Check out the recaps for SOL boys/girls soccer teams in action Saturday. North Penn/Wood photos provided by Keith Clemens Photography. CLICK HERE to view the boys’ soccer gallery.
Boys
Non-league
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 4, HARRY S TRUMAN 1
The Tigers opened up a 1-0 lead on a breakaway 15 minutes into Saturday morning’s non-league contest. It turned out to be their last hurrah.
AJ Peev connected on his first of two goals on the day late in the first half – this one off a corner – to knot the score by halftime.
“We dominated the game before allowing a goal on a breakaway, and we struggled to play our way back in,” South coach Joe Coscia said. “We came out really strong in the second half and didn’t allow them any legit chances in the second half and capitalized on ours.
In the second half, the Titans scored three unanswered goals to earn the important win. Peev scored his second goal, and Dom Stoughton and Jake Heilig each added a goal.
Central Bucks South (9-5-2, 5-3-2 SOL) – 23rd in the latest District One 4A power rankings – will travel to North Penn on Tuesday, and Harry S Truman (5-9-2, 0-8-2) will be on the road at Pennsbury on Tuesday.
Central Bucks South 1-3 4
Harry S Truman 1-0 1
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 2, GREAT VALLEY 1
Alan Zlotin scored midway through the second half, breaking a 1-1 tie and propelling the visiting Bucks to the hard fought win.
“We started the second half really positively – probably the first 5-10 minutes were completely down in their end,” West coach Stefan Szygiel said. “Then the next 5-10 minutes they were completely down in our end.
“We’re subbing, we’re making changes, we’re trying to make adjustments. We had to grind for 80 minutes to figure that one out today. I knew it was going to be a one-goal game. Both teams are battling for late-season anythingness. It was going to go either way.”
The Bucks’ game-winner was scored off a set piece.
“The ball was kind of bouncing around, and Blake Bensing was able to get a touch on it, and Alan Zlotin got the game-winner,” Szygiel said. “It was a balanced performance, but Blake Bensing – he’s a senior – has been part of the program for four years. He’s a guy that shows up everyday, and he bides his time.
“When his number is called, we trust that he’s ready. Honestly, today, he genuinely changed the momentum of the game, which then inspired the rest of the group. I’m glad he got an assist out of it too. Even if he didn’t get the assist, he’s the guy that changed the game for us.”
The two teams exchanged set piece goals in the opening half. Kanishk Nazareth (Zlotin assist) found the net for the Bucks.
“The first half was very, very even,” Szygiel said. “We’ve played them every year since I’ve been here (2013), and every year it’s a coin flip game with them.”
West’s Ryan Van Pelt recorded four saves in goal for the Bucks.
Central Bucks West (6-5-4, 4-4-2 SOL) will host Quakertown on Monday night in its Senior Night game at 7 p.m.
Great Valley 1-0 1
Central Bucks West 1-1 2
NORTH PENN 5, ARCHBISHOP WOOD 2
The Knights stormed out of the gate to a 4-0 lead on their way to the big win over the visiting Vikings. Mike Chaffee had a hand in all five of the Knights’ goals, assisting on three and scoring a pair.
“Chaffee was great today,” coach Paul Duddy said. “He was all over the place. He’s got a lot of God-given speed and talent, and they had trouble covering him.”
Carter Houlihan spotted the Knights a 1-0 lead just over two minutes in the game, capitalizing on a Chaffee cross. Houlihan returned the favor, setting up a Chaffee goal, and then it was Houlihan connecting on his second goal with a Chaffee assist. Another Chaffee cross set up a Josh Jones header that gave the Knights a commanding 4-0 lead. The Vikings got on the scoreboard with a goal in the final 10 minutes of the half.
The Vikings made it a 4-2 game midway through the second half, but Chaffee connected on his second goal, this one with a Ryan Stewart assist.
“Wood is a good team from the Catholic League,” Duddy said. “It’s a good solid win for us.”
North Penn (15-1, 9-1) – the top seed in the District One 4A power rankings – will host Central Bucks South on Tuesday.
