WPIAL soccer playoffs
Boys
Class 3A
Preliminary round
Ringgold (8-8) at Belle Vernon (7-10-1)
6:30 p.m. Thursday, James Weir Stadium, Belle Vernon
Winner plays: At 1-Hampton (14-2-2) 12:30 p.m. Saturday in first round
Players to watch: Izaiah Wilson, Ringgold; Jackson Pressel, Belle Vernon
Throw-ins: Ringgold tied Laurel Highlands for fourth place in Section 2. The Rams have played in eight one-goal games, going 4-4. They only lost 3-2 against No. 2 seed Bethel Park, and beat No. 5 Thomas Jefferson, 2-1. The Rams are coached by Rob Fabean, the former Greensburg Central Catholic coach. … Belle Vernon finished fourth in Section 3, getting off to a fast start before losing steam late. First-year coach Tyler Caterino has the Leopards playing a defensive brand of soccer. The Leopards take a five-game losing skid into the postseason. They have only 18 goals in 18 games. Morgan Bunch is quietly one of the more efficient goalkeepers in the tournament.
Girls
Class A
Preliminary round
Greensburg Central Catholic (3-7) at Ellis School (4-7)
6:30 p.m. Thursday, Ellis School Athletic Field, Pittsburgh
Winner plays: At No. 1 Sewickley Academy (15-1), 8 p.m. Tuesday at Quaker Valley in first round
Players to watch: Georgia Evans, GCC; Talia Dubowitz, Ellis School
Throw-ins: Light-rostered Greensburg Central Catholic stretched its WPIAL playoff streak to 28 appearances after tying with Ellis School for fourth place in Section 4. Tom Kennedy is the first-year coach of GCC. He helped start the program in the early 1990s and coached the GCC and Latrobe boys programs. Georgia Evans and Skylar Ashbaugh are scoring threats. … Ellis School rebounded from a 2-1 loss to GCC for a 3-1 win later in the section season. Ellis has a pair of 1-0 losses to No. 6 seed Winchester Thurston. Its one nonsection game was a 1-0 win over Obama Academy. Ellis School has 15 goals for the season.