Check out the recaps for SOL boys/girls soccer teams in action Friday. CR North/Bensalem photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson. Check back for a gallery of photos.
SOL Patriot
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 4, BENSALEM 1
The Indians – back in action after play was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic – had to overcome their share of obstacles. For starters, they were minus all three of their goalkeepers for Friday’s game, so Chase Robinson – a field player for the 
Indians – stepped into goal.
“He played goalie in seventh and eighth grade, and he played goalie for his club team,” Rock North coach Joe Stackhouse said. “For us, he’s listed as forward and comes in off the bench.
“He grabbed a pair of goalie gloves, and we gave him one of the other kid’s jersey. He played very, very, very well for us.”
Robinson was credited with six saves in the win.
There was also the not-so-little matter that the Indians were not permitted to train while they were shut down.
“We came back Wednesday with one day of training and played Thursday back to back,” Stackhouse said. “I used every kid I had in uniform, and we did yesterday against Pennsbury.
“They really gathered themselves together. I said, ‘Listen, this is the way it’s going to be for the next five days. You’re going to all have to hang together.’”
All five of the game’s goals were scored in the second half, although the Indians had a goal waved off late in the first half for an offsides call.
The Indians scored a pair of goals in the opening five minutes of the second half. Luke Walstrum, a standout lacrosse player who is committed to Penn State, scored both goals.
“Both of them were scrambles, and he buried them,” Stackhouse said.
The Owls got on the scoreboard to make it a 2-1 game, but Jeremy Kamp got that goal back, connecting from 35 yards out on 
a direct kick. Shane Bradley closed out the scoring with a goal in the game’s closing seconds.
“He took it down the right side and fired it into the left-hand side of the net – there couldn’t have been 15 seconds left in the game when he did it,” Stackhouse said. “Our kids were hungry.
“The score was not indicative of the game because Bensalem played a good game. They played yesterday and we played yesterday, and you could tell by looking at both squads.
Stackhouse had props for several of his players in the win – Nick Cirincione (center midfield), Ryan Muroff (defender) and Nick Wise (forward/midfielder).
The Indians’ coach also had high praise for Bensalem’s Kyle Maloney, Brian Gibson and Hunter Shay.
“Those kids are all very good players in my opinion,” Stackhouse said. “Their goalkeeper was their backup, Harsh Shah, and he played fairly well. We had more opportunities than they did.”
Shah was credited with eight saves.
Council Rock North (2-5, 2-3 SOL) is two games into a stretch of five games in seven days to close out division play. On Monday, the Indians will host Neshaminy, on Tuesday, Council Rock South and on Wednesday, the Indians will host Bensalem in a rematch.
“What else is the answer if we have to be done by a certain date,” Stackhouse said. “It is what it is. We just want to get back to Tuesday night and play (Council Rock) South again because that’s the big one when we play for the cup.”
Bensalem (2-5) is in a similar situation and is staring at a stretch of three straight games to open next week with all three games on the road at Lower Moreland Monday, Upper Moreland Tuesday and Council Rock North Wednesday.
Council Rock North 0-4 4
Bensalem 0-1 1
SOL Liberty
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 1, WISSAHICKON 0
The Colonials bounced back from a 2-1 loss to Wissahickon one day earlier and avenged that loss with a shutout win.
Sophomore Mason Clatterbuck scored the game’s only goal midway through the second half.
“Mason Clatterbuck scored a very nice unassisted goal, beating two defenders down the center of the pitch and placing a lovely finish to the left of the goalkeeper,” PW coach Richard Kessler said.
Sophomore Dan Small recorded the clean sheet in goal for PW.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (3-6 SOL) will travel to Abington on Wednesday for a 4 p.m. contest. Wissahickon (4-5-2, 4-5-1) will be on the road at Abington Monday for a 7 p.m. contest.
Wissahickon 0-0 0
Plymouth Whitemarsh 0-1 1
Non-league
LOWER MORELAND 2, ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH 0
The Lions scored a goal in each half on their way to the non-league win.
“We pretty much controlled the ball – ANC had a few chances,” LM coach Rob Dominick said. “The goals were kind of bang-bang.”
The first of the Lions’ two goals came midway through the first half when Gabe Krutsinger scored with an assist from senior Abeli Koguashvili.
“We were trying to get a lot of people playing time, and everybody on our bench got playing time,” Dominick said. “We put Abeli in for our other senior midfielder, and he stole the ball like he was shot out of a cannon, put it ahead to Gabe, who playing striker, and he put it in. It was really a very quick goal.”
Matt Ernst scored on a rebound with an assist from John Kroll to put the Lions on top 2-0 midway through the second half.
“John Kroll is our one freshman starter, and he’s mostly playing center mid with his brother Tim, who’s a junior,” Dominick said. “He put a beautiful shot on goal from the right, and the rebound went right to Matt Ernst. He tapped it off his mid-section and realized it wasn’t going in, so he tapped it again. He was basically in the goal at the point.”
Ernst has the scoring touch when the Lions play ANC. Last year, on Dominick’s jayvee, he had a pair of goals in the game against ANC.
