WPIAL soccer playoffs
Boys
Class 2A
Semifinals
2-Quaker Valley (17-2-1) vs. 6-Deer Lakes (16-3-1)
8 p.m. Monday, Fridley Field, Allison Park
Winner plays: Winner of 9-Beaver (15-4)/4-Avonworth (17-2-1) in championship game at Highmark Stadium (time/date TBD)
Players to watch: Isaac Williams, Quaker Valley; Collin Rodgers, Deer Lakes
Throw-ins: Quaker Valley reached the semifinals after wins over Highlands, 5-1, and Shady Side Academy, 3-2. Finn Thompson scored the winning goal in double overtime in the quarterfinals. Patrick Conners and Sutton Hoehl also scored for the Quakers. En route to the Section 2-2A title, QV outscored opponents 94-9. The Quakers allowed 11 goals overall in the regular season and posted 10 shutouts behind keepers Xander Vescio and Julien Tiesse and a strong defensive corps: seniors Asher Muretisch and Tanner Schultz, junior Will Meagher and sophomore Mike Semonik. Isaac Williams led the Quakers in scoring with 19 goals and seven assists. … Deer Lakes defeated Central Valley, 5-1, and North Catholic, 1-0, in the first two rounds. Jacob Orseno scored on an assist from Larry Rommes in the quarterfinals. Senior Collin Rodgers led the Lancers in scoring this season, and Orseno, Peyton Kushon, Artemey Parshyn and Cuyler Crim have been key contributors offensively as well. Deer Lakes, the 2022 champion, made the semifinals last year before falling to Avonworth, 3-1. The Lancers then beat Burrell in the consolation game to reach the state playoffs. … The losing team will play in the third-place consolation game Wednesday for a shot at reaching the PIAA tournament.
Girls
Class 3A
Semifinals
1-Fox Chapel (17-1-1) vs. 4-Plum (17-1)
6:30 p.m. Monday, Gateway’s Antimarino Stadium, Monroeville
Winner plays: Winner of 2-South Fayette (17-1-1)/3-Moon (18-1) in championship game at Highmark Stadium (date/time TBD)
Players to watch: Emily Grubich, Plum; Emily McKee, Fox Chapel
Throw-ins: The former section rivals meet at this point of the WPIAL playoffs for the second year in a row. Fox Chapel junior Pitt commit Emily McKee scored a goal in last year’s 3-0 win at North Hills. …. Fox Chapel is one win away from its third consecutive WPIAL title game at Highmark Stadium. The Foxes beat North Allegheny for Class 4A gold in 2023 and lost to South Fayette in last year’s 3A final. McKee was prolific again for the Foxes in their 6-2 home quarterfinal victory over No. 9 West Allegheny, scoring all six goals. The first of the six was the 100th of her standout career. The Foxes have won six in a row since a 1-1 tie at Mars on Oct 1. Fox Chapel has scored 85 goals in 19 games and surrendered 17. … Plum exorcised a few playoff demons last Thursday against Mars in the final home game for the Mustangs seniors. Plum won in a shootout, outlasting the Planets, 5-4, in penalty kicks. Alison Porter, a senior defender netted the winner. Neither team scored in 110 minutes of regulation play and overtime. Emily Grubich, Gianna Revetta, Ali Joyce and Keirstin Curry also converted PKs for Plum, which won its eighth straight game after its lone loss of the season (Norwin, Sept. 27). The Mustangs saw their season end last year against Mars, 1-0, in overtime in the 3A third-place consolation game where only the winning team advanced to states. Plum also lost three straight 3A championship games to Mars from 2019-21.