Franklin Regional prevails
First appearance in states a winner
It took a long time for Franklin Regional to play in the PIAA soccer playoffs for the first time. It appears the Panthers plan to stick around for a while.
Austin Kranick scored what turned out to the be winning goal in the first half, while freshman Anthony DiFalco chipped in a goal and an assist to lead Franklin Regional to a 5-0 victory against Bellefonte of District 6 in the opening round of the PIAA Class 3A playoffs. The Panthers launched 53 shots overall and had 11 corner kicks in the first half.
Class 4A boys soccer
Seneca Valley 3, Hempfield 2: Senior defender Keegan McVicker scored off a corner kick with seven minutes remaining in double overtime to give the Raiders a victory against Hempfield of District 3. Seneca Valley trailed, 1-0, in the first minute but came back on goals by Luke Rupert and Jackson Wotus to lead, 2-1, at halftime.
Class 1A boys soccer
Seton LaSalle 1, Brockway 0: Junior Ethan Gardner hooked home a corner kick for his 13th goal of the year at the 25-minute mark for the only goal of the game in the Rebels’ victory against the Rovers.
Greensburg Central Catholic 3, Iroquois 2: The Centurions built a quick three-goal lead as Sean Gargan, Luke Mort and Sylan Sebak scored, then the they held on as the District 10 champions scored twice in the final 15 minutes to make a game of it.
Avonworth 4, West Shamokin 1: The Wolves got a taste of what it was like to be back in the WPIAL for a day as Michael Mucha had a goal and an assist and Jason Novosel chipped in with two assists as the Antelopes rolled past the District 6 champions.
Class 4A girls soccer
Peters Township 3, McDowell 0: The Indians rebounded from their heartbreaking WPIAL final loss to Seneca Valley with shutout against the District 10 champions. Sarah Heisinger scored two goals.
Class 3A girls soccer
Mars 2, Manheim Central 0: Claire Valentine only had to make two saves to help the Planets to a win. After a scoreless first half, Caroline Wroblewski and Taylor Hamlett scored seven minutes apart for Mars.
Oakland Catholic 3, Hollidaysburg 1: Tori Calhoun had a goal and an assist, while Anna Sproule and Hannah Henn each hit the back of the net once as the Eagles celebrated their first WPIAL Class 3A title with a win in the PIAA.
Hampton 3, Hickory 1: Logan Nicklas broke a 1-1 intermission tie with two secondgoals, the first with 14:30 remaining in regulation, to give the Talbots a victory against the District 10 champions.
Class 2A girls soccer
South Park 3, Somerset 0: Haleigh Finale had two goals to give her 43 this season and assisted on Danielle DeProspo’s tally as the Eagles rolled into the second round.
Class 1A girls soccer
Bentworth 5, Brockway 2: In a rare matchup of career 100- goal scorers, the Bearcats’ Jocelyn Timlin scored four times and Paige Marshalek chipped in another in a victory against the District 9 champion. Timlin now has 110 career goals, while the Rovers’ 100-goal scorer, Channel Britton, knocked in two. It was Bentworth’s first PIAA victory in any girls sport.
Freedom 7, Rockwood 0: Bulldogs freshman Jayden Sharpless continued her hot scoring as she recorded a hat trick to give her 60 goals this season in a romp over the District 5 runners-up.
Class 3A field hockey
Penn Manor 7, Pine-Richland 0: It was a tough draw as the WPIAL runner-up Rams got the defending PIAA champions in the first round. No WPIAL Class 3A team has won a firstround match since 1987.
Class 2A field hockey
Twin Valley 9, Penn-Trafford 1: Emma Little scored for the Warriors, who trailed, 2-1, at halftime in this first-round match.
Class 1A field hockey
Newport 7, Shady Side Academy 0: The Indians played the first game of a tripleheader at Latrobe and set the tone for the WPIAL with a loss to the District 3 third-place team.