By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, January 15, 2023 | 11:01 AM

Purchase Photo Options

Four Quaker Valley athletes were named Section 4-2A boys soccer all-stars in 2022, led by player of the year Nick Allan, a junior defensive specialist.

“I was very excited and humbled when I received the award,” Allan said, “because I know this is a big achievement and many great players have come through high school and achieved this award.

“I want to thank my teammates for pushing me all year and for J.J., Sean and Ryan for their great leadership.”

The 5-foot-8, 150-pound Allan is a two-time all-section player for the Quakers. He received honorable mention status as a sophomore.

Allan was joined on the all-section team by senior midfielder Ben Henry, senior goalkeeper Isaac Waller and junior midfielder Matteo Castellini.

“Nick leads by example and is always one of the hardest workers, pulling the rest of the team up to his high standard,” QV coach J.J. Veshio said. “A lot has been asked of Nick throughout his high school career, and he has played numerous positions, but has always done so with a positive attitude and a willingness to help the team.

“Nick is a game-changer. He is very relentless in his determination to progress the ball upfield, support his players and generate goal-scoring chances. I’m excited to see Nick develop and produce at a high level this coming year for his senior season.”

Allan is a three-year starter for the Quakers. He and Henry were team captains this past season. Allan also will serve as captain in 2023.

In his career, Allan has accounted for 45 goals and 21 assists. And game-winning goals are part of his soccer resume.

Allan scored the game’s only goal in a playoff win Oct. 27 against Avonworth.

“Nick is generally unassuming but gets extremely passionate about soccer when it is a high-stakes game,” Veshio said.

Allan’s game-winning heroics began in a big way during his sophomore season when he netted the winning goal on a penalty kick in the state finals.

“It’s always fun to get the game-winning goal, especially in a playoff game,” he said.

Allan is an honor student with a 3.8 GPA, a student council member and a three-sport standout.

“Nick is a model for others in how to achieve at a high level,” Veshio said.

Allan is a third-year starter on the QV wrestling team and a two-year letterman as a center fielder on the baseball team.

Allan wrestled at 138 pounds as a freshman, 145 last year and is competing at 145 or 152 this year.

Quaker Valley’s boys soccer team had the toughest of acts to follow in 2022, as the Quakers won PIAA, WPIAL and section titles and finished with a 24-2 record the previous season. Veshio was named PIAA Class 2A Coach of the Year in 2021.

This year, QV finished first in Section 4-2A, advanced to WPIAL semifinals and PIAA first round and ended up 18-5 overall.

Veshio repeated as coach of the year in the section.

“It is always nice to be honored by my fellow coaches,” he said. “We have some caring and dedicated coaches in our section. I am honored to be recognized by them.”

Through three seasons as the Quakers’ field boss, Veshio has attained a sparkling 52-8-1 record.

He expects more of the same next year.

“We will be returning seven or eight of our 11 starters,” said the veteran coach. “The boys will be fired up after losing in shootouts in both the WPIAL and PIAA tournament this year in games we know we should have won but just didn’t produce a complete game.

“We will be looking to make up for that and raise the level of our game.”

Allan agreed with his coach.

“We all have high expectations for the team next year as we do every year,” he said. “Ultimately, the goal is to win the WPIAL and states, and we definitely have the potential to do that next year.

“One thing I know for sure is that we will work hard every day.”

In girls soccer, two Quaker Valley players — senior defender Nora Johns and sophomore defender Mia Modrovich — were voted all-section in 2022.

Zorn named co-player of year

Adin Zorn is not just an outstanding baseball player at Sewickley Academy. He is, simply put, a highly talented athlete.

Zorn was lauded as co-player of the year in Section 1-A as a member of the SA boys soccer team.

“Yeah, it means a lot,” Zorn said, “but it definitely wouldn’t be possible without my teammates. There were a lot of good players in our section and to receive that recognition from the other coaches means a lot.”

The 6-foot-3, 195-pound forward shared the section honor with Eden Christian’s Ryan Merrick.

“Adin’s senior year (of soccer) was unbelievable,” SA coach Alessandro Moreira said. “He was one of our best leaders. He is fast and a strong player with a great attitude on the field and off the field. He’s good in a one-on-one situation.

“Adin’s shooting is really good. He helped our team with a lot of goals. This past year, he became the second leading scorer for our team.”

Zorn, who will continue his baseball career at Penn State, was a key member of the boys soccer program at Sewickley. He was a four-year starter and helped lead the Panthers to a 16-4 record and section title this past season.

The Panthers were section winners two years ago and WPIAL semifinalists at 12-2-1. SA was 10-2-1 in 2020 and 8-8-1 in 2019.

“It was a blast,” Zorn said. “I’m proud of what our senior class has accomplished in four years, and I’m proud of what we are leaving behind for the future.”

A career highlight for Zorn was qualifying for the WPIAL playoffs all four seasons.

“The energy and atmosphere is really unmatched, and it always extremely competitive,” he said.

Over the past four seasons, Zorn and the senior class led the Panthers to two championships and two second-place finishes in section action. SA was 20-1-1 in league play the past two years and 35-6-3 since 2019.

