Bethel Park wins first boys’ soccer playoff game in nine seasons
Sam Stewart (4) and Cody Hendrych-Bondra (20) head the ball during WPIAL Class AAA boys' soccer action. Hendrych-Bondra scored on a penalty kick to lead Bethel Park to victory, 1-0, against Mars.
Sam Stewart (4) and Cody Hendrych-Bondra (20) battle for a header during WPIAL Class AAA boys' soccer action. Hendrych-Bondra scored on a penalty kick to lead Bethel Park to victory, 1-0, against Mars.
Forrest Shaw (8) of Bethel Park heads the ball away from Jack Scanlon (20) of Mars player during WPIAL Class AAA boys' soccer playoff action. The Black Hawks blanked the Planets, 1-0.
Forrest Shaw (8) of Bethel Park uses his head to deflect a ball kicked by Sam Stewart (4) of Mars during WPIAL Class AAA boys' soccer playoff action. The Black Hawks blanked the Planets, 1-0.
Bethel Park found itself in unfamiliar territory and it showed during the first half of a WPIAL Class AAA boys soccer playoff game against Mars (10-7).
Despite a tenuous first half, the Black Hawks came on strong in the second 40-minute session and picked up a 1-0 victory against the Planets at home Oct. 22.
“We were nervous in the beginning. It’s the first time we have been in the playoffs for a long time,” said BP coach Doug Fink. “In the second half, we played better. Our nerves settled down.”
The Hawks last won a postseason game in 2014 when they bested Franklin Regional, only to succumb to Peters Township in the quarterfinals. BP, which won back-to-back WPIAL titles in 2006 and 2007, qualified for the playoffs in 2015 and 2016 but lost those first-round contests.
The Hawks appeared headed for another non-playoff year when they started the season with three losses. A 12-game winning streak, however, vaulted BP into the postseason. During the spree, the Hawks defeated Thomas Jefferson, 3-1. It was the lone section loss for the Jaguars. BP finished runner-up to TJ with an 11-3 section record.
“We were really struggling at the beginning, but these guys have been friends for a long time and they took the responsibility on themselves. I am proud of them the way we came back,” Fink said. “They owned up to their losses early on and went on a great streak.
“I think just taking responsibility and the ownership,” Fink added has been the secret to BP’s success.
Cody Hendrych-Bondra was responsible for the lone goal in the game. He converted a penalty kick midway through the first half.
While Luke Rubican shared time with senior Cole Shughart throughout the campaign, the freshman though emerged as the starter recently and earned the shutout in the nets against the Planets.
”(Rubican) has played in more games but our other senior has appeared in other matches. They have traded off but Luke has been our starter. He did a nice job,” Fink said.
Fink also noted that while BP lists 14 seniors on the roster, the team has benefited from the play of its underclassmen.
”It’s a nice mix,” he said. “Some of our younger guys have stepped up. We are all playing well together.
In the second half, BP dominated the action and kept the pressure on Mars. Forwards Xavier Jackson, a freshman, and Carter Kicinski, a senior, fueled the attack as did BP’s reserves.
”Carter and Xavier did an excellent job. Even our subs off the bench matched the high pressure and created chances in the second half,” Fink said.
”I give Mars all the credit in the world though. They gave us everything we could handle. It was a very tight game.”
The Black Hawks faced top-seeded Moon in the quarterfinals Oct. 26. The Tigers won 16 consecutive matches since a scoreless tie against North Allegheny in the season opener.
“Undoubtedly, we expected one heck of a match with them because we know how good they are,” Fink said. “We weren’t just happy to be in the playoffs. We fought and gave teams all we could.”
That all just was not good enough as the Tigers toppled BP, 6-0. It was the 15th shutout of the season for Moon (18-0-1) With the outcome, the Hawks finished the season at 14-6 overall.In addition to Shughart, Kicinski and Hendrych-Bondra, the Hawks will graduate its captains: Jacob Zeminski, Miles Jackson and Lucas Varley. The other seniors providing leadership and skill included: Timothy Jones, Forrest Shaw, Owen Newman, Joshua Woodman, Caden Flaningan, Nathan Uselman, Chase Waterman and Jackson Molli as well as student manager Domenic Depasquale.
Among the juniors returning are: Dylan DeClair, Carmin Yimin, Thomas Bova, Henry Gaston, Adam Thompson and Arpan Gurung.
The sophomores are: Nathan Disori, Ethan Varley, Devin Palombia, Jackson Friday and Evan Chichwak.
In addition to Rubican and Jackson, freshmen on the varsity squad also include: Cooper Kicinski and Youssef.
MORE RESULTSIn other Class AAA boys’ action, Plum edged South Fayette, 2-1. Cole Johnson scored the lone tally for the Lions, who finished the season at 11-5-3 overall.
In girls’ Quad-A playoff action, Seneca Valley blanked Upper St. Clair, 2-0, while Bethel Park succumbed to North Allegheny, 2-1.
Bella Spergel scored off a feed from Christina Sefer eight minutes into the second overtime and Molly Kubistek recorded the shutout in net to send the Peters Township girls through to the WPIAL semifinals with a 1-0 victory over Butler.
Mt. Lebanon rolled over Pine-Richland, 5-0. Mella Peer notched a hat trick while Leah Kessler provided two other tallies for the Blue Devils, who will face PT in a semifinal match set for Oct. 31.
The WPIAL finals are scheduled for Nov. 5 at Highmark Stadium.