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Peters Township advances to PIAA semifinals

By Eleanor Bailey sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac.Net 3 min read
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By avenging a loss in the WPIAL championship match, Peters Township found itself one step away from competing for a PIAA title in soccer.

With a decisive victory, 3-1, against North Allegheny, the Indians advanced to the Final Four in the state tournament. They faced Hempfield last night (Nov. 14) at Mansion Park in Altoona for the berth in the Quad-A finals set for Friday, Nov. 17 in Hershey. The game ended too late for publication in this edition.

The triumph against the Tigers, though, was more about revenge than of extending their chances to compete for their fifth state title in program history for the Indians. Peters Township was set on avenging its loss, 2-1, to NA in the District 7 final. In that match, played Nov. 2 at Highmark Stadium, the Indians took a 1-0 lead but allowed an own goal for the equalizer before the Tigers took the title in the final seven minutes of action.

This time, Peters Township took the lead and held on.

In the 27th minute of play, Logan Brinsky took a cross from Bryce Gabelhart to lift the Indians ahead, 1-0.

With 22:41 to play in the second half, Brinsky put a shot on goal that bounced around the box before Matthew Stuck stuffed the ball into the net for a two-goal advantage. Less than 90 minutes later, Gabelhart struck with the third goal.

PT’s relentless attack was a far cry from their approach after gaining the lead against the Tigers in the WPIAL final.

“Once we got that first goal in the WPIAL championship game, we were strictly focused on defending,” said senior midfielder Luke Kelly. “We did not attack. We sat back.”

This time, Kelly said, the team played PT soccer. “We didn’t let them have space. We didn’t allow them to breathe.”

Missed opportunities do that to a team. The loss to NA, PT’s first of the season, soured, yet motivated, the Indians.

“We wanted this so bad,” Gabelhart said. “We came out with everything we had. That loss left a bad taste in our mouth.”

Head coach Bobby Dyer cited the Indians improved intensity and play of Brinsky and Gabelhart as keys to the victory.

“NA is a good team but I don’t think we put forth our best effort,” Dyer said of the WPIAL final. “We wanted to prove a point.

“To win big games,” he added, “you have to have your best or better players play well. We had that type of game.”

PT also excelled on defense as Kyle McFerran held leading scorer Jason Luchini in check and Derek Deyarmin excelled in the nets.

“It was a team effort because all of us defenders had one another’s back,” McFerran said. “We rose to the challenge. We knew if we played our A-game, nobody can beat us.”

With the win, PT improved to 19-1-1 overall. The Indians’ semifinal opponent was the District 3 champion. Hempfield edged Council Rock North, 1-0, to set up the match with Peters.

Luke Campbell contributed to this story.

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