Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) hosted its championship games for the WPIAL/UPMC Sports Medicine Boys’ Soccer Championships last week at Highmark Stadium. Two new champions were crowned with Norwin in Class 4A and Bentworth in Class 1A, while South Fayette and South Park returned to the Class 3A and Class 2A mountaintops, respectively.
Norwin is one of two new WPIAL boys’ soccer champions, raising the trophy after finishing as a runner-up in 1989 and 2018. The Knights are the second straight new champion at Class 4A, with Pine-Richland accomplishing the feat last season.
South Fayette added to its record 19 WPIAL boys’ soccer titles by winning at Class 3A. The Lions previously took home the gold eight seasons ago and are now eight championships ahead of second-place Springdale. South Fayette previously won in 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1958, and 2015.
South Park is now a four-time WPIAL boys’ soccer winner after taking home the crown for the first time in nine years. The Eagles previously won in 2005, 2006, and 2014, and all their titles have come at Class 2A.
Bentworth is now 1-0 in WPIAL championship games after claiming the Class 1A title. The Bearcats are the first new champion at the classification since Avonworth won in 2018 and are the eighth different school to win at Class 1A.
The top two teams in Class 4A and top three teams in Class 1A, Class 2A, and Class 3A have qualified for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Boys’ Soccer Championships, which begin on Tuesday, Nov. 7 with first-round games at home sites and conclude with the championship games on Nov. 17-18 at Eagle View Middle School in Mechanicsburg.
CLASS 4A RECAP
After scoring an equalizer in the 74th minute to draw even at 1-1, eighth-seeded Norwin held serve for two overtimes before outlasting second-seeded North Allegheny in penalty kicks, 5-3, last Saturday evening to capture the Class 4A title.
Norwin (15-5-1, 10-3-1 Section II) trailed 1-0 for most of regulation after North Allegheny (16-2-3, 10-1-3 Section I) opened the scoring in the 12th minute. The opening goal consisted of some link-up play between senior forward Luke Brady and sophomore midfielder Leonardo Yu, as Brady pushed it past the keeper after receiving a feed from Yu.
In the 74th minute, Knights junior forward Daniel Maddock received a pass from classmate George Bunovich in the box and buried a shot to tie it up at 1-1. Norwin generated 12 shot attempts over the two extra frames – including three that were saved over the final seven minutes – but the deadlock remained after the clock hit 110:00.
The Knights and Tigers answered each other over the first two rounds of the shootout before Maddock converted on the third and North Allegheny missed. Freshman forward Chase Molinaro retained the one-goal advantage by scoring in the fourth round, and then Bunovich sealed the victory with a conversion in the fifth round.
North Allegheny held edges in shot attempts (23 to 22), corner kicks (10 to 5), and possession (53% to 47%), while Norwin had an 11-9 advantage in shots on goal. Tigers junior forward Zach Nash had a team-high eight shot attempts and four on target, and senior goalkeeper Dante Accamando made 10 saves.
Maddock led the Knights with eight shot attempts and four on goal, while senior midfielder Owen Christopher added four attempts and three on target. Senior goalkeeper Anthony Scalise stopped eight shots between the posts.
Norwin made it to Highmark Stadium with wins over top-seeded Seneca Valley (2-2, 4-2 PK) and fifth-seeded Fox Chapel (2-1), while North Allegheny topped seventh-seeded Canon-McMillan (6-1) and third-seeded Butler (3-2).
Norwin begins the PIAA Championships by hosting District III fourth-place Warwick, while North Allegheny goes on the road to play District VI champion State College.
CLASS 3A RECAP
Eighth-seeded South Fayette struck three times in the first 23 minutes, carrying its early lead to a league-high 19th championship, as the Lions defeated second-seeded Hampton, 4-2, in the Class 3A final last Saturday evening.
South Fayette (14-4-3, 9-2-3 Section II) took full advantage of its chances, cashing in on four of its seven attempts on goal. Sophomore midfielder Luke Gillen had a hat trick for the Lions, while senior defender James Casillo opened the scoring in the sixth minute.
Casillo’s opener was set up by senior midfielder Adam Thompson, who had two assists on the afternoon. His and Gillen’s first goal in the eighth minute were both slotted inside the right post, with the latter set up by a pass from senior midfielder Nate Belcufine.
Gillen made it 3-0 in the 23rd minute with an unassisted tally inside the box. Nearly 40 minutes later, the sophomore midfielder completed his hat trick by burying the ball in the same spot, making it 4-0 to South Fayette.
Hampton (17-3-1, 11-0-1 Section I) netted goals in the 70th and 74th minutes to cut the Lions’ lead in half. Junior defender Dom Jordan converted from close range on a pass from Coleman Docherty to make it 4-1, then four minutes later senior defender Conner Killmeyer released classmate Luke Fiscus into the box, and he finished inside the left post.
The Talbots owned advantages in shot attempts (18 to 11), shots on goal (8 to 7), corner kicks (8 to 6), and possession (54% to 46%). Fiscus finished with a game-high six shot attempts and three on target including his goal. Sophomore goalkeeper Landen Bierker made three saves in 65:56.
Gillen’s three goals were his only three shots on target, as he finished with a team-best four attempts. Thompson had a pair of assists in 80 minutes, and senior goalkeeper Dylan Janoski stopped six shots to pick up the win.
