By Alex Frazier
Meet…Carly Black
Hatboro-Horsham’s secret weapon might not be much of a secret anymore.In fact, she was never a well-kept secret anyway.
“All of the coaches in our league know her,” said coach Ben Winderman.
A junior, Carly Black is playing her first year of high school soccer at Hatboro-Horsham, but she has been playing at the club level since she was six.
“She’s elevated things,” said Winderman. “She’s humble and just wants to be a part of the team. She’s not in need of attention or the spotlight.”
But when it comes to being physical or winning head balls, she’s at a different level.
“The way she plays she sets a real good example,” said Winderman. “She’s a real complete player and a team-oriented player.”
In Hatboro’s 1-0 losses to both C.B. West and Pennridge, Black was noticeably missing from the lineup. Both goals came on corner kicks, a set play that Black often breaks up.
“She’s one of our best ball winners on corner kicks,” said Winderman.
Offensively, Black has two goals so far this season.
As a freshman, she played fall soccer at Villa Joseph Marie, but when she transferred to Hatboro-Horsham as a sophomore, there was no fall soccer.
Instead, she played outside hitter on the volleyball team, a sport she picked up as an eighth grader. Her club team even went to nationals that year.
When spring came around, she elected to focus on her club soccer rather than play for the Hatters because of all the potential conflicts, not to mention commuting to New Jersey for practices.
Black plays for the Player Development Academy Charge out of New Jersey, in addition to the state and regional ODP teams for the past six years. She has also been in the national pool as a U-14 and U-15 player.
Black was initiated to soccer through her mother, who played for LaSalle. She also enrolled Carly in softball and basketball.
“I took to soccer,” said Black. “I really enjoyed it coming up, so I stuck with that.”
Black is also an excellent student. She ranks 17th in a class of 450 and carries a 4.07 GPA. She is already being heavily recruited by Notre Dame, Duke and Virginia. The fact that she is Irish and Catholic may give Notre Dame a slight edge (they were also NCAA runners-up last year).
“It’s going to be a tough decision,” she said. “I’ve been looking around for a year now. I had other schools on my list, but those are the three I’ve narrowed it down to. I should be committed to one of them in a month or two.”
Since tearing her medial collateral ligament in a tournament in Las Vegas and missing a call-up to the national team, she has had an interest in orthopedics. She’s considering majoring in pre-med.
She had been considering a career in physical therapy.
“When I went into the orthopedist for my knee, I really liked the whole job and atmosphere,” she said.
Black is enjoying playing high school soccer once again.
“I was really excited because a bunch of these girls were girls that I played with years ago on Horsham and my friends in school,” she said. “It’s neat to play in the community and have all my family come out and watch me because it’s hard for them to come see me when I play so far away.”
Winderman has her playing at center midfield, which is a break from playing center back on her club teams.
“I played forward and midfield when I was younger and now I play center back for my club and for state and regional and national, but I’ve always loved midfield, so I wanted to play that in high school,” she said. “I like how you get more freedom to run around and create offensive opportunities.”
Almunus returns in victory – Saturday night was Senior Night at William Tennent. It also marked the return of Peter Rohall, a 1967 alumnus, who brought his 7-2 Bishop Shanahan team back to his alma mater to take on the Panthers.
Tennent’s seven seniors presented Shanahan’s six seniors with bouquets of flowers.
The goodwill stopped their, however, as Shanahan scored one goal in the first half and held off the swarming Panthers in the second half.
“We played our best game of the year,” said coach John McOwen. “We tried everything to score. We had numerous chances. We played our hardest and best. It was an entertaining game. I was proud of the effort we gave.”
Shanahan keeper Colleen Folan came up with two incredible saves to preserve the victory.
“Their goalie played outstanding,” said McOwen. “She’s very tall, very athletic. She’s a college level goalie.”
So far so good – Many people had questions about how the Suburban One League would compete against the other teams that played in the fall.
So far so good.
In the most recent state poll, four SOL teams made the top 10, Council Rock South at No. 1, Central Bucks South at No. 4, Pennridge at No. 6 and Neshaminy at No. 9. Admittedly, it’s still early, but SOL teams are more than holding their own.
Even in the NSCA Region Three Poll, the SOL has certainly been given respect. Council Rock South commands the top position, while C.B. South is ninth and Pennridge is 13th. The only other District One team that is ranked is Downingtown East at fifth.
I’m guessing before it’s over, there may be more SOL teams moving into the top 10.
Defense, defense – As the old adage goes, defense wins championships. Two SOL teams are proving that true once again.
Council Rock South and Central Bucks West both sit atop of their respective conferences, while Council Rock South is ranked No. 1 in all three local polls.
In nine games so far this season, South has recorded seven shutouts. In fact opposing teams have scored just two goals.
The players responsible for that are junior outside backs Paula Jurewicz and Kelsey Pressler, senior centerback Mary Kate Callahan and freshman center back Kate Jackson.
The Hawks have platooned goalies Samantha Lawson and Lola Bunomo.
The stats are just as amazing for C.B. West. The Lady Bucks have played 740 of 780 minutes without giving up a goal. On the flip side, however, they have scored just nine goals in nine games.
