Jarrad Saffren recaps all of Tuesday’s SOL boys’ soccer action. PW/Upper Dublin photos provided by Kim Supko. Check back for a gallery.
By Jarrad Saffren
Twenty Suburban One League boys’ soccer teams played league games on Tuesday. With a little over a week left in the regular season, most teams are pushing for something, a league title, a playoff spot, or both. The others are just trying to finish strong.
All 10 results and recaps are below.
SOL Continental
Central Bucks West 1, Central Bucks East 0
This was a Dylan Smith game. The CB West keeper made 10 saves and earned his sixth shutout of 2017.
“He had three huge saves. He had a lot of volume. East was dangerous going forward, especially in the last 15 minutes when we had the lead,” said CB West coach Stefan Szygiel. “It’s also my backline, the four guys played every minute. The chemistry they have with Dylan is also important to that clean sheet.”
CJ Lang and Bailey Moyer, the center backs, controlled the middle. Nick Centenera and James Lutz, the outside backs, handled the flanks. Lang is the only senior in that group. Moyer is a sophomore and Lutz is a freshman.
“It’s not an experienced backline but it’s one that has solid chemistry,” Szygiel said. “Bailey is a presence in the air and he reads the game extremely well. Him and CJ make a great center back partnership.”
Tarin Morris scored the game winner in the second half for West. Colin Burn assisted on the goal. The Bucks ended CB East’s four-game winning streak and pulled into a first-place tie with East and North Penn. All three clubs have 24 points.
West also moved up from 10th to eighth in the District One Class 4A Power Rankings. East dropped from eighth to 11th.
The Bucks (10-4, 7-3 SOL) play Pennridge on Thursday at 3:30. The Patriots (8-5, 7-3 SOL) battle William Tennent on Thursday night at seven.
Central Bucks West 0-1 1
Central Bucks East 0-0 0
Souderton 5, Pennridge 0
Five different Souderton players—Abbel Carranza, Reece Direnzi, Ethan Bell, Chris Rodas and Robert Shea—scored in the rout of rival Pennridge. They scored in the third, 15th, 59th, 75th and 79th minutes, respectively.
Carranza assisted on Bell’s goal in the 59th minute. Luke Atiyeh assisted on Rodas’s goal in the 75th minute.
“I just think the boys were amped up and ready to play today. We got confidence going after a good showing Friday at home. They know these last few games are important,” said Souderton coach Matt Benner. “It’s always nice when you score early. At halftime we said, ‘It’s a dangerous lead. If you give up one, the other team is back in it.’ We didn’t sit back. We kept attacking.”
Souderton shut out the Rams, so its defenders played just as well as its offensive players.
“We had a great day on the defensive end. Guys stepped up and won 50/50 balls. David Hafler normally plays as an attacker. We played him in the back today to cope with Pennridge’s speed. Drew Breuning and him played well on the inside,” Benner said. “Sam Beckett, Kyle Russell, Luke Atiyeh and Tommy Sonn played well on the outside.”
Souderton keeper Mitchell Race made four saves.
“He did a good job on restarts but luckily didn’t have to deal with much in the run of play,” Benner said.
Souderton (4-8-2, 3-6 SOL) hosts North Penn on Thursday night at seven. Pennridge (6-8, 2-7 SOL) plays CB West on Thursday at 3:30.
Souderton 2-3 5
Pennridge 0-0 0
Central Bucks South 2, William Tennent 1
Central Bucks South, the 44th ranked team out of 47 in District One 4A, upset the 22nd ranked Panthers. The young Titans played spoiler and earned some momentum going into the last week of the season.
“It was a very good win. We played a complete game,” said CB South coach Don Brady. “Technically, Tennent is a better team. We’re younger and learning as we go. But we put them under enough pressure to get some chances.”
Ryan Rieber and Kyle Stone scored CB South’s goals. Kyle Rychlak assisted on Rieber’s goal. South keeper Gavin Campbell made four saves.
The Titans (2-10-1, 2-7 SOL) play West Chester Rustin on Friday at four. William Tennent (7-5, 4-4 SOL) hosts CB East on Thursday night at seven.