Archbishop Wood 0-2 2
North Penn 4-1 5
LANSDALE CATHOLIC 1, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 0
The Golden Hawks extended the visiting Crusaders to the limit despite the fact that they were playing with only 10 men after just 12 minutes and lost another player to a red card with 10 minutes remaining in regulation.
The Crusaders capitalized, scoring the game-winner with eight minutes remaining.
“The refs had way too much to say today, and it cost us, which is a shame,” coach Alan Nicholl said. “We were the better team, even playing over an hour with 10 men.
“They scored with eight minutes left, the refs decisions eventually deciding the game. It was very, very disappointing.”
Kieran Barry and Andrew Roberto split time in goal for the Golden Hawks.
Council Rock South (5-10-1, 2-7-1 SOL) will travel to William Tennent on Tuesday.
Lansdale Catholic 0-1 1
Council Rock South 0-0 0
BOYERTOWN 1, SOUDERTON 0
The Indians battled the visiting Bears to a scoreless halftime tie, but the Bears received a goal from Jake Groff (Matt Kerr assist) and eked out a 1-0 win.
Souderton goalie Riley Finger had five saves. His counterpart, Mason Kurtz, also had five saves.
Souderton (6-8-2, 3-6-2 SOL) will travel to Archbishop Carroll for a non-league game on Monday. The Indians are 26th in the latest District One 4A power rankings with two regular season games remaining.
Boyertown 0-1 1
Souderton 0-0 0
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 1, ARCHBISHOP RYAN 0
DOWNINGTOWN WEST 3, NESHAMINY 0
Girls
PENNSBURY 4, KENNETT 0
Sparked by a pair of Evie Ciaccia goals, the Falcons rolled to a convincing non-league win.
It was Ciaccia jumpstarting the Falcons’ offense when she turned a pass from Gianna Durle into a goal in the second minute of the contest. Ciaccia found the net again in the 26th minute, this time using a Taylor Mays assist.
The Falcons took that 2-0 lead into halftime and, for good measure, added a pair in the second half. Gabby Zalot scored an unassisted goal in the 69th minute and 10 minutes later, Mays closed out the scoring with a goal that was assisted by Sarah Lohrey.
“Evie and Taylor worked really well together and finished on quality opportunities,” co-coach Kaitlyn Battiste said. “Our outside mids – Gianna Durle, Kayla Karamis, Lauren Dignan and Grace Palmieri – were really aggressive in going after their defense.
“Likewise, Rosie (Bostian) and Gabby (Zalot) distributed the ball excellently and were able to utilize the whole field.”
Pennsbury (14-1-1, 10-0 SOL) – seeded sixth in the latest District One 4A rankings – will be on the road at Harry S Truman on Tuesday.
Kennett 0-0 0
Pennsbury 2-2 4
NESHAMINY 5, ARCHBISHOP WOOD 0
The Redskins put on an offensive clinic in the opening half of Saturday’s non-league game, erupting for five goals. They won by that 5-0 score.
Gina Sexton led the offensive onslaught with a pair of goals while Emily Tantala, Mel Prinos and Shannon Charleton each added single goals.
Coach Renny Papendick credited the efforts of several players in the win.
“We got strong play from Kristen Curley and Kelli Kowalik,” the Redskins’ said. “The defense played well, led by Alex Ziegler, Jess Dierolf and Mariah McDonald.”
Neshaminy (10-5-1, 6-4-1 SOL) – 20th in the latest District One 4A power rankings – will travel to Pennsbury on Thursday to close out conference play.
Archbishop Wood 0-0 0
Neshaminy 5-0 5
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 1, VILLA MARIA ACADEMY 1 (2 OT)
The Titans and Hurricanes exchanged first-half goals. Neither team scored the rest of the way.
South’s goal was a rocket from well outside the box by center back and senior captain Lauren Ewell.
The Titans took 18 shots, several well struck with power, but Villa Maria’s goalie proved to be a formidable opponent, stonewalling the visitors at every turn.
Central Bucks South (5-8-2, 4-6 SOL) will host North Penn for Senior Recognition Night on Tuesday. The Titans are 27th in the latest District One 4A power rankings with three important games remaining.
Central Bucks South 1-0-0-0 1
Villa Maria 1-0-0-0 1
ARCHBISHOP RYAN 2, BENSALEM 0
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