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Preview/Schedule: Five WPIAL teams look to claim PIAA soccer titles

PIAA Soccer coverage presented by

addidas
 
photo credits – Long Hong 
 
This weekend, Pennsylvania’s high school soccer season comes to a climatic finish in Hershey with its annual state finals in each classification for both boys and girls in games to be played on Friday, November 17 and Saturday, November 18.

“If you asked me if I would rather be the best of 36 teams, or the best in the entire state, I’ll take the state title,” Bobby Dyer, Peters Township boys soccer coach, said after losing the WPIAL title game to North Allegheny.

Dyer’s team came very close to reaching the PIAA Finals this year, losing in the 4A semifinal to Hempfield on Tuesday night, but five schools from Western PA will have a chance to win PIAA titles, including three girls programs (Norwin, 4A; Moon, 3A; Shady Side, 1A) and a pair of boys (Quaker Valley, 2A & Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic).

GIRLS

Moon goal
For Norwin girls, it will be a chance for a program with a core group of players that have won consecutive WPIAL 4A titles, but in each of the past two seasons were upset in the PIAA playoffs. This is their first trip to Hershey with a team led by talented, Division I bound seniors Emily Harrigan, Alyssa Victor and goalkeeper Sam Wexell.
In 3A girls, Moon have rolled through an undefeated season looking for a repeat of WPIAL (already done) and PIAA titles. Led by senior Miami (OH) recruit Delaney Snyder, who scored a hat trick in the first 15 minutes of its semifinal win on Tuesday, Moon are one game away from completing one of the most dominant two-year runs by any WPIAL team in recent history.
It’s a return trip for Shady Side Academy girls, who are hoping for a better defensive performance in this trip to Hershey. Last year Shady Side were blitzed by Fairfield, losing in a wild 9-4 shoot out. The Indians avenged its WPIAL final loss to section rivals Greensburg Central Catholic with a 3-0 win in the PIAA semifinal.

BOYS

2017.11.03_WPIAL_1ABoys_09_preview
The two WPIAL boys teams remaining couldn’t have different program histories  — Quaker Valley and Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic.
The Quakers fell short of winning its ninth WPIAL title, losing in improbable fashion to Shady Side Academy, 3-2, after holding a 2-1 lead very late in regulation. Instead, they were denied a second consecutive district title on a pair of goals set up by long throws and ending in bicycle kicks. Andrew Marshall‘s club has bounced back nicely in the PIAA playoffs — and for the second straight year have made it to the state final. Last year, they came up short, losing 1-0 to Lewisburg. The Quakers have a storied history –winning six state championships, the latest in 2000, when they were crowned co-champions after a four-overtime draw with Fleetwood in the title game. Their last outright championship came in 1996, when they beat Wyomissing, 1-0. Quaker Valley has also finished as runner-up five times, including last year.
On the flip side, we have Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic, who have ventured into new territory this year, earning its first trip to the 1A final cruising through the early rounds of PIAA playoffs after winning the WPIAL, 2-0 over Springdale. They’ve done it with a relatively young, but talented squad that includes a trio of super sophomores Joe Kearney, Ryan Augustine and Bryce Kopchak, who have combined to score more than 80 goals this season.
The Trojans had to go to overtime in the semifinal to defeat Brockway, 1-0, on Tuesday night at Slippery Rock, with Augustine netting the game-winner.
I’ll be posting previews/live file here on Pittsburgh Soccer Report for each of the five matches on Friday and Saturday.
Here’s the schedule for games featuring WPIAL teams.

PIAA FINALS SCHEDULE

WPIAL teams in BOLD  / All games played at Hershey Park Stadium, Hershey, PA

All games will be broadcast LIVE on PCN and the PCN Select app

Friday, November 17

 
1:30 p.m. – Boys 2A Soccer Championship
Lancaster Mennonite v. Quaker Valley
4:00 p.m. – Girls 4A Soccer Championship
Neshaminy (Langhorne) v. Norwin 
 

Saturday, November 18

11:00 a.m. LIVE – PIAA Girls 1A Soccer Championship
Camp Hill v. Shady Side Academy
1:30 p.m. LIVE – PIAA Boys 1A Soccer Championship
Camp Hill v. Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic
4:00 p.m. LIVE – PIAA Girls 3A Soccer Championship
Villa Joseph Marie (Holland) v. Moon
 
 

John Krysinsky has covered soccer and other sports for many years for various publications and media outlets. He is also author of 'Miracle on the Mon' -- a book about the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, which chronicles the club, particularly the early years of Highmark Stadium with the narrative leading up to and centered around a remarkable match that helped provide a spark for the franchise. John has covered sports for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, DK Pittsburgh Sports, Pittsburgh Sports Report, has served as color commentator on Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC broadcasts, and worked with OPTA Stats and broadcast teams for US Open Cup and International Champions Cup matches held in the US. Krysinsky also served as the Head Men’s Soccer Coach at his alma mater, Point Park University, where he led the Pioneers to the first-ever winning seasons and playoff berths (1996-98); head coach of North Catholic boys (2007-08), associate head coach of Shady Side Academy boys (2009-2014).

Glory on the Grass

Riverhounds MF Kenardo Forbes

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