Central Bucks South 1-1 2
William Tennent 0-1 1
SOL American
Plymouth Whitemarsh 2, Upper Dublin 0
Plymouth Whitemarsh controlled the ball against high-scoring Upper Dublin. The Colonials outshot the Flying Cardinals 12-3, and were rewarded with two goals.
Gavin Hendrick scored in the 30th minute and Max Lubas scored in the 72nd. Brandon Cohen assisted on 
Hendrick’s goal. Hendrick assisted on Lubas’s goal.
“In the last three halves against them we’ve outscored them 6-1, and they (Upper Dublin) are a very good team,” said PW coach Jeff Heaton. “Our kids have played well. The kids’ spatial awareness, positioning and communication was really, really good.”
PW goalie Blake Rosen made three saves. But he didn’t have to do too much because of his defenders and midfielders.
“Our back four really played well, Sean Cranney, Ryan Clancey, Max Lubas and Evan Elgart,” Heaton said. “Everybody played well. We ran a 3-4-3 and our center mids, Tommy Hoy, Ryan Heaton and Connor Smith, really controlled the field.”
Upper Dublin goalie Alex Goldenberg had 10 saves.
PW is now just one point behind Upper Dublin for first-place in the American. The rivals are also separated by just one spot (PW 13, Upper Dublin 12) in the 4A rankings.
PW (10-4-1, 8-3 SOL) plays Hatboro-Horsham on Thursday at 3:30. Upper Dublin (9-3-1, 8-2-1 SOL) battles Springfield Township on Thursday at 3:30.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 1-1 2
Upper Dublin 0-0 0
Upper Moreland 2, Springfield Township 2
Ryan Cannon scored twice in the first half to put Upper Moreland up 2-0 at the break. Trevor McCaffrey and Jacob Friedman scored in the second half to tie the game for Springfield. Jake Welsh and Caedmon Curry assisted on the goals.
“We were playing really well. Then we lost focus. We let a header in and let a guy in behind us,” said Upper Moreland coach Matt Duffey. “We were very unhappy that we allowed two late goals to make it a tie. But these guys have been showing a lot of improvement. We’re playing with mostly juniors and sophomores, so we’re getting there slowly.”
Upper Moreland goalkeeper Matt Sheldon stopped 15 shots.
“Matt Sheldon played really well. He’s an extremely talented goalkeeper. We let up a ton of shots and he keeps us in the game as much as he can,” Duffey said. “It wasn’t his fault that he let up the goals. Justin Mull in center midfield and Christian O’Donnell also played well for us.”
Upper Moreland (0-13-1, 0-10-1 SOL) hosts Quakertown on Thursday at 3:30. Springfield (6-5-3, 3-5-3 SOL) plays Upper Dublin on the same day and time.
Upper Moreland 2-0 2
Springfield Township 0-2 2
Quakertown 2, Cheltenham 2 (2 OT)
Quakertown led 2-1 at halftime. But Cheltenham scored in the second half to tie the game. Neither team scored again through the rest of regulation and two overtimes.
Brandon Strecker and Joel Welliver scored for Quakertown. Brendan Kishbaugh and Strecker assisted on the goals. Quakertown keeper Zach Mahler had 10 saves.
“It was another long game for us but it was good. I didn’t think we had the best first half. Cheltenham was outplaying us,” said Quakertown coach Kevin Woulfe. “We talked at halftime and played better in the second half. We just couldn’t put one through. Their goalie ate everything we tried to put through.”
Quakertown (2-10-3, 1-8-2 SOL) plays Upper Moreland on Thursday at 3:30. Cheltenham (4-7-2, 3-6-2 SOL) plays Wissahickon on the same day and time.
Quakertown 2-0-0-0 2
Cheltenham 1-1-0-0 2
Hatboro-Horsham 1, Wissahickon 1 (2 OT)
Hatboro-Horsham got a red card halfway through the second half. It was 1-1 at that point. The Hatters survived 20 more regulation minutes and two overtimes.
