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PIAA Soccer Championship Saturday: Winchester Thurston and Hampton boys, and Mars girls capture State titles

PIAA Soccer Championship Saturday

Saturday, November 20, 2021 – HersheyPark Stadium, Hershey, PA

Girls 1A

Final – Southern Columbia 4, Greensburg Central Catholic 0

Boys 1A

Final – Winchester Thurston 1, Faith Christian 0 (OT)

Girls 3A

Final – Mars 2, Radnor 1 (2OT)

Boys 3A

Final – Hampton 1, Archbishop Wood 0

PIAA Soccer Past Champions List

 

Match Day Updates

It’s a wrap in Hershey — as the WPIAL wins five of the eight titles, with all eight matches featuring teams from District 7, as the final three matches on Saturday were swept in exciting matches going in favor of Hampton and Winchester Thurston boys and Mars girls.

Another terrific showing by teams from the Pittsburgh region.

PIAA Champions from WPIAL (2021) 

Class 3A Boys:  Hampton

Class 2A Boys; Quaker Valley

Class 1A Boys: Winchester Thurston

Class 4A Girls: Moon

Class 3A Girls: Mars

PIAA Runner-Up from WPIAL (2021) 

Class 4A Boys: Seneca Valley

Class 2A Girls: Avonworth

Class 1A Girls: Greensburg Central Catholic

Hampton School District (23-1)boys soccer win their third ever PIAA State championship with the goal by Zach Panza.

Panza scored his 22nd goal of the season off an assist by Luke Staggers. Panza also scored the game winning goal against West Allegheny in the WPIAL final.

There were 13 seniors on this squad. In their career they went 58-16-1.

Hampton’s path to winning States:

WPIAL Playoffs – Penn Hills 8-0/ Moon 1-0/ Franklin Regional 1-0/ West Allegheny 1-0

PIAA Playoffs – Hollidaysburg 6-0/ Franklin Regional 2-0/ West Allegheny 2-1 (6-5 PK’s)/ Archbishop Wood 1-0

WPIAL Titles – 1990, 2010, 2011, 2021

PIAA Titles – 1990, 2010, 2021

Player Accolades:

All-WPIAL & All-Section – Zach Panza, Gabe Viszlay, Luke Staggers

 

 

Archbishop Wood coached by Hugh Kelly comes up just short on their state playoff run.

PIAA Runner-Ups – 2010 and 2021 both times losing to Hampton

PIAA Playoffs – Fleetwood 2-0/ North Pocano 4-3/ Bishop Shanahan 1-0/ Loses to Hampton 1-0

 

All-Central – Dominic Petruzzelli

1st Team All-Catholic – Dominic Petruzzelli, Louie Daniele

2nd Team All-Catholic – CJ Clyde

3rd Team All-Catholic – Enzo Petruzzelli

77′ – Frank Galioto on Hampton given a yellow card for wasting time. Hampton has definitely been doing everything they can to just slow down this game and hold their 1-0 lead.

68′ – ArchBishop Wood almost scores. Great set up pass from Dominic Petruzzelli
58′ – HAMPTON SCORES!!
 
Big game Zach Panza does it again! He scores his 22nd goal of the season. Luke Staggers who just came back on after his yellow card gets his sixth assist of the year.
 
Hampton 1 – ArchWood 0
51′ – Holden Pritts hits the post. So close to giving his team the lead. Still 0-0.
 
Also, Luke Staggers a Senior on Hampton gets a yellow card. He’ll have to sit out for 5 minutes.

34′ – 12 fouls already called in this game. Really disrupting the tempo of play. I could say the center ref has made some questionable calls so far.

9′ – Looks like both teams playing a 4-3-3. That means lots of space in the midfield.
 
Archbishop Wood not afraid to shoot it from far as they have three times already.

Mars Fighting Planets (20-0-1) beat the Radnor Raptors (20-5) in double overtime 2-1 to win back-to-back-to-back PIAA championships. They’ve also won 3 WPIAL titles in a row.

In their three year run they’re 62-0-2. Unbeaten since 2018.

The two goals today were scored by Reese Dunaway and Alyson Cooper in double OT.

Head Coach Blair Gerlach has won every title coaching with the program except the WPIAL title back in 2000.

