Two Second Half Goals Push Tigers Past Gators in Playoff Opener
by: Bob Orkwis
The First Round of the 4A Boys WPIAL Playoffs got underway at Newman Stadium as #12 Gateway visited Wexford to take on #5 North Allegheny.
The visiting Gators wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, as Konrad Wierzchowski took a through ball down the left side and slotted a shot just inside the far post in the 3rd minute for a 1-0 lead.
North Allegheny had a chance to equalize right after the goal, but a shot from distance missed the near post. A free kick opportunity and a goal mouth scramble saw Gateway clear a ball off the line in the 6th minute of play to maintain the one goal lead.
That lead would last until the 47th minute, when North Allegheny sent service from the far flag on a corner kick that deflected off the shoulder of a Gators defender and into the net to even the score at 1-1.
Gateway thought they regained the lead in the 67th minute. The Gators played a ball from left to right that Wierzchowski crossed into the box. The ball glanced off a retreating Tiger and spun into the net for an apparent own goal, and a 2-1 lead for the visitors, but the goal was waved off as the play was judged to be offside.
That gave the Tigers the chance they needed, and North Allegheny capitalized on a free kick three minutes later.
A Gateway foul resulted in a free kick 21-yards from goal just outside the left corner of the box. Connor Heliger took the direct kick and feathered a right footed half volley into the top of the net for the eventual game winning goal in a 2-1 Tigers victory.
Sophomore Jacob Elias started in goal for the Tigers, and he was relieved late in the second half by freshman Aidan Scotti, as the two underclassmen shared the win for North Allegheny (10-3-3).
Senior Connor Heliger’s deft right footed free kick second half game winner, his 3rd goal of the season, was enough to earn the captain the Wright Automotive Player of the Game honors.
North Allegheny heads back to the quarterfinals, where they will take on Mt. Lebanon. The fourth seeded Blue Devils defeated North Hills 3-0 to advance and will face the Tigers on Thursday at a time to be determined.
Boys Soccer Summary vs. Gateway, 10-26-26
| SCORE BY HALVES | 1st | 2nd | FINAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gateway | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| North Allegheny | 0 | 2 | 2 |
