North Catholic (moves) up to challenge
Tri-State Sports & News Service
Behind the WPIAL’s leading scorer, North Catholic rolled to the Class 1A WPIAL title and a second-place finish in the PIAA.
If the Trojans pull off another run like that, it will be even more impressive this year.
North Catholic is moving up to Class 2A with this season’s realignment and the newly crowned private school power will have to deal with several programs with championship pedigree.
For starters, the Trojans will have a tough time proving they are the best squad in their own section. Quaker Valley has won eight WPIAL titles and seven state championships. The Quakers and Trojans will compete against each other in Section 4, so North Catholic will be tested early.
“We know if we can compete with them, then we can compete with anybody in our class,” said Trojans coach Aaron Kelly. “Our whole team is excited about this jump. There’s going to be some stronger competition and traveling to different places.”
After failing to win a district title two years ago, the Trojans finally chased down their dream. Kelly believes that the jump in classification has invigorated his players.
“With two years ago making it to the WPIAL final, they were hungry to get back there and win it,” Kelly said. “Then they did. Now, we have something else to work toward. Moving up a class gives that extra boost during the offseason.”
The Trojans have perhaps the best player in the WPIAL on their side in forward Joe Kearney. As a sophomore, he led the WPIAL during the regular season with 44 goals. He ended the year with 55 goals and after just two seasons is the Trojans’ all-time scoring leader with 84.
Kearney is a bona fide goal scorer who arrives an hour before practice to fire off shots and perfect his technique. But this season, he’s adding a new wrinkle for opponents that want to focus solely on Kearney.
“I’m working on distributing the ball,” he said. “I think if I’m a better distributor, it will build up the players around me.”
The Trojans are more than just Kearney. They also bring back Ryan Augustine, who scored both goals in the Trojans’ 3-2 loss to Camp Hill in the state title match, and Bryce Kupchak.
“We have really good chemistry,” Kearney said. “We know how each of us play. I think that’s one of the reasons why we’ve been successful.”
Class 2A is more than a two-team race. Section 2 features Shady Side Academy, which upset Quaker Valley to claim the district championship last season. The Indians feature seniors Max Farner and Wally Navid, whose bicycle kick in overtime won the WPIAL title for the No. 15-seeded Indians.
TheQuakers will be paced by Franky Fernandez, who was red-hot during last season’s playoffs when he netted nine goals in eight games.
Deer Lakes could make some noise as well. They have a goalie in senior Jesse Grayshock who could turn back the talented scorers he’ll face. The Lancers also have senior Nick Caro and sophomore Devin Murray.
Class 4A
North Allegheny is coming off back-to-back WPIAL championships, however it will go for a three-peat without Class 4A Player of the Year Josh Luchini, who now plays at Lehigh. The Tigers graduated four other players who made all-section, so they could be in rebuilding mode. … Senior forward Carter Breen and Norwin are primed to make some noise in Section 3. … Keep an eye on Butler and all-area Tate Mahoney, who knocked in 18 goals and passed out 18 last season. … Canon-McMillan and Peters Township are both stacked and will battle it out in Section Name Fletcher Amos Markello Apodiakos Carter Breen Nathan Dragisich Max Farner Franky Fernandez Alex Gordon Joe Kearney Tate Mahoney Colin Martincic A.J. Meshanko Luke Mort Zack Schwarzel Greg Shulkosky Mike Zolnierczyk 2.
Class 3A
School West Allegheny Belle Vernon Norwin West Allegheny Shady Side Academy Quaker Valley Sewickley Academy North Catholic Butler South Fayette Thomas Jefferson Greensburg C.C. South Park Pine-Richland Springdale
Defending WPIAL champion West Allegheny brings back three seniors who have played every game since their freshman year in Nathan Dragisich, Evan Blunkosky and Braden Wurst. Dragisich, a midfielder, racked up 18 goals last season. Junior forward Fletcher Amos can find the net as well. … Belle Vernon has some star power of its own in Markello Apodiakos. The senior forward is also a four-year starter coming off an all-area junior season in which he was one of the best scorers in the district with 37 goals. … Montour finished second in the WPIAL in 2017, however the Spartans graduated four all-section players. Year Junior Senior Senior Senior Senior Junior Senior Junior Senior Senior Senior Senior Senior Senior Senior
Class 1A
Sewickley Academy has a new coach in Nate Richter. What has remained the same is it will still be one of the best teams around with the return of midfielder Alex Gordon and defenders Max Reyes and Jackson Coles. All three are coming off all-section seasons. … Springdale advanced to the WPIAL title tilt last year thanks to the strong play of senior Mike Zolnierczyk, who had 11 shutouts as a junior. … Avonworth features junior midfielder Jason Novosel, an all-section player who doubles as the football team’s kicker. ... Greensburg Central Catholic should be in the hunt, but fellow Catholic school Seton LaSalle has to replace all-area Darryl Daniels and his 80 career goals.