reaching the top: hampton boys soccer grabs control of section 1-3A with 4-0 win over shaler

Wyatt Bonfili, right, celebrates after scoring the second goal during Hampton's 4-0 Section 1-3A win over Shaler Tuesday night at Fridley Field. Josh Rizzo/Pittsburgh Preps and Colleges

HAMPTON TWP - Being unbeaten in Section 1-3A, but sitting in second place added some extra spice to Hampton’s match with Shaler Tuesday night. Talbots senior forward Mason Hall felt the urgency to pick up a win at Fridley Field.

“It was a lot of pressure,” Hall said. “I know we beat them the first time, but they were still sitting up top just like us. I knew it was going to be a hard game, but I had my mind straight the entire day. I think the entire team did.”

Hall scored eight minutes into the match and added another in the second half as the Talbots raced to a 4-0 win on a rainy night. The scoreline matched the one from the match between the teams on Sept. 11.

Since the first time the two teams met, the Titans (11-4, 8-3) had put pressure on Hampton’s grip on the top of the section by running off a seven-match unbeaten streak. During the run, Shaler punched its ticket to the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs for the first time in 16 years.

“I love the streak that we were on and we’re playing super well,” Titans coach Tyler Schultz said. “Hampton is gritty, resilient and fast. They worked so hard tonight and we couldn’t get anything flowing. They did a good job of locking down our main guys.”

​Hampton’s defense has tortured most of their opponents this season. The Talbots have only allowed eight goals this season and have outscored their section foes by a margin of 54-4.

Hampton coach Matt McAwley said he was happy with how his players handled the elements against Shaler.

There was a steady amount of rain from kickoff until just after the match.

“The style we play, we want to find feet and create opportunities to get the ball to our skilled players,” McAwley said. “They did an excellent job with it. Wet turf is always tough, the ball really wants to skid. It wasn’t as much about finding those through balls as it was about finding feet, being able to turn with it and creating those one-two opportunities.”

Hall put the Talbots (11-2-2, 8-0-2) ahead by heading in a cross in the eighth minute.

Wyatt Bonfili doubled Hampton’s lead in the first half by launching a shot from around five yards out that went under Shaler senior keeper Brian Hegerty’s arms. 

“We were doing a lot of crossing,” Hall said. “Our cross game is really good, especially with the guys we have on the back post to finish.”
Xavier Ware put away Hampton’s third goal off a scramble in the box. He was able to control the ball just in front of Hegerty following a head by a teammate and blast a shot from inches in front of the goal line to stretch the lead to 3-0 in the 60th minute.

“They’re fast,” Schultz said. “If they see the ball’s going to bounce past their foot, they’re going to jump on it and pounce on it. That’s how they got a lot of their finishes tonight.”

The Titans had a few free kicks and corners in the second half, but weren’t able to break through. Tazanie Hinds recorded a shot on goal in the second half.

“Shaler is a team that has been a competitive group through the entire season and it was a game we were looking forward to,” McAwley said. “We played them early on and beat them, but they were on a seven-game unbeaten streak. It was something where you want that competition late in the season.”

Josh Rizzo is the editor and publisher of Pittsburgh Preps and Colleges. Story ideas can be submitted to [email protected] or on X @J_oshRizzo.