WPIAL (PIAA District 7) soccer playoffs resume Tuesday with semifinal round contests that decide who gets to play in the Finals at Highmark Stadium.
Here’s our thread for GIRLS CLASS 3A.
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South Fayette leapt ahead 1-0 in the 12th minute courtesy of Mia Deramo on a feed from Gabby Beinecke. The Foxes nearly tied things up three minutes later when Cassie Classen took possession down low, but her close range shot went high over the crossbar.
Beinecke broke away and forced a corner kick at 22’. Deramo took the kick, but Fox Chapel managed to clear the ball away toward midfield.
The Lions reset and immediately went back on the attack, with Foxes goal keeper Gianna Patterson charging forward to block the next shot. She couldn’t cover it, however, and the ball trickled around in front of the net for tantalizing seconds before another kick sent it just left of the net.
Beinecke doubled the lead at 31’, pushing through a Fox Chapel defender and getting back on the ball a heartbeat before Patterson could get there.
The Foxes drew a corner kick in the last minute of the half and set up two potential volleys off it, but neither came close to the South Fayette net.
Fox Chapel continued to press early in the second half but goalkeeper Caitlyn Thompson managed to preserve the shutout with a diving fingertip save. Going the other way, a scrum in front of the Foxes net saw the ball find Emma Ferrari, who tapped it into the back of the net.
Deramo put the finishing touch on the blowout in the 64th minute, netting a brace via penalty kick.
Preview
What a doubleheader at Matorelli Stadium on Tuesday! Fox Chapel showed why they were selected as the No. 1 seed, by defeating a very strong Plum side, 3-0. Then, in the nightcap, South Fayette and Mars went the distance — as 110 minutes couldn’t settle things — with the match going to a penalty kick shootout.
The defending 3A champs showed plenty of mettle in PKs, winning 4-2.
SF wins in PKs 4-2 vs Mars to advance to WPIAL 3A SHiP Sat. 3:30 Highmark Vs F. Chapel@Cait_Thompson1 CLEAN SHEET@abbeyspalla ⚽️@QuinnMiller2008 ⚽️@MiaDeramo ⚽️@GabbyBeinecke ⚽️@pghsoccernow @TribLiveHSSN @PGSportsNow @PGVarsityXtra pic.twitter.com/3uaI8m1MSx
— South Fayette Girls Soccer (@SFGS2022) October 30, 2024
Now — on Saturday we’ll see a clash of defending WPIAL champions as Fox Chapel are the reigning 4A title belt holders and South Fayette won the 3A crown last year.
The results of these matches will also further determine how spots for PIAA tournament are decided, as the winners will advance to PIAA tournament as Mars and Plum will face each other in a Play-In match on Thursday.
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Girls Class 3A Semifinal Round Schedule
Both Matches to be played at North Hills (Martorelli Stadium)
FINAL: Fox Chapel 3, Plum 0
FINAL: South Fayette 0, Mars 0
( South Fayette advances, winning PK shootout, 4-2)
Match Day Updates
SF wins in PKs 4-2 vs Mars to advance to WPIAL 3A SHiP Sat. 3:30 Highmark Vs F. Chapel@Cait_Thompson1 CLEAN SHEET@abbeyspalla ⚽️@QuinnMiller2008 ⚽️@MiaDeramo ⚽️@GabbyBeinecke ⚽️@pghsoccernow @TribLiveHSSN @PGSportsNow @PGVarsityXtra pic.twitter.com/3uaI8m1MSx
— South Fayette Girls Soccer (@SFGS2022) October 30, 2024
Yeah @SFGS2022 huge W @sflionssports @SouthFayetteSD pic.twitter.com/1bplOpSyKh
— McPgh (@BobMcPgh) October 30, 2024
Fox Chapel Goals: Alyssa Quackenbush, Emily McKee, Maddie Grimsley
Shots: FC 15, Plum 3
Notes and Recent Coverage
Two Defending Champions in the Same Field?
When the brackets came out the 16-team field featured two WPIAL defending champions, Fox Chapel, who won Class 4A last season, and South Fayette, as the top two seeds.
Consensus was that looking at the rest of the field, that the top two seeds, despite having many returning players to last year’s championship squad, were far from runaway favorites. Both teams still standing in their way will not be easy match-ups, as Plum and Mars are two programs that cannot be ignored, both for talented rosters, experienced coaches and championship pedigree.
