Connect with us

WPIAL

Preview: WPIAL Boys Soccer Class 2A Final – Quaker Valley vs North Catholic

Photo courtesy Ed Thompson
WPIAL Boys Soccer Class 2A Final

Quaker Valley (17-2-0) vs North Catholic (12-7-0)

Thursday, November 4, 2021 | 6 p.m.  |  Highmark Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA

Live Stream

PSN Coverage team:  John Krysinsky (Reporting) / Ed Thompson (Photography)

WPIAL Soccer History (List of WPIAL Champions) 

About the schools

Quaker Valley (Sewickley) 

Class 2A, Section 4 Champions – No. 2 seed

Head Coach –  J.J. Veshio

Nine-time WPIAL Champions (1985, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2012, 2016, 2019)

Twitter: @qv_soccer

North Catholic (Cranberry Twp) 

Class 2A, Section 4 Third Place – No. 9 seed

Head Coach –  Anchoi Headly

One WPIAL Championship (2017)

Twitter: @NCHSBoysSoccer

Preview / Key Storylines: 

The story in the Class 2A boys soccer playoffs has been three teams from Section 4 making it to the final four, and now we have an all-section final.

A year ago, both of these schools were forced to quarantine after COVID-19 outbreaks following a late regular season match, when players from both sides were exposed to the virus.

On eve of WPIAL soccer playoff bracket announcements, North Catholic & Quaker Valley boys in quarantine

As a result, Quaker Valley didn’t participate in the tournament and North Catholic fielded a squad that was limited — and eventually were eliminated in the quarterfinal round.

Fast forward to this season, and the Quakers have returned this season playing with a huge chip on its shoulders, rolling to an undefeated section record and only losing to teams in non-conference matches from higher classifications.

They also cruised through the first two rounds of the playoffs.

Talk about going from one extreme to another though, the Quakers went from pummling one opponent, East Allegheny, 14-0 in the quarterfinal round, to a heart-stopping overtime 3-2 win in the semifinals against section rival Ambridge.

After beating the Bridgers twice during the regular season with relative ease, the Quakers were really tested on Monday evening.

Senior captain Rowan Kriebal found the game-winner in Overtime.

Tied 2-2 in the early minutes of overtime, Kriebel’s fantastic finish, coming from an assist from Keller Chamovitz put Quaker Valley in its 16th WPIAL finals match in its storied history.

North Catholic as a 9-seed, have sprung a few upsets en route to the Final, by defeating No. 1 South Park in the quarterfinal round, then proving to be too strong for Charleroi in the semifinal, pulling away with a 4-2 win.

Prior to the start of the playoffs, North Catholic posted a 9-7 record, and hadn’t won two consecutive games since the first two games of the season. Now, they’re on a four-game win streak, powered by a revitalized defense and talents of Dylan Greggs.

Much like the previous match against Ambridge, the Quakers will likely not underestimate their section rivals despite dominating the scores in the regular season (Quakers won 3-0 on Sept. 23 and 7-0 on Oct. 13 vs North Catholic).

WPIAL Boys Class 3A and 2A Semifinal Round Scoreboard

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

Subscribe to PGH Soccer Now

Enter your email address to subscribe to PGH Soccer Now and receive notifications of new posts by email.

More in WPIAL