High school soccer highlights: Latrobe keeps good times rolling with 2-0 victory over Ringgold, for program's first playoff win

From local dispatches

It has been a magical season thus far for Latrobe boys soccer and the team isn’t ready to see it end just yet.

Sophomore Warren Agostoni scored the only goal the Wildcats needed with five minutes left in the first half, but senior Roman Agostoni chipped in some insurance anyway with his 32nd of the season soon after the intermission as No. 4 Latrobe (13-4-1) pulled out a 2-0 victory against No. 13 Ringgold (10-7-1) in the opening round of the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs.

It is the first postseason win in Wildcats history and it comes on the heels of the program’s first section title.

Other Class 3A

Chartiers Valley 4, Indiana 1: The Little Indians’ (15-3-0) only losses in the regular season came against Mars, but the No. 3 seed will not get an opportunity for a rematch in the WPIAL playoffs. Instead the 14th seeded Colts (9-8-0), behind two goals and an assist from John Krug, puled off the upset and will take on the Planets in the second round.

Franklin Regional 3, Trinity 0: Panthers (11-3-2) goalkeeper Noah Walker had to preserve the clean sheet himself on a penalty kick save with less than 10 minutes remaining in the match. Danny Christafano took care of the offense with two goals to help the No. 7 seed slip past the 10th seeded Hillers (9-5-3).

Bethel Park 3, Montour 2: There were questions whether the Black Hawks were the Section 2 champions, but they certainly played like it against a tough Spartans squad. Xavier Jackson scored his second of the match — and what turned out to be the game-winning goal — with less than seven minutes remaining to cap No. 5 Bethel Park’s comeback.

Hampton 2, West Allegheny 1 (OT): It was a minor upset in the 8-9 match, but it was an upset nonetheless. Caden Muchenski converted on a penalty kick in overtime and Gavin Guinn had eight saves as the Talbots (12-3-3) move past the Indians (10-7-0).

Moon 6, Belle Vernon 0: Steven Carvajal scored the only goal the Tigers needed as the last unbeaten team in the classification (19-0-0), knocked off the Leopards (8-10-0). Top-seeded Moon now has 13 shutouts in 19 matches and has outscored its opponents 106-8.

Thomas Jefferson 8, Armstrong 0: The Jaguars had to wait for the Clairton-Riverview football game to finsih at Thomas Jefferson’s stadium. Then it was a statement game for Thomas Jefferson (13-1-3). Seeded No. 2, the Jaguars picked up five goals in the first half and Jake Shoemaker scored twice to lead seven different goal scorers in the blowout against the River Hawks (9-8-0).

Mars 4, Penn-Trafford 1: The Planets continued their late-season surge as they eliminated the No. 11 Warriors (10-5-1) from the playoffs. Mars (13-1-4) is 9-0-3 in their last 12.

Class 1A

Bentworth 11, California 0: Try as they might, the Trojans just could not stem the tide against one of the most prolific offenses in the WPIAL. The No. 1 Bearcats took the first step in defending their title as Ryan Moessner scored five goals and Dillan Colbert a pair as the team jumped out to an 8-0 halftime lead.

Springdale 2, Sewickley Academy 1: The Dynamos weren’t exactly dynamic heading into the playoffs, losing two of their last three, but they showed a spark in their win against the Panthers. Colton Gent knocked home the game-winner in the 75th minute to move No. 6 Springdale (14-4) past No. 11 Sewickley Academy (8-9-1).

Winchester Thurston 9, Serra Catholic 0: The Eagles and Bears had great meetings in section play last year, but this won’t be remembered as a classic. The second-seeded Bears (13-2-1) got a clean sheet from Austin Lenhardt-Barley and Michael Miller hit the back of the net four times in the win against the No. 15 Eagles (6-13-0).

Beaver County Christian 2, Riverview 0: The fourth-seeded Eagles (14-3-0) didn’t have an easy time with the No. 13 Raiders (10-7-0), but all they needed was Tyler Guevara to get into the second round. Guevara scored both goals and Robert McMahon set them both up for all the offense they needed to move on.

Greensburg Central Catholic 2, Aquinas Academy 1 (OT): The Centurions struggled all season, but found their game in the biggest possible moment. Jackson Vacanti assisted on Niko Miller’s regulation goal, then hit the twine himself with the game-winner as the No. 12 seed (7-7-1) knocked off the No. 5 Crusaders (12-4-0) at Mars.

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 1, Freedom 0 (OT): The Bulldogs played an outstanding defensive match, but one play ended their upset hopes. Brady Hernandez chipped home a shot from 30 yards out for the only goal of the match to help the No. 3 Chargers (13-2-0) slip past No. 14 Freedom (7-8-1)

Eden Christian 2, Carlynton 1 (OT): Eden Christian (9-6-2) went toe-to-toe with the No. 10 seeded Cougars (12-6-0) but the No. 7 seed escaped with a first-round victory.

Trinity Christian 3, Beth-Center 0: It was a tough afternoon for the No. 8 Bulldogs (11-4-1) in the 8-9 matchup as their season ended against the Section 4 third-place finisher (11-4-1).