Not much action this evening, just two interesting non-section match-ups. Laxburgh will likely be covering the North Allegheny v. Shaler game, weather pending, so keep an eye out for the recap early Wednesday. And last night had a handful of awesome action including a tough D-II team over a potentially playoff-bound D-I side.
Tonight's non-section games:
Baldwin @ Fox Chapel
Baldwin was once sitting alone atop all of Division II but now, the Highlanders have an uphill climb back into the drivers seat of the South section title race.
Through its first six games, Baldwin (4-2, 7-2) was a clear-cut early front-runner for the D-II championship having gone 6-0 and outscored its opponents 80 to 23. Since then, the Highlanders have gone 1-2 and were blown out by section opposition Greensburg Central Catholic, 14-6, and Chartiers Valley, 14-1. Now, Baldwin has a handful of non-section games to get back on track until its pivotal match-up with Quaker Valley on May 4.
The first of which being tonight's road game against an inconsistent Fox Chapel (0-4, 4-7). After two-consecutive wins in early April, including a thrilling 6-5 win over Bethel Park, the Foxes have dropped three straight and in bruising fashion. After road losses to North Allegheny in section play, 14-3, and Pittsburgh Central Catholic, 14-5; FC was trounced in an upset win by D-II side Butler, 12-1. Sure, the Foxes haven't been the most impressive team in D-I this season but don't overlook its defense. When the D holds a team to five scores or less, FC is 4-0.
Last season, FC traveled to Baldwin and lost to the Highlanders 9-5.
North Allegheny @ Shaler
The Tigers are only two section games deep into the campaign but it's hard not to imagine North Allegheny not winning the North section of Division I.
The explosive NA (2-0, 6-3) offense has yet to be held to under-ten points in a single game and on average score 14.5 goals per game. In the Tigers six wins, the NA arsenal has netted 96 scores. But the defense is still a work in progress. The Tigers are susceptible to giving up goals, having surrendered 13 or more in four separate games and only twice has the defense held its opposition to seven goals or less in a game.
Shaler (1-3, 1-7) is a completely different story. The Titans started the season 0-7 and surrendered at least ten-goals in five of those losses. Offensively, Shaler couldn't muster up more than eight in a single outing. After seven games, the Titans had been outscored 83 to 32. Then, it finally all came together last Wednesday. Shaler traveled to section rival Vincentian Academy and blew by the host, 12-2.
North Allegheny has won its last two games against Shaler by a combined scored of 30-8 including a 16-6 victory at home last season.
Monday Finals
Section
Hampton 21, Taylor Allderdice 1
Non-section
Baldwin 17, Cathedral Prep 11
Chartiers Valley 11, Pine Richland 8
North Allegheny 20, Pittsburgh Central Catholic 8
Sewickley Academy 9, Greensburgh Central Catholic 2
No comments:
Post a Comment