Check out the recaps for SOL boys’ soccer teams in action Friday. CR North/CB East photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson. Check back for a gallery of photos.
SOL National Conference
BENSALEM 2, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 1 (2OT)
A tie seemed inevitable.
Until, that is, with five minutes remaining in the second overtime, an Ethan Fan throw-in resulted in a goal by Kal Ivanov and a dramatic win for the Owls in Friday’s overtime thriller.
“We have a couple of guys that can really throw the ball,” Bensalem coach Lew Mladjen said. “Their goalie had been aggressive all game. Hats off to him – he’s a very good keeper, but he came out and we had bodies in the way of where he was, and he wasn’t able to handle the ball cleanly. The ball bounced around in the box, and Kal gets his foot on it and pokes it in the goal. The boys celebrated. They were definitely happy about it. A lot of emotion came out.”
The win loomed large for the Owls, who had not been on a field since Monday.
“The weather has been so bad for everybody,” Mladjen said. “We’ve barely been able to get a practice in, let alone a game.
“We had a break from Monday until today, and I think it showed in those first 40 minutes. Two of our practices this week were indoors, but we really want to build some momentum because we know the players we have, but it’s just been difficult to find any consistency because of the weather. It’s a huge win today. We’re about to get into the second half of the season. I think it’s a wide open league this year. Hopefully, we can string some wins together after this one.”
Earlier in the contest, Andrew Rosenfeld found the back of the net on a free kick, spotting the Golden Hawks a 1-0 lead 12 minutes into the game. That lead stood until German Contreras connected on a penalty kick in the second half to knot the score.
“They really had the better of us in the first half, and the field kind of switched,” Mladjen said. “I don’t know what got into the guys at halftime, but we came out as a different team.
“Just the way the goal they scored on us was coming in the first half – I think there was one that was looming (for us). It was just a matter of when or if we would get it. My player – Jon Larvi – was having what I thought was a very good game, and he got past the defender and into the box. He just got clipped and down he went.”
Contreras converted the PK, and that tie stood until Ivanov’s game-winner late in the second overtime.
“After our PK, I don’t feel like there was a whole lot of chances,” Mladjen said. “The thing that was most dangerous was that Council Rock kept winning corner kick after corner kick. I think that was the most dangerous part of the game from my perspective in terms of what they were doing.
“That first 10 minutes of the overtime – I know they won three or four corner kicks, and we were just happy to see those first 10 minutes out. We got to that second set of 10 minutes, and it felt like we got our legs back under us.”
The Owls’ coach credited the play of his keeper, Austin Shay.
“My goalkeeper did a good job – a couple of the balls they sent in were like near-post balls that he was able to get to and get a touch on,” Mladjen said. “The defense held up. Most of them were just into the mix, and my guys were able to get to them first.
“Austin just had a strong game back there. He didn’t have to do anything real special, but he was solid, and he was there when we needed him to be there. It was just a good all-around effort in the second half to get ourselves back in the game”
For the Golden Hawks, the loss was a disappointing one.
“It was a tough loss,” coach Alan Nicholl said. “It was a physical game.
“We had a season’s worth of corner kicks and free kicks and just couldn’t capitalize.”
As a result of the win, Bensalem finds itself sharing second place in the conference standings with CR South, Pennsbury and Neshaminy. All three boast identical 3-2 records in conference play.
“I think in the end we would have been happy walking away with the result 1-1, but the boys kept playing, they kept working hard and we were able to find that one little opportunity and made it count,” Mladjen said. “I’m just happy for the guys – they can enjoy themselves and get ready for next week.”
Bensalem (4-3, 3-2 SOL) will travel to Neshaminy on Thursday, and Council Rock South (3-5, 3-2) will host William Penn Charter in a non-league game Monday.
Bensalem 0-1-0-1 2
Council Rock South 1-0-0-0 1
PENNSBURY 5, HARRY S TRUMAN 2
Welcome back, Nyles Cayemitte.
The junior standout made an immediate impact in his season debut with the Falcons, connecting for a pair of goals. Cayemitte was enrolled at Holy Ghost Prep and trained and practiced with the Firebirds, but before he ever played a game for Holy Ghost, he opted to return to Pennsbury. He was forced to sit out 21 days and will not be eligible for postseason play, but Cayemitte promises to make a difference the remainder of the regular season.
“We kind of figure when he’s in the lineup he is good to at least push us – he might not always put it in the back of the net, but he’s a goal-and-a-half average a game for us going forward,” coach Tom Stoddart said. “He’s a big difference maker.”
Cayemitte’s presence in Friday’s game was especially significant since the Falcons were without Javier Sosa (illness).
