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The SOL saw its final two squads go home for the season in Saturday’s quarterfinal round. Both teams lost heartbreakers.
Central Bucks West battled Conestoga to a 1-1 tie after regulation and fell 2-1 in overtime while Pennridge, the District One runner-up, fell to District 12 champion Archbishop Wood 1-1 (4-2 in penalty kicks).
After coming back from a spring season that ended in June to begin another one in mid-August, thanks to the move of girls’ soccer to the fall, the SOL teams are getting a long overdue break.“We had a lot of injuries, and going from spring to fall was really difficult, I’ll be honest,” said West coach Chris Freudig. “It’s been a long year.
“We’ll move forward, but it will be nice to have the offseason.”
It may have been a long year, but it was also a successful season for the SOL, which had two of the state’s final eight teams still playing on Saturday. The future promises to be even brighter.
“I coach club soccer in this age group, and I know the girls that will be playing next year,” Pennridge coach Jorge Rodriguez said. “You can expect a lot of great things from CB West, Council Rock South, Neshaminy and some of those squads.
“I think it’s only going to get stronger than even this year.”
#1-6 Conestoga 2, #1-3 Central Bucks West (OT)
FRANCONIA TWP – Chris Freudig had a lengthy list of excuses he could have used for his team’s overtime loss to Conestoga in Saturday night’s PIAA Class AAA quarterfinal loss to Conestoga.
There was the not-so-little matter that standout goalie Bree Benedict went down hard early in the second half, left the game for several minutes, returned for 20 minutes only to leave with symptoms of a concussion late in the half with the score tied 1-1.
Throw in the fact that Lauren Schofield left the game with an injury, forcing Freudig – who already had several players sidelined with injuries – to juggle his lineup yet again.
Yes, there were plenty of excuses the veteran Central Bucks West coach could have used, but Freudig wanted no parts of any of them, electing instead to tip his hat his opponent.
“They’re a really good team,” he said of the Pioneers. “Unlike playing some of the other teams that didn’t really come forward much, these guys came forward and really tried to attack us.
“It was unfortunate for Bree and a couple of other injuries, but you have to play through those. Our defense was a bit mangled at the end, and we left a girl unmarked, but they’re a quality team. They played really well. I think they’re the best team we’ve seen all year – them and Strath Haven."
The Pioneers won it with 12:19 remaining in the first overtime on a goal by Meredith DiRico, but the ending could not detract from a remarkable season for a West squad that finished third in the district and captured a share of the SOL Continental Conference crown.
“For a team that was supposed to come in sixth place to win the league to turn around and win the league and do as well as we did for as young as we are – it’s painful for us, but the sun rises tomorrow,” Freudig said. “We fought hard with them.
“It was unfortunate we ran out of gas, but again, I don’t want to say we ran out of gas. They just had extra octane at the end. My hat’s off to them, but I don’t want to sell my kids short. I thought we worked really hard.”
The Bucks looked as though they might have scored the only goal they would need to win the game when freshman Gwen Harvey scored in a scrum in front of the net after a corner kick with 27:30 remaining in regulation.
The Pioneers knotted the score on Julianna Bradley’s header with just under 12 minutes remaining, and shortly thereafter, Benedict left the game and did not return.
“She was fine when she came off (the first time),” Freudig said. “The (trainer) gave her the check, and she wanted to go back in. In hindsight, we probably should have kept her out.
“It was a routine ball that unfortunately went in the net (to make it 1-1), but don’t blame Bree. She has been incredible all year long.”
Shortly after Benedict’s departure - she had seven saves in a strong outing, Schofield left the game with an injury, and the Bucks were minus two of their key players. Still, the Bucks’ defense held strong, sending the game into overtime.
“I’m not looking to make excuses,” Freudig said. “They’re really good and had a bunch of chances.
“Our kids played with a lot of heart. They even survived what we went through to get to overtime. They did a good job.”
Although the Bucks didn’t boast a ton of firepower, they made history when they went through their entire league season without allowing a goal.
“We didn’t score many goals, but it wasn’t because we weren’t sending seven-eight players forward consistently,” Freudig said. “We had so many young players in so many key spots, and unfortunately, we broke down at times.
“We scored 21 goals, and 12 of them were off restarts, but it wasn’t lack of initiative. We kept sending bodies forward.”
And they kept finding ways to win.
#12-1 Archbishop Wood 1, #1-2 Pennridge 1 (4-2 PKs