Cougars look to reach semis; face defending WPIAL champ

By JEFF OLIVER

MVI Sports

When Charleroi goes up against Shady Side Academy in today’s WPIAL 2A boys soccer quarterfinal game at Plum, the game will feature a battle of strengths.

The fifth-seeded Cougars (18-1) are one of the highest-scoring teams in the playoffs with 138 goals while the fourth-seeded Indians (13-2-1) have one of the stingiest defenses, allowing only seven goals all season.

Three of those goals came in a 3-2 loss to Burrell Oct. 1, so SSA has given up four goals in over 15 games.

By comparison, the Cougars have given up six goals in their last three games, including a 4-3 loss to Bentworth in the final regular-season contest.

“The number of goals they have scored really opens your eyes,” said SSA coach Ed Ellsworth. “That’s an amazing amount of scoring. We are going to have to have to try to limit their opportunities on offense, to be sure.

“But we know they have an excellent team,” Ellsworth added. “You don’t win 35-36 games the last two years by accident.”

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