Heartbreak
WEXFORD — Seneca Valley boys soccer coach George Williams couldn't shake off the disappointment Monday night at Newman Stadium.
The top-seeded Raiders finished with more shots on goal, corner kicks and scoring opportunities than fourth-seeded Canon-McMillan during a WPIAL Class AAA semifinal playoff game.
None of that mattered. Big Macs senior Nicholas Sondini hit the only shot that counted.
Sondini scored in the 69th minute and Canon-McMillan made that goal stand, holding on for a 1-0 win to advance to the WPIAL finals.
“We had all the players, all the talent, we had everything,” Williams said. “We just didn't get the job done, it's that simple.”
The Raiders' girls soccer team also fell short against top-seeded Norwin.
The Knights blanked Seneca Valley 2-0.
The Raiders boys' team, which fell to 14-2-1, has never reached the district finals. Seneca Valley also reached the semifinals in 2008 and 2011.
Seneca Valley out-shot the Big Macs 13-2, including a 7-2 edge in shots on goal.
The Raiders' first big chance came nine minutes in when Griffin Mathew hit a shot that just cleared the crossbar.
Canon-McMillan coach Larry Fingers chose to have his team play differently after the first 20 minutes.
Fingers decided to try a gimmick approach, one he declined to discuss.
“We changed how we played all year,” Fingers said. “In preparing games like this, coaches come up with a gimmick. If the gimmick doesn't work, we're treading water. One of the scenarios we switched to with 20 minutes in the second half.”
Following Sodini's goal, Seneca Valley's best chance came in the 79th minute.A blast from Mathew was stopped on a diving save by Christian Snatchko.The Raiders can still earn their first spot in the PIAA playoffs with a win over 14th-seeded Kiski in the third-place game Wednesday at a site and time to be determined.Williams hopes his team will regroup quickly.“I guess the only thing left right now is to win it all,” Williams said.Norwin 2, Seneca Valley 0Raiders coach Dave Sylvester was prepared for Norwin (21-0) to try shots from distance.Thirteen minutes in, Alexis Kendro hit a rocket from 30 yards out that caught Seneca Valley (16-4) flat-footed.Kendro's shot snuck above Raiders keeper Jessica Pollaci, who was backpedaling and unable to swat the ball away.“Lexi Kendro has scored from there a few times,” Norwin coach Lauren Czaport-Karcher said. “We're confident having her up top and she's come up big for us several times this season.”The Knights, who have outscored opponents 122-4 this season, didn't need much else offensively to pull away.Norwin added a second goal when Emily Harrigan flicked a cross over Pollaci.Seneca Valley's best chance was early in the game.Cassidy Testa got in on net on a long ball and headed the ball before colliding with Norwin goalie Sam Wexell.A foul was called on Wexell, but the ensuing free kick was sent over the crossbar.After halftime, Norwin kept up the defensive pressure and didn't allow Seneca Valley to connect passes.That stagnated the Raiders' attack.“They were quick on the ball and off the ball,” Sylvester said. “We didn't adjust to their speed and to what they were doing.”Seneca Valley, which won the last two WPIAL titles, will have to beat Fox Chapel in a third-place game Wednesday at a site and time to be determined to make the PIAA tournament for the fourth straight season.“We'll see how they respond, it's up to them,” Sylvester said. “I can only motivate them so much, but they have to come out and play. We'll see on Wednesday.”