Zorn, who owns a 3.5 GPA, was one of nine seniors on the Sewickley squad.

“Adin has so many talents,” Moreira said. “He is a natural leader with a great personality that earns him respect from other players. He works very hard on the field and plays every single game with the same intensity. He never wants to come off the field. He pushes himself so hard. That is what makes him a special player.

“I will always remember him with his great attitude and positive energy in the locker room at halftime of our games.”

Zorn was joined by three other SA players on the all-section team: Hudson Colletti, Michael DiSantis and Lucas Mendoca, all senior midfielders.

SA’s Katherine Varghese, a sophomore forward, was tabbed all-section in girls soccer.

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, October 9, 2022 | 11:01 AM

Both have been involved in Quaker Valley soccer since their freshman season.

Both have developed into accomplished high school athletes.

They are vocal and determined but also can be humorous and quick-witted at times.

The brother-sister duo of Isaac and Grace Waller are goalkeepers on the QV boys and girls soccer teams.

Isaac Waller, 18, is a senior and third-year starter who has sparked the Quakers to 10-2 record and No. 1 spot in 2A in the Trib HSSN WPIAL boys soccer rankings.

“He has started in some capacity for three years,” QV boys coach J.J. Veshio said. “He had some injuries that impacted his role, but he’s been a mainstay since he was a sophomore.

“Isaac has been excellent for us this season. His calm demeanor and ability to control his goalkeeper box is a big help to the team. He is very vocal and does a great job in organizing the defense.”

Grace Waller, a 16-year-old junior, has played soccer at QV since her freshman season. After two years of JV competition, she has taken over as the varsity starter this year.

“Grace has improved so much since her freshman year,” said Maggie Behun, who shares the coaching duties of the QV girls program with Rachel Loudermilk. “Grace is an incredibly enthusiastic player. She is vocal, determined and super-fast.

“It is just as important for goalkeepers to be as fit as the players on the field. Grace is just that and some. She is intense. She has much to offer, and we’re excited to see her excel in the coming years.”

The QV girls won four of their last five games in October, including via three shutouts, to improve to 5-4 overall.

“Our season has gone very well,” Grace said. “With our struggles with teammates getting hurt near the start of the season, we were able to jump back and adjust through it. We have grown greatly together as a team, and our goals are set high. I’m proud with how our team has done, and I’m excited to see how far we get this year.

“I’ve improved more than I expected this season. I think the keys to being a great goalkeeper are to perform at your highest, reach for every ball, have a strong mental game and communicate with your team.”

The 5-foot-4 keeper is supported by a defense that includes senior Nora Johns, juniors Mia Strelec and Megan Campbell, sophomore Mia Modrovich and freshmen Emma Currier and Lucy Roig. Strelec and Johns are the anchors on defense.

Through 12 games, Isaac Waller had allowed only four goals and posted eight shutouts while the Quakers amassed 53 goals on the offensive end. He had a 0.40 goals-against average.

“My brother has been amazing this season,” Grace said.

For his career, which includes one game as a freshman, the 5-11 keeper surrendered 15 goals and compiled a 0.56 GAA. Through Oct. 4, the Quakers had lost only three times with Waller in the net. He had a 26-3-1 career record that included 20 shutouts.

“Isaac is the exact type of person you want as a goalkeeper,” Veshio said. “He’s very focused and a great leader but also a little off-the-wall at times and brings some humor and levity to the group at just the right moments.

“He is wonderful to have on the team because he brings a unique outlook to the game and helps create a positive environment.”

Waller also has juggled his fall schedule to include kicking for the QV football team.

“This season has been a whirlwind,” he said, “but I’ve been relishing every moment of it as this is my only full year of soccer since my freshman year. I’m proud of my stats, but my goal is to leave my mark on this program. There is still much more to come.”

Waller is flanked by a stout defensive corps consisting of senior mainstays Colin Wood and Spencer Wiehe, junior Kiril Grin, a former midfielder, and sophomore Andrew Veshio.

“Our defensive unit is an impenetrable wall with a steel gate,” Waller said. “My four center backs — Colin, Spencer, Kiril and Andrew — have all been vital to our defense. Other players that drop back and also execute notably well on defense are Carter Turk, Ben Henry and Jack Karwoski.

Through 10 games, Grace Waller had allowed 17 goals and had three shutouts. Her teammates had scored 16 goals.

“Grace earned the starting JV goalkeeper position as a freshman but still had a lot to learn,” Loudermilk said. “Her sophomore year, it was like a whole new player had showed up. Grace and our starting varsity goalkeeper at the time, Anjo Pagbeleguem, formed a special bond and Anjo really took Grace under her wing.

“Additionally, we brought Jessica Gresko on as a goalkeeper coach. With Jess, Grace continued to make improvements. Grace took the initiative to join FC Pittsburgh, a local club soccer team where she spent all winter and spring training.”

The Quakers’ co-field bosses marveled at the improvement displayed by Waller this season.

“She had started to excel as a goalkeeper,” Loudermilk said. “but we were still anticipating she would be our backup for varsity. That all changed quickly. During preseason, our starting keeper Anjo, who is a senior, had a season-ending injury. We turned to Grace to step up and fill that role. We had seen improvements in Grace’s game, but until this point, she had only played in one varsity game.