 

Mars path to State Finals:

WPIAL Playoffs – Penn Hills 7-0 | Oakland Catholic 6-0 | Montour 1-0 | Plum 2-1

PIAA Playoffs – Red Land 2-0 | Montour 1-0 | Plum 1-0 | Radnor 2-1 (2OT)

WPIAL Titles won – 2000, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021

PIAA Titles won – 2011, 2019, 2020, 2021

 

Player Accolades:

All-WPIAL: Piper Coffield, Alyson Cooper, Leana Cuzzucrea, Gwen Howell

All-Section: Piper Coffield, Alyson Cooper, Leana Cuzzucrea, Gwen Howell, Reese Dunaway, Ava Lewis, Ainsley Ray

 

 

 

Radnor finishes 20-5 as the Runner-Up in the PIAA 3A girls final, and District 1 Champs beating Villa Joseph Marie 3-0.

PIAA Playoffs – Greencastle-Antrin 2-1 | Northwestern Lehigh 2-1 (OT) | Archbishop Ryan 2-1 | Loses to Mars 2-1 (2OT)

Salah Koleth scores their lone goal in the final. Emily Daiutolo finishes the season with 10 goals, three assists and, All-District and All-Central honors.

Kathryn Boujoukas is a Franklin & Marshall commit.

Radnor won their first and only PIAA title in 1999. This is their first time back to Hershey since then.

100′ – 1st OT period ends. Score is still 1-1. Either there’ll be a golden goal in the next 20 minutes or this one goes to PK’s

95′ – Brooke Hamlett makes a huge save on the goal line. She cleared it out at her post off the corner kick chance for the Raptors. Kathryn Bajoukos who scored two goals in the state semifinals was so close to winning them the game

89′ – Jane Daitulo on Radnor gets a yellow card for kicking the ball away

80′ – After 80 minutes this is going to OT. Game is still 1-1. Teams will play two 20 minute periods…golden goal.

72′ – Great dribbling move by Aly Cooper. Megged a girl and whipped a cross in but no Fightn Planets player in the box.

68′ – Mars close to taking the lead. A few chances in the box. Radnor blocking the shots and clears it out. 1-1 game

55′ – Mars ties it!! Reese Dunaway was in the mix and heads one in off the left post and in. 1-1 game now.

53′ – Mars gaining more possession now. Look to be playing in a 3-5-2. Need to watch out for Radnors great ability to play dangerous through balls past the defense.

45′ – Piper Coffield has moved from the midfield to right back, her natural position.

28′ – Game is getting very physical. Lots of fouls in the middle of the park. Both teams doing what they can to get that ball. 6 fouls called so far, 3 on each team

23′ – Aly Cooper with a header that goes high and wide. Mars has responded well since giving up a goal early but needs at least 2 to win this game. 1-0 Radnor

16′ – Game is very open so far. Lots of counter attacks happening.

6′ – Salah Koleth of Radnor scores the first goal of the game! She dribbles through three girls to score her ninth goal of the season. 1-0 Radnor

Winchester Thurston celebrates the dramatic victory!

Goal No. 20 of the season for Daboo makes the Bears No. 1, and finishes the unfinished business from 2019 for Winchester Thurston. Congrats to the Bears on capping a 23-0-1 season with state gold and giant candy bars!

More to come from Hershey…

92′ GOLDEN GOAL OLIVER DABOO!

First, he plays through the WPIAL Final on a busted arm, now blasts a rebound from 25 yards, right down the middle, that sneaks past Roberts on his right!

Winchester 1-0 FCA after extra time for the Bears’ first ever PIAA Boys 1A championship!

91′ Pringle is shown yellow. He’ll sit for 5 minutes after a poor challenge on Hauskrecht, who was trying to dribble out of danger. 0-0

86′ The Lions earn their second corner of extra time, and Moyer, who collects the bouncing ball, misses to the left of goal. FCA’s speed is causing problems, but the Bears are hanging tough. 0-0

80′ To extra time we go in Hershey. 20 minutes, maybe less, maybe more, to break a 0-0 deadlock between Faith Christian and Winchester Thurston.

