Westmoreland WPIAL soccer playoff capsules for Nov. 2, 2021

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, November 1, 2021 | 8:11 PM

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Tuesday’s WPIAL soccer playoff games

Boys

Class A

Semifinals

5-Eden Christian (17-2-1) vs. 1-Greensburg Central Catholic (14-3)

6 p.m. at Titan Stadium, West Mifflin

Winner plays: Winner of 11-Riverside (9-9)/2-Winchester Thurston (17-0-1) in WPIAL championship, 8 p.m. Friday at Highmark Stadium

Notes: Eden Christian has emerged as a possible challenger to recent contenders Greensburg Central Catholic and Winchester Thurston in Class A. Eden edged GCC in the Centurions’ season opener 4-3 to announce its presence. Senior forward Jack Jones leads Eden with 20 goals. He had the winner as the Warriors edged past Bentworth, 2-1, in the quarterfinals. Eden has just two seniors on the roster. Both of its losses are to Winchester Thurston (1-0 and 3-2), and it has a tie against Avonworth (0-0). The Warriors have allowed two goals in their last five games. That includes a 2-0 win over Serra Catholic in the first round. Eden swept Springdale in Section 3 play, 2-1 and 2-0. … GCC is seeking a fourth straight finals appearance and third straight title. The Centurions blanked Springdale, 4-0, in a chippy quarterfinal that saw senior standout Mason Fabean get a red card for late-game contact with a Springdale player. Fabean has to sit out the semifinal. Junior Carlo Denis (24 goals), who has four goals in two playoff wins, could see increased touches, along with junior Kyler Miller (17 goals). Senior Ryan Reitler could have a choice to make if GCC makes the title game, which is Friday night. He is the kicker for the GCC football team, which opens the WPIAL playoffs Friday.

Girls

Class 2A

Semifinals

6-Avonworth (14-3-1) vs. 2-Southmoreland (14-1-2)

6 p.m. at Joe Pe DeMichela Stadium, West Allegheny, Imperial

Winner plays: Winner of 5-Shady Side Academy (12-1-1)/1-North Catholic (16-1) in WPIAL championship 11 a.m. Saturday at Highmark Stadium

Notes: Avonworth took down third-seeded South Park, 3-1, in the quarterfinals to return to the WPIAL semifinals. It has not lost in 15 straight games. Last year, it blanked Yough in the semis before falling to North Catholic in the finals 1-0. The Antelopes also made the semis in 2017 but missed the playoffs in ’18. A sound defensive team that doesn’t need a ton of offense to be successful, the Antelopes have 11 shutouts. They were shut out, though, in their three losses — South Fayette (1-0), North Hills (1-0) and North Catholic (4-0). Senior Ava Wert, a former goalkeeper, had a goal and an assist in the quarterfinal win. … Southmoreland advanced to the semifinals for the first time in program history with a 1-0 win over No. 7 Mt. Pleasant in the quarterfinals. Standout junior junior Olivia Cernuto scored for the Scotties, who get a rematch with Avonworth after losing to the Antelopes, 3-2, in last year’s quarterfinals at home. The Scotties have won nine straight after a 1-0 loss to Mt. Pleasant in a game where Cernuto did not play and another strong junior, Kendall Fabery (Cleveland State) missed most of the game with a concussion. That streak includes six shutouts. Senior Kaylee Keys is an underrated goalkeeper. The game will feature six all-WPIAL players in Cernuto, Fabery, Wert and Avonworth’s Minah Syam (So., MF), Fiona Mahan (Fr., MF) and Maggie Pappas (Sr., GK).

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Avonworth, Eden Christian, Greensburg C.C., Southmoreland