Jarrad Saffren recaps Tuesday’s SOL boys soccer action. UM/Quakertown photos provided courtesy of Kathy Leister Photography. Check back for game action photos as well as Keith Clemens’ photos of the Souderton/North Penn game…CLICK HERE.
By Jarrad Saffren
We are three weeks into the 2016 Suburban One League boys soccer season. That means we can start analyzing what results mean.
Here’s the most conspicuous trend so far: All three SOL conferences are top heavy.
In the SOL National, Council Rock North (5-0) and Pennsbury (3-0) are a combined 8-0 in conference play. The Indians and Falcons play each other Thursday afternoon.
In the Continental, Central Bucks East (4-0) and North Penn (3-1) are a combined 7-1. CB East beat North Penn.
And in the American, Upper Dublin (5-0) and Hatboro-Horsham (4-0-1) are a combined 9-0-1. The Flying Cardinals and Hatters clash Thursday afternoon at Upper Dublin.
Thursday, with two first place showdowns, is clearly a big day. Come back then. Stay now, too.
Tuesday, at the very least, set up Thursday.
SOL National
Council Rock North 3, Neshaminy 1
Council Rock North beat Neshaminy for the first time since 2011.
“It was on the road, which makes it that much better,” coach Joe Stackhouse said. “Their field is a tough place to play. They know every inch of that turf. It’s 10 yards shorter and 15 yards less in width than our field. That hurts a team like ours. We are good at playing out on the flanks.”
Neshaminy scored first in the 12th minute. Vince Hosephros booted the ball past the keeper from 25 yards out.
“To be honest, I was quite impressed with our kids,” Stackhouse said. “They showed no emotion and went right back to work. We had some chances we didn’t finish in the early going and it didn’t phase them. They just picked up the pace.”
CR North’s Nick Guarna scored in the 19th minute to tie the game at one. Nikita Ihlin netted the winning goal in the 62nd minute. Ihlin had not previously scored in 2016. Ryan Pave got the assist.
Ihlin scored again in the 78th minute. Grant Bonas assisted on Ihlin’s second goal. Ihlin assisted on Guarna’s goal.
Ihlin’s goals came after a head-on collision with Neshaminy’s Dylan McDonald.
“Nikita had a mouse under his left eye – he looked like he was in the Rocky movie. They probably should have cut it and let the blood out. He’s going to have a (heck) of a shiner tomorrow. His dad was a boxer in the Ukraine. I said, ‘You should ask your dad what you should do.’ (Nikita) said – he would say, ‘Cut it open and go play,’” Stackhouse said, laughing. “He said he had blurred vision at the end. But their trainer fixed him up, to his credit, and the official said he could play.”
The Indians outshot the Redskins 11-6. North goalie Anthony Caruso made four saves. Backup Jake Zlotshewer also stopped a shot.
Neshaminy keeper Val Scarsellatto made three saves.
The Indians sit in first place at 5-0 in conference play. The Redskins remain in third behind the two undefeated teams, North and Pennsbury.
“We are in a good spot. One of the things that’s helping us is the fact that we’re deeper than everybody else in the league,” Stackhouse said. “When I have to go to the bench, there’s not a big drop off in the talent level.”
CR North (5-0-1, 5-0 SOL) plays Archbishop Wood Wednesday at 3:45. Stackhouse will start 10 bench players.
“We have to focus on the Thursday game with Pennsbury,” Stackhouse said. “Not to diminish Wood. But we have to focus on winning the conference.”
Neshaminy (4-3, 2-2 SOL) plays at Harry S. Truman Thursday at 3:30.
Council Rock North 1-2 3
Neshaminy 1-0 1
Pennsbury 3, Council Rock South 1
Just like in the North-Neshaminy game, the losing team struck first in this one.
Council Rock South’s Michael Dawicki booted a long goal in the 20th minute.
But Pennsbury answered quickly. Javier Sosa rocketed home a direct free kick in the 24th minute.
The Falcons and Golden Hawks did not score for the next 48 minutes. In the 72nd minute, Sosa lined up for a corner kick. He floated the ball to Zach LoBasso in the box. LoBasso slammed it past the keeper.
LoBasso blazed a penalty kick into the net three minutes later.
Pennsbury remains undefeated in conference play at 3-0. The Falcons are only in second because they have played two less games than CR North.
Pennsbury (7-0, 3-0 SOL) takes on CR North Thursday. CR South (4-4, 1-3 SOL) hosts Bensalem on the same day.
Pennsbury 1-2 3
Council Rock South 1-0 1
SOL Continental
Central Bucks East 1, William Tennent 0
Central Bucks East and William Tennent were tied at nil with less than two minutes left.
CB East possessed the ball in William Tennent’s zone. The Patriots ripped shot after shot on goal. The Panthers tried to clear. Thomas Ogonowski blocked the clearing attempt. Ogonowski fired a shot. A Panthers defender deflected it back to him. Ogonowski fired again. The defender bodied it back out to him.
The third time is the charm, goes the cliche. And it was for Ogonowski. He toed the ball past the keeper with 1:30 left.