Here’s a snapshot look at each of the Final Four teams remaining:
South Fayette were pushed to the limit, as Bethel Park pushed them to extra time, but freshman Gabby Beinecke’s goal in extra time, assisted by Abbey Spalla, lifted the Lions to yet another dramatic playoff victory, 1-0, for a group of juniors and seniors who were part of last year’s remarkable run. Four South Fayette players, earned All-WPIAL honors: Mia Deramo, who scored the game winner in WPIAL title game last year vs Moon, Spalla and goalkeeper Caitlyn Thompson. Remarkably, Deramo is the veteran of the group, as a junior.
Fox Chapel on the other hand have cruised through its first two playoff matches, with 8-0 win over Indiana, then a 7-1 rout of Montour. If there’s a key to stopping the Foxes, it will be to neutralize Emily McKee and Alyssa Quackenbush, Fox Chapel’s two All-WPIAL honorees, who have led the way through the first two playoff contests. McKee scored five goals and assisted on five others, while Quackenbush owns six playoff goals. The Foxes have allowed just 11 goals in 19 games. Five of the 11 came in their two losses. Fox Chapel dropped down to Class 3A after winning last year’s Class 4A championship.
Plum returns to the WPIAL semifinals after a one-year hiatus, with a dramatic 2-1 double-overtime victory over No. 5 Moon. Freshman Kierstin Curry had the game winner — believe it or not — it was her first goal with the varsity squad. Sophomore Emily Grubich is the Mustangs’ leading scorer — who hit her 20th of the season in regulation of the quarterfinal win. Senior Gianna Revetta, who had an assist in the game, is second on the team with 10 goals, while senior Mia Nardo has eight goals on season.
The names may change, but the talent and toughness remains for No. 6 Mars, who’ve won numerous WPIAL and PIAA titles under the direction of Head Coach Blair Gerlach. Through the first two rounds, the Planets defeated Oakland Catholic, 3-2, in the first round, then knocked off No. 3 West Allegheny with an impressive 2-0 road win. The two All-Section standouts leading the way for the Planets are defender Julia Lishia and midfielder Brynn Ramsey.
WPIAL Girls Soccer Class 3A 1st Round Playoff Final Scoreboard
WPIAL Girls Class 3A Results
Quarterfinal Round (10/24/24)
FINAL: South Fayette 1, Bethel Park 0 (Extra Time / 1)
FINAL: Plum 2, Moon 1 (Extra Time / 2)
FINAL: Fox Chapel 7, Montour 1
FINAL: Mars 2, West Allegheny 0
First Round (10/21/2024)
Plum 3, Shaler 0
Montour 3, Franklin Regional 2 (Extra Time)
South Fayette 4, Kiski Area 0
Fox Chapel 8, Indiana 0
Moon 4, Hampton 0
Bethel Park 3, Thomas Jefferson 2 (Extra Time/2)
Mars 3, Oakland Catholic 2
Leading Goal Scorers in Girls 3A
Emily McKee, Fox Chapel — 27
Gabby Beinecke, South Fayette — 24
Allison Novak, Uniontown — 22
Grace Bannon, Montour — 19
Chloe Hart, West Allegheny — 19
Emily Sinton, South Fayette — 19
Emily Grubich, Plum — 18
Adrianna Walker, Laurel Highlands — 18
Grace Ferency, Bethel Park — 15
Callee DalBon, Bethel Park — 14
Mia Deramo, South Fayette — 14
Lilly Snyder, Moon — 14
Olivia Hoffman, Hampton — 13
Eden Williams, Franklin Regional — 12
Sara Kenst, Hampton — 11
Julia Lishia, Mars — 11
Olivia Smith, Greensburg Salem — 11
Gabby Alcalde, Shaler — 10
River Hendrych Bondra, Bethel Park — 10
Morgan Duker, Mars — 10
Emma Gompers, Oakland Catholic — 10
Gianna Revetta, Plum — 10
Mary Vargo, Baldwin — 10
Naudia Zotter, Shaler — 10
Girls Class 3A Rosters
Section I | Section II | Section III | Section IV |
Fox Chapel | Bethel Park | Albert Gallatin | Elizabeth Forward |
Gateway | Blackhawk | Laurel Highlands | Franklin Regional |
Hampton | Chartiers Valley | Oakland Catholic | Greensburg Salem |
Mars | Montour | South Fayette | Indiana |
Obama Academy | Moon | Thomas Jefferson | Kiski Area |
Penn Hills | Trinity | Uniontown | Plum |
Shaler | West Allegheny | West Mifflin |