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WPIAL Girls Soccer 2020 Snapshot Preview: Class 1A

File Photo courtesy of Ed Thompson

WPIAL Class 1A Girls Soccer  

The WPIAL soccer season will see teams playing a condensed schedule. 12-14 games compared to the usual 18 games in a season.  Those games will take place over a six-week period making this a season a war of attrition between fatigue, injury and motivation.

Many coaches took different approaches as to how to handle their preseason with the hopes of hitting their peak at the right time and bringing home a section crown. Some took advantage of the 2 week delay and worked more on strength and conditioning, while some kept it lite on conditioning but more technical development.

No one knows the answer but we do know soccer is here and the season starts this week.

Defending champs:  Shady Side Academy 

Shady Side holds off section rival Greensburg Central Catholic to capture 4th WPIAL title

Key Storylines

With the departure of Shady Side Academy to Class 2A, there will be a new champion.

Many will look for Greensburg Central Catholic and Freedom to be the teams to meet up for the vacant title. 

Greensburg Central Catholic will rely on Samantha Felder (Indiana University of PA) and Tatum Gretz (Villanova). New to the touch line will be head coach Olivia Kruger.

Freedom who won the Class A title in 2018 will bring the Mohrbacher sister’s to the battle. Renae and Jules have filled the back of the net with impressive numbers. Renae had 70 goals last season to lead all scorers in the WPIAL. Jules chipped in another 25 plus goals. Freedom has been a team that has scored in bunches and will be out to do the same in 2020.

Bentworth has had their name in the hat with a 2018 finals appearance. Bentworth will bring a new group to the table but the goal is the same. Leading the way for Bentworth will be Reagan Schreiber, Mallory Schreiber, Tessa Charpentier and goal keeper Jasmine Manning.

Serra Catholic with Jamie Dermotta (Slippery Rock University), Springdale and Seton LaSalle will be in the mix for Class 1A.

Another thing that remains up in the air, is what the WPIAL playoff format will look like. The season is scheduled to be completed by October 19. The original playoff format would have seen the Finals being played at Highmark Stadium Thursday, October 29 through Saturday, October 31, but that’s up in the air at the moment.

Here’s a deeper look at the 1A breakdown by section following realignment.  (Bold: 2019 Section Champions; ^ moved up in classification, © co-op )

WPIAL Girls Soccer 2020-21 realignment takeaways

SECTION 1:  Apollo Ridge, Greensburg Central Catholic, Jeannette, Ligonier Valley, Riverview, Serra Catholic, Springdale

SECTION 2: Bentworth, Beth-Center, Charleroi, Chartiers-Houston, Monessen, * Seton-LaSalle, Steel Valley 

SECTION 3: Freedom, Mohawk, Neshonnock, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Riverside, South Side Beaver

SECTION 4: Bishop Canevin, Carlynton, Eden Christian, Ellis School, Sewickley Academy, Winchester Thurston  (*Seton-LaSalle won last year’s Section 4)

Players to Watch 

WPIAL Girls Soccer Players to Watch (2020)

Glory on the Grass

Riverhounds MF Kenardo Forbes

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