“When we get them both up and running at full speed, we should be able to push some of these games that we let slip over the edge early,” Stoddart said.
Pranav Chivukula had a hand in three goals, scoring one and assisting on two others.
“Pranav had a fantastic game, playing off (Cayemitte),” Stoddart said. “We adjusted and moved things around accordingly, and when we get Javi (Sosa) back, we’ll be able to do the same.
“It was a good game. Truman can play, and we were able though to find our space and get into a rhythm. Hopefully, we can stretch our legs out tomorrow and get it going again.”
Joe Ficarotta opened the scoring for the Falcons, and Cayemitte’s first goal sent Pennsbury into halftime with a 2-0 lead. A goal by Truman’s Raul Sanchez made it a 2-1 game, and Cayemette’s second goal gave the Falcons a 3-1 advantage. Evan Reichard scored to give the Falcons a three-goal edge before Nick Ortiz-Wells found the net for the Tigers. A Chivukula goal closed out the scoring.Pennsbury (4-3, 3-2 SOL) will travel to Downingtown West for a non-league game on Saturday, and Harry S Truman (1-4) will host Academy Park in a non-league game on Monday.
Pennsbury 2-3 5
Harry S Truman 0-2 2
Non-league
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 1, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 0 (2OT)
Zach Saifer scored on a head ball with an assist from Ed Long in the second overtime to propel the Indians to the dramatic win.
Andrew Daries – who was credited with three saves – notched his second consecutive shutout in goal for the Indians. His counterpart, East keeper Kyle Dunigan, kept the Patriots in the game with some impressive stops.
“He made at least seven spectacular saves,” Rock North coach Joe Stackhouse said.
Dunigan was kept busy in a game that saw the Indians hold a 15-5 advantage in shots. That dominance could be credited at least in part to a pair of Rock North midfielders.
“Sean Finneyfrock and Vinny Colon controlled the center of the midfield all afternoon whereby we had the better of play,” the Indians’ coach said.
Council Rock North (5-2, 4-0 SOL) will host Council Rock South on Tuesday, and Central Bucks East (1-6-1, 1-4) will host Abington in a non-league game Monday.
Central Bucks East 0-0-0-0 0
Council Rock North 0-0-0-1 1
WISSAHICKON 2, SOUTHERN LEHIGH 1 (OT)
The Trojans rebounded from their disappointing loss to Upper Dublin 24 hours earlier to defeat the Spartans, but they needed overtime to do it.
Trey Schwartz’s goal in the 84th minute was the difference in this one, propelling the Trojans to a win in their first non-league game of the season. The two teams exchanged goals in the second half with Eddie Fortescue finding the net for the Trojans in the 55th minute.
Jovanni Gonzalez and Christian Vorchheimer each contributed an assist in the win.
Wissahickon (4-1-2, 3-1-2 SOL) will travel to Upper Moreland on Tuesday.
Southern Lehigh 0-1-0 1
Wissahickon 0-1-1 2
UPPER MORELAND 3, POTTSGROVE 3 (2OT)
Things looked decidedly bleak when the visiting Falcons opened up a 2-0 lead 10 minutes into Friday’s non-league contest. That could have marked the beginning of a long day on the pitch, but not for this Golden Bear squad that has scored at least one goal in all nine of its games.
“We have a really solid offensive unit,” coach Matt Duffey said. “We move the ball well and get very good chances.”
The resilient Golden Bears fought back to knot the score 2-2 only to see the Falcons go back on top 3-2. Unfazed, the Bears rallied to knot the score on a goal by Samuel Brown – his second of the game – with two minutes remaining. Chris O’Donnell also scored for the Golden Bears, connecting on his ninth goal of the season.
“It was a very competitive game – back and forth,” Duffey said.
The Golden Bears’ coach lauded the play of Mateo Infante, Max Hernandez, Ryan Cannon and Tyler Holman.
Upper Moreland (3-3-3, 2-3-1 SOL) will host Wissahickon on Tuesday.
UPPER DUBLIN 3, SOUDERTON 1
The Flying Cardinals took a 1-0 lead into halftime, but the Indians leveled the score in the 48th minute on a goal by Robert Shea (Conor Kellough assist). The visiting Cardinals answered with goals in the 65th and 67th minutes to earn the non-league win.
Souderton goalie Mitchell Race recorded five saves in the net for the Indians.
Upper Dublin (4-4-1, 2-3-1 SOL) will host Springfield Township on Tuesday, and Souderton (0-6-1, 0-2-1) will host Quakertown on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Upper Dublin 1-2 3
Souderton 0-1 1
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