“Now, we can honestly say that Grace has blown us away. She has turned into a leader, using her voice to direct the defense and encourage her teammates. And when it comes to saves, she owns the net. There are times at practice that someone shoots the ball and as a coach you think, ‘That’s a goal,’ and out of nowhere Grace makes the save. We can wholeheartedly say that Grace was not handed the starting varsity keeper position but has truly earned it.”

Her brother added, “Grace is a new goalkeeper and is increasing in skill at an impressive rate. She’s strong on the ball and is good at being positive.”

The older Waller sibling has played soccer his entire life. He said he started playing when he was first able to walk, participating in local games and just enjoying being on the pitch.

“Middle school is when I decided to become a goalkeeper,” Isaac said, “as I loved the thought of being able to direct and watch my teammates play almost as the backbone of the team. I went through my life in soccer not really getting serious about it until my freshman year when I played under coach (Andrew) Marshall.

“After seeing the 2019 team win states, it planted a seed in me, a burning desire to achieve a higher level in my play.”

As much as that desire existed, so did, it seemed, an unfortunate rash of injuries.

“As a goalkeeper, you have to have strong mental fortitude,” said Isaac, who competes in the Pittsburgh Riverhounds academy program in the offseason. “The keys to this are a positive growth mindset and to have passion and drive. Keep holding onto your goals and desires in the sport.”

Like her brother, Grace also has been participating in soccer for most of her life.

“I’ve been a goalkeeper since I was little,” Grace said. “The biggest influences in my career have been those who’ve taught me what I know about soccer today — past keepers, college coaches and my coaches at Quaker Valley and FCP. My friends, family and the community have also been big influences, cheering me on throughout my seasons.”

Big brother echoed his sister.

“My influences as a goalkeeper are countless,” he said, “as there are more people that have helped me with my soccer career than I would have ever thought. From coaches to peers, I have been blessed with so many people that helped me develop.”

When he’s not on the pitch, Isaac operates his lawn care business in Sewickley.

“I make money to buy soccer equipment,” he said.“I want soccer to be a part of my college journey.”

Grace competes for the FC Pittsburgh club program in the offseason.

“I love to ski during the winter and I love to hike,” she said.

Added Loudermilk: “J.J. Vescio helped out with goalkeeper training for the girls program during Grace’s freshman year. So both Waller goalies have been lucky enough to be trained by him.”

QV racks up goals

Quaker Valley’s boys team posted a 9-0 record in Section 4-2A through Oct. 4, outscoring the opposition by a commanding 52-2 margin in league play.

“The team is doing quite well,” coach Veshio said. “We are on the right path moving towards the playoffs and have three good nonsection games (Sewickley Academy, Moon, West Allegheny) in the next few weeks to prep us for the playoffs.”

The Quakers are scheduled to close out their section schedule against Hopewell (Oct. 11) and Ellwood City (Oct. 13).

“This season has been a blast,” Waller said. “Everyone on this team came with something to prove and an expectation to exceed.

“From us defeating Lebo to defeating Wilson for the first time since 1996, this group has exceeded what people thought would become of the boys soccer team after losing last year’s (senior) class.”

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, October 16, 2022 | 11:01 AM

Isaac Waller, who will graduate in the spring, has been surrounded by a dogged defensive corps in 2022.

The starters on defense are seniors Colin Wood and Spencer Wiehe, junior Kiril Grin and sophomore Andrew Veshio.

“I’m also extremely optimistic about the defense in the near future,” Waller said, “as many younger players have stepped up to keep our back line competitive and consistent.”

Top defenders on the QV girls team include senior Nora Johns, sophomore Mia Modrovich, juniors Mia Strelec and Megan Campbell and freshmen Emma Currier and Lucy Roig.

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, October 16, 2022 | 11:01 AM

It was a highly emotional and intense game, to say the least.

Quaker Valley’s boys soccer team defeated rival Sewickley Academy, 3-1, behind junior midfielder Nick Allan in a nonsection matchup Oct. 4 at Quaker Valley.

Allan netted two goals for the Quakers, who improved to 11-2 overall with their seventh consecutive victory. Junior forward Bennett Haas scored once while junior midfielders, Matteo Castellini, Cameron Diggins and Kiril Grin were credited with assists

“We just ensured that we played composed and not get stretched out to avoid gaps in our formation,” QV coach J.J. Veshio said. “That, along with not getting emotionally heated, helped in preserving the win.”

Although QV and SA are not section opponents, the intensity is riveting when the two teams meet; the schools are located less than 2 miles apart.

Quaker Valley and Sewickley played four times between 2016-2019 with the Quakers winning three games by scores of 3-0, 1-0 and 9-0. SA edged the Quakers, 3-2, in 2016.

“This is a big and long-standing rivalry,” Veshio said. ”We are just minutes away from each other.”

After going undefeated from Aug. 26-Sept. 29, Sewickley fell to 11-1 with the loss. Senior forward Adin Zorn knocked in his team’s lone goal.