South Fayette made it to Highmark Stadium with wins over ninth-seeded Greater Latrobe (4-0), top-seeded Plum (1-0), and fifth-seeded Montour (2-1), while Hampton defeated 15th-seeded Trinity (1-0, OT), seventh-seeded Thomas Jefferson (2-1, 2OT), and 11th-seeded Franklin Regional (2-0). Montour knocked off Franklin Regional, 3-1, in the third-place consolation game to earn the final PIAA qualifier spot.
South Fayette begins PIAA Championships play against District III third-place team Kennard-Dale, Hampton opens versus District IX champion Bradford, and Montour takes on District X champion Cathedral Prep.
CLASS 2A RECAP
Top-seeded South Park converted on its lone shot on target in the 71st minute, but it proved to be enough as the Eagles defeated second-seeded Quaker Valley, 1-0, in the Class 2A championship game last Thursday night.
South Park (22-0-0, 14-0-0 Section I) kept its undefeated season alive with a highlight-reel goal from inside the midfield circle. Senior forward Jack Ozimek gathered a pass from classmate Kaiden Fischer, and ripped a shot up towards the upper left area of the netting in what was the Eagles’ only attempt in the second half.
Quaker Valley (17-4-0, 11-1-0 Section IV) owned major advantages in shot attempts (25 to 3), shots on goal (13 to 1), corner kicks (7 to 0), and possession (59% to 41%). After going a goal down, the Quakers ramped up the pressure with senior forward Bennett Haas firing a pair of shots on target 30 seconds after Ozimek’s tally. Quaker Valley generated five shot attempts in total – four on target – after the opening goal, but South Park sophomore goalkeeper Cooper Hochendoner and the defense met the challenge to preserve the shutout victory.
Quakers junior midfielder Jack Karowski led all players with seven shot attempts, with four going on target. Haas finished with six shots on goal, while senior midfielder Cameron Diggins tallied three attempts.
Hochendoner finished with 13 saves to pick up the win. Ozimek, Fischer, and senior midfielder Cameron Loveland had the Eagles’ shot attempts.
South Park’s run to the championship game included victories over 16th-seeded Yough (2-0), eighth-seeded Keystone Oaks (3-1), and fourth-seeded Avonworth (4-2). Quaker Valley defeated 15th-seeded Jeannette (9-1), 10th-seeded Elizabeth Forward (7-0), and sixth-seeded Shady Side Academy (4-3). Shady Side Academy was a 1-0 winner over Avonworth in the third-place consolation match to qualify for the PIAA Championships.
South Park starts its PIAA Championships run versus District X runner-up General McLane. Quaker Valley plays District V champion Bedford in the first round, while Shady Side Academy clashes with District X champion Fairview.
CLASS 1A RECAP
Down two goals midway through the second half, seventh-seeded Bentworth scored twice over a 12-minute span to force overtime, then found a 92nd minute winner to defeat top-seeded Charleroi, 3-2, this past Friday night in the Class 1A championship game.
Charleroi (19-1-0, 10-0-0 Section II) owned an 18-10 shot advantage over regulation, including a 14-4 difference in the first half that led to the Cougars’ opening two goals. Senior midfielder Arlo McIntyre struck first from the penalty spot in the 11th minute to make it 1-0, then midfielders Landon Barcus and Bryce Large freed up Dylan Klinger in the box, and he finished inside the left post to up Charleroi’s lead to 2-0 in the 37th minute.
Bentworth (18-2-0, 8-2-0 Section II) cut the deficit in half in the 64th minute when senior midfielder Coltyn Lusk and classmate John Scott set up sophomore forward Ryan Moessner in the box. With 4:02 remaining in regulation, senior forward Ryan Colbert whipped in a cross to junior defender Andrew Vipperman, and he headed it home from close range to knot it at 2-2.
The Bearcats turned up the intensity in overtime and generated four shots on target over the first 11 minutes. Junior goalkeeper Diontae Hays stopped Large at the right post in the 91st minute and immediately unleashed a counterattack, which led to Colbert tucking a shot underneath the crossbar to secure Bentworth’s first WPIAL title.
Charleroi held edges in shot attempts (20-17) and corner kicks (6-2), while the Bearcats had 12 shots on target to the Cougars’ eight.
Colbert finished with a goal and assist on four shot attempts and three on target for Bentworth. Moessner matched him in shot attempts and shots on goal, and Hays made six saves between the posts.
Large paced all players with seven shot attempts and had three on target, while McIntyre provided five attempts and two on goal. Senior goalkeeper Nate Mazon stopped nine shots for Charleroi.
Bentworth defeated 10th-seeded Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (2-1, OT), second-seeded Sewickley Academy (5-0), and third-seeded Burrell (2-1, OT) to reach the final, while Charleroi was a winner over 16th-seeded Beaver County Christian (1-0), ninth-seeded Eden Christian Academy (3-1), and fourth-seeded Seton LaSalle (1-0, OT). Burrell knocked off Seton LaSalle, 1-0, in the third-place consolation game to claim the final PIAA bid.
Bentworth opens PIAA Championships competition against District X champion Seneca. Charleroi plays District VI champion Richland, and Burrell takes on District IX champion Redbank Valley.
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