“I said to him, ‘If you get in, you’re probably going to score because you have a good history on this field,’ and he did,” Dominick said. “It was funny how that worked out.”
The Lions’ coach lauded the play of midfielders Tim and John Croll, center defensive mid Braden Alicea as well as center backs Ian Alicea and Colin Clark.
“I look at the center of the whole team with the midfielders and center backs – it’s really the strength of our team,” Dominick said. “Those guys were doing a good job playing possession today and keeping the ball away from ANC and making sure we had control of the ball, especially in the second half. We couldn’t get too high just because we had one goal.
“We’ve had a tendency this season where we’d score, and it would be like, ‘Man, this is the greatest thing in the world,’ and all of a sudden, when the other team scores, everyone would be down in the dumps, and we would crumble. I didn’t want the guys to get too high. I said, ‘Let’s take it half by half. We need another goal.’ It could have been 5-0 today just because we had chances right in front of the goal, but you take what you get. They played well, they put in the effort. They were really loose today. I feel like everyone was in a good mood, and that helped bring back the win.”
Lower Moreland (3-6, 2-6 SOL) will host Bensalem on Monday.
Lower Moreland 1-1 2
ANC 0-0 0
Girls
SOL Patriot
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 2, BENSALEM 1
The Indians celebrated a special senior class with a win over the visiting Owls.
“Tonight was our Senior Night, and we are grateful to Bensalem for agreeing to help us celebrate our 11 seniors,” North coach Gavin Flannigan said. “We have a very special senior group this year, I cannot speak highly enough of them.
“They have had a tough 2020, and although their season was in doubt, they never stopped preparing or working towards success this year. Even last week when we were suspended from playing, they (virtually) showed up, worked out and led the group.
“Most importantly, I think their greatest asset is that they truly value the good of the program over their own individual success. Their willingness to recognize what is best and support the team is invaluable to our success. We hope that the younger players are watching and learning from their attitude, work ethic and selflessness.”
Flannigan acknowledged that Senior Nights have their share of distractions, which can impact the level of play.
“Senior night games are always a little different in the beginning – the ceremonies and lineups can cause some disconnect, but tonight I thought we started off very well,” the Indians’ coach said. “Our seniors set the tone early in how we wanted to play, but credit to Bensalem. They were very well organized, closed up the spaces and connected very well out of the back at times. Although we had some half chances, we couldn’t find the net in the first half.
“At halftime we stressed a little more patience and better use of the ball in certain areas of the field.”
It was the Owls that got on the scoreboard first with approximately 25 minutes remaining on a long-range shot that was deflected and looped in over the goalie.
“At that point, a lot of teams would’ve panicked, but I give a great deal of credit to our girls for continuing to play with a purpose,” Flannigan said. “We eventually equalized through a great strike from Morgan McCaffrey from 25 yards.
“After that we just kept knocking on the door and eventually Sammy Judge found Taylor Brennan who was able to escape her defender and bend a left-footed shot into the far corner.”
That 2-1 score stood until the final whistle, and although it was apparent on the scoreboard, the Indians dominated the game statistically.
“Our possession and 22 shots on goal probably deserved the win tonight, but Bensalem was very good,” Flannigan said. “Their record is not a fair indication of the talent, organization and spirit of the group.
“The composure of our senior group was really important this evening, they never panicked, they listened to our instructions and executed them. That mentality was crucial in getting the victory, and is vitally important as we push for the playoffs next week.”
Council Rock North (5-3, 4-2 SOL) will travel to Neshaminy on Monday, and Bensalem (0-9, 0-8) will host Lower Moreland on Monday.
Council Rock North 0-2 2
Bensalem 0-1 1
SOL Colonial
UPPER DUBLIN 0, PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 0 (2 OT)
One hundred minutes could not determine a winner as neither team ever found the net. Friday’s game was a far cry from the initial meeting that saw the two squads combine for six goals with UD notching its only win of the season.
UD coach Chuck Gesing praised the efforts of several players in his team’s conference finale.
“Our back line – anchored by junior Geena Sarnoski and sophomore Hannah McKeown – was great today, limiting PW to minimal shots on goal,” the Flying Cardinals’ coach said. “Senior Ella Eustace was dynamic in the middle of the field, breaking up plays and moving the ball into the attack.
“Finally, junior keeper Rachel Adelman stood on her head today to keep PW out of goal. It was an ugly, grind-it-out kind of game that was incredibly fun.”
Gesing also had nothing but praise for his seniors: lla Eustace, Karolina Bocul, Emma McGinley, Lauren Melick, Demaree Livingston, Molly Brown, Katie Kenney, Ali Astorino, and Anna Desch.
“I admire our seniors’ tenacity,” Gesing said. “They could have easily thrown in the towel when we were 0-5, but they never waivered in their commitment and kept working through good times and bad.”
Caitlyn Dinh had the clean sheet in goal for the Colonials.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (2-6-1 SOL) will travel to Abington on Wednesday for a 4 p.m. contest. Upper Dublin closed out its season with a 1-8-1 mark.
Upper Dublin 0-0-0-0 0
Plymouth Whitemarsh 0-0-0-0 0
About the Author