Ogonowski’s goal decided the game. But CB East’s defense made it possible. Keeper Karl Vandlow made six saves.
“He came off his line quite well,” CB East coach Jeremiah White said. “His clears were really good. He also commanded his back line quite well.”
No shutout happens because of a keeper alone.
“The back line was very solid,” White said.
One defender—Kyle Kittleson—stood out.
“He was our best defender tonight,” White said. “He won every head ball. He’s been excellent.”
Kittleson did not play soccer in 2015. He played for CB East’s football team.
“I don’t know why he came back,” White said. “That’s a good question. But I’m glad he did.”
Another Patriots defender—Stephen Sheehan—did play soccer last year. And Sheehan, like usual, played well Tuesday.
“He had a good game,” White said.
CB East stayed undefeated in conference play at 3-0-1. The Patriots are in first place in the Continental.
“We’re just taking things one game at a time,” White said. “East was far and away the best team last year. It’s much closer this year.”
CB East (4-1-2, 3-0-1 SOL) takes on Abington in a non-conference game Thursday. William Tennent (2-2, 1-2 SOL) plays Pennridge on the same day.
Central Bucks East 0-1 1
William Tennent 0-0 0
North Penn 6, Souderton 0
Six North Penn players scored in this blowout win.
Nate Baxter had a goal and two assists. Matt Farrell, Aidan Jerome, Mike Kohler, Jack Johnston and Luke McMahon also scored.
The Knights won their second straight conference game and held onto second place behind CB East. Souderton saw its three-game winning streak snapped.
North Penn (5-1, 3-1 SOL) hosts Central Bucks South Thursday night at 7. Souderton (3-3, 1-3 SOL) goes to Central Bucks West Thursday for a 7 p.m. start.
North Penn 3-3 6
Souderton 0-0 0
Central Bucks West 4, Pennridge 2
Three Central Bucks West players got on the score sheet twice.
Sean Burke (Not the former NHL journeyman goalie) netted two goals for the Bucks. Marcos Urffer assisted on both goals. Reed Sturza had a goal and an assist.
“It was good to see Burke get on the score sheet,” CB West coach Stefan Szygiel said. “He’s a senior, he’s working hard, and that boosts his confidence.”
“Urffer is a tall guy who gets in on a lot of balls,” Szygiel said. “He’s always at the center of what we do.”
Sturza has been starting at outside back. He did again Tuesday. But Szygiel also used him in the attacking third.
“He’s a creative player,” the Bucks’ coach said. “He can be very dangerous when he gets on the ball.”
CB West lost two straight conference games last week. Szygiel responded by switching his lineup around.
He moved sophomore Carson Snyder to center midfield.
“Ever since the Archbishop Ryan game, he’s proven he needs to be on the field,” Szygiel said. “And he’s played every minute the last four games.”
Szygiel moved senior Nick Doyle from center to outside midfield.
“He created opportunities, defended well and pressed well,” Szygiel said. “We are young this year. I have hungry players. If I say, ‘I need you to go play a shift at left back,’ they need to be ready. Five or six guys will want that spot. We are getting closer to figuring out where guys belong after today.”
Dylan Smith made four saves for the Bucks. But Szygiel was not entirely pleased with his back line.
“The defensive effort on both sides was questionable,” Szygiel said. “Anytime you see 4-2 that means there were defensive breakdowns for both teams.”
Adam Rapsinski and Marco Grenda scored for Pennridge. Matt Stevenson assisted on Grenda’s goal. Stevenson dribbled down the right side and passed the ball across the field into a crowd. The ball bounced around in the box. Grenda finished it.
CB West moved up to fourth place behind CB East, North Penn and Central Bucks South.
The Bucks (3-2-1, 2-2-1 SOL) play Souderton Thursday night at 7. Pennridge (2-3-1, 0-3-1 SOL) battles William Tennent Thursday at 3:30.
Central Bucks West 1-3 4
Pennridge 1-1 2
SOL American
Upper Dublin 7, Springfield 0
Upper Dublin is doing everything really, really well right now.
“There’s not a lot that changes from game to game. We’re playing solid,” Upper Dublin coach Derek Preist said. “The great thing is we go deep into our bench and it doesn’t make a difference to how we’re playing.”
Six Flying Cardinals players—Anthony Wisdo, Jake Chinn, Jerry Bardol, Dan Mess, Ryan Huggins and Colin Asper—scored on Tuesday. Chinn buried two goals, both off corner kicks.
Huggins used to play outside forward. Preist moved him to outside back last game.
“He gives us a different dimension there,” the Flying Cardinals’ coach said. “Every chance he gets he’s going forward, and one of our middies covers for him. He said a few practices ago, ‘You know I enjoy playing defense, coach.’ He has taken to it right away. He’s done really well.”
Upper Dublin has outscored its last two opponents 13-2.
“One of the best things about this year is we are spreading it around,” Preist said. “We seem to have our shooting boots on at the moment. Today’s game we controlled possession pretty well. The last game, the Father Judge game (6-2 win), was closer than the score might suggest. It seemed like everything we shot went in.”