“Considering we are a Single-A school playing against a 2A school, I think our performance was very good,” SA coach Alessandro Moreira said. “Our boys started by leading 1-0, but we have had a very heavy schedule with multiple challenging opponents and other nonsection games, so inevitably fatigue becomes a factor.

“Overall, our team has played hard, tenaciously and quite well and, of course, I am proud of their effort. For much of the game, our team possessed the ball well, passed well and played in our opponents’ half of the field with some occasional lapses primarily due to fatigue.”

Both teams have maintained first place in their respective sections all season, the Quakers in Section 4-2A and the Panthers in 1-A.

QV and SA were ranked No. 1 in Class 2A and A in the Trib HSSN WPIAL boys soccer rankings for the week ending Oct. 9.

Allan had three goals and two assists Oct. 6 to lead Quaker Valley to a 6-0 victory over Mohawk, clinching the 27th section title in school history for the Quakers.

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, November 6, 2022 | 11:01 AM

Two days prior to Mendonca’s heroics, Nick Allan proved to be a virtual one-man show for the Quaker Valley boys soccer team.

The junior midfielder netted the game’s only goal with 17 minutes to go in the first half to lead the Quakers to a 1-0 victory over Avonworth in the WPIAL Class 2A quarterfinals.

Bennett Haas, a junior forward, assisted on the play, which carried QV into the semifinals.

“I am very pleased with both Bennett and Nick (this season),” QV coach J.J. Veschio said. “They have always been two outstanding players, but they really came into their own this season. Bennett has become an excellent playmaker and has built a wonderful level of confidence. Nick has provided that strong presence up front and has shown through his goal-scoring ability that he is a top player. Both of these things came together to help get the win against Avonworth.”

Allan led QV with two goals and two assists Oct. 24 as the Quakers rolled past No. 15 Freeport in the first round of the playoffs. Haas had a goal and an assist while junior midfielder Matteo Castellini, senior defender Ben Henry and freshman midfielder Sutton Hoehl also scored for the Quakers.

Quaker Valley’s championship chase ended with a 1-0 shootout loss to Beaver in the WPIAL semifinals. The Quakers rebounded to beat top-seeded South Park in the third-place match to earn a trip to the state tournament.

Quaker Valley began the 2022 season ranked No. 1 in Class 2A in the Trib HSSN soccer rankings.

A year ago, the Quakers won PIAA, WPIAL and Section 4-2A championships and finished with a 24-2 overall record.

QV won five of its first seven games this season, which included a 4-0 section slate. Four of the five early season wins were shutouts posted by senior goalkeeper Isaac Waller, who allowed only three goals through the first seven games.

“Isaac has certainly played a major role in our shutouts,” Veshio said, “as he is very experienced and a calm leader in goal. Our defense has also been excellent in limiting the number of shots he sees, so that’s also encouraging.”

QV’s starters on defense normally consist of seniors Colin Wood and Spencer Wiehe, junior Kiril Grin and sophomore Andrew Vescio.

Senior captain Ben Henry plays in the midfield with Allan, a team captain, and junior Matteo Castellini.

“We hope to continue to be a more cohesive team that is able to be more creative as the season goes along,” Veshio said. “We also continue to stress the little things that make us a good team and always strive to play the game in a respectable manner.”

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, November 6, 2022 | 11:01 AM

Quaker Valley was the defending WPIAL Class 2A champion entering the postseason

The Quakers allowed just eight goals during the regular season and blanked 11 opponents.

But No. 6 Beaver shocked the second-seeded Quakers with a 1-0 shootout victory in the semifinal round of the WPIAL playoffs. After the teams battled to a scoreless tie through regulation and overtime, Beaver knocked off the second-seeded Quakers, 5-4, in a penalty kick shootout.

Robert Cestra made the game-winning save in the shootout for the second straight game. The Bobcats defeated third-seeded Shady Side Academy, 2-1 in a shootout, in the quarterfinal round.

QV defeated No. 1 South Park, 2-1, on Nov. 2 in the third-place match.

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, November 13, 2022 | 11:01 AM

Game-winning goal scoring is becoming part of Nick Allan’s soccer repertoire.

A junior midfielder at Quaker Valley, Allan netted the game’s only goal Oct. 27 in a 1-0 playoff win against Avonworth. Allan’s game-winning heroics began in a big way last year in the state finals when he scored the winning goal on a penalty kick.

“It’s always fun to get the game-winning goal, especially in a playoff game,” Allan said, “but all season long our defense has been outstanding recording 13 shutouts. So every game we won has truly been a team effort.”

Allan is an honor student with a 3.8 GPA, member of student council and three-sport standout at Quaker Valley.

“Nick is very relentless in his determination to progress the ball upfield, support his players and generate goal-scoring chances,” QV coach J.J. Veshio said. “He is a leader and game-changer every game.”

Allan is a three-year starter in soccer, two-year starter on the QV wrestling team, which won a WPIAL championship in 2021-22, and a varsity letterman as a center fielder on the baseball team.

Allan wrestled at 138 pounds as a freshman and 145 last year.

On Oct. 27, QV’s boys soccer team advanced to the WPIAL semifinals, where it lost a tough 1-0 decision to Beaver.

