Painful penalties
Belle Vernon’s dream season ends in state quarterfinals
MONROEVILLE — When it comes to the state tournament, only one team goes home happy, and unfortunately for the Belle Vernon’s boys soccer team, it wasn’t them after falling in penalties, 4-3, to North Catholic after both teams played to a 1-1 draw after full time and 30 minutes of extra time on Saturday in the quarterfinals of the PIAA Class 2A playoffs at Antimarino Stadium on the campus of Gateway High School.
The Leopards’ season ends with a record of 19-2-2 and the program’s first WPIAL championship. Despite losing one regular-season match and finishing second in the Section 5-2A standings, Belle Vernon was seeded 10th entering the district postseason, but won all four matches against clubs they were not expected to defeat, including a 2-0 triumph over the Trojans in the WPIAL semifinals on Nov. 3.
The Leopards blanked District 5 champion Somerset, 3-0, on Nov. 11 in the first round of the state postseason before North Catholic avenged its setback in the district playoffs.
Belle Vernon coach Tyler Caterino was obviously disappointed to have the season end in the round of eight, but the Leopards will return a majority of their starters next season, including captain and junior midfielder Chris Showman and junior keeper Morgan Bunch.
“A shoutout to our seniors, we have six of them, and they have all been a part of our program for four years,” Caterino said. “They showed up consistently over the past four years, and have worked extremely hard to get to this point, and I’m just so happy for them to see that their hard work has paid off, and they’ve had the success they’ve had this year.
“To fall short today in penalties is something that our kids coming back will remember, and we will use that as motivation for next season. We have a solid group coming back.”
The second match in 11 days between the Leps and Trojans was, as expected, a tightly-contested affair, but North Catholic was able to put 17 shots on target, including one from Dylan DeVroe to put North Catholic ahead, 1-0, at 16:52 of the first half. Bunch, who had 16 saves, stopped a blast from Matthew Liscinsky before DeVroe put the ball in the back of the net.
“Giving up a rebound goal stinks, but after that first 15 to 20 minutes, I thought it was a much more even game and they got the better of us today,” Caterino said.
Neither team scored again in the opening 40 minutes, but Showman cashed in with 29 minutes and 22 seconds remaining in regular time on a free kick from 22 yards out after North Catholic was called for a foul.
Showman sent a low shot that went just inside the left post and past the diving effort of Trojans keeper Logan Mueser to tie the match at 1-1. Showman, who was named to the All-WPIAL team, has downplayed individual accolades to support his team, which is one of the many reasons Caterino is glad to have him on his squad.
“Chris, like all the guys on our team, know they have a role, and they do the best that they can to fill that role,” Caterino said. “Chris is a fine player and a great kid, who will always put the team first.
“We have a couple of guys who can hit free kicks and know what they are capable of. I was happy to see that one go in for Chris.”
North Catholic didn’t sulk after allowing the tying goal, as it continued to press, and forced Bunch into action, but he didn’t allow anything get past him in the final portion of the second half and 30 minutes of extra time.
Bunch stoned Jackson Schlegel’s attempt with seven minutes remaining in regular time, as the senior midfielder put a header on target.
Caterino isn’t shy to point out Bunch’s impact on the team all season long.
“I constantly praise Morgan Bunch,” said Caterino. “I’m so glad he’s on our side. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, he’s one of the best shot stoppers in the WPIAL. He always steps up when we need him most, and I couldn’t be more thankful.”
The Trojans nearly ended the match in regular time, as DeVroe was a post away from recording a brace in the last 50 seconds.
The two 15-minute periods in extra time didn’t generate much, and the match went to penalties.
Belle Vernon took a 3-2 lead in the shootout following a successful attempt from Carter Stairs prior to Bunch making what appeared to be the winning save on Evan Laubenthal, but the referee ruled Bunch had left his line early and Laubenthal buried the second chance to send the penalties into sudden death after both clubs converted on three-of-five attempts.
North Catholic’s Shane Schollaert gave his team a one-goal lead in penalties before Mueser denied Jordan Jerome to send the Trojans to the state semifinals.
Gavin Metzger and Showman made their attempts in the shootout.
Liscinsky and freshman Colin Pilla also scored in the shootout.
North Catholic will play District 10 champion Fairview (22-0) on Nov. 17 at a site and time to be determined.