They won respective District 6 titles, but State College and St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy’s stay in the PIAA boys soccer playoffs was limited to one game.
Both the Little Lions and the WolfPack lost in the first round of the state playoffs last Tuesday.
State College lost to District 7 runner-up Peters Township, 3-1, at Memorial Field in a Class 4A opener. St. Joseph’s fell to District 10 champion Mercer, 4-0, at Slippery Rock High School in the program’s first experience in the Class A playoffs.
State College forward Davis Pagett scored the only goal between the two local teams, tying Peters Township with a goal with 21 minutes left in the game. The Indians scored twice in the final 10 minutes of the game.
Peters Township advanced to Tuesday’s semifinals with a 2-0 win over District 3 champion and Mid-Penn Conference foe Central Dauphin. The Indians were to play Seneca Valley at North Allegheny in the semifinals in a rematch of the District 7 championship.
The Little Lions advanced to the state playoffs by claiming their eighth District 6 title under head coach Danny Orton with a 7-1 rout of Altoona at Bald Eagle Area.
They followed that up with a 4-2 win over McDowell in the District 6-10 subregional at Hollidaysburg’s Tiger Stadium. State College finished the season with a 10-5-1 record.
Pagett will continue his soccer career at Messiah University, while teammate Graham Thurley will play at Montclair State University.
Mercer’s Garrett Thumm scored three goals against the WolfPack. Mercer held a 1-0 lead going into the final 15 minutes of the game before the Mustangs scored the final three goals. Max Graul scored the final goal with 6.6 seconds remaining.
Mercer goalkeeper T.J. Ferrans got the shutout win. Mercer outshot St. Joseph’s, 21-8.
Mercer’s season ended with a 6-0 loss to Winchester Thurston on Saturday at Neshannock High School.
The WolfPack reached the state playoffs by cruising to a 3-0 win over West Shamokin in the Class A championship at Altoona’s Mansion Park for the program’s first district title.
St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy finished with a 9-11 record.
