. … Seneca Valley was a semifinalist last season under coach Mark Perry. The Raiders won the WPIAL two years ago. They lost 1-0 to No. 2 seed Butler.

Class 3A

First round

15-Gateway (7-8) at 2-Plum (13-0)

6:30 p.m., Monday, Mustangs Stadium, Plum

Hat tricks: Plum, the Section 3 champion, hopes to make its second straight trip to the WPIAL championship game. The Mustangs allowed just five goals in 13 games and, with the help of goal-scoring leaders senior Gina Proviano (13), sophomore Kaitlyn Killinger (13) and senior Jamie Seneca (13), scored 82. Last year, as the No. 2 seed, Plum defeated Gateway on penalty kicks in the Class 3A first round…. Gateway, the fourth-place team from Section 1, is in the WPIAL playoffs for the third year in a row and seeks its first postseason win since 2016. The Gators, led in scoring by junior Kira Pavlik and sophomore Daniella Gardner, played seven games in 11 days to close out the regular season. Gateway took No. 3 Hampton to overtime Oct. 12 before falling, 2-1.

10-Kiski Area (8-6-2) at 7-Thomas Jefferson (13-2-1)

6:30 p.m., Monday, Thomas Jefferson Stadium, Jefferson Hills

Hat tricks: A victory would put Kiski Area in the WPIAL quarterfinals for the third year in a row. The Cavaliers finished third in Section 1 behind No. 3 Hampton and No. 5 Franklin Regional and went 3-0-1 over their final four section matches. Senior Kaylee Elwood leads the Cavaliers with 16 goals, and fellow senior Emily Schrag is second with seven. … Thomas Jefferson, the runner-up to Plum in Section 3 (10-2), allowed just six goals in 15 games after a season-opening 4-1 loss to the undefeated Mustangs and posted nine shutouts. The Jaguars made the WPIAL quarterfinals last year before losing to eventual WPIAL champion Mars. Freshman Natalie Lamenza and sophomore Emma Martinis lead TJ in scoring.

9-Oakland Catholic (9-4) at 8-Belle Vernon (13-2)

6:30 p.m. Monday, James Weir Stadium, Belle Vernon

Winner plays: Winner of 16-Laurel Highlands (4-11) at 1-Mars (12-0), 6:30 p.m. Thursday (site TBD)

Hat tricks: Oakland Catholic, the third-place team in Section 3, lost to Belle Vernon in the quarterfinals last season 1-0. A 3-2 win over North Catholic is notable. Nine of Oakland Catholic’s games were on the road. … A semifinalist last year, Belle Vernon has two losses, both to Connellsville. The team has multiple scorers including Jillian Butchki (27 goals, 14 assists), Morgan Einodshofer (19/21), Izzy Laurita (20/12) and Farrah Reader (17/7). Goalkeeper Grace Henderson won the Tri-State Track Coaches Association Class AA girls race last week.

12-South Fayette (7-7) at 5-Franklin Regional (10-1-1)

6:30 p.m. Monday, Panther Stadium, Murrysville

Winner plays: Winner of 13-Montour (8-6) at 4-Connellsville (11-0), 6:30 p.m. Thursday (site TBD)

Hat tricks: South Fayette tied for third in Section 4 behind Mars, West Allegheny and Montour. Six of the Lions’ wins are by one goal. These teams were supposed to open the season against one another, but the game was canceled. … Franklin Regional, under first year coach Scott Arnold, won four straight after a 0-0 tie against Hampton. The Panthers’ last playoff win was in 2017. Sydney Caldwell is one of the top goalkeepers in the classification.

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

Tags: Belle Vernon, Burrell, Deer Lakes, Franklin Regional, Gateway, Kiski Area, Latrobe, Leechburg, Mt. Pleasant, North Catholic, Oakland Catholic, Penn-Trafford, Plum, Seneca Valley, South Fayette, Southmoreland, Thomas Jefferson, Upper St. Clair