What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Aug. 27, 2024: Boys soccer champs open with tough test

By: Don Rebel
Monday, August 26, 2024 | 11:00 PM

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One of the top section openers slated for Tuesday in WPIAL boys soccer pits a team that peaked in the regular season against a school that thrived in the postseason.

Defending 3A champion South Fayette visits Bethel Park in a intriguing Section 2-3A opener.

Last fall, the Black Hawks won the Section 3-3A title by three points over runner-up Thomas Jefferson.

However, No. 4 seed Bethel Park was stunned in the opening round of the district playoffs by No. 13 Indiana, 1-0, in a shootout.

The Lions, meanwhile, finished in third place in a tough Section 2-3A behind Moon and Montour.

South Fayette got hot in the playoffs and defeated Latrobe, Plum, Montour and Hampton by a combined score of 11-3 to win the WPIAL 3A title.

Now the Black Hawks and Lions are in the same section following realignment and collide for the first of two meetings right out of the section gates.

Bethel Park is 0-1 after losing its season opener to Peters Township while this is South Fayette’s first game in its title defense.

2A section openers

Three of the final four teams in the WPIAL Class 2A boys soccer playoffs last season begin section play Tuesday on the road.

Defending district champion South Park, which won its section a year ago by four games, opens up with a long-distance trip to Ligonier Valley in Section 3-2A.

The two teams that lost in the semifinals are also on the road for their section lid lifters.

Avonworth is at Riverside in a Section 2-2A match and Shady Side Academy travels to Freeport in a Section 1-2A contest.

The only team from the 2023 2A semifinals that will host a section opener is Quaker Valley. The Quakers are home to Beaver in a Section 2-2A match.

Girls links showdowns

Some of the top WPIAL girls golf teams are preparing for section showdown matches over the next couple of days.

On Tuesday, the top two teams in Section 1-2A collide when Ligonier Valley visits Greensburg Central Catholic. Both teams are tied for first place with 3-0 section records.

On Wednesday, first place in Section 1-3A is up for grabs when North Allegheny takes on Pine-Richland at the Diamond Run Golf Club in Sewickley. Both the Tigers and Rams are 5-0 in section matches.

Also on Wednesday, two of the top four teams in Section 2-2A meet when Beaver battles North Catholic. The Bobcats are 4-2 in section play while the Trojans are 5-1. Both are in a fight for first with Shady Side Academy (6-1) and Seton LaSalle (3-1).

Diamond schedule release

The WPIAL plans to release the section schedules for the 2025 and 2026 high school baseball seasons Tuesday.

Other spring sports schedules for the next two seasons will be released in the next week or two.