WPIAL Soccer: Peters Township claims AAA boys’ crown
Bill Brink & Michael Sanserino | Post Gazette
Peters Township senior Jesse Scheirer waited for the perfect time to take the “best shot” of his life.
Scoreless in double overtime, Scheirer dribbled into Central Catholic territory, split between two Vikings defenders and blasted a shot from about 25 yards out that was hit so hard it looked like it could have ripped the net off the goalposts.
Scheirer’s winning goal in the 102nd minute gave Peters Township a 1-0 victory against Central Catholic in the WPIAL Class AAA boys’ soccer championship Saturday at Elizabeth Forward.
“He killed it,” Peters Township coach Bob Dyer said. “It came out as fast as it came in. … That’s just a kid doing what he was destined to do.”
It was Scheirer’s sixth goal of the playoffs.
“He took a beautiful shot,”” Central Catholic coach Claudio Morini said. “
The win gives the Indians (17-2-2) their second title in three years and seventh overall, tying them with North Allegheny for third-most all time behind Mt. Lebanon (10) and Springdale (9). Central Catholic (16-3-3) was aiming for its first championship.
Peters Township also became the second school to sweep the boys’ and girls’ Class AAA WPIAL championships in the same season. Mt. Lebanon did it twice, in 1983 and ’93.
Neither team had a lot of quality scoring chances in regulation, but Peters Township controlled possession for most of the contest. Scheirer had a couple of decent opportunities — one in the first half and one in the second – but Gregg thwarted both.
Central Catholic’s counterattack put pressure on Peters Township throughout the game but the Vikings did not put a scare into the Indians until overtime. There, Peters Township goalkeeper Parker Ulrich made the big saves.
Ulrich made three saves in a one-minute span — including one from his backside to stop a shot from point-blank range – to keep the Indians’ title hopes alive.
“Parker’s job is, when everything else breaks down, to be there,” Dyer said. “And he does that. He does that very, very well.”
