JOHNSTOWN — Coach Sam Tojaga was cautious about the Cathedral Prep boys soccer team’s goal total following Saturday’s PIAA Class 2A quarterfinal against Trinity.

The Ramblers, thanks to a 4-0 second half, rallied to a 5-2 victory over the District 3 Shamocks. Last season’s Class 3A state champions advanced to the semifinals in their current class with a score of 17-6.

Tojaga, however, was less aware of Prep’s scoring distribution. Mike McDonald, Esteban Millet, James DiSanza, Brandon Lin and Carter Budacki each recorded shots that eluded Trinity goalie Kieran Finegan.

Even better for Tojaga was the status of some members of this quintet.

Millet is a freshman born in Mexico. Budacki is also a freshman, as well as a defender like DiSanza.

“I just finished telling the boys in my 20 seasons (at Prep), that this might be the ultimate team I’ve ever coached,” Tojaga said. “There’s a variety of guys that step up every day. And especially (Saturday), when we were down at halftime, even though we felt like we played really well.”

Down but not out

Trinity (13-8-2) led Prep at halftime thanks to an offensive microburst. The Shamrocks’ Brendan Palmer and Paul Gunther converted shots past Prep goalie AJ ​​Sirianni in 1 minute, 50 seconds.

They overturned McDonald’s initial goal for the Ramblers, who were down but not panicked at intermission according to Tojaga.

“We told the guys, ‘Yeah, it’s a bit unfair, but we have 40 minutes left to show what kind of team we are,'” he said.

That’s what the Ramblers did. They tied the game on Millet’s 20-yarder, then took a permanent lead with 22:18 to play when DiSanza pounced and converted a header on a corner kick.

“Everybody engages when Max (Johnson) gets a good ball on net like that,” DiSanza said. “I was the one on the other end of the line (Saturday).”

Lin and Budacki followed through on their assurance goals for Prep, which aims to become the first District 10 boys soccer program to receive PIAA championship trophies in back-to-back seasons.

Not so lucky

Excitement for a potential District 10 state semifinal between Prep and Fairview died down Saturday.

Minutes before Saturday’s opening whistle, word spread among the Ramblers and their fans that the Tigers, who beat Prep in the 2A district final, lost to District 7 Avonworth 5- 4 on penalties in Franklin. The teams were tied after regulation and two overtime periods.

Fairview finished 20-3.

Avonworth is 19-3-2 entering Tuesday’s game against the Ramblers. The Antelopes, whose campus is located west of Interstate 279, are the No. 2 seed in the WPIAL.

Mercyhurst Prep’s boys were also out after Saturday’s results. Bentworth defeated the Lakers 1-0 in the PIAA Class 1A quarterfinals at Forker Field in Grove City.

Mercyhurst, the district’s top-ranked small school, went 16-7 this fall.

More: Northwest Pennsylvania high school fall sports scores, schedules and rankings: November 4-9

Ramblers record sweep

While a state semifinal game between the Prep and Fairview boys is no longer possible, a dual state semifinal game involving the Ramblers boys and girls is now in play.

The Prep girls won their PIAA 2A quarterfinal with Saturday’s 2-1 win over Southmoreland in Franklin. Gannon University freshman Olivia Dixon scored the game-clinching goal with 4:15 remaining.

Having Dixon on the field was a major asset, according to coach Peter Wagner.

“We have a lot of young people on this team,” he said. “There was definitely a little nervous energy (Saturday), but our seniors kind of mitigated that and helped us get the win.”

The Ramblers (19-2-1) will face the Quaker Valley Quakers (19-2-2) wherever their state semifinal is held.

Quaker Valley, located in Leetsdale, defeated the Trinity girls team 3-0 in the second of three PIAA games Saturday at Price Field.

Contact Mike Copper at [email protected]. Follow him on X @ETNcopper.

This article was originally published on Erie Times-News: Cathedral Prep boys and girls soccer teams earn PIAA semifinal berths