The Quakers bounced back Nov. 2 with a 2-1 victory over South Park in the third-place game.

“I’m proud of how the team has competed this season,” Allan said. “After losing nine senior starters and still playing one of the hardest nonconference schedules in the WPIAL, we’ve been able to maintain the standard set at Quaker Valley.

“Obviously, the result at Beaver was tough, but we have regrouped and plan on making a deep run in the state playoffs.”

And by the way, Carter Tuck produced the game-winning goal for the Quakers with one minute remaining against South Park.

Ethan Morrison

Special to the Times

8/29/22

Every Monday, the Beaver County Times will recognize both individual athletes and teams for their impressive performances that took place in the last week of high school sports action. Here are the standout efforts from the week of August 22.

Boys Soccer

Nick Allan, Quaker Valley

The defending state champions were back in action Friday to open up the 2022 regular season against Wilson as part of the East-West Classic at Highmark Stadium. The Quakers picked up right where they left off last season as Nick Allan netted the only goal in the match as Quaker Valley opened up the season with a win against Wilson. 

Ethan Morrison

Special to the Times

9/5/22

Every Monday, the Beaver County Times will recognize both individual athletes and teams for their impressive performances that took place in the last week of high school sports action. Here are the standout efforts from the week of August 29.

Isaac Waller, Quaker Valley

Waller was a brick wall against Avonworth on Thursday as he saved all seven shots that he faced as the team narrowly defeated the Antelopes by a final score of 1-0. 

Ethan Morrison

Special to the Times

9/12/22

Every Monday, the Beaver County Times will recognize both individual athletes and teams for their impressive performances that took place in the last week of high school sports action. Here are the standout efforts from the week of Sept. 5.

Boys Soccer

Cameron Diggins, Quaker Valley

The state champs are on a roll once again and continued to dominate this week as they defeated Riverside by a final score of 11-0 on Tuesday. Diggins found the score sheet four different times in the onslaught against the Panthers which marked his first goals of the season. After the Quakers defeated Riverside they fell to Mars on Thursday by a final score of 1-0. 

Parth Upadhyaya

Beaver County Times

8/11/22

3. Will Quaker Valley boys’ soccer be able to recover lost production from last season’s PIAA title-winning team?

Quaker Valley was on a mission last season. After having to forfeit the 2020 postseason due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the Quaker Valley School District, the senior-led group brought home the Class 2A Quakers’ ninth PIAA title in mid-November after claiming a WPIAL championship weeks prior.

Head coach J.J. Veshio’s team made its third PIAA title match appearance in five seasons. But Quaker Valley lost its star trio of Keller Chamovitz, Ryan Edwards and Rowan Kriebel to graduation. The Quakers have demonstrated the ability to reload year after year, but a return to the state title game this fall would be one of the more impressive feats of Veshio’s tenure.

MORE:Allan plays unexpected hero in Quaker Valley's redemption story, seals team's PIAA title

Ethan Morrison

Special to the Times

9/19/22

Every Monday, the Beaver County Times will recognize both individual athletes and teams for their impressive performances that took place in the last week of high school sports action. Here are the standout efforts from the week of Sept. 12.

BOYS SOCCER

Nick Allan, Quaker Valley

Allan was a goal-scoring machine for the Quakers as he scored five goals on the week, matching his season total in just one week while pushing his overall total to 10 goals on the season. Allan started the scoring barrage on Tuesday as he netted four goals in the Quakers' 8-1 win over Mohawk. He then scored in the Quakers' 3-0 win over Hopewell Thursday.

Ethan Morrison

Special to the Times

9/26/22

Every Monday, the Beaver County Times will recognize both individual athletes and teams for their impressive performances that took place in the last week of high school sports action. Here are the standout efforts from the week of Sept. 19.

Boys Soccer

Nick Allan, Quaker Valley

Allan continues to impress for the Quakers as the season rolls on as he had another successful week out on the pitch. On Monday, he scored a hat trick in the Quakers' 10-0 win over Ellwood City. He followed that up with a two-goal performance against Beaver to defeat the Bobcats 2-0 on Thursday.  Overall on the week, Allan tallied five goals in the dominant week for Quaker Valley.

Ethan Morrison

Special to the Times

10/3/22

Every Monday, the Beaver County Times will recognize both individual athletes and teams for their impressive performances that took place in the last week of high school sports action. Here are the standout efforts from the week of Sept. 26-Oct. 2.

Boys Soccer

Nick Allan, Quaker Valley

Allan tallied four goals and four assists during the Quakers’ two matches this past week as he contributed two goals and two assists on Tuesday in the team’s 4-1 win over Avonworth. Then, when Quaker Valley was back in action on Thursday, he replicated that performance in the team’s 8-0 win over Riverside. Allan has had a monster season as he has 19 goals and six assists thus far as the calendar flips to October. 

Ethan Morrison

Special to the Times

10/10/22

Every Monday, the Beaver County Times will recognize both individual athletes and teams for their impressive performances that took place in the last week of high school sports action. Here are the standout efforts from the week of Oct. 3-9.

