PETERS TWP — The comeback was complete.

Seemingly.

Landon Mohney took what he thought was a direct kick from 9 yards out, to the right of the Peters Township net, and hooked the shot high into the left corner of the net. The would-be goal would have knotted Butler's WPIAL Class 4A boys soccer semifinal with the Indians at 3 with 31:14 still to play Saturday.

Peters Township had a 3-1 lead at halftime.

The goal was disallowed, however, Peters Township retook a two-goal lead five minutes later and defeated the Golden Tornado, 4-2.

“We assumed that was a direct kick, which meant Landon was allowed to kick the ball into the net,” Butler coach Troy Mohney said. “The officials ruled it was an indirect kick, meaning the ball had to touch somebody else before it could go in.”

Landon Mohney and a defender got tangled up and went to the ground at the site of the Butler senior's eventual kick.

“The official said it was a dangerous play, not a trip, which meant an indirect kick,” Coach Mohney said. “We never even considered that type of ruling. I saw a trip.”

Landon felt like he was tripped.

He also thought he scored the tying goal, screaming and thrusting his arms in the air as he slid toward Butler's sideline in jubilation after the shot sailed into the net.

“I didn't know it was an indirect,” Landon said. “That was a tough one. Still, we kept on coming.

“I'm proud of my team. We battled hard all day.”

Butler (14-6) was also on the wrong end of a call that allowed the Indians (15-1-1) to take a 1-0 lead in the game's seventh minute. Senior striker Andrew Massucci was well behind the defense when he took a pass, deked his way past Butler goalkeeper Noah Wolford and drilled the ball into the net.

It was the first of Massucci's three goals on the day, giving him 18 for the season.

“That play was off-sides,” Coach Mohney said. “I don't know how it couldn't have been. He was way ahead of the play.

“That's two critical calls on goals, both going against us ... You give up four goals in a playoff game, you're not going to win.”

Peters Township took a 2-0 lead when Joe Tomari let loose with a free kick from 60 yards out, the ball landing among a flock of players in front of the Butler net. Indians senior midfielder Austin Marmol gained possession and scored the goal in the game's ninth minute.

Marmol assisted on Massucci's third goal, which gave the Indians their 4-2 lead in the 54th minute.

Tomari's free kick was one of many taken by both teams in an extremely chippy game.

“Of course it was chippy,” Peters Township coach Bob Dyer said. “This is playoff soccer. It's 16, 17 and 18-year-old kids fighting to win a game, to extend their seasons.

“We knew it'd be a physical game between two excellent teams.”

Landon Mohney pulled Butler within 2-1 by scoring on a penalty kick in the 17th minute. Massucci gave the Indians a 3-1 lead when he put a shot into the right corner of the net in the 27th minute, after the ball eluded a pair of Tornado defenders.

Butler pulled within 3-2 less than three minutes into the second half on an Evan Lubinsky goal, set up by Landon Mohney off a throw-in by Carson Knight.

“We're used to (senior defender) Carson aggressively joining the play offensively and wanted him to do more of that in the second half,” Coach Mohney said. “He did just that and we got right back in the game.”

Even after the potential game-tying goal was denied, the Tornado nearly knotted the score three minutes later. But in the 52nd minute, Jack Beneigh headed the ball just wide of the right post.

Landon Mohney's goal was his 36th of the season. He had an assist on the day as well and ended his Tornado career with a school-record 69 career goals.

“Landon is awesome,” Dyer said. “He has a deadly shot and is dangerous from all angles. That kid is legit. What a player!”

Both teams had two corner kicks on the day. Peters Township had 12 shots on net to Butler's eight.

Second-seeded Peters Township advances to play North Allegheny in the semifinals Tuesday. The Indians lost to Seneca Valley in double overtime in last year's WPIAL title game.

Peters Township has won nine WPIAL crowns and four state titles in its boys soccer history.

“Our kids came down here and played hard,” Coach Mohney said. “We lost to a great team, but two crucial calls that didn't go our way ... This one's hard to take.”