71′ The “man” of the match is The Crossbar. Gable of FCA hits another from a bad angle, trying to follow up a Pringle corner kick at the far flag that just missed its target. WT showing plenty of respect to his playmaker reputation. 0-0

67′ Hauskrecht was a ghost in the first half. Now…not so much. He is denied on a corner kick from the near side, then misfires on a long free kick moments later. Don’t be surprised if he takes more chances. 0-0

62′ Marcus Pringle, often the focal point of FCA’s attack, earns a dangerous free kick at the upper left corner of the box. Graham read him like a book and punches the shot away, perfectly positioned at the near post. 0-0

59′ Kieran Ray puts one off the bar for FCA from the far post. Big break there for the Bears. The Lions are playing their fullbacks way up to keep the pressure on WT, which appeared to come out in a 4-5-1 to start the half. Countering seems easier said than done. 0-0

50′ A borderline foul given just shy of the box is deemed a free kick, not a penalty, to Hauskrecht. The WT goals leader puts this ball from atop the 18, and the follow-up, right into the Lions’ wall. 0-0

45′ Oh my!! First, Alex Hauskrecht, from the left, puts one off the far post. Then Tomer Tuti rushes the rebound and puts it off the bar with all kinds of net at which to shoot. Ironically, the first two shots for WT are the best for either team so far. Somehow, still 0-0.

Nothing flashy from Graham, but he played a good fundamental game in the first half with 4 saves. FCA had all 5 shots in the opening 40′.

WT has the horses to test J.R. Roberts, who got an early start to his Thanksgiving break, so to speak. But the horses need room to run.

40′ 0-0 at halftime of the Boys 1A Final. A goalless first half feels like a win for WT, which was under constant pressure late in the period. Credit FCA for building a wall around its own defensive third. The Bears will need to find a way to shrug off a slow start like they did at Highmark.

36′ Now Elitz tries to outmaneuver a defender, but he’s forced into a low-percentage shot from outside the box, which Graham gets to in plenty of time. The Lions are really testing the patience of Winchester Thurston. 0-0

35′ Chris Evans with a turnaround rocket from over 30 yards that is caught by an airborne Graham. 0-0

26′ Bobby Elitz of FCA makes a deep run to the left corner and tries to set up Moyer at the near post, but Graham is ready and stifles the attempt. Moyer is showing his ability to be a pest. 0-0

19′ Great defending by the Lions, who cut out a determined, right-sided cross from Lance Nicholls that landed right in front of goal. WT continues to find clean looks at goal scarce. 0-0

13′ The first shot on target for FCA is a low roller by Colin Moyer from the right wing. That’s an easy save for all-section keeper Otto Graham of the Bears. 0-0

1′ Winchester Thurston and Faith Christian are underway in the Boys 1A Final! The WPIAL champion Bears seek their first state title in history against the defending PIAA champion Lions.

On a side note, RMU graduate Dan Yost, a part-time member of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds supporter group Steel Army, is one of today’s officials.

75′ – Southern Columbia with a comfortable lead up 4-0. Subbing out a lot of their starters. Putting in what I would assume is other seniors and juniors that don’t play much. Nice to see.

62′ – GCC playing much better this half. Creating chances and working as a unit much better. Four shots on goal and five corner kicks so far this half.

50′ – 4-0 for Souther Columbia now. Summer Tillett bodies the ball in off a corner kick. Her fourth goal of the season. Gehrets 22nd assist this year.

49′ – Felder hits the crossbar off her corner kick cross. GCC getting more chances now. Still 3-0

41′ – Riley Kerr called offsides again. If she’s not offsides both times she could have a goal or two.

Halftime – Southern Columbia dominates play. They’re up 3-0. Two goals from Loren Gehret and one from Cassidy Savitski.

30′ – GCC almost gets a breakaway chance but Riley Kerr is called offsides. Was in all alone off a pass from Sara Felder but just offside.

19′ – 3-0 Southern Columbia

 

Cassidy Savitski scores her eighth goal of the year. Loren Gehret gets her 21st assist on the season.

18′ – 2 shots in a row for Southern Columbia. Evelyn Cook hits the post and then hits it just wide.

5′ – 2-0 Southern Columbia!! Loren Gehret scores again! Picks up a rebound outside the 18 and slots it in. That’s her 42nd goal of the season.

2′ – Loren Gehret scores early on! Southern Columbia takes the 1-0 lead. Ball was bouncing in the box and Gehret just heads it in.

It’s Day Two of the PIAA Boys and Girls Soccer Championships in Hershey! Follow along below as we plan to provide updates and throughout the day along with postmatch reaction from WPIAL coaches and players.

Game Capsules/Previews

Girls 1A

11 a.m. -Greensburg Central Catholic vs Southern Columbia

Although Greensburg Central Catholic were knocked off in the WPIAL finals, they returned the favor to defeat Steel Valley on Tuesday to reach the PIAA final for the second consecutive year.

And for the second consecutive year, they’ll be facing Southern Columbia, as the Tigers defeated the Centurians in last year’s final, 2-1.

