Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) bestowed titles upon four schools at the WPIAL/UPMC Sports Medicine Girls’ Soccer Championships from Oct. 31-Nov. 2 at Highmark Stadium. South Fayette was the lone school to repeat as a winner at Class 3A, while the other three champions – Springdale at Class 1A, Quaker Valley at Class 2A, and Peters Township at Class 4A – all ended droughts of at least 12 seasons.
Peters Township is now a three-time WPIAL girls’ soccer champion, having snapped a title-less streak of 12 seasons. The Indians also won in 2010 and 2012.
One year after winning its first WPIAL title, South Fayette repeated to win its second. The Lions are the 10th different school to follow its first championship with a second the next year, joining Avonworth (2021-22), Hampton (1994-95), Mt. Lebanon (1980-81), North Allegheny (2019-20), North Catholic (2019-20), Norwin (1996-97), Pine-Richland (2005-06), Quaker Valley (1991-92), and Springdale (1996-97).
Quaker Valley ended a drought of 32 seasons to win its third WPIAL girls’ soccer championship. The Quakers also won in 1991 and 1992, and the 32-year gap between titles is the second longest in league history behind the 38-year wait Fox Chapel ended last season.
Springdale captured its fourth WPIAL title and its first in 15 seasons. The Dynamos also won in 1996, 1997, and 2009, and have moved into a tie for eighth all-time with Freedom Area, Norwin, Sewickley Academy, and Shady Side Academy.
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) Girls’ Soccer Championships, which begin with first round games on Tuesday, Nov. 5 and conclude with championship games on Nov. 15-16 at Eagle View Middle School in Mechanicsburg.
CLASS 4A RECAP
Regulation and two overtimes weren’t enough to break a 0-0 deadlock, and after five rounds of penalty kicks, it was top-seeded Peters Township who would come away with the Class 4A title, winning the shootout, 5-4, over second-seeded Seneca Valley this past Friday.
Peters Township (19-0-1, 9-0-1 Section II) went a perfect 5-for-5 from the penalty spot in the shootout. Senior forward Paige Malley started it off with a goal, followed by sophomore midfielder Marina Hajnosz, senior midfielder Camryn Klein, and sophomore defender Fallan Malley. After the lone miss by Seneca Valley (14-3-2, 7-0-1 Section III), sophomore defender Cailin Martin buried her attempt to send her teammates into celebrations.
The Indians led the Raiders in shot attempts (17 to 10), shots on goal (9 to 4), corner kicks (5 to 3), and possession (56% to 44%).
Hajnosz paced all players with four shot attempts and three on goal, with junior forward Julia Spergel also generating three shots on goal. Sophomore goalkeeper Molly Kubistek made four saves between the posts for the Indians.
Seneca Valley junior midfielder Karly Majeski tallied two shot attempts on goal, and sophomore goalkeeper Sydney Postler stopped nine shots throughout 110 minutes of play.
Peters Township reached Highmark Stadium with a 2-0 win over eighth-seeded Pine-Richland and a 2-1 overtime triumph versus fourth-seeded North Allegheny. The Raiders were 1-0 winners against seventh-seeded Upper St. Clair and 4-1 victors over sixth-seeded Canon-McMillan.
Peters Township begins the PIAA Championships at home against District III fourth-place Central Dauphin, while Seneca Valley is on the road against District VI champion Altoona. The Indians are three-time PIAA champions – winning them consecutively in 2010, 2011, and 2012 – and are appearing in their 14th PIAA tournament, while this is the 10th PIAA bid for the Raiders.
CLASS 3A RECAP
Second-seeded South Fayette successfully defended its Class 3A title in impressive fashion, as the Lions defeated top-seeded Fox Chapel, 4-0, this past Saturday.
South Fayette (19-3-0, 10-0-0 Section III) was clinical with its shot attempts, scoring on all four of its shots on goal. The Lions scored twice in the first half and added two more goals in the second half, with junior forward Mia Deramo netting two of the tallies, with classmate Emma Ferrari and freshman forward Gabby Beinecke providing a goal and assist each.
Deramo opened the scoring in the 12th minute with an assist from Beinecke. In the 31st minute, it was Beinecke’s turn to score as she finished a feed from Ferrari. Ferrari then scored an unassisted tally in the 53rd minute, and Deramo added the cherry on top in the 64th minute with a goal from the penalty spot.