“Overall it was good. We wanted to take sole possession of first but once we went down a man we were happy playing them to a tie,” said Hatters’ coach Kyle McGrath. “My back four after the first five minutes did a great job.”
Nick Hatzenbeller scored Hatboro-Horsham’s goal. Colin Bateman assisted. Hatboro-Horsham keeper Zach Kim had eight saves.
The Hatters are tied in first with Upper Dublin in the American standings. Wissahickon is two points back of first. The Hatters and Trojans are both in the top 10 in the 4A rankings.
Hatboro-Horsham (11-2-2, 8-2-1 SOL) hosts PW on Thursday at 3:45. Wissahickon (9-3-2, 7-2-2 SOL) plays Cheltenham on Thursday at 3:30.
Hatboro-Horsham 1-0-0-0 1
Wissahickon 1-0-0-0 1
SOL National
Abington 2, Council Rock North 1
Abington’s Nevin Baer scored with two minutes left in regulation to lift the Ghosts to a surprising road win. Liam Friel crossed him the ball.
“Blair Barber kicked it up to Friel and then he took it up and beat his man and crossed it,” Baer said. “And I was just there for the rebound. I knew there wasn’t a lot of time left in the game, and that wrapped it up.”
The goal was a heartbreaker for Council Rock North. The Indians had been controlling the game down the stretch. CR North’s Connor O’Donnell tied the game about 15 minutes earlier, when he stopped and booted the ball past the diving keeper from 25 yards out. North just couldn’t get any more shots past Abington’s backline and keeper.
Abington keeper Nick Brownholtz made four saves. Center back Dave Miazio, in his first game back after missing four with an injury, helped stonewall North’s attack.
“He’s our captain and center back, and it was a big difference because everyone can play their natural positions,” Coach Randy Garber said. “And our outside backs helped us close down their flanks, which are very good.”
“Not too many shots, they just played a lot of long balls in,” Brownholtz said. “Dave Miazio being back helped a lot. My defense is always big. They make me look a lot better.”
Sean Touey scored Abington’s first half goal. Reese Gibbs assisted.
“Touey made the most of his opportunities,” said North coach Joe Stackhouse. “He’s a great sniper.”
Abington jumped from 17th to 15th in the power rankings after this win. North fell to 26th, and 24 teams make the 4A playoffs. But the Indians are 8-1-1 in league play, and still seven points ahead of second-place Abington and Pennsbury.
So they may win their league without making the district playoffs.
Abington (11-5, 6-4 SOL) battles Harry S. Truman on Thursday night at seven. CR North (8-6-1, 8-1-1 SOL) plays Neshaminy on the same night and time.
Abington 1-1 2
Council Rock North 0-1 1
Pennsbury 3, Neshaminy 1
Pennsbury scored a goal in the first half and two more in the second half to roll past Neshaminy on Tuesday.
Arlyn Buondonno scored Pennsbury’s first goal on an assist from Randy Dickersbach. Niles Cayemitte scored the second one on an assist from Javier Sosa. Obi Onouha netted the third on a penalty kick.
Pennsbury keeper Nate Slotnick made four saves.
“We scored really well. It’s a tough team to play on the road. It was a good test for us to keep us alive in the playoff hunt,” said Pennsbury coach Tom Stoddart. “Joe Ficcarotti was a difference maker. He came off the bench to replace Randy (Dickersbach) and he was fantastic. We wanted to conserve Randy for some bigger games later in the week.”
Pennsbury is 18th in the 4A rankings. The Falcons (9-4-1, 6-3 SOL) host Council Rock South on Thursday at 3:30. Neshaminy (5-9-1, 3-6 SOL) welcomes CR North on Thursday night at seven.
Pennsbury 1-2 3
Neshaminy 0-1 1
Bensalem 1, Harry S. Truman 0
Alfardy Ali scored an unassisted goal in the 75th minute to give Bensalem the win. The Owls are still 37th in the power rankings.
Bensalem (6-7, 4-6 SOL) plays Upper Dublin on Friday at 3:30. Harry S. Truman (4-10, 0-9 SOL) hosts Abington on Thursday night at seven.
Bensalem 0-1 1
Harry S. Truman 0-0 0
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