A-K Valley WPIAL soccer playoff capsules: Games for Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023

By: Bill Hartlep
Wednesday, November 1, 2023 | 4:14 PM

Purchase Photo Options

WPIAL soccer playoffs

Girls

Class 2A

Third-place consolation

5-South Park (15-6) vs. 6-Burrell (14-5)

8 p.m. Thursday, Gateway’s Antimarino Stadium, Monroeville

Players to watch: Alicia Riberich, South Park; Tessa Mathabel, Burrell

Throw-ins: The winner qualifies for the PIAA playoffs. … South Park won the Section 4 title at 10-0. The Eagles have outscored opponents 91-20 this season. Brooke Paylo had 12 goals during the regular season, and Riberich had 11. Taylor Vargo scored the team’s lone goal in the semifinal loss to Avonworth. Riberich, a junior midfielder, and junior defender Emily Mihelcic were All-WPIAL selections. The Eagles have won 27 straight section championships. … Burrell beat South Park, 4-2, on Sept. 23. Mathabel had 11 goals this season to lead the Bucs, who outscored opponents 74-24. Junior midfielder Miley Kariotis was an All-WPIAL selection earlier this week. Burrell lost 3-0 against Shady Side Academy in the semifinals Tuesday.

Class A

Third-place consolation

12-South Allegheny (13-8) vs. 6-Springdale (14-4)

6 p.m. Thursday, Gateway’s Antimarino Stadium, Monroeville

Players to watch: Abigail Allan, South Allegheny; Briana Ross, Springdale

Throw-ins: The winner of this game moves on to the PIAA tournament. … South Allegheny finished fourth in Section 2 and made a run to the WPIAL semifinals with upset wins over No. 5 Greensburg Central Catholic and No. 4 Winchester Thurston before falling to No. 1 Riverview on Tuesday. Lily Dranko scored for the Gladiators in the semifinals. Allan, a senior midfielder, and junior keeper Ella Lotz were picked to the All-WPIAL team. Rylee Stetz had 12 goals, Drako had 11 and Allan scored 10 in the regular season. … Springdale was the 2022 WPIAL runner-up. The Dynamos led 2-0 in the semifinals on goals from Molly Hurley and Hailey Marchlewski before falling to Freedom, 3-2. Briana Ross had 36 goals in the regular season to lead the Dynamos. Senior midfielder Ashley Ross, junior forward Briana Ross, and Hurley, a junior forward, were All-WPIAL picks.

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

Tags: Burrell, South Allegheny, South Park, Springdale