But thanks to the defense, West is undefeated at 6-0-3 overall and 5-0-2 in the Continental Conference.
Despsite the team’s success, Rock South coach John Oberholtzer is not pleasedwith the offensive play of his team
“We’re winning, but we’re still not playing as well as we did three weeks ago,” he said. “I’d like to say it’s the opponents, but all of a sudden things aren’t clicking. We’re fighting ourselves, not the whole team but most of our offense.”
Fortunately for the Golden Hawks, the defense has stepped up big.
Can the defense go it alone?
“If we look down the road, we can’t play like this if we want to go beyond,” said Oberholtzer. “A lot of these other teams (like Neshaminy and Pennsbury) will be back to full strength. If we play like this, it could be a rough second half of the season.”
Around the league – In the biggest game played on Thursday C.B. West toppled rival C.B. South from atop the Continental, handing the Titans their first loss of the season, 1-0. Tex Haug scored the game winner on a feed from Lindsay Horst. The Lady Bucks are now 5-0-2 in the league and 6-0-3 overall.
In other action on a rain-filled Thursday, Wissahickon nipped Cheltenham, 1-0. The lone goal was scored on a pass from sophomore Amanda Esposito to sophomore Cailin Grey, who drilled a rocket shot over the Cheltenham keeper just before half time. The Trojans’ outstanding sophomore keeper Rachel Stone recorded the shutout. Ava Esposito continues her exceptional play at sweeper anchoring Wissahickon’s defense.
Abington swamped Harry S Truman, 5-0. Mallory Mugnier got the Ghosts on the board with an unassisted, quick strike from the right flank. Julie Galllagher followed with three goals, two of which were assisted by Emily Geliebter and one from Molly Wyman. Senior defender Rebecca McCaffrey closed out the scoring when she pounded a shot from the left side in the closing minutes. Megan Williams and Allie Dobson combined for the shutout.
Central Bucks East and Souderton battled to a two-overtime 0-0 draw.
• Last Friday, Wissahickon nipped Upper Merion, 1-0, on an overtime goal by Ellen Claire Benbow from a cross by Laura Frankenfield. Defensively, the Trojans got great performances from Samantha Silar, Ava Espositio, Jackie Carradorni and junior captain Maureen Beichert.
Neshaminy shut out William Tennent on tallies from Kimber Kisselback (Megan Schafer assist) and Kacey Cerankowski (Samantha Kerr assist).
Abington’s Sheila Longo scored a pair of goals in a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Bensalem to give the Ghosts their fourth win of the season. Longos’ second goal came with 47 seconds left in overtime. Emily Ryan and Molly Wyman earned assists.
Ashley Vaitis converted a pass from Lizzy Kohler at the 60:50 mark to lift the Maidens past Quakertown.
Central Bucks West slipped past Hatboro-Horsham 1-0 to remain unbeaten in the league (4-0-1).
SOL Top Five
1. Council Rock South
2. Central Bucks West
3. Neshaminy
4. Central Bucks South
5. Council Rock North
6. Pennridge
Southeastern Pa. Soccer Coaches Poll
(through Sept. 26)
1. Council Rock South 6-0-1
2. Central Bucks South 5-0-3
3. Downingtown East 8-1-0
4. Neshaminy 6-2-0
5. Owen J. Roberts 7-1-1
6. Boyertown 8-1-1
7. Pennridge 7-1-0
8. Archbishop Wood 6-1-0
9. Council Rock North 5-2-0
10. Strath Haven 7-2-0
Others receiving votes (in order): Haverford High, Bishop Shanahan, Central Bucks West, Pennsbury, Radnor, Unionville, Villa Jos. Marie, Lower Merion, Conestoga, Archbishop Ryan
Pennsylvania State Soccer Coaches Assoc. Poll
(Sept. 26)
1. Council Rock South (1)
2. Downingtown West (1)
3. Pine-Richland (7)
4. Central Bucks South (1)
5. Archbishop Wood (12)
6. Pennridge (1)
7. Peters Twp. (7)
8. Owen J. Roberts (1)
9. Neshaminy (1)
10. Boyertown (1)
Honorable mention: Lansdale Catholic (12), Lower Merion (1), Mt. Lebanon (7), Radnor (1), State College (6), Strath Haven (1)
National Soccer Coaches Assoc. Region III Poll
(Sept. 28)
1. Council Rock South 6-0-0
2. Pingry (NJ) 5-0-1
3. Immaculate Heart (NJ) 7-0-0
4. Pennington School (NJ) 5-0-0
5. Downingtown East 8-1-0
6. East Brunswick (NJ) 6-0-0
7. Ramapo (NJ) 4-0-0
8. Pine-Richland (Gibsonia. Pa.) 10-0-0
9. Central Bucks South 5-0-3
10. Lenape (NJ) 6-1-0
11. Archbishop Wood 6-1-0
12. Mercyhurst Prep (Erie, Pa.) 6-0-2
13. Pennridge 7-1-0
14. Peters Twp. (McMurray, Pa.) 8-1-0
15. Hopewell (NJ) 5-0-1
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