by: Don Rebel

BOYS SOCCER TEAMS JOCKEY FOR PLAYOFF POSITION

Both Plum and Norwin have clinched a district playoff berth in Section 1-4A and Gateway is one win away from earning a spot; however, the fourth and final playoff spot could be determined Thursday.

Two teams with 2-5 section records collide for sole possession of fourth place when Hempfield (5-8 overall) hosts Central Catholic (2-9-1 overall)

The Vikings won the first meeting at home, 3-0, so another win over the Spartans would give them the tiebreaker advantage.

Hempfield has won three of its last four games while Central Catholic has lost three in a row and four of five since that victory at home Sept. 12.

TIGHT AT THE TOP

It’s another busy day full of section contests in WPIAL girls volleyball. It is very crowded at the top of Section 3-4A as the second half of section play begins.

At the midway point, Latrobe, Hempfield and Penn-Trafford are all tied for first place with 4-1 section records, two games in from of fourth-place Plum at 2-3.

On Thursday, one of those teams will fall from first when Latrobe visits Penn-Trafford.

Hempfield is on the road visiting rival Norwin (1-4).

Another battle for first place Thursday is in Class 4A girls volleyball in Section 2. North Allegheny is 5-0, one game ahead of Pine-Richland at 4-1.

The Rams will try to earn a split of the season series and move into a tie for first with a home win over the front-running Tigers.

BOYS SOCCER

SECTION 1-4A

Hempfield 5, Penn Hills 2

Hempfield (5-8, 2-5)

Alessio Ferraresi – 2 goals, Assist

Braden Crowe – 2 goals

Sawyer Leuthold – Goal, Assist

Plum 5, Gateway 1

Plum (11-0-3, 7-0)

Christian Alter – 3 goals

Andy Strasser – Goal, Assist

Austin Kolankowski – Goal

Gage Adinolfi – 2 assists

Norwin 2, Central Catholic 1 (OT)

Norwin (8-4, 6-1)

Ryan Schoemer – 2 goals (including OT winner)

SECTION 2-4A

Peters Township 3, Canon-McMillan 0

Peters Township (11-1-1, 7-0)

Alex Parise – Goal

Colin Froelich – Goal

Dante Pusateri – Goal

Markus Bizyak – Shutout

Upper St. Clair 2, Mt. Lebanon 0

Upper St. Clair (8-3-1, 6-1)

Ben Murtough – Goal

Anderson Ploeger – Goal

SECTION 3-4A

Seneca Valley 5, Fox Chapel 1

Seneca Valley (9-4, 4-3)

Tyler Prex – 4 goals

Zach Garma – Goal

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

NON-SECTION

Hempfield 3, Baldwin 0

Hempfield (6-4)

Shelby Waryanka – 23 digs

Jill Sowers – 17 digs

Claire Mitchell – 14 kills

Sadie Kuhns – 11 kils

Presley Horchak – 37 assists

BOYS SOCCER

SECTION 1-4A

Plum 4, Central Catholic 0

Plum (10-0-2, 6-0)

Gage Adinolfi – 2 goals

Kent Holmes – Goal

Fedgy Fertil – Goal

Brady McLaughlin – Shutout

Gateway 4, Penn Hills 0

Gateway (7-4, 4-2)

James LoCoco – Goal, 2 assists

Nick LoCoco – Goal

Troy Boden – Goal

Seangkye Park – Goal

SECTION 2-4A

Canon-McMillan 5, Woodland Hills 1

Canon-McMillan (6-3-1, 3-3)

Adam Kuchera – 2 goals, Assist

Gavin Patterson – Goal, Assist

Roman Pasquarelli – Goal

Drake Saxon – Goal

Upper St. Clair 8, Connellsville 0

Upper St. Clair (7-3-1, 5-1)

Tyler Newton – 2 goals

Andrew Fulton – 2 goals

Shresht Rawat – Goal

Ben Murtough – Goal

Liam Burlovic – Goal

Nikita Polstyanko – Goal

Peters Township 5, Mt. Lebanon 0

Peters Township (10-1-1, 6-0)

Anthony Maiello – Goal

Colin Froelich – Goal

Jeven Kelly – Goal

Cam Glass – Goal

Alex Parise – Goal

SECTION 3-4A

Seneca Valley 4, Butler 1

Seneca Valley (7-4, 3-3)

Owen Eastgate – 2 goals

Zach Garma – 2 goals

North Allegheny 2, North Hills 1

North Allegheny (9-2-1, 5-1)

Nach Zach – 2 goals

Nathan Katari – Assist

Lucas Henderson – Assist

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

NON-SECTION

Canon-McMillan 3, Pine-Richland 0

Canon-McMillan (10-0)

Natalie Carr – 15 kills

Sophia Powell – 17 digs

Brooke Peters – 18 assists

Carsen Brown – 14 assists

TWO FOR ONE

As we hit the midway point of the boys soccer regular season, there are two matches scheduled for Thursday with outright first place ore a share of the top spot up for grabs to close out the first half

• In Section 1-4A, Norwin (6-3) visits Plum (7-0-2). The Knights and Mustangs are tied for first place with 4-0 section records.

• In Section 3-4A, Fox Chapel (6-1-1) hosts North Allegheny (6-2-1). The Foxes enjoy a one-game lead with a 4-0 section record while the Tigers are 3-1.

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SERVING FOR FIRST

It’s another busy Thursday in WPIAL girls volleyball as section play starts to heat up.

• In Section 1-4A, Upper St. Clair is 3-0, a half-game ahead of both Canon-McMillan and Mt. Lebanon at 2-0. The Panthers visit the Big Macs while the Blue Devils host Peters Township (1-2)

BOYS SOCCER

SECTION 1-4A

Gateway 4, Central Catholic 3 (OT)

Gateway (3-4, 2-2)

James LoCoco – 2 goals (including OT winner)

Cam Simon – Goal, assist

Troy Boden – Goal

Norwin 2, Penn Hills 0

Norwin (6-3, 4-0)

Dylan Moyer – Goal

Alex Krance – Goal

Plum 9, Hempfield 0

Plum (7-0-2, 4-0)

Kent Holmes – 2 goals

Garrett Chandler – 3 assists

Andy Strasser – Goal, assist

Austin Kolankowski – Goal

Bryce Bobich – Goal

Mason Eber – Goal

Christian Alter – Goal

Zack Carnahan – Goal

Marshall Capizza – Goal

SECTION 2-4A

Canon-McMillan 10, Connellsville 0

Canon-McMillan (4-2-1, 1-2)

Adam Kuchera – 4 goals

Dante Pasquarelli – 3 goals

Roman Pasquarelli – Goal

Gabe Fegely – Goal

Noah Dirocco – Goal

Peters Township 4, Upper St. Clair 0

Peters Township (7-1-1, 4-0)

Colin Froelich – 2 goals

Alex Parise – Goal

Brett Martin – Goal

Markus Bizyak – Shutout

Mt. Lebanon 2, Woodland Hills 0

Mt. Lebanon (5-4, 2-2)

JT Dorn – Goal

Noah Defeo – Goal

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

SECTION 1-4A

Canon-McMillan 3, Baldwin 0

Canon-McMillan (6-0, 3-0)

Cali Dagen – 17 digs, 16 kills

Natalie Curr – 14 kills

Sophia Powell – 11 digs

Carson Brown – 21 assists

Brooke Peters – 19 assists