In a dramatic WPIAL Class 2A boys soccer quarterfinal on Thursday night, the 10th‑seeded Belle Vernon Leopards pulled off a stunning upset over the No. 2 seeded Deer Lakes Lancers, winning 2‑1 after overtime.
Game‑changing moments
The Lancers, who entered the match with a 16‑1‑2 record and a first‑place finish in Section 1, opened the scoring early in the second half. Cameron Adams found the back of the net 17 minutes into the half, a goal set up by Artemey Parshyn, giving Deer Lakes a 1‑0 lead.
Deer Lakes held that advantage until the closing minutes of regulation. With just under four minutes left, Belle Vernon’s Tyler Perozzi capitalized on a cross from Gavin Metzger to level the score at 1‑1, sending the contest into overtime.
Overtime heroics
In the extra period, Belle Vernon earned a free kick when Anthony Sawa was fouled near the penalty area. Ten seconds into overtime, Chris Showman stepped up and slotted the decisive goal, sending the ball past Lancers goalkeeper Callen Sabow.
Leopard goalkeeper Morgan Bunch was a standout all night, making 11 saves to keep his team in the game.
Looking ahead
With the victory, Belle Vernon advances to the semifinals scheduled for Tuesday at 8 p.m. at Peters Township Middle School. They will face third‑seeded North Catholic, the Section 2 champion, which boasts a 17‑1‑3 record.
Deer Lakes, despite the loss, remains a top contender in the tournament and will look to regroup for the remainder of the season.
Local impact
The upset underscores the competitive nature of high‑school soccer in the region and highlights the depth of talent across Pennsylvania’s WPIAL conferences. Fans from both schools praised the sportsmanship displayed and expressed excitement for the upcoming semifinal matchup.
Original reporting: Herald-Standard – latest news for Uniontown, Pennsylvania — read the source article.
