South Fayette blanks McGuffey
JEFFERSON HILLS – McGuffey looked very much like a team that belonged in the WPIAL Class AA semifinals during the second half Thursday night.
That wasn’t the case in the first half and it cost the Highlanders.
Fourth-seeded South Fayette scored two first-half goals and held on for a 3-0 win over No. 12 McGuffey in the a WPIAL Class AA quarterfinal match at Thomas Jefferson High School.
The Lions (15-3) advanced to the semifinals, where they will face the winner of South Park and Ambridge Monday at a site and time to be determined. The Highlanders’ season ended with a 12-7 record.
“We came out flat and a little bit shy of playing our game,” McGuffey head coach Jim Kita said. “I told our kids they had to mark on corner kicks and South Fayette made us pay for not doing it. We picked it up in the second half and made it a game, but it was too late.”
South Fayette’s used its speed to remain in the attacking half of the pitch for much of the first half, generating nine shots on goal and seven corner kicks, and it did not take long for the Lions to take advantage.
The Lions made it 1-0 in the 23rd minute when senior defender Christian Dedi head in a corner. They added a second goal almost six minutes later when junior defender Jeremy Zura’s pass went through McGuffey’s defense anad was one-timed in by Nick Aul.
The Highlanders sustained possession for much of the second half, but a foul inside the box gave the Lions a penalty kick. After Jordan Smith’s shot was stopped by McGuffey goalkeeper Nic Loughman, officials gave the Lions another attempt because a McGuffey player had a foot inside the arc.
South Fayette’s Priamo Persichetti capitalized with a goal to make it 3-0. Loughman made 11 saves.
Greensburg Central Catholic 3, Bentworth 1: Riley Slike was one of three goal scorers for Greensburg Central Catholic, as the Centurians handed Bentworth a 3-1, season-ending loss in a Class A quarterfinal game.
Wyatt Selvoski scored the lone goal for Bentworth, which finishes its season at 14-4-2, while Will Bashioum had 11 saves in net.
GCC (15-2) advances to play Avonworth in the semifinals.