A matchup of two teams with the ability to score fast (Milton/Montoursville girls), Round 3 between two Mid-Penn foes (South/Benton girls), and a tough offense against a solid defense (South/Lewisburg boys).
That’s what the semifinals contain this week.
Montoursville and Milton will play on Monday at 8 p.m. at Loyalsock in the District 4 Class AA semifinals. The other semifinal features undefeated Central Columbia and Bloomsburg at 6 p.m. at Loyalsock.
In Class A on the girls side, South Williamsport and Benton will face off in the third matchup between the two this year on Tuesday at Loyalsock at 6 p.m. Each school won once in the regular season.
Mount Carmel and Southern Columbia will face off in the other semifinal at Danville at 8 p.m.
In the District 4 Class AA boys semifinals, Lewisburg’s outstanding defense will take on South Williamsport at Loyalsock on Tuesday at 8 p.m.
Midd-West faces Milton in the other semifinal at Central Columbia at 8 p.m.
Montoursville and Milton’s girls teams mirror each other in a lot of ways. Both have scorers up top who can strike fast, both feature talented defensive units, and both have really good goalies.
Add it all together, and it should make for a great contest with a state berth on the line.
“We’re really excited we get Milton. So it’s exciting. … I think it’ll be defense (focused) because they have some really fast girls and we got some really good players too, so it’s going to be a really close game I feel like,” Montoursville’s Lily Saul said.
Saul has 29 goals and Lydia Earnest has 14. Milton meanwhile is led by Mackenzie Lopez (20 goals), Janae Bergey (18) and Alexis Beaver (9) and Leah Walter (9).
South Williamsport knows it will be in for a tough test against Benton. South Williamsport won the second game, 3-1, as Round 3 is the rubber match between the two tough teams.
“They’re a great team and their record as the year went on kind of belies how good they are because they had some injuries,” South Williamsport coach Marc Lovecchio said. “They have some very good players and those players are back (now).”
Lewisburg’s boys team has allowed just 10 goals against all season, and South Williamsport knows its offense will have to play excellent to be able to score on the Green Dragons. South Williamsport also has played well defensively, allowing just 11 goals, but the Mounties are led up top by standout Hayden Swinehart. The senior has an area-high 30 goals and 10 assists.
Milton’s boys soccer team defeated Wellsboro, 5-1, Saturday and will look to upset Midd-West in the semifinals. The Black Panthers are playing in the semifinals for the first time in program history.
Williamsport’s girls soccer team hosts Hazleton on Tuesday in the District 2-4 Class AAAA quarterfinals at 6 p.m.
The Williamsport boys await the winner of Wilkes Barre Area and Scranton on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Balls Mills in the District 2-4 Class AAAA semifinals.
