Led by Chamovitz’s four goals Quaker Valley dominates North Catholic, 5-0, to win 10th WPIAL boys soccer title

Quakers win 10th WPIAL Title

WPIAL Boys Soccer Class 2A Championship

FINAL: Quaker Valley 5, North Catholic 0 

For the second time in three years and for the tenth time in its storied history, Quaker Valley boys soccer team captured the WPIAL boys soccer Class 2A crown, dominating section rival North Catholic, 5-0, at Highmark Stadium on Thursday evening.

Leading the way for the Quakers, Keller Chamovitiz was involved in all goals, scoring twice in the first half, then adding an assist on Ryan Edwards goal, then capped the night with a brilliant bending finish from the left edge and another second-effort goal in the second half to complete a four-goal performance.

“I’m just so happy for these guys, after what happened last year,” J.J. Veshio, Quaker Valley’s head coach said. “This is the result of two years, two years of absolutely hard work.”

North Catholic’s goalkeeper Devon Paschall made 14 saves as Quaker Valley continiously brought pressure throughout the contest.

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Post Match Reaction

How It Happened

First Half

The Quakers, as expected came out on the front foot with four corners, numerous crosses and five shots in the first 15 minutes.

They started to get closer in the 16th minute when Ryan Edwards drilled a shot from edge of the box that forced a fingertip save by North Catholic’s goalkeeper Devon Paschall.

The pressure kept coming as the Trojans struggled to play the ball with any efficency beyond the midfield.

The Quakers built a lot of its possession through the middle and the right side, but as the half played out, they started to find openings on the left, where Keller Chamovitz was lurking.

Paschall did his part to keep the Trojans in the contest throughout the first half, making five saves, a few of them impressive leaps to tip shots headed under the cross bar from Chamovitz and Rowan Kriebel.

Finally, in the 25th minute, after a ball into the box deflected to the far post area, Chamovitz was there to smash the ball into the back of the net to give the Quakers a 1-0 lead.

Chamovitz continued to find opportunities to pressue Paschall, with another shot on frame in the 34th minute, forcing Paschall to extend to make a save.

Still, the Trojans were hanging in the match — by a thread — but the score remained 1-0 in the latter stages of the first half.

“We play our game, and the result is going to be the result,” Quaker Valley’s Head Coach J.J. Veshio said.

In the 38th minute, Quaker Valley finally doubled the lead after a quick restart 25 yards from goal when Edwards laid off a quick pass to his left, putting on a platter for the hot hand — Chamovitz — who sent a beauty from the left edge into the far corner.

“I love this field. How can you not get excited playing on this field,” Chamovitz said. “They really know how we play. They tried to shut down our half of the field.  I’m comfortable there. It’s what I’ve been doing for a long time.  Once we broke it down, we started to use the full width of the field, we started to break it down and the goals started coming.”

Second Half 

North Catholic had its best chance in the 45th minute when they drew a foul, setting up a free kick that would be played into the Quaker Valley wall.

The Quakers countered and again, it was Paschall who came up with a dynamite save on a Kriebel attempt from 15 yards.

Despite continued Quaker Valley dominance, North Catholic kept hanging around in this match in the second half, thanks to its ability to extend some possession and its backline and defensive midfield discipline to keep forcing Quaker Valley to settle for shots from outside the box.

Things started to get chippy between the section rivals into the final 20 minutes as the Trojans were issued a pair of yellow cards.

The Quakers made the most of a corner kick attempt after one of North Catholic’s starting center backs, Anthony Snyder had to sit out for a yellow card.

The service from the corner came off the foot of Chamovitz, who sent the ball to the near post, where Edwards was there to redirect it into the goal to give Quaker Valley a 3-0 lead.

Chamovitz wasn’t done there.

To finish off his impressive performance, he delivered a pair of late goals, including another bending shot from the left edge to make it 4-0, then he capped his performance with a second effort play to beat a pair of defenders and Paschall to the ball to poke home the final goal and the icing on Quaker Valley’s 10th WPIAL championship cake.

“Big players show up in big games,” Veshio exclaimed. “Our biggest players showed up today. Nothing but quality. Nothing but class from him.”

Veshio, in his second year as head coach, but a long time part of the Quaker Valley soccer family as a player and an assistant before being hired as the head coach in 2020, added that Chamovitz out-did his father, who scored two goals in the school’s WPIAL championship win in 1996.

“I get to rub it in when I get home,” Chamovitz added.

“That’s for sure.”

WPIAL Finalist @NCHSBoysSoccer! Lots to be proud of boys! New tournament starts Tuesday!!

Congrats to a very good @qv_soccer soccer team on another championship. pic.twitter.com/b4DFCKgJ0S

— NC Boys Soccer (@NCHSBoysSoccer) November 5, 2021