Peters Township, Seneca Valley repeat as soccer champions
Peters Township players celebrate with their WPIAL championship trophy, after beating Upper St. Clair, 5-1, in the Class AAA boys’ soccer final.
Canon-McMillan accepts the WPIAL Class AAA runner-up trophy for girls' soccer after a 1-0 loss to Seneca Valley. The Lady Macs were making their first trip to the finals while the Raiders have won two straight titles and three in the past six seasons.
Repeat was the order of the night as Peters Township and Seneca Valley duplicated their championship performances in soccer at Highmark Stadium, home of the professional Riverhounds.
For the second year in a row, the Indians of McMurray defeated their neighbors to the north, Upper St. Clair for the WPIAL Class AAA boys’ title. Peters Township did so with authority, pounding the Panthers, 5-1, instead of last year’s 1-0 margin of victory.
The win also turned the table on the Peters Township’s only losses, both to USC, this season. The Indians are 18-2 overall as they head into the PIAA tournament, of which USC is the defending champion two years running.
“It’s phenomenal to win this in back-to-back years,” Nicco Mastrangelo said. “Especially in this venue, it’s fantastic. We have great chemistry and we love each other. This is better because we lost both this year during the regular season and we didn’t play well in those games. Revenge is great.”
Mastrangelo certainly got his revenge. He scored twice in the first half, giving the Indians the lead, 2-0, by intermission. Jonathan Sion, Matt Massucci and Mario Mastrangelo tacked on second-half tallies.
Shayne Sibley scored for the Panthers, who are 19-1-1 heading into the state tournament.
The District VII title is Peters Township’s ninth and fourth since 2008. The Indians have been to the finals eight out of the past 10 years.
Meanwhile, the Canon-McMillan ladies were making their first trip to the WPIAL finals. The Lady Macs, however, succumbed to Seneca Valley and slipped to 16-4-1 overall. The undefeated Raiders won their second straight banner and third in the past six seasons with a 1-0 triumph in the Class AAA girls’ final.
In the 49th minute, Cassidy Trest scored the game-winning goal off a corner kick from Alicia Hart.
“I didn’t expect to be standing here,” CM head coach Dave Derrico said. “Yes, I am disappointed with the results, but the fact that we are here in this game and this venue, I am excited.”
Despite the defeat, the Lady Macs remain thrilled as their season continues. They have qualified for the PIAA tournament and they will District 10 champion Erie McDowell, a 2-1 overtime winner over District 9 champion DuBois in the PIAA sub-regional.
“It isn’t going to take anything to get them back into the next game. I guarantee it,” Derrico said.