Boys Soccer

Nick Allan, Quaker Valley

Allan continues to impress out on the pitch for the Quakers this past week as he netted five goals in two assists over the course of the week. On Tuesday in the team's 3-1 win over Sewickley Academy, Allan netted two of the team's three goals. Then on Thursday, Allan did it all as he scored three goals and two assists in the team's 6-0 win over Mohawk.

Ethan Morrison

Special to the Times

10/17/22

Every Monday, the Beaver County Times will recognize both individual athletes and teams for their impressive performances that took place in the last week of high school sports action. Here are the standout efforts from the week of Oct. 10-16.

Boys Soccer

Carter Turk, Quaker Valley

Turk hasn’t been one known to find the net this season as he came into the week with just three goals on the season. But that all changed this week as he totaled four goals in the team’s two matches. In the first match against Hopewell Tuesday, Turk tallied two goals in the team’s 5-0 win. He followed up that performance with another two-goal performance and an assist in the team’s 12-0 win over Ellwood City on Thursday.

Rachael Kriger

Special to the Times

10/19/22

The WPIAL boys soccer postseason is set to begin on Saturday, Oct. 23. Numerous teams throughout the area will look to compete for a district title, or at the very least, advance to the PIAA playoffs. Here is a complete breakdown of what you need to know for the four boys brackets.

The fields are set for the WPIAL boys’ soccer postseason, which will begin on Saturday, Oct. 22. Throughout the playoffs, whether it’s in 1A, 2A or 3A, teams will step on the pitch from Beaver County, looking to lift their respective grouping’s trophy at Highmark Stadium the weekend of Nov. 3. Here is a complete breakdown of what you need to know for the four boys brackets.

Class 2A

Area Teams in Bracket: No. 2 Quaker Valley, No. 6 Beaver, No. 13 Hopewell

Defending Champions: Quaker Valley

Last year, the Quaker Valley Quakers had the same ranking they do this year: No. 2. The Quakers are looking to replicate the success of last season, as they cruised to Highmark Stadium and dominated North Catholic in a 5-0 victory to lift the trophy. In the PIAA Class 2A Playoffs, the Quakers lifted more hardware, taking down Lewisburg on penalty kicks, 5-4. This year, Quaker Valley has fallen down the MaxPreps list to No. 42 in the state, while going 15-3 overall this season. Boosting the Quakers is a 12-0 perfect record in Conference play, including an 11-0 win over Ellwood City and a whopping 12-0 victory over Lincoln.

The Quakers have scored 82 goals over their opponents. Nick Allan leads the team with 29 goals, while Matteo Castellini has eight and Cameron Diggins scored seven goals. However, Diggins is the feeder, providing 12 assists while Bennett Haas led the team with 13 assists. Goalkeeper Isaac Waller made 44 saves and recorded nine shutouts. 

Favorites: South Park

South Park were seeded first last year and dropped in the quarterfinals to North Catholic. In 2022, the Eagles came back with a vengeance, going perfect in conference play and scored 74 goals against opponents. After kicking off the season with a loss against non-conference side Baldwin, the Eagles went on a 17-game unbeaten run. This year, they’re putting the sting of last year’s failure behind them and keeping their eye on Highmark Stadium. 

Sleeper: Deer Lakes

Last year, Deer Lakes was put in the No. 7 seed, but this year their ranking has gone up quite a bit. Moving up to No. 4, Deer Lakes put up a 16-2 record this year, and will face the Hopewell Vikings in the first round of the playoffs. They are on the same side of the bracket as South Park, and the two could potentially meet up in the semifinals. As North Catholic showed last year, the No. 1 seed is not invincible. Deer Lakes’ two losses, though, were conference opponents: Burrell (2-1) and Shady Side Academy (2-1). Burrell moved down to 1A, and Shady Side Academy is on the other side, taking on Keystone Oaks in the first round.

First-Round Matches: Monday, Oct. 24

No. 1 South Park vs. No. 16 Mt. Pleasant, 6:30 p.m. at South Park

No. 8 McGuffey vs. No. 9 Knoch, 6:30 p.m. at McGuffey

No. 4 Deer Lakes vs. No. 13 Hopewell, 6:30 p.m. at Deer Lakes

No. 5 Belle Vernon vs. No. 12 West Mifflin, 6:30 p.m. at Belle Vernon

Ethan Morrison

Special to the Times

10/24/22

Every Monday, the Beaver County Times will recognize both individual athletes and teams for their impressive performances that took place in the last week of high school sports action. Here are the standout efforts from the week of Oct. 17-23.

Boys Soccer

Bennett Hass, Quaker Valley

Hass and the Quakers capped off an impressive regular season by defeating West Allegheny by a final score of 4-2. Hass played a big role in the non-section win as he tallied two goals along with one assist in the winning effort. The Quakers finished the regular season with a 15-3 overall record and a perfect 12-0 record in section play and will host Freeport in the first round of the WPIAL Class 2A playoffs.

Joshua Carney

Beaver County Times

10/24/22

BOYS SOCCER

Class 2A

No. 2 Quaker Valley 6, No. 15 Freeport, 0 — The defending WPIAL and PIAA Class 2A champion Quaker Valley Quakers boys' soccer team opened up the 2022 playoffs with a convincing win Monday night in Leetsdale over the No. 15 Freeport Yellow Jackets, cruising to a 6-0 win.

