A-K Valley WPIAL soccer playoff capsules: Games for Monday, Oct. 30, 2023

By: Michael Love
Sunday, October 29, 2023 | 4:11 PM

Purchase Photo Options

WPIAL soccer playoffs

Boys

Class A

Semifinals

7-Bentworth (16-2) vs. 3-Burrell (14-3)

6 p.m. Monday at Peters Township Middle School

Winner plays: Winner of 1-Charleroi (18-0)/4-Seton LaSalle (15-2-1) in WPIAL finals (time, date TBD) at Highmark Stadium

Players to watch: Ryan Moessner, Bentworth; Jayson Ireland, Burrell

Throw-ins: Bentworth beat No. 10 OLSH, 2-1 in overtime, in the first round and upset No. 2 Sewickley Academy, 5-0, in the quarterfinals. The Bearcats have outscored opponents 117-12 this season. They finished second in Section 2-A at 8-2 with their lone losses coming to top-seeded Charleroi. They have won six straight games, outscoring opponents 31-3 in that span. Moessner scored 26 times during the regular season. John Scott scored twice in the quarterfinal win and had the overtime winner in the first round. … Burrell topped No. 14 Greensburg Central Catholic, 5-1, in the first round and beat No. 11 Trinity Christian, 2-1, in the quarterfinals. Taber Driscoll was the quarterfinal hero, scoring the winning goal in double overtime. Vincent Guerrini also scored. Ireland had 16 goals in the regular season to lead the Bucs, who were co-Section 3 champs and outscored opponents 61-14 this season.

Girls

Class 4A

Semifinals

6-Fox Chapel (11-4-2) vs. 1-Upper St. Clair (16-1)

8 p.m. Monday at Moon High School

Winner plays: Winner of 5-Canon-McMillan (9-6-2) vs. 1-North Allegheny (19-0) in WPIAL finals (date, time TBD) at Highmark Stadium

Players to watch: Kate Friday, Fox Chapel; Helena Walker, Upper St. Clair

Throw-ins: While just seven goals were scored in three of the Class 4A quarterfinal games, Fox Chapel exploded for five in its 5-1 upset of No. 3 Peters Township last Thursday. Freshman forward Emily McKee tallied two of the Foxes’ five goals, raising her season total to a team-best 20. Friday, a senior and team co-captain, junior Maddie Grimsley, and freshman Taylor Wilkinson added goals as Fox Chapel advanced to the WPIAL semifinals for the second time in three years. The Foxes in 2021 upset No. 1 North Allegheny in the quarterfinals before falling to eventual runner-up Seneca Valley, 1-0. Fox Chapel is 6-1-2 in its last nine games. … Monday’s game is a rematch of a 2019 WPIAL first-round game at USC won by Fox Chapel, 2-0. … Upper St. Clair got goals from Walker, a sophomore, and fellow sophomore Sierra Dupre in Thursday’s 2-0 first-round win over No. 7 Butler. The Panthers are seeking their first WPIAL title since 2011, when they won the Class AAA championship. USC has captured eight WPIAL titles, the first coming in 1987. Dupre’s goal against Butler was her team-leading 27th of the season. The Panthers’ only loss this season was to rival Peters Township, 1-0, in a section game Sept. 18.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Bentworth, Burrell, Fox Chapel, Upper St. Clair