Laurel Highlands High School’s boys soccer team delivered a clutch performance on Tuesday night at Mustang Field, defeating Uniontown 2‑0 in Section 2‑3A play. The win preserved the Mustangs’ hope of reaching the WPIAL Class 3A district playoffs.
Early Goal Sets the Tone
Mike Aubele opened the scoring just under four minutes in, capitalizing on a long through ball from Elliot Boor. Aubele’s low‑driven shot from 22 yards slipped past Uniontown keeper Noah Holland and into the right‑hand corner, giving the Mustangs a 1‑0 lead.
Second Half Seals the Result
Roman George added an insurance goal with ten minutes remaining. After a free kick by Uniontown’s Braylon Woods, George broke on a counter‑attack and slotted the ball just inside the left post, extending the lead to 2‑0.
Defensive Discipline Pays Off
Laurel Highlands goalkeeper Dan O’Neal made several key saves, including a fingertip parry of a Woods free‑kick in the second half. The defense limited Uniontown’s shots on target to eight, and senior keeper Holland was unable to find the back of the net despite multiple attempts.
Coach Guie’s Adjustments Show Results
Head coach Alexander Guie praised his squad for correcting the mistakes of their September 15 loss, when Uniontown’s Woods scored four goals in a 5‑2 defeat. “We needed to play physical, win the 50/50s and get the effort from our defense and midfield,” Guie said. “When we do that, good things come offensively for us.”
Standings Implications
With the victory, the Mustangs improve to 2‑5‑1 in the section and 4‑7‑1 overall. Uniontown falls to 3‑4‑0 in the section and 6‑5‑0 overall, but still holds the final playoff spot with nine points. The top three teams—Ringgold (5‑0‑4, 19 points), Thomas Jefferson (4‑2‑1, 13 points) and Trinity (5‑0‑2, 17 points)—remain ahead.
What’s Next?
Laurel Highlands has two remaining section matches against the Jaguars and Albert Gallatin. A win in either game could be the difference in a tight race for the district playoffs, especially if results from the first half of the season carry over.
“We hope to be peaking at the right time,” Guie added. “If we qualify, we’ll be ready to compete with the top teams in the first round.”
Original reporting: Herald-Standard – latest news for Uniontown, Pennsylvania — read the source article.
