Highway to Highmark: Leopards earn No. 4 seed in WPIAL playoffs

By Jeremy Sellew
jsellew@yourmvi.com
Six local boys soccer teams will begin their quest for a WPIAL championship beginning Saturday around the region.
The contingent will be led by Belle Vernon Area, seeded highest among our teams after earning the No. 4 seed in Class 3A.
“I thought we’d be in either the four or five slot,” BVA head coach Rob Miele said. “It wouldn’t be unprecedented for them to put a second-place team ahead of the fourth first-place team. But I’m glad that’s where we ended up. I think our guys deserve it.”
The Leopards (16-1) will get the advantage of hosting their first-round game against No. 13 Indiana (8-9-1) at James Weir Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.
“I’m really excited to be playing at home. We’ve played really well at our place and haven’t lost yet this season,” Miele said. “Hopefully we keep that going through Saturday.”
Miele is anxious to see how his team of athletes handles the postseason. He says athletes, because that’s exactly what he has.
“A lot of our guys fit that description. The last few years we had more of your prototypcial soccer players,” Miele said. “This year, it’s their athleticism that has really pushed us to another level.”
BVA’s style this year has been a lot more physical, battling in close games. Something Miele said is an advantage heading into the postseason where those types of games are more common.
“We just looked at it the other day,” Miele said. “The last two years we were 1-5 in one-goal games. This year we’re 5-0. I think our guys are a lot more comfortable being in that situation.”
Miele said his team has been a motivated bunch before the season even started.
“From Day 1 they’ve had a chip on their shoulder,” Miele said. “People thought we might have competed for the final playoff spot. They took it to heart that no one gave us a chance and now here we are. It started with that first early win against Ringgold. That made them believe and we’ve ridden that the whole way through.”
Prior to BVA’s game against Indiana, a Class A first-round game between No. 13 Serra Catholic (9-6-2) and No. 4 Carlynton (15-2) will kick off at 1 p.m. The Eagles are the fourth-place team from Section 2. The Cougars shared the Section 3 title with Springdale.
“Carlynton is a good team that has generated 90 goals this year. I know my guys are excited for this one,” Serra Catholic head coach Chad Bruns said. “A lot of these guys have been here for our playoff losses the past couple of years and feel like they’ve let some opportunities pass them by.
“They’re really looking to put in some final work this week and come out and prove we’re a contender.”
Joining BVA in Class 3A are Thomas Jefferson (9-5-4) and Ringgold (10-8).
The Jaguars are the No. 10 seed and will face No. 7 West Allegheny, the defending state champion, on its home field at 7 p.m.
“I think overall the WPIAL got the seedings correct and I think there should be some great first round games,” TJ head coach Doc Kulish said. “As for our matchup, we’re playing last year’s WPIAL finalist and defending state champion. WA is an elite program that has developed into a perennial power.
“If our guys play the way they are capable of playing, we should be competitive. We played a strong section and out-of-section schedule to get us ready for teams like them.”
Rams head coach Steve Persaud thinks his team was slighted with the No. 11 seed. Ringgold will travel to Hampton to fave the No. 6 seeded Talbots.
“To be honest, I thought we should have gotten a better seed than Trinity. Even though they finished second in our section,” Persaud said. “Nobody in that section has played the strength of schedule we did. Our schedule was pretty tough. Look at the games. We beat Trinity, beat Laurel Highlands. We lost to Peters Township, 1-0, and 2-1 to Baldwin. And the two Belle Vernon games, the referees changed those games.
“We’re a much better team than people think. Those people haven’t seen us play.”
Persaud is hopeful the Talbots (13-3-2) come in a little over-confident.
“I think we have a good chance against them. My teams is way better than the record shows. I think they’re a young team and by looking at their record maybe a little inconsistent,” Persaud said. “I’m saying it’s going to be a battle, I think they’re going to come in there thinking they’re going to run us off the field.”
In Class 2A, Charleroi (17-1) is the No. 5 seed in the bracket despite finishing first in a weak Section 3. The Cougars are coming off their first loss of the season, a 4-3 game at Class A Bentworth Monday.
“Coming back from a loss is going to tell you a lot about a team,” Charleroi head coach Jon Ducoli said. “It got us a little more centered than what we have been.”
Charleroi will face No. 13 Burrell (11-7) at noon Saturday at Franklin Regional.
“We started doing our homework immediately after the brackets were released,” Ducoli said. “I know we’re going to keep our eyes on (Jacob) Guerrini and Nick Kariotis. Those are their studs looking at some of the stats.”
The Cougars, despite having much of the same personnel, are a different team from last season when they advanced to the WPIAL semifinals.
“The chemistry throughout the team is different. The players are using each other more. There’s a lot more balance. There’s not one guy you have to depend on,” Ducoli said. “Last season, Cullin was the go-to guy. But this year, Eben (McIntyre) is putting the ball in the net. Jace (Kepich is shooting more. We have Cullin and you never know when Joey Caruso is crashing up from that back line.”
Elizabeth Forward is the No. 10 seed and will face No. 7 North Catholic (12-3-2) at Norwin at 2 p.m. Saturday.
The Warriors (9-8-1) are coming off a 2-0 win over Seton LaSalle Wednesday that snapped a four-game losing streak.
“I was pleased with our seed but we definitely got a rough draw with North Catholic. They are a very strong team and they have had really good year,” EF coach Dough Finke said. “We’ve been playing well in spurts and we just need to make sure we are locked in for 80 minutes because we are in for a battle.
“To be successful we have to get back to playing the way we were earlier where we are more patient in our attack.”