Wisdo has scored in all seven games. Upper Dublin’s defense was just as good as its offense Tuesday, and has been just as good all season.
Chinn, Huggins, Graham Tomko and Garrett Breslin “have been very solid this year,” Preist said. “They’ve been very secure. That was one of the things I was worried about, our back line, since three starters from last year graduated.”
UD keeper Jason Stone stoned three shots and earned his fourth shutout of 2016.
“He’s playing really well,” Preist said. “He played great against Father Judge.”
Upper Dublin (7-0, 5-0 SOL) hosts Hatboro-Horsham Thursday in a battle for first place. Springfield (2-4, 2-2 SOL) buses to Quakertown Wednesday for a 6:30 p.m. start.
Upper Dublin 4-3 7
Springfield 0-0 0
Hatboro-Horsham 3, Plymouth Whitemarsh 2 (OT)
Hatboro-Horsham won its second straight SOL American game against a conference power. The Hatters beat Wissahickon last Thursday.
They are 4-0-1 in conference play and a half game behind Upper Dublin in the American standings.
Plymouth Whitemarsh took a 1-0 lead early in the first half.
“Our guys bounced back quickly,” Hatboro-Horsham coach Kyle McGrath said.
Colin Bateman penalty kicked the ball past the keeper.
The Colonials took a 2-1 lead in the 66th minute. The Hatters answered quickly again. In the 72nd minute, Nick Hatzenbeller snuck the ball through Colonials defenders onto the foot of Joe LaRouche.
LaRouche settled the bouncing ball and beamed it inside the far post.
Neither team scored in the first overtime. With five minutes left in the second overtime, Hatzenbeller picked up a loose ball, dribbled forward and tapped it to LaRouche.
The ball bounced and LaRouche half volleyed from the 18. The ball struck the underside of the crossbar and went in.
“That was a great finish by Joe,” McGrath said.
Hatzenbeller had two assists. His speciality is that through ball touch pass.
“He’s really good at slipping it through,” McGrath said. “That slips our forwards free.”
Hatzenbeller was sick for a few days in early September. He missed Hatboro-Horsham’s Sept. 9 game against Upper Moreland.
“He worked his way back into the lineup and has been attacking in the midfield ever since,” McGrath said.
Hatzenbeller is yet another offensive threat on a team filled with them.
“That’s kind of a change for us from the last few years. We struggled to score, maybe because it was the Continental league. But we had one or two guys that could score,” McGrath said. “Now we have Colin and Danny (Bateman) and Nick and Joe. And even Danny Harmon. You can’t key on one or two guys. It makes us harder to defend.”
Hatboro-Horsham (6-1-1, 4-0-1 SOL) plays Upper Dublin Thursday at 3:30. Plymouth Whitemarsh (2-5, 2-3 SOL) battles Cheltenham on the same day and time.
Hatboro-Horsham 1-1-0-1 3
Plymouth Whitemarsh 1-1-0-0 2
Upper Moreland 2, Quakertown 0
Upper Moreland won its first conference game of 2016.
“It was a mess. It was a very poor showing,” Quakertown coach Kevin Woulfe said. “Upper Moreland’s field is grass and we are used to turf at most places. That took a little of getting used to. An hour-long bus ride doesn’t help either. But we have to be ready to play. We had good opportunities early. We hit the crossbar once and missed a PK. Then we got flustered and couldn’t string passes together.”
The Golden Bears scored once in the first half and once in the second. Quakertown keeper Stephen Hippauf made six saves. Upper Moreland earned nine corner kicks.
“They got us,” Woulfe said. “Their field is wide but short. On the first goal, the keeper punted over the top of us and their guy went down and finished.”
Upper Moreland (3-3-1, 1-3-1 SOL) takes on Wissahickon Thursday at 7. Quakertown (2-4, 1-4 SOL) hosts Springfield Wednesday at 6:30.
Upper Moreland 1-1 2
Quakertown 0-0 0
Wissahickon 5, Cheltenham 0
Wissahickon dominated this one in every facet, especially after halftime. The Trojans scored four goals in the last 40 minutes.
Four Trojans players scored. Three got assists. Wissahickon outshot Cheltenham 14-6.
Vick Kumar had two goals. Jacob Cohen, Tom McHale and Justin Joo scored also. McHale had two assists. David Goldstein and Eddie Fortescue had one.
Wissahickon keeper Jun Yuh made two saves. Cheltenham keeper Justin Grady stopped seven shots.
Wissahickon (3-3-1, 2-3 SOL) plays Upper Moreland Thursday at 7. Cheltenham (1-4, 1-3 SOL) welcomes Plymouth Whitemarsh Thursday at 3:30.
Wissahickon 1-4 5
Cheltenham 0-0 0
Tune in to 610 WIP this Friday Sept 23 from 5:30-6PM. CB West Boys Soccer Coach Stefan Szygiel will be on air to discuss the topic "Where has the 3 sport athlete gone?"
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