Worth repeating: Bentworth wins 2nd straight WPIAL title in penalty-kicks thriller
By Bill Hughes
For the Observer-Reporter
newsroom@observer-reporter.com
PITTSBURGH – A year ago, Bentworth used late heroics to defeat favored Charleroi in overtime to win the WPIAL Class A boys soccer championship.
Late Thursday night, the Bearcats (19-0) won their second consecutive championship even later as they won 1-0, on sudden death penalty kicks (5-4), over Our Lady of the Sacred Heart at Highmark Stadium.
“What a game, a tough game,” said Bentworth coach Nick Malarbi. “OLSH was a tougher nut than I thought to crack. We are just so thankful we came out on top.”
After 80 minutes of scoreless regulation play, the teams played two scoreless 15-minute overtime periods to send the match to penalty kicks.
Bentworth’s Andrew Vipperman scored on the first penalty kick, and then he stepped in to play goalkeeper, replacing the Bearcats’ starter DJ Hays.
Malarbi spoke about the switch to Vipperman for penalty kicks.
“Andrew plays for the Century Gold team, and he is a keeper,” Malarbi said. “DJ has obviously been rock solid all year back there, but Andrew just has a little more spring to him, a little bit more range.
“And honestly, it was a curveball. They thought they were getting DJ in there. The next thing you know, we had a kid springing around in there and he had two saves.”
To add to the drama, Vipperman went out in his younger brother Isaac’s goalkeeper’s jersey and not his own, which may have added more confusion for OLSH.
Vipperman’s first save was on a Holland Cobourne shot that went above the crossbar, and the Bearcats led 1-0 after the first round of penalty kicks.
On the next kick, Adam Moessner drilled a shot into the back left corner to give Bentworth a 2-0 lead, but OLSH’s Eric Callahan scored to make it 2-1 after two rounds.
Ryan Moessner, the WPIAL’s leading scorer, went next, but he slipped and fell, causing his shot to be off and it kept the score at 2-1.
Owen Minzer tied the penalty kicks at 2-2 on the next shot, and the Chargers seemed to gain momentum as their 6-7 goalkeeper Patrick Altmar stopped Aiden McMurray’s attempt.
OLSH’s Peter Zink shot next, but Vipperman made a diving save to keep the penalty kick score 2-2 after four rounds.
Dillan Colbert scored to give Bentworth a 3-2 lead, but Seth Therrien scored and sent the match to sudden death penalty kicks.
Billy Moyer scored to give Bentworth a 4-3 lead, but OLSH’s Andre Kolocouris tied it again, at 4-4.
The next shooter for Bentworth was Isaac Reynolds. The senior hadn’t scored a goal all season, but he buried the ball into the left corner of the net to give the Bearcats a 5-4 lead.
Reynolds beamed as he spoke about what would ultimately be the game-winning goal.
“I never imagined myself scoring the winning PK in the WPIAL final,” he said. “I’ve been trying for that goal all year, and it feels sweet to get this goal.
“I just wanted to focus on the ball and have been focusing on the same shot the last two weeks and blocked out all the noise.”
OLSH’s Isaac Tarbuk stepped in, but Vipperman blocked his shot to clinch the win and second consecutive district championship for Bentworth.
Vipperman admitted he wasn’t as sharp as he could have been while going into goal after not playing there all season.
“Rustiness,” he said. “I haven’t been a goalie since Cup season, and it has been a while.
“(OLSH) played phenomenal and congratulations to them. I don’t want to play them again. It was fun. I’m glad (we) could win a second one for our team and our school. I feel like the community really helped us, too.”
Malarbi spoke about the penalty kicks.
“Penalty shootouts, our philosophy all year has been we hate them,” he said only half-jokingly. “They put too much pressure on kids, but they stepped up.”
The first half saw the teams combine for five shots on goal, with OLSH controlling play.
In the second half, the teams played mostly even, but OLSH’s Brady Hernandez was given a red card and the Chargers had to play one man down for the rest of the contest.
However, the Bearcats could not capitalize, and it led to the overtimes and penalty kicks.
Malarbi spoke about his defense, which has allowed only four goals all season.
“We didn’t give up a goal in October,” he said, as penalty kick goals do not count as official stats.
“These kids worked so hard reading the play, making the tackle. They’ve earned this undefeated season.”
Malarbi expects a rematch with the Chargers could be in the Bearcats’ future.
“OLSH, we are going to see each other again, for sure,” he said. “They are way too strong of a team to not go far in the PIAA.”
Before a potential rematch with OLSH (15-3), Bentworth will open PIAA tournament play against District 6 champion Westmont Hilltop (12-8) Tuesday.