Shady Side Academy seeks sweep in WPIAL hockey and soccer playoffs

Shady Side Academy enters the WPIAL postseason with a perfect 16-0 record in field hockey, setting up a Class 2A semifinal against Penn-Trafford on Wednesday at 6 p.m. The Lady Eagles hold a significant advantage on paper, having outscored opponents throughout the season, while Penn-Trafford arrives with a 7-5-2 record. This match serves as a gatekeeper to the final four for the undefeated squad.

In Class 3A field hockey, the semifinals are scheduled for Thursday. Pine-Richland, holding a 13-5 record, hosts Hempfield (5-10) at 7 p.m. Mt. Lebanon (10-5) receives North Allegheny (10-7-1) at 6 p.m. the same day. These contests will determine the finalists for the division's championship match.

The school also faces a test in boys soccer. Shady Side Academy, which defeated Seton LaSalle 3-0 in the first round on Monday, is set to play North Catholic in the Class 2A quarterfinals on Thursday. North Catholic holds a 16-1-2 record, while Shady Side Academy is 12-3-3. This matchup pits two teams with strong defensive records against each other in a high-stakes early elimination game.

Girls soccer brackets also feature undefeated programs. South Park (19-0) hosts Quaker Valley in the Class 2A quarterfinals on Wednesday at 7 p.m. In Class A, Sewickley Academy (16-0) faces Carlynton on Thursday. Shady Side Academy’s girls soccer team, currently 9-6, will play Bentworth (15-2) in the Class A quarterfinals. These results will decide which teams advance to the semifinals.

Hockey results from Monday night showed several decisive outcomes. Seneca Valley defeated Upper St. Clair 4-1 in Class 3A. In Class A, North Catholic won 7-1 against Shady Side Academy, while Quaker Valley beat Richland 9-3. North Hills defeated Meadville 8-2, and Wheeling Park edged Greensburg Salem 4-2. Avonworth beat Baldwin 4-3. In Division 2, Deer Lakes defeated Carrick 10-1, and Burrell won 3-2 in overtime against Neshannock. Sewickley Academy beat Central Valley 5-4 in overtime.

Volleyball and tennis competitions continue this week. In girls volleyball, Class 5A first-round matches are set for Wednesday, including Peters Township (17-1) hosting North Hills (8-11). In Class 6A, North Allegheny received a bye in the quarterfinals. Girls tennis first-round matches are scheduled for Tuesday, with Shady Side Academy (15-0) playing Manheim Township (13-2) at North Allegheny at 2 p.m. All schedules are subject to change.

The WPIAL playoffs will see fourteen soccer teams advance to the final eight stages across various classes. Field hockey semifinals in Class A are also set for Wednesday, with Ellis School (12-2-1) facing Aquinas Academy (2-9-1) at Shady Side Academy at 7:30 p.m. Winchester Thurston (6-4-3) plays Oakland Catholic (2-6-3) at Mt. Lebanon at 6 p.m.