Alle-Kiski Valley WPIAL soccer playoff capsules: Games of Oct. 23, 2021

By: Jerin Steele
Friday, October 22, 2021 | 6:00 PM

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Saturday’s games

Boys

Class 3A

11-Gateway (10-8) at 6-Kiski Area (14-3) at 6:30 p.m.

3 p.m. at Shawn L. Kuhn Memorial Stadium, Vandergrift

Winner plays: Winner of 14-Trinity (10-5-2)/3-Franklin Regional (13-3) at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (site TBD)

The Gators are in the postseason for a second consecutive season after placing third in Section 4 behind co-champs Franklin Regional and Plum. Gateway’s top scorers include junior forward Colton Corrie. The midfield group of junior Brendan Strawser and seniors Dietrich Zeisloft and Jacob Davey each have four or more goals this season. … Kiski Area placed second in Section 1 behind No. 2 seed Hampton. The Cavaliers swept a season series with defending WPIAL and PIAA champion Mars and ended the season on a four-game winning streak. Like Gateway, the Cavaliers have a plethora of weapons, with 13 players who scored this season, including goalkeeper Maddox Anderson. Owen Zimmerman, Anders Bordoy, Nathaniel Coleman and Campbell Curry lead the attack.

13-Montour (10-8) at 4-Plum (15-2-1)

2 p.m. at Plum Stadium, Plum

Winner plays: Winner of 12-South Fayette (8-7-2)/5-Thomas Jefferson (15-1-2) at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (site TBD)

Montour placed fourth in Section 2 and lost five of its last seven games after an 8-3 start to the season. The Spartans, who were WPIAL champs in 2017, are in the playoffs for the second consecutive season after missing in 2019. They advanced to the quarterfinals last year. … The Mustangs split the Section 4 title with Franklin Regional and enter the postseason looking to avoid an early exit for a second consecutive season after being upset by South Fayette, 2-1, in overtime last year. Plum has not dropped a match since Sept. 7, a 3-2 loss to Franklin Regional, and it finished the season on a 10-0-1 run. Luke Kolankowski, TJ Schrecongost and Lucas Pittman lead a diverse attack.

Girls

Class A

First round

15-Bentworth (8-8-2) vs. 2-Springdale (16-1)

1 p.m. at Kiski Area’s Richards Dilts Stadium, Allegheny Township

Winner plays: Winner of 10-Serra Catholic (7-8)/7-Seton LaSalle (10-6) at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (site TBD)

Springdale is in the WPIAL playoffs for the sixth straight season. The Dynamos beat Bentworth, 4-1, in last year’s first round to earn a spot in the quarterfinals. Springdale finished tied for the Section 1 title with Greensburg Central Catholic at 13-1. The teams split their section series. Junior Grace Gent (23), freshman Briana Ross (19) and senior Lilly Iadicicco (14) lead the way in goals for the Dynamos. Springdale is seeking its fourth WPIAL title (1996, ’97, 2009). … Bentworth finished fourth in Section 2. The Bearcats own a 2-0 win over section runner-up and No. 6 seed Chartiers Houston. Bentworth finished the regular season winning three of four games.

14-Riverview (4-8) vs. 3-Steel Valley (14-3)

2 p.m. at Campbell Field, Munhall

Winner plays: Winner of 11-South Side (8-8-1)/6-Chartiers-Houston (14-4) at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (site TBD)

Riverview is in the playoffs for the first time since 2016. The Raiders did not field a team last year because of low numbers. Riverview finished fifth in Section 1 but moved into a playoff spot as third-place Apollo-Ridge is not eligible for the WPIAL postseason. Riverview swept Ligonier Valley and Jeannette in section play. Sophomore standout Lola Abraham has 43 goals and nine assists … Steel Valley captured the Section 2 title with an 11-1 record. It is seeking its first WPIAL title. Steel Valley, a WPIAL semifinalist last year, won 10 in a row before a 3-2 loss to Class 1A No. 4 seed Bishop Canevin in the regular-season finale. All-state forward Kelsey Salopek, a Kent State commit, is a top scoring threat for Steel Valley, as well as Soraya Gibbs and Therese Doering.

Jerin Steele is a freelance writer

Tags: Bentworth, Gateway, Kiski Area, Montour, Plum, Riverview, Springdale, Steel Valley