Joe Sager

Times Sports Correspondent

On the boys side, the Quakers advanced to the past four WPIAL championships and went 2-2. Last year, they beat Deer Lakes for the WPIAL title, 4-3, and New Hope-Solebury, 2-1, for the state championship. Quaker Valley finished 11-1-1, just behind North Catholic (12-1-1) in the Section 4 race and was a contender to get back to the championship match.

In The Times’ coverage area, the West Allegheny and OLSH boys and Freedom girls claimed section titles. West Allegheny’s lone loss came Sept. 19 against Montour. Since then, the team has won 11 in a row. The Indians (13-1-0) have only allowed seven goals all season. They are looking to reach their fourth WPIAL title match in a row. They dropped the last two to Franklin Regional and fell to Montour in 2017. OLSH (10-0-1) wrapped up the program’s first unbeaten regular season. The Chargers fell to Avonworth, 4-3, in last year’s first round.

Freedom (11-2-0) won the 2018 WPIAL title and reached last year’s semifinals, but fell to Greensburg Central Catholic, 4-3. The Bulldogs rebounded to reach the PIAA quarterfinals, but suffered a 1-0 loss to GCC.

The WPIAL playoffs begin with Saturday’s first round. The quarterfinals start Oct. 28, with the semifinals and finals taking place the first week of November.

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, October 18, 2020 | 9:55 PM

There is one day left in section play in WPIAL girls soccer with two more spots in 4A up for grabs. The top four teams in each section qualify for the district playoffs. All teams tied for a playoff spot in which head-to-head does not break the tie all qualify for the postseason.

Trib HSSN’s exclusive coverage of the 2020 WPIAL girls soccer playoffs begins with the Soccer Pairings Show on Wednesday.

Here is the list of teams that have qualified for the district girls soccer playoffs through Sunday:

Class 4A – 10 of a possible 13 teams have clinched playoff berths

Butler Golden Tornado

North Allegheny Tigers

Seneca Valley Raiders

Pine-Richland Rams

Peters Township Indians

Bethel Park Black Hawks

Fox Chapel Foxes

Norwin Knights

Penn-Trafford Warriors

Latrobe Wildcats

(Mt. Lebanon at Moon is a key game on Monday. The winner qualifies while the loser is out unless Upper St. Clair is upset by Baldwin)

Class 3A — Set with 16 playoff teams

Hampton Talbots

Franklin Regional Panthers

Kiski Area Cavaliers

Gateway Gators

Connellsville Falcons

Belle Vernon Leopards

Trinity Hillers

Ringgold Rams

Plum Mustangs

Thomas Jefferson Jaguars

Oakland Catholic Eagles

Penn Hills Indians

Mars Fightin’ Planets

West Allegheny Indians

Montour Spartans

South Fayette Lions

Class 2A — Set with 16 playoff teams

Avonworth Antelopes

North Catholic Trojans

Ambridge Bridgers

Quaker Valley Quakers

Shady Side Academy

Burrell Buccaneers

Freeport Yellowjackets

Deer Lakes Lancers

Southmoreland Scotties

Brownsville Falcons

Yough Cougars

Mt. Pleasant Vikings

South Park Eagles

Elizabeth Forward Warriors

South Allegheny Gladiators

Keystone Oaks Golden Eagles

Class A — Set with 16 playoff teams

Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions

Springdale Dynamos

Serra Catholic Eagles

Ligonier Valley Rams

Steel Valley Ironmen

Bentworth Bearcats

Seton LaSalle Rebels

Chartiers-Houston Buccaneers

Freedom Bulldogs

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Chargers

South Side Rams

Riverside Panthers

Bishop Canevin Crusaders

Sewickley Academy Panthers

Ellis School Tigers

Eden Christian Academy Warriors

Joe Sager

Times Sports Correspondent

AROUND THE VALLEY

Moon wants to remain among the WPIAL Class 4A contenders. The Tigers aren’t that far removed from consecutive WPIAL and PIAA titles (2016-17). They rebounded last fall to share the Section 2 title and finished 15-3-1 after a loss to Seneca Valley in the WPIAL quarterfinals. Graduation hit the team hard as 10 seniors departed. Sophomore Hailey Longwell, an all-WPIAL pick last year, will miss this season with an injury. The team has an experienced back line with juniors Aleena Ulke and Mia Shaver joining senior Ria Singh in front of junior goalkeeper Alayshja Bable. Gianna Nuccetelli, Ava Romah and Bridget Farr are expected to be key players as well. 

Ambridge moves down from Class 3A to 2A and joins Section 1 with locals Beaver, Ellwood City, Hopewell and Quaker Valley. The Quakers, who finished 5-10-3 last year and fell to Deer Lakes, 3-2, in the WPIAL first round, return starters in seniors Julia Helkowski, Maya Smith and Grace Shaner and junior Chase Kriebel. Senior Lily Johns and sophomore Anjo Pagbeleguem split time in goal last year and are back. Beaver welcomes back 10 starters in senior Maegan Martin, juniors Julia Pizzella, Sara Majors, Jadyn Elliott, Caroline Samchuck, Elle Ray and Lindsay Sullivan and sophomores Ana Avdellas, Abby Noah and Kat Eck. Sophomore Hailey Tooch and freshmen Marina Hahn and Madeline Boser could see minutes, too