GCC is shooting for its first PIAA title since 2013.

PIAA Girls Class 1A Soccer Championship: So. Columbia 2, Greensburg Central Catholic 1, Final

Senior Tatum Gretz had the lone goal for GCC in last year’s physical game that saw the Tigers play five in the back line.

The Villanova commit has over 100 career scores. Gretz (26 goals), junior Sara Felder (38 goals) and freshman Riley Kerr (23 goals) are all double-digit scorers for the Centurions, who have played in six straight one-goal games.

Head Coach Ali Kruger returned to the sideline in the semifinals 11 days after having her first child (on the day of the WPIAL Final!).

Assistant Hope Creamer filled in for Kruger.

Felder overcame a knee injury in the first half against Steel Valley to score a goal in the 2-1 win. Freshman Addison Vacanti also scored, and senior goalkeeper Lyndsey Szekely had eight saves, including one from point-blank range in the 79th minute.

Boys 1A

1:30 p.m. – Winchester Thurston vs Faith Christian

The Winchester Thurston boys soccer team has been a team on a mission all season long. They dominated WPIAL Class 1A, culminating with a 3-1 triumphant win against its nemesis in the classification in recent years, Greensburg Central Catholic.

In the state playoffs, the Bears have shown no signs of slowing down, and are now at the precipice of winning the school’s first-ever PIAA soccer championship.

Get the Frock Out: Winchester Thurston Boys Grab WPIAL Gold from GCC

Winchester Thurston outscored Everett and Mercer by a combined 13-0 in the first two rounds before it knocked off Section 3 rival Eden Christian Academy for the third time this season in the semifinals. All three matches with the Warriors were decided by one goal.

Now, though, things will get tougher as Winchester Thurston (22-0-1) will square off against District 1 winner and reigning state champion Faith Christian The Lions rolled over Greensburg Central Catholic, 5-1, in last year’s final.

Greensburg Central Catholic boys and girls come up short in PIAA finals

This will be the second state final for Winchester Thurston, which lost to Moravian Academy, 4-1, in the 2019 championship match. Faith Christian defeated Moravian Academy in the PIAA semifinals.

Girls 3A

4 p.m. – Mars vs Radnor

The Mars girls soccer team hasn’t had an equal in the WPIAL during the past three years, winning three straight WPIAL titles. Now, they’re on the verge of pulling off the three-peat.

In its WPIAL dominance, they’ve had to get past Plum in each of the past three years in the district finals and then again this year in the PIAA semifinal.

Sophomore Ainsley Ray headed home a corner kick from fellow sophomore Addi Girdwood with 10 minutes, 36 seconds left in the second half to lift the Planets past Plum, 1-0, in a PIAA Class 3A semifinal Tuesday

Rule of Three: Mars girls top Plum yet again to win third straight WPIAL title

Mars girls top Villa Joseph Marie, 2-0, to win back-to-back PIAA titles

Boys 3A

6:30 p.m. – Hampton vs Archbishop Wood

The Hampton Talbots (21-1-0) boys soccer team pulled off a feat that few thought was possible. They defeated West Allegheny not once, but twice in very close, hard-fought matches.

Now awaits a rematch 11 years in the making.

In 2010, the Talbots pulled out a 1-0 victory against District 12 champion Archbishop Wood in the Class 2A final.

This senior laden Hampton squad has been superb defensively, only allowing one goal through the entire postseason run.

Extrava-Panza: Hampton edges West Allegheny, 1-0, to capture WPIAL Class 3A boys title

The latest Hampton defeat of West Allegheny was a thriller that was decided by a penalty kick shootout that went to eight rounds.

In the PIAA semifinals, the Talbots blew a 1-0 lead against West Allegheny and was down, 3-1, in a shootout before junior goalkeeper Thomas Bradfield made saves on back-to-back shots that allowed the penalty kicks to continue until finally winning in the eighth round.

Now, 11 years later, Hampton is back in the state championship match facing the same team that they beat 11 years ago to win it all.

“It is wild,” Hampton coach Matt McAwley said. “I’ve been keeping track of them and I kind of expected a situation like that where we’d be playing the same team.”

C.J. Clyde’s goal in the 8th minute was all Archbishop Wood needed Tuesday night to record a 1-0 win over Bishop Shanahan to put them in the PIAA Final.

Clyde’s goal, which came at close range, sent the Vikings (18-2-3). Ironically, it’s the second time in school history the Vikings have reached the championship game.

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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).

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