Captain Nick Allan scored two goals in the win, giving him 32 on the season, while Bennett Haas, Matteo Castellini, Ben Henry and Sutton Hoehl scored one goal each in the dominant win for the Quakers. Allan added two assists, as did Cameron Diggins. Haas and Colin Wood added one assist each in the win.

Isaac Waller was rarely tested in goal for the Quakers, recording one save in the clean sheet.

The Quakers will host No. 10 Avonworth, which defeated No. 7 East Allegheny 2-1 in double overtime, on Thursday, Oct. 27.

No. 6 Beaver Area 8, No. 11 Brownsville 2

No. 4 Deer Lakes 1, No. 13 Hopewell 0

Ethan Morrison

Special to the Times

11/1/22

Every Monday, the Beaver County Times will recognize both individual athletes and teams for their impressive performances that took place in the last week of high school sports action. Here are the standout efforts from the week of Oct. 24-30.

Boys Soccer

Nick Allan, Quaker Valley

The defending state champions have been on a roll so far during the playoffs and a big part of their success has been on the foot of Allan who has been dominant over the team’s first two games. In the team’s 6-0 win over Freeport on Monday, Allan netted two goals while also recording two assists in the winning effort. He followed that performance up by netting the team’s lone goal against Avonworth in the team’s 1-0 shutout win over the Antelopes to send the Quakers to the WPIAL Class 2A semifinals.

Joshua Carney

Beaver County Times

BOYS SOCCER

Class 2A

No. 2 Quaker Valley 1, No. 10 Avonworth 0 — The defending WPIAL and PIAA Class 2A champion Quaker Valley Quakers boys' soccer team is moving on to the semifinals once again.

A goal from captain Nick Allan — his 33rd of the year — off of an assist from Bennett Haas, his 16th of the season, was enough to lead the Quakers over the Antelopes Thursday in Leetsdale.

In net, Isaac Waller stopped the lone shot he faced, preserving the clean sheet for Quaker Valley.

With the win, Quaker Valley will face No. 6 Beaver Area on Monday at 6:30 p.m.

No. 6 Beaver Area 1, No. 3 Shady Side Academy 1 (8-7 Beaver on PKs)

Rachael Kriger

Special to the Times

11/1/22

“What can you say after a finish like that?”

That’s what Scott Hazuda, Beaver boys soccer coach, said after defeating Quaker Valley on penalty kicks, 5-4, to advance to the Class 2A Boys WPIAL Championship. Quaker Valley won the WPIAL championship last year and won the PIAA title. 

However, the streak of Quaker Valley appearances at Highmark Stadium came to an end on Monday night against the Bobcats. 

“It’s been so many years,” Hazuda said. “Quaker Valley is so good and have a great program. To get over the hump was incredible. Our team fought so hard, always from the beginning of the year, but especially through all these playoff games. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

Quaker Valley came out strong on the attack, but couldn’t break through the Beaver defense and goalkeeper Robert Cestra. Meanwhile, the Bobcats relied on counter-attack chances and held a strong defensive block. 

The defensive strategy was all part of Beaver’s game plan. 

“We knew we didn’t want to open up the game against a team like that,” Hazuda explained. “We wanted to keep it close. Honestly, I never in my life ever hoped to go into PKs, but going into the game it was in the back of our heads. It was just a great game and I’m proud of the boys.”

After a scoreless 80 minutes and then two scoreless 15-minute halves, the match went into a thrilling penalty shootout. Stepping up to the ball first for Quaker Valley was Bennett Haas, who missed his shot, firing over the crossbar. Senior defender Caden Biela converted Beaver’s first attempt. 

From then on, players were finding the back of the net. For Beaver, Evan Baker, Kyle Carlsen and senior captain Jameson Bonnar converted their attempts. Bonnar said that he was shocked at Quaker Valley’s first miss.

“I was surprised when they missed the first one. I have full confidence in my team,” Bonnar said. “No matter if they missed or not, though, I don’t care; we got this far, and I’m proud of everybody.”

As for the Quakers, Matteo Castellini, Cameron Diggins and junior defender Nick Allan converted their penalties. In Quaker Valley’s PIAA winning match last year, Allan converted the game-winning kick.

However, this time, they needed a Beaver miss. They got it, as Beaver sent up goalkeeper Cestra to the ball. He fired over the crossbar. The Quakers had a lifeline, and sophomore midfielder Jack Karwoski converted. 

It was sudden death after that. Senior defender Luke Tomalski narrowly converted his penalty for Beaver. On the sixth kick, Quaker Valley saw their season end with a save from Cestra.

“I knew I could do it,” Cestra said, a big smile plastered on his face. “Last week, we had the same situation against Shady Side. I knew it was in me, I had to execute, and I did.”

Quaker Valley head coach J.J. Veshio kept his remarks short after the stunning loss.

“It was a very hard-fought match. All the credit to Beaver, they stuck it out, and they capitalized at the end,” Veshio said. “Very good job to them… We’ve been on this end and the opposite end. You never want to lose a game like this.”