Fox Chapel (18-3-1, 10-0-0 Section I) held advantages in shot attempts (12 to 4), shots on goal (6 to 4), corner kicks (4 to 2), and possession (64% to 36%).
South Fayette received six saves from junior goalkeeper Caitlyn Thompson in the win.
The Foxes were led by junior defender Cassie Classen, who generated three shot attempts and one on goal.
The Lions reached the championship game with a 4-0 win over 15th-seeded Kiski Area, 1-0 overtime victory against 10th-seeded Bethel Park, and a 4-2 penalty kick shootout against sixth-seeded Mars following scoreless regulation and overtimes. Fox Chapel bested 16th-seeded Indiana, 8-0, eighth-seeded Montour, 7-1, and fourth-seeded Plum, 3-0.
Mars defeated Plum in overtime, 1-0, in the third-place consolation game to qualify for the PIAA Championships.
South Fayette starts the PIAA Championships by hosting District IX champion DuBois, while Fox Chapel is at District VI champion Hollidaysburg and Mars travels to District X champion Harbor Creek. The Fightin’ Planets are four-time PIAA champions – winning in 2011, 2019, 2020, and 2021 – and are playing in their 17th state tournament. This is the ninth PIAA appearance for the Foxes, and second for the Lions.
CLASS 2A RECAP
Tied at 1-1 entering the 71st minute, second-seeded Quaker Valley found a breakthrough goal to win its first WPIAL title in 32 seasons, as the Quakers defeated ninth-seeded Burrell, 2-1, this past Saturday.
Quaker Valley (17-2-2, 9-1-0 Section III) and Burrell (14-6-1, 7-3-0 Section II) played a scoreless first half, only for the goals to come over a 15-minute span in the second stanza.
The Quakers opened the scoring with a tally from sophomore forward Annabel Miko with an assist to senior midfielder Mia Modrovich in the 51st minute. Three minutes later, the Buccaneers drew even when sophomore midfielder Makiah Buchak found the back of the net. Quaker Valley retook the lead for good in the 71st minute after Miko set up freshman defender Lily Baker for a goal.
Burrell held advantages in shot attempts (14 to 11) and possession (63% to 37%), while the Quakers were ahead in shots on goal (8 to 7). Both teams generated five corner kicks each.
Miko, who finished with a goal and an assist, had three shots on goal to lead Quaker Valley, while junior midfielder Ariana Bosh tallied three shot attempts. Freshman goalkeeper Ava Hajok made six saves.
Buchak collected a game-high four shot attempts and three on goal for the Buccaneers, and senior midfielders Maggie Nesko and Miley Kariotis registered three attempts each. Junior goalkeeper Dana Barczykowski stopped five shots between the sticks.
Quaker Valley blanked its first three WPIAL Championships opponents, defeating 15th-seeded Southmoreland, 4-0, seventh-seeded Deer Lakes, 1-0, and sixth-seeded North Catholic, 2-0. Burrell won 6-0 against eighth-seeded Keystone Oaks, topped first-seeded Mt. Pleasant, 4-0, and outlasted fourth-seeded South Park, 3-2.
North Catholic was a 5-1 winner over South Park in the third-place consolation game, earning the final PIAA spot.
Quaker Valley opens the PIAA Championships by hosting District X runner-up Fort LeBeouf. Burrell travels to District X champion Cathedral Prep, while North Catholic takes on District V champion Bedford at Windber High School. The Quakers are playing in their eighth PIAA tournament and were runners-up in 1996 and 2011, while this is the sixth for the Trojanettes, who were 2020 runners-up. This is the first PIAA Championships for the Buccaneers.
CLASS 1A RECAP
In the highest scoring WPIAL girls’ soccer championship game since 2018, top-seeded Springdale outlasted sixth-seeded and Section IV foe Winchester Thurston, 5-3, in the Class 1A final this past Thursday.
The eight combined goals between Springdale (17-1-0, 12-0-0 Section IV) and Winchester Thurston (15-6-0, 9-3-0 Section IV) are the most since Freedom Area defeated Bentworth, 8-2, in the 2018 Class 1A title tilt. The Dynamos fell behind 2-1 after 20 minutes, then scored four consecutive goals between the 37th and 57th minutes to win their fourth WPIAL championship.
