Check out the results for SOL boys’ soccer teams in action Friday. To view photos of the North Penn/Wood and Hatboro-Horsham/O’Hara games, please visit the Photo Gallery.
By Jarrad Saffren
Abington 2, Cheltenham 0
Abington has 15 seniors on its roster and two are starting for the first time. One is goalkeeper Sam Wells, who shut out Cheltenham to open his first season as a starter.
The Ghosts and Panthers, perhaps sluggish from the 10 a.m. start, did not score in the first half. Abington’s Jacob Kato broke through in the second on an assist from Juan Castillo. Kevin Weintraub added an insurance goal later in the half to seal the win.
Abington (1-0, 0-0 SOL) opens its league schedule against Pennsbury on Wednesday. Cheltenham (0-1, 0-0 SOL) travels to Upper Merion.
Cheltenham 0-0 0
Abington 0-2 2
Bensalem 1, Bishop Shanahan 0
In the first half, Bishop Shanahan used an extra midfielder to stifle Bensalem’s middies. Owls coach Joe Leone made an adjustment at halftime.
“I told the guys to run outside and avoid the midfield because they have numbers,” he said.
To play an extra midfielder, Bishop Shanahan used one less back. Bensalem took advantage midway through the second half. Matt Corbett booted a long pass over the defenders. Afardi Ali settled the ball near the net and blasted it past the keeper. The Owls never gave up the one-goal lead.
“We dominated the second half,” Leone said. “I don’t even know if they had a shot.”
Bishop Shanahan fired seven shots in the first half. Bensalem keeper Greg Citrino stopped them all, two from “point blank range,” said Leone.
Bensalem (1-0, 0-0 SOL) travels to Neshaminy Wednesday afternoon to open league play.
Bensalem 0-1 1
Bishop Shanahan 0-0 0
Hatboro-Horsham 1, Cardinal O’Hara 0
Three of Hatboro-Horsham’s four backs are returning starters. Goalkeeper Stephen Dooney also started four varsity games last season. Hatboro coach Kyle McGrath said they will determine whether the Hats compete for the SOL Continental title in 2015.
“If we can get consistency from our back four and keeper, we can hang with all the teams we play,” McGrath said.
So far, so good.
Dooney made five saves but wasn’t really tested.
“The only shots were from distance,” said McGrath.
Midfielder Colin Bateman scored the only goal of the game in the 40th minute. Bateman kicked a bouncing ball over the keeper’s head from 24 yards out.
Hatboro (1-0, 0-0 SOL) will look to continue riding stout defense against Council Rock South on Tuesday.
Hatboro-Horsham 1-0 1
Cardinal O’Hara 0-0 0
North Penn 3, Archbishop Wood 0
The Knights dominated from start to finish Friday morning, scoring twice in the first half and once in the second. Michael Kohler scored the first goal in the 29th minute and Owen Nakatani added the second 10 minutes later. Musa Sheriff headed the ball into the net in the 55th minute to cap the scoring. All three goals were assisted.
North Penn keeper Jordan Katz made five saves.
“All were pretty routine,” said coach Paul Duddy.
North Penn (1-0, 0-0 SOL) will try to improve to 2-0 Wednesday against Continental rival CB South.
North Penn 2-1 3
Archbishop Wood 0-0 0
West Chester East 2, Upper Merion 1
Upper Merion could not hold a 1-0 halftime lead against a bigger, more physical West Chester squad.
Vikings goalkeeper Kyle Roberts allowed two second-half goals that coach Tom Dodds said, “were not his fault.”
One came on a turnover, the other on a perfect touch to a streaking forward.
Upper Merion (0-1, 0-0 SOL) looks to rebound Wednesday in its SOL American conference opener versus Cheltenham (0-1, 0-0 SOL).
West Chester East 0-2 2
Upper Merion 1-0 1
Father Judge 4, Springfield 1
Most of Springfield’s starting defenders graduated after the 2014 season. Goalkeeper Kevin Sykes, a two-year starter, tore his meniscus before the 2015 campaign.
Those absences showed in Friday morning’s season opener. Springfield allowed three different Father Judge players to score, including Eddy Rangel, who netted two.
Zach Harley scored the only goal for Springfield on an assist from Corey Cottone.
CB West 2, Upper Dublin 0
Freshman keeper Dylan Smith beat out four other contenders for his spot. He showed why in his first start Friday afternoon. Smith stopped six shots in the shutout.
Ben Riegel and Brandon Morris each scored a goal for West. Eduardo Ordonez and Marcos Urffer assisted on both.
West (1-0, 0-0 SOL) plays three games next week, beginning with a non-conference tilt at Haverford on Tuesday. Two Continental games, versus Quakertown and Pennridge, follow on Wednesday and Saturday. Upper Dublin (0-1, 0-0 SOL) hosts Norristown on Wednesday.
Council Rock North 3, Wissahickon 0
North dominated throughout, outshooting Wissahickon 10-3. The Indians received goals from Niita Illin, Carter Steckbeck and Brett Miller.
Brad Schwartz and Zach Reiner combined for nine saves in goals for the Trojans. Billy Storm turned away four for Rock North.
North (1-0, 0-0 SOL) travels to William Tennant Wednesday afternoon to open league play. Wissahickon (0-1, 0-0 SOL) takes on Springfield.
Pennridge 4, Southern Lehigh 0
Pennridge scored 16 goals in 18 games in 2014. The Rams netted a fourth of that total in the 2015 season opener Friday afternoon.
Three of the team’s captains, Dylan Henry, Cameron Sheva, and Cayce Giblin, netted all four goals. The fourth captain, Brody Giblin, Cayce’s fraternal twin, is the keeper who kept the defending District 11 champions off the scoreboard.
The schedule only gets tougher for the Rams (1-0, 0-0 SOL) on Wednesday. Defending District 1 champ CB East travels to Pennridge.
Plymouth-Whitemarsh 1, Quakertown 0
Plymouth-Whitemarsh put 26 shots on goal, hit the post four times, and scored only once. But one goal was enough because PW only gave up one shot.
From 18 feet out, Mark Melvin kicked the ball into the upper 90 of the net.
PW (1-0, 0-0 SOL) travels to Upper Moreland Wednesday while Quakertown (0-1, 0-0) hosts CB West.
Upper Moreland 3, New Hope-Solebury 1
Upper Moreland went 0-14-3 last season. New coach Dan Mannella wants to build a program, not just a fall team, meaning he wants his players to play together all year.
They certainly did so on Friday afternoon, breaking a 1-1 halftime tie to record the program’s first win since 2013.
Jake Winter scored twice and Randy Meehl scored the third goal. Meehl also assisted on one of Winter’s goals.
“It was a great team performance for game one,” Mannella said.
Upper Moreland (1-0, 0-0 SOL) will try to make it a winning streak Wednesday against PW.
Upper Moreland 1-2 3
New Hope-Solebury 1-0 1
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