Graham scores twice in victory vs. Peters

Wednesday, November 12, 2003

From local dispatches

Butler is returning to the PIAA girls' Class AAA soccer championship game after defeating Peters Township last night in a semifinal, 2-0, at Shaler High School.

Butler (21-2-2) scored twice in the second half, getting both goals from Ashton Graham, a senior defender. Graham's first goal occurred on a rebound after a free kick taken by Jen Kienzle hit the post with 14:09 left in the game. Annie Lowry assisted on the second goal which occurred less than two minutes after the initial score.

The Golden Tornado are in the PIAA final for the second time in three years. Butler lost to Downingtown in 2001. Butler will play for the PIAA championship Saturday afternoon at Hersheypark Stadium against Owen J. Roberts, a 2-1 semifinal winner against Downingtown last night.

"Peters made some dangerous runs in the first half," Butler coach Marlene Peoples said. "In the second half, we wanted to be patient and make better touches. Ashton takes those little runs. We like our defenders to get offensive at times. Scoring the first goal really helped us. We took advantage after that for the second goal."

No WPIAL team has won the PIAA Class AAA championship since the Norwin girls in 1996.

Class AA

Sewickley Academy (22-1-3) edged Fairview (21-4-1) in the Class AA semifinals for the second consecutive season, winning 1-0 in overtime at Karns City.

Brittany Urick scored three minutes into the first overtime period on an assist from Sarah Sutherland. Sewickley Academy, the WPIAL champion, has recorded five shutouts in six postseason games.

"The first half belonged to us. The second half belonged to them and the overtime belonged to us," Sewickley Academy coach Ed Walters said. "They only [graduated] two people [from last season] so I thought they'd play the same way."

Sewickley Academy will meet three-time reigning champion Villa Joseph Marie in the PIAA title game at Hersheypark Stadium Friday afternoon. Sewickley Academy lost to Villa Joseph Marie for the PIAA championship last season, 1-0.

"We played with them last year and we should this year," Walters said. "We feel more experienced this year. Everyone steps into roles. We're a solid team this year."

WPIAL teams are 0-7 in PIAA Class AA finals since the state playoffs started in this classification in 1996.

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