WPIAL pride on the line

Nicholas Tolomeo | Post Gazette

Three teams from the WPIAL advanced to the PIAA girls soccer championship matches, but that shouldn’t come as a sudden shock. As early as last Saturday, it was a cinch that at least three teams would be in Hershey this Saturday to compete for a state title.

All six western semifinalists in the state’s three classifications were WPIAL schools, plus Central Valley, another WPIAL representative, made it to the semifinals by winning its first two games in the eastern half of the Class AA bracket.The Warriors lost to Villa Joseph Marie, 5-1, Tuesday, however, so three teams will represent District 7 Saturday.

Class AAA
Peters Township was unable to retain its WPIAL title from last season but the Indians will get a chance to defend their PIAA title.

After losing to Upper St. Clair, 3-2, in the WPIAL final, Peters Township bounced back on Tuesday night to blank the Panthers, 1-0, in the PIAA semifinals and return to Hersheypark, the scene of a Peters Township state championship last year.

This season Peters Township (19-3-1) will face District 1 champion Pennridge (24-1) at 3 p.m. at Hersheypark Stadium.

“It is a great opportunity,” Peters Township coach Pat Vereb said. “We start every preseason trying to get here. It is the ultimate prize and it is certainly a great feeling because this is a new group of kids.”

This is the third PIAA finals appearance for Peters Township, who settled for silver in 2008 before winning gold last season. Sophomore forward Veronica Latsko, junior defender Morgan Creehan, senior defender Brooke Smith and junior defender Abbie LaVigna are all returning starters from last season’s PIAA final, a 1-0 victory against Archbishop Wood.