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WPIAL Boys Soccer Class 3A Quarterfinal Round Scoreboard

The WPIAL boys soccer playoffs resume Wednesday as they’ve reached the “Elite Eight” in Class 3A.

WPIAL Boys Soccer Class 3A Schedule

Quarterfinal Round – Wednesday, October 27 
FINAL Hampton 1, Moon 0
FINAL West Allegheny 6, Mars 0
FINAL Franklin Regional 6, Kiski Area 4
FINAL Plum 3, Thomas Jefferson 0
Semifinal Round – Monday, November 1, 2021 
  • Plum (4) vs West Allegheny (1)
  • Franklin Regional (3) vs Hampton (2)
Championship at Highmark Stadium – Saturday, November 5, 2021 – 3:30 p.m. 

Gameday Updates:

Once the matches begin, look for updates/results here:


Preview / Key Storylines 

The first round in Boys 3A went entirely chalk, as the higher seeds each advanced.

With the exception of Thomas Jefferson’s 1-0 win against No. 12 South Fayette, each of the other seven quarterfinalists weren’t really challenged.

That should change on Wednesday.

Looking at all these teams who have made it this far in Class 3A, the common denominator with most of these teams is playoff experience.

We already know that top-seeded West Allegheny has a group of senior players who’ve been through three years of making deep runs into the playoffs. And in previous seasons, they came up just short to Franklin Regional and, last year, to Mars. Tonight, they’ll face Mars again.

Led by veteran coach Chris Knauff, the Planets, even after losing a number of seniors who were key pieces in winning both the WPIAL and PIAA titles in 2020 won’t be an easy team to beat.

Franklin Regional, having played in the WPIAL finals in each of the last three seasons (winning back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019, has tons of experience too, along with a senior Anthony DiFalco, who appears to be determined to finish his career with another title.  The Panthers have a tough task, as they’ll be facing an upstart Kiski Area group that has won five straight, 10 of the last 11 matches, with its only hiccup in this stretch being a 2-0 loss to section champion and second seed Hampton.

Another team that has many of its top players who’ve been through the rigors of the playoffs, but itching to get to the first WPIAL final since 2004, is Franklin Regional’s section rival Plum.  Raf Kolankowski’s squad didn’t have any trouble in the first round, beating Montour, 4-0.  Now they’ll face Thomas Jefferson on its home turf hoping to return to the semifinal round for the first time since 2019, when they were still in Class 4A.  That year, they held a late lead against eventual champion Canon-McMillan. The bitter taste from that playoff defeat still remains for the current Plum seniors.

Hampton’s had a great season thanks in large part to senior leadership.  While the Talbots don’t have recent playoff pedigree of advancing deep (they last picked up WPIAL Class titles in 2010-11), they took care of the first step in winning its section with a pair of wins against Mars (2-0, 2-1). They’re now determined to go further with this group and are showing that this could be the year they can return to the top.  They feature a lineup that has at times featured 11 seniors, led by all-WPIAL midfielder Gabe Viszlay, along with forward Liam Nichols, midfielder Zach Panza and defender Henry Hughes, and third-year goalie Thomas Bradfield. Moon has played West Allegheny twice this season and were the closest competitors to the Indians in that section. Otherwise, they’re undefeated — with 16-2 overall record (12-2 in section).  This should be a good test to see if Hampton is for real.

WPIAL Boys Soccer Class 3A – 1st Rd Playoff Final Scoreboard

WPIAL Boys Class 3A Soccer Playoff Bracket: Experienced West Allegheny are a team on a mission

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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