Chestney’s OT goal gives Tigers boys soccer crown
-
- Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski Hollidaysburg’s Jacob Sydney heads a Tyrone corner kick away from danger.
-
- 10/28/25 Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski / Tyrone’s Miles Smearman settles the ball by Hollidaysburg’s Liam Sawyer.
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski Hollidaysburg's Jacob Sydney heads a Tyrone corner kick away from danger.
PHILIPSBURG — The Hollidaysburg and Tyrone boys soccer teams had quite a wait to get on the field at Philipsburg-Osceola High School on Tuesday evening for the District 6 Class 3A championship. The game did not start until after 8:30 p.m.
And just under two hours later, it was Hollidaysburg’s Andrew Chestney that finished off the long night in Philipsburg, but a successful one for Hollidaysburg.
Chestney, a senior who had just one career goal in four years coming into Tuesday, scored on a free kick in the sixth minute of overtime to send the Tigers to the district title with a 1-0 victory over the Golden Eagles.
“It feels absolutely incredible to cap this off in my senior year,” Chestney said. “This is just something I could have never asked for.”
The win was especially satisfying for the Tigers and Hollidaysburg coach Craig Shale after falling in the district championship to Bellefonte last season.
10/28/25 Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski / Tyrone's Miles Smearman settles the ball by Hollidaysburg's Liam Sawyer.
It was also the Tigers’ third victory over Tyrone this season, all of them coming by one goal.
“This is awesome,” Shale said. “It’s well-deserved. We played some good soccer. It felt like it was just a matter of time, but it just wasn’t happening. Give Tyrone a lot of credit. They kept us at bay.
“(Chestney) has been trying to get one all season. What a great time to get it.”
Hollidaysburg improved to 17-2-1 on the season with losses to Altoona and Bellefonte.
“We’ll take it. I think we deserved it,” Shale said. “I think we played the better soccer.”
Tyrone, a young team that showed vast improvement after an 8-10-1 last season, fell just short with a roster that had just two seniors. The Golden Eagles upset Bellefonte in the semifinals in double overtime last week to get to the championship.
“I’m proud of them,” Tyrone coach Alex Bartlett said. “Losing like that stinks, but I’m proud of our performance and proud of how hard we worked this season. We’re going to be back. We’ll be back in the same game next year.”
Liam Jancula had the shutout in goal for the Tigers.
Hollidaysburg will play the District 7 runner-up between West Allegheny and Franklin Regional in the first round of the PIAA Tournament on Tuesday.
SCORE BY HALVES
Tyrone 0 0 0– 0
Hollidaysburg 0 0 1 — 1
First overtime: Chestney, (free kick), 85:42.
Records: Tyrone (13-7); Hollidaysburg (17-2-1).
