PIAA soccer championships: Seneca Valley boys falls short of title game return, loses to Abington
CHAMBERSBURG, Franklin County — Trailing on the scoreboard for the first time this postseason did not rattle Seneca Valley’s boys soccer team.
The Raiders fell behind Abington when Jaza Vasquez buried a penalty kick in the 11th minute of Tuesday’s PIAA Class 4A semifinal at Chambersburg High School’s Trojan Stadium.
“The attitude was, ‘Let’s get it back,’” Raiders coach George Williams said.
But when Cooper Blynt made it 2-0 following a throw-in 20 minutes later, getting back became a steep climb the Raiders were unable to pull off, and their season ended with a 4-1 loss to the Galloping Ghosts.
Vasquez was awarded the early penalty kick after SV junior defender Luke West was whistled for a foul in the penalty box.
“Getting that first goal in a game like this is huge,” Abington coach Randy Garber said. “Then to go up 2-0, that makes it really tough for a team.”
Even after going up by multiple goals, Abington remained aggressive, tallying 13 shots in the game compared to six for SV.
The Raiders did receive a goal in the 55th minute from junior forward Ben Baronner off a centering pass from Owen Eastgate, but the Ghosts still had a firm grip on the game with a 4-1 lead.
“We kept fighting, and it led to that goal,” Williams said. “But Abington is a quality, mature team with a lot of seniors.
“We thought coming in that we’d be able to get behind their defense more than we did. We needed to find ways to get dangerous on the offensive end and just weren’t able to do that. (The Ghosts) rode that early momentum, kept pressing, and it led to more goals.”
The Ghosts (21-2-3) padded their 2-0 halftime lead with goals from Blynt and Christian Hinkle in the 46th and 54th minute, respectively.
Blynt’s second goal, like the first, came immediately following a throw-in.
In a first-round victory over Chambersburg last week, all three of Abington’s scores were set up by throw-ins.
“From a technical standpoint, Seneca Valley is a very good team,” Garber said. “They’re well-coached, and we knew that. But we have big, strong kids who aren’t afraid to go up and get a ball. You saw how many balls in the air we won today.”
SV goalie Chase Good made seven saves while Abington’s George Hooven had three.
The Raiders end the season with a record of 19-4. Three of the losses came against Fox Chapel, the last via penalty kicks in the WPIAL championship game.
Abington, which will play in its first-ever state final Friday against District 1’s West Chester Henderson, knocked Fox Chapel out in Saturday’s quarterfinal round.
“At the beginning of the season, not many people were picking us to play for a WPIAL title or get this far,” Williams said. “It was a great group, and I’m proud of the effort.
“We didn’t play our best today, but a lot of that was (due to) facing a very good opponent.”
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Seneca Valley's Owen Eastgate (9) battles Abington's Brennan Ewer in the PIAA Class 4A boys soccer semifinal game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, at Butler County High School. Markell DeLoatch/Special to the Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Jacob Prex (10) of dribbles the ball as Abington's Owen Gesing (3) defends in the PIAA Class 4A boys soccer semifinal game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, at Butler County High School. Markell DeLoatch/Special to the Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Jacob Prex (10) dribbles past Abington's Sean Westmorland in the PIAA Class 4A boys soccer semifinal game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, at Butler County High School. Markell DeLoatch/Special to the Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Connor Mackrell (22) battles Abington's Sean Westmorland (24) in the PIAA Class 4A boys soccer semifinal game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, at Butler County High School. Markell DeLoatch/Special to the Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Owen Ali (6) chases Abington's Owen Gesing (3) in the PIAA Class 4A boys soccer semifinal game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, at Butler County High School. Markell DeLoatch/Special to the Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Ben Baronner (12) dribbles the ball in the PIAA Class 4A boys soccer semifinal game against Abington on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, at Butler County High School. Markell DeLoatch/Special to the Eagle
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Abington keeper George Hooven, bottom, makes a stop as Seneca Valley's Luke West (21) leaps over him in the PIAA Class 4A boys soccer semifinal game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, at Butler County High School. Markell DeLoatch/Special to the Eagle
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Abington's Dennis Kozyak (4) goes over Seneca Valley's Jacob Prex's (10) back while heading the ball in the PIAA Class 4A boys soccer semifinal game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, at Butler County High School. Markell DeLoatch/Special to the Eagle
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Abington's Zach Yurchyshyn (19) moves the ball ahead of Seneca Valley's Luke West (21) in the PIAA Class 4A boys soccer semifinal game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, at Butler County High School. Markell DeLoatch/Special to the Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Ben Davidson (5) dribbles the ball in the PIAA Class 4A boys soccer semifinal game against Abington on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, at Butler County High School. Markell DeLoatch/Special to the Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Owen Ali (6) heads the ball in front of an Abington defender in the PIAA Class 4A boys soccer semifinal game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, at Butler County High School. Markell DeLoatch/Special to the Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Mike Pokrzywinski (11) heads the ball in the PIAA Class 4A boys soccer semifinal game against Abington on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, at Butler County High School. Markell DeLoatch/Special to the Eagle