The Bears struck first in the third minute when senior midfielder Meredith Snyder buried a free kick from 30 yards out. Six minutes later however, it was tied 1-1 after Springdale senior forward Briana Ross beat two defenders in the box and lofted over the goalkeeper’s head.
Winchester Thurston made it 2-1 in the 20th minute when senior midfielder Nora Coen-Piriani tucked a shot inside the right post. That lead lasted 17 minutes when a moment of brilliance brought the Dynamos even, as Ross scored an olimpico goal in the 37th minute, curling a corner kick inside the far post.
With the score 2-2 in the second half, Springdale exploded for three goals in six minutes to take control of the game. Senior midfielder Carissa Walsh scored the first and third of those tallies, being on the right end of a pair of through balls in the box, while classmate Molly Hurley netted the middle goal by cashing in on a loose ball in the box.
Snyder scored her second goal of the game in the 73rd minute, burying a shot inside the far left post off a short free kick by senior midfielder Margherita Memoli.
The Dynamos owned edges in corner kicks (4 to 3) and possession (52% to 48%), while the Bears had a 19-to-13 advantage in shot attempts. Both teams registered 10 shots on goal each.
Ross finished with two goals and an assist for Springdale, and generated four shots on goal. Walsh also had two goals and four shot attempts, while Hurley tallied a goal and a helper. Senior goalkeeper Baileigh Haas recorded six saves.
Snyder collected a game-high seven shot attempts as part of her two-goal game for Winchester Thurston, while Memoli had five attempts and three on target. Senior goalkeeper Maeve Dever stopped five shots between the posts.
The Dynamos enjoyed a trio of impressive offensive performances in their run to the championship game, defeating 17th-seeded Greensburg Central Catholic, 7-1, eighth-seeded Freedom Area, 5-0, and fifth-seeded Sewickley Academy, 5-1. The Bears were 4-0 winners against 11th-seeded Chartiers-Houston and third-seeded Bentworth, and topped second-seeded Seton LaSalle, 1-0.
Seton LaSalle defeated Sewickley Academy, 2-0, in the third-place consolation contest to qualify for the PIAA Championships.
Springdale commences the PIAA Championships at Fox Chapel High School against District V runner-up Conemaugh Township. Winchester Thurston travels to District IX champion Karns City, and Seton LaSalle is on the road at District V champion McConnellsburg. The Dynamos are three-time PIAA runners-up and are making their 10th state tournament appearance, and it’s the third for the Rebels. This is the Bears’ PIAA debut in girls’ soccer.
PIAA PREVIEW
Start Date: Tuesday, Nov. 5
Championship Date & Location: Nov. 15-16 at Eagle View Middle School (Mechanicsburg, Pa.)
Total Champions from WPIAL: 25 (4 in Class 4A, 13 in Class 3A, 5 in Class 2A, 3 in Class 1A)
- Previous Champions: Moon (6), Mars (4), Peters Township (3), Greensburg Central Catholic (2),
Norwin (2), Canon-McMillan (1), Central Valley (1), Mt. Lebanon (1),
Pine-Richland (1), Sewickley Academy (1), Shady Side Academy (1),
South Park (1), Upper St. Clair (1)
Appearances & Best Finish:
- Burrell – 1st
- Fox Chapel – 9th (semifinals in 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998)
- Mars – 17th (champion in 2011, 2019, 2020, 2021)
- North Catholic – 6th (runner-up in 2020)
- Peters Township – 14th (champion in 2010, 2011, 2012)
- Quaker Valley – 8th (runner-up in 1996, 2001)
- Seneca Valley – 10th (semifinals in 2013)
- Seton LaSalle – 3rd (quarterfinals in 2006)
- South Fayette – 2nd (first round in 2023)
- Springdale – 10th (runner-up in 1997, 2009, 2011)
- Winchester Thurston – 1st
Last Class 4A Champion from WPIAL: Moon (2021)
Last Class 3A Champion from WPIAL: Moon (2023)
Last Class 2A Champion from WPIAL: Central Valley (2013)
Last Class 1A Champion from WPIAL: Shady Side Academy (2017)
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