Friday, Nov. 6, 2015, 10:21 p.m.
Canon-McMillan sophomore Brandon Byers ensured WPIAL Class AAA boys soccer supremacy remained with programs south of Pittsburgh.
Byers sneaked behind No. 2 Fox Chapel’s otherwise stout defense, received a long diagonal pass from senior Luke Maher and kept his close-range but wide-angle shot simple to lead the No. 4 Big Macs to a 2-1 overtime win and their second title in school history Friday night at Highmark Stadium.
His goal completed a comeback made possible by senior Nick Sodini, who buried a tying penalty kick with less than two minutes remaining in regulation.
“I guess we hit it at the right time,” Big Macs coach Larry Fingers said. “A little spark from the PK, obviously, and then in overtime we had very good play.”
Fox Chapel aspired to end a reign of WPIAL dominance by the Big Macs, Peters Township, Upper St. Clair, Mt. Lebanon and Bethel Park that stretched to 2006. Plum, which won it all in 2005, was the last champion from a nonsouthern community.