South Allegheny had a lot of eyes popping through the first two rounds of the WPIAL Class 1A girls soccer playoffs.
That’s usually what happens when a No. 12 seed pulls off a pair of upsets and ends up in the semifinals.
But on Tuesday night, the Gladiators were on the cusp of pulling off the biggest upset of the tournament, up a goal against top-seeded Riverview at the intermission with a berth in the finals at Highmark Stadium just peeking view.
It was right around that time that Lola Abraham said enough is enough and blew that fantasy right out of the water.
Abraham, a Pitt recruit and the leading scorer in the WPIAL this season, knotted the match 4:28 into the second half, then scored four more times in the next 4:27 to finish with five on the night and increase her total to 68 on the season as No. 1 Riverview (18-2-0) came away with a 5-1 victory against South Allegheny (13-8-0) at North Allegheny.
Lily Dranko scored the opening goal of the match for the Gladiators at 14:43 of the first half.
Riverview has never won a WPIAL title.
Other Class 1A
Freedom 3, Springdale 2: The sixth-seeded Dynamos (13-4-0) had the defending champions in a two-goal hole at the intermission behind goals from Molly Hurley and Hailey Marchlewski. But the Bulldogs were able to find a way off the hook and rally their way back to the finals as Shaye Bailey scored a pair of goals to give her 47 on the season and Mackenzie Mohrbacher the other to lead the rally for No. 2 Freedom (17-3-0).
Class 3A girls
Moon 1, Montour 0 (PK): The defending WPIAL Class 3A champion Tigers (15-1-2) were pushed to the brink by their section 4 rival Spartans (14-3-3), but outlasted them, 3-2, in penalty kicks. Moon, the No. 3 seed in the tournament, has only allowed two goals in 18 matches this season.
South Fayette 1, Mars 0 (PK): The Planets have not given up a goal in their last 15 matches including this one, but the top seed still took a loss on the chin, 3-2 after seven rounds of penalty kicks. Mars (16-1-0) has not allowed a goal in a game since a 3-1 win over Hampton on Aug. 28. Despite that, it will be the No. 5 Lions (12-4-2) who will be riding a 13-game unbeaten streak into Highmark Stadium.
Class 2A girls
Avonworth 2, South Park 1: A day after the South Park boys beat Avonworth in the semifinals, the Antelopes returned the favor against the Eagles girls as Gianna Babusci scored with 15 minutes in regulation to break a 1-1 tie and send the two-time defending WPIAL Class 2A champions back to the finals. Fiona Mahan opened the scoring for top-seeded Avonworth midway through the first half, but Taylor Vargo scored the only South Park goal to tie it at the intermission. The Eagles were seeking their first title since 2018.
Shady Side Academy 3, Burrell 0: Caroline Liptak scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal in the first half and Sarah Kushnir and Ella Van Norman chipped in some insurance after the intermission to lead the seventh-seeded Bulldogs (15-3-1) past the No. 6 Bucs (14-5-0). Maria Ravotti posted the clean sheet in the frame.
Class 4A boys
Norwin 2, Fox Chapel 1: Norwin (13-5-1), the No. 8 seed, will be making its first trip to the finals since 2018. All-state forward Owen Christopher knocked home a rebound on a free kick in the 72nd minute to break a 1-1 tie. Fox Chapel (12-4-2), which didn’t play the Knights during the regular season, fell behind on a Daniel Maddox goal in the 22nd minute before Daniel Shin came back and tied it for the Foxes.
North Allegheny 3, Butler 2: The Tigers (15-1-3) earned their slot in the finals behind a Nathan Katari goal with 14 minutes remaining in the first half and another from Mykola Desysenko that put the team ahead to stay just ahead of intermission. Down two goals, the Golden Tornado (13-3-3) could not get back into it despite a man-down goal with 1:01 remaining from Cody Lubinski.
First Published: November 1, 2023, 3:56 a.m.
