Trinity clinches section title with shutout win
UNIONTOWN — Trinity scored twice in 36 seconds to blank Uniontown, 3-0, on Monday night in Section 2-3A boys soccer play at Bill Power Stadium.
The Hillers earned the section championship with the victory. Trinity needed a win for the title. A draw or loss would have clinched the crown for Thomas Jefferson (7-2-1).
Trinity finished its section slate with a record of 7-1-2 and 23 points. The Jaguars had 22 points. Ringgold had 20 at 5-0-5 and the Red Raiders 10 at 3-6-1.
All four teams have qualified for the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs.
Laurel Highlands earned a berth in the district postseason with its cross-town rival losing. The Mustangs had 10 points at 3-6-1 in the section.
“We are not very friendly with Laurel Highlands, but they are happy we won,” Trinity coach Alex Nikolopoulos said.
The Hillers’ championship is the program’s first since 2020, and the first overall for Nikolopoulos, who has been a part of five of Trinity’s eight-straight playoff appearances.
“This is my fifth year here, but this is my first section championship and we also get a home game in the playoffs,” Nikolopoulos said.
Uniontown played the Hillers tough defensively in the first half, which resulted in a scoreless match after 40 minutes.
Trinity knew it needed a win for the section title, and whatever was said at halftime must have worked because Blake Pendo blasted a free kick from 20 yards out into the upper right-hand corner of the goal past Uniontown keeper Noah Holland for a 1-0 lead with 36:31 remaining in the match.
Brady Anderson recorded his first of two assists on Pendo’s brace at 35:55 of the second half and a 2-0 advantage.
The Hillers’ Jacob Wright had a ball travel just inches wide to the right of the goal with 23:20 left before Evan Slagle recorded the final tally with 16:29 left. Anderson fed Slagle, who headed in the goal.
“At the halftime talk, we talked about keeping that pressure up, so we went high press from the beginning, and it worked out in our favor, and we didn’t let down,” Nikolopoulos said. “We knew that we couldn’t let down, but the first goal just unlocked it for us.”
The Hillers settled in after the three-goal cushion, and keeper Joel Young only needed to make two saves for the clean sheet.
Nikolopoulos wanted to point out the play of Cooper Cincinnati and Jonah Bieranoski.
“Cooper was dominant in the midfield and Jonah, our center back, is just amazing,” Nikolopoulos said.
Trinity had a shot on target in the first minute of play in the opening half that was stopped by Holland for his first of seven saves. The Hillers earned a corner kick.
Uniontown’s Ty Harvey had his shot travel to the right of the cage in the 24th minute before Young made his first save with 23:30 remaining in the first half.
The Hillers’ Camden Proudfit blasted a free kick from 45 yards out that Holland punched away with 18:55 remaining in the first half.
Uniontown earned its first corner kick at 17:30 of the first half before the Red Raiders had a shot hit under the crossbar, but the ball stayed out of the net with 15:55 remaining in the half.
The home team earned their second corner kick and Josh Paris’ shot bent toward the center of the box, but it was headed wide right to keep the match scoreless.
Anderson had a shot hit just outside the cage on the left side of the pitch at 11:30 of the second half.
Uniontown’s Tommy Hriscisce sent in a free kick from 38 yards out, but a headed attempt went to the left of the goal at 9:15.
Holland made a save with 3:30 left in the opening half. The senior keeper made another shot with 90 seconds remaining.
Anderson took a corner kick in the final minute and Cincinnati had an opportunity to score, but wasn’t able to put the finishing touch on the play to keep the match scoreless at the half.
“We had to lock down on Braylon Woods because he is an amazing player,” Nikolopoulos said. “I think we did a good job of shutting him down. Uniontown has a great system and a great team, plus some players on JV coming up, so I think they are going to be someone to reckon with in the future, and I’m glad to see that.”
The WPIAL soccer steering committee will hold its pairings meeting prior to releasing the brackets to the public on Wednesday. The time is to be determined, but it is normally announced in the afternoon.
Matches in the postseason could begin as early as Thursday. The championships are set for Nov. 5-7 at F.N.B. Stadium in Pittsburgh. The home of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Riveters will also host the PIAA championships Nov. 20-21.