WPIAL / PIAA Boys Daily Report (Aug 30-31): JRK Memorial Classic wraps up as opening weekend showcases spark early drama

Photo courtesy Nick Humbertson

Opening weekend in high school soccer provided a rare Sunday slate.

With section play set to launch for several classifications and sections starting this week, teams spent the weekend ironing out tactical details, building team chemistry, and adjusting to the state’s transition to the traditional diagonal (three-person) system of officiating.

While non-section tournaments and inter-district showcases played out across the region, the epicenter of Sunday’s action was the final day of the JRK Memorial Classic at Pine-Richland, where every match delivered tightly contested drama — even as the hosts pulled away late for a four-goal victory.

JRK Memorial Classic: Moon Rallies, Pine-Richland Explodes, and Coaches Weigh In on New Officiating System

Moon 2, Upper St. Clair 2

In one of the weekend’s most compelling battles, Upper St. Clair built a 2-0 advantage before Moon mounted a gritty second-half comeback to secure a 2-2 draw.

Moon forward Hayden Dunn proved to be the hero once again, burying two second-half goals—including a dramatic late free kick—to erase the deficit. Dunn finished the weekend with four goals in two days.

“The one thing that this program takes a lot of pride in is the boys just always—doesn’t matter the circumstances—they’re going to go 150% all the time,” said Moon Head Coach Tyler Blake. “Down 2-0 late in the match, they found one to give them a spark halfway through the second half, and right there towards the end, we get a free kick pressing at the end and Hayden buries it.”

Moon is making the jump to Class 4A this fall, leaving behind any notion of “off nights.”

“The off nights now are Thursday at Butler and Tuesday at Pine-Richland,” Blake added. “There’s no such thing as an off night. It’s 18 games that are extremely competitive every night. It’s going to be a challenge, but we’re ready for it.”

For Upper St. Clair, the tournament served as an early culture-building foundation under new Head Coach Brian Fegley (former head coach at Central Catholic and McKeesport).

“Culture starts with the head coach and starts with the entire program,” Fegley said. “You don’t win championships in the first two games of the season. So using these moments, learning from them, and keeping building… that’s all part of it.”

Pine-Richland 5, Mercyhurst Prep 1

Host Pine-Richland closed out the tournament in high-scoring fashion as senior Ryan Cashman erupted for a four-goal performance to push the Rams past District 10’s Mercyhurst Prep, 5-1.

After taking a 1-0 lead into halftime, Pine-Richland blew the game open in the second half. Cashman converted a penalty kick in the 42nd minute, finished an assist from Ethan Hiserodt in the 48th minute to complete his hat-trick, and added a fourth strike late in the match. Hiserodt also added a goal of his own, while goalkeeper Jackson Dutton anchored the defense with a second-half penalty kick save.

“My whole thing throughout this weekend is progression, learning, application, and seeing how it looks the next time,” said Pine-Richland Head Coach Jordan Wiegand. “Upper St. Clair [on Saturday] was a great test against an unfamiliar 4A school. Mercyhurst Prep was still a very decent side, but we were able to accomplish what we set out to do. We’ll escape with a draw and move out of here with a win.”

Cashman, who rebounded from a missed scoring chance in Saturday’s draw against USC, credited his teammates for creating space in the attack.

“I missed a sitter yesterday… so it was really nice to go get some goals today,” Cashman said. “I noticed that we could definitely find some space in between their backline and midfield. Winning those first balls out of the air and getting on the second ball was huge. I’m just really excited to start on a good foot going into section play.”

Early Kickoffs: Seneca Valley, Central Catholic Earn Hard-Fought Wins

In the 12:15 p.m. morning fixtures at the JRK Memorial Classic:

• Seneca Valley 2, The Kiski School 1: Seneca Valley ground out a 2-1 victory over prep powerhouse The Kiski School.

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• Central Catholic 1, Archbishop Ryan 0: In an East-West showdown, Central Catholic earned a 1-0 shutout against Philadelphia’s Archbishop Ryan, giving new Vikings Head Coach Ben Fiore a marquee early win.

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Sidebar: Coaches, Players, and Officials Adjusting to the Diagonal System

One of the prominent storylines of the opening weekend was the statewide transition from the dual-referee system to the traditional diagonal system of officiating (one center referee accompanied by two assistant referees on the touchlines).

While the system is standard in club soccer and international play, high school teams and local officials are currently navigating the transition during pre-season play. After the conclusion of the last match, while opting not to do a formal interview with the officials, when prompted with convesation about the new system, the three officials we spoke with all said they’re seeing the positives but citied having to get used to not having all three (or two in some cases) in positions to see all activities closer on set pieces.

“It’s definitely going to be a change,” Upper St. Clair Head Coach Brian Fegley told Pittsburgh Soccer Now.

“Only hearing one voice from the center ref, I actually think we’ll do well just to clear things up and keep things consistent. It’s nice to be able to have a positive conversation with an AR on the sideline. Where you see the biggest difference is the offside calls. When you look across, it’s not the two-man system where somebody might be 10 yards off trying to make that judgment call. Now they’re right on the line, which gives them the best chance to make the right call.”

Wiegand thought it was the perfect weekend for all parties involved from players, coaches and even the officials, to get their feet wet.

“Fantastic weekend for the officials, too. They treat it the same way we do—everyone’s got to get acclimated to the pace of play and everything that’s going on. Now there are more eyes and more of an official system, and I’m sure in time everyone will feel a lot more comfortable.”

Sunday WPIAL / PIAA Boys Soccer Match Results (Aug 30)

JRK Memorial Classic (at Pine-Richland)

• Seneca Valley 2, The Kiski School 1

• Central Catholic 1, Archbishop Ryan 0

• Moon 2, Upper St. Clair 2

• Pine-Richland 5, Mercyhurst Prep 1

Mars Tournament

• Mars 1, Hopewell 1

• Fairview 3, Allderdice 1

Plum Tournament

• Plum 3, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 1

• North Hills 1, Gateway 0

Be sure to check out Pittsburgh Soccer Now’s YouTube channel and Instagram for full post-match video interviews and video clips featuring Tyler Blake, Hayden Dunn, Brian Fegley, Jordan Wiegand, and Ryan Cashman!

Match Schedule – Monday, August 31

Class 1A Section 3

• 7:00 PM: Trinity Christian at Winchester Thurston

Non-Conference

• 3:30 PM: Jeannette at Carrick

• 4:00 PM: United at Derry Area

• 7:00 PM: California at Albert Gallatin

• 7:00 PM: Charleroi at Mount Pleasant

• 7:00 PM: Mohawk at Mercer

• 7:30 PM: Greater Latrobe at Belle Vernon

• 7:30 PM: Ligonier Valley at Highlands

• 7:30 PM: Uniontown at Elizabeth Forward

(Coaches, team managers, and fans: Remember to submit your final scores, goal scorers, and goalkeeper stats to PSN by email, DM or tag PSN on social media)