Meanwhile, Hazuda said that penalties are tough on everyone – players, coaches, goalkeepers, fans. 

“The whole experience is tough on everyone. PKs are brutal,” Hazuda said. “The game has to end somehow, though. You hope, when the dust settles, that you’re on the right side of it. There’s not a whole lot you can do. You just hope. You sit there and hope.”

In the end, Hazuda said he was confident in his senior goalkeeper in net.

“The plan was to keep the game close and low scoring the whole night,” Hazuda said. “We knew we had a chance to do that with him back there. He’s been great, all year, especially in these playoffs.”

Bonnar said that, as legs grew tired and the anxious wait for penalties grew, he kept talking to players on and off the field to keep everyone motivated and ready to play until the final whistle blew.

“I’ve been consistently telling the guys that we aren’t done, no matter what we do, we’re not done. We just have to keep playing, no matter what the score says or no matter what anyone is saying about us. We just keep going,” he said. 

After upsetting the reigning WPIAL Class 2A champions, all eyes are now on Thursday night’s title match between Beaver Area and Deer Lakes, who defeated South Park, 1-0, off a Ruger Beer goal.

Hazuda said that Beaver needs to stay focused on their game plan.

“We have to play our game,” Hazuda said. “We have an identity, and we need to stick to it and bring the same fight we brought for every playoff game, and I like our chances.”

Meanwhile, Cestra said that the Bobcats have some confidence after “hanging with” Deer Lakes in a preseason scrimmage.

“That was our first scrimmage of the year, and we tied 1-1,” Cestra noted. “We know we can hang with them. We just got to play our game. Our coaches believed in us the whole year, we believed in us. It’s just so awesome to be going to the final.”

Bonnar agreed with his coach and goalkeeper, saying that Beaver needs to stick to what they know and control the controllable factors.

“I want to come out with a little more passion, offensive creativity and a little more will to score,” Bonnar said. “We need to hammer it away offensively. Defensively, we did our job and we need to keep doing it.”

Quaker Valley boys soccer reloading after championship season

By: Ray Fisher 
Sunday, July 24, 2022 | 9:01 AM

Quaker Valley’s boys soccer team has the toughest of acts to follow in 2022.

A year ago, the Class 2A Quakers captured PIAA, WPIAL and Section 4-2A championships and finished with a 24-2 overall record.

QV was dominant, outscoring the opposition 128-8 in the regular season, 27-3 in the WPIAL playoffs, 18-0 in PIAA action and 174-11 overall. The Quakers posted 19 shutouts including nine in a row at one stretch.

Quaker Valley outscored the opposition 99-0 in its 12 section games. The Quakers allowed only three goals in four WPIAL playoff contests, then posted four shutouts in the PIAA tournament.

“I was incredibly pleased with our performance last fall,” QV’s third-year coach J.J. Veshio said, “and I am so proud of every player on the team for their contributions to the success of the season and to the history of Quaker Valley soccer. We pride ourselves on continuing the legacy of our program through diligent training and playing at the highest level we can. I think our team last fall did just that and the results showed with a second WPIAL and PIAA championship.

“While there have been some absolutely outstanding teams to come through here, I would venture to say the 2021 team is right up there with the best of them. It was a very special season and just a continuation of what we offer at Quaker Valley. I expect 2022 to be no different.”

Quaker Valley reeled in its 10th WPIAL title and third in six years, as Veshio, a former QV soccer standout, was named WPIAL Class 2A coach of the year. The Quakers also have won nine PIAA crowns in boys soccer in school history.

Last year’s starting lineup was dominated by seniors, led by forward Rowan Kriebel, a Trib HSSN Fab 15 selection. Kriebel’s soccer resume included all-region, all-state, All-WPIAL and WPIAL Class 2A Co-Player of the Year status.

Returning starters for the Quakers this season consist of senior goalkeeper Isaac Waller, senior defenders Ben Henry and Colin Wood and junior defender Nick Allan, who knocked in his attempt as QV’s fifth participant in last year’s PIAA championship game shootout win over Lewisburg.

Kriebel, Ryan Edwards, Keller Chamovitz and Wil Dunda also connected for QV goals in the shootout.

It marked the first time penalty kicks decided a state championship since they were instituted for the PIAA finals in 2011.

Graham Thompson and Spencer Wiehe, both seniors this season, and Kiril Grin, a junior, provided depth on defense last season.

Other key returning players for the Quakers include junior forwards Cameron Diggins and Bennett Haas and sophomore midfielder Carter Turk.

Waller registered a 0.125 goals-against average and 0.930 save percentage in seven starts last season.

Chamovitz and Kriebel formed one of the WPIAL’s strongest offensive tandems in 2021 and led Quaker Valley in scoring with 90 goals and 45 assists between them.

Chamovitz finished with 50 goals and 20 assists. Kriebel netted 40 and 25 to end up with 93 career goals and rank in the top five in career points at QV.

“I was very happy with the end result (last) season,” Kriebel said. “You couldn’t ask for more from the team. I thought the playoffs went especially well. Even with some tighter games, it was fun, and we played well.”

“I’ve had a great journey at Quaker Valley, and I’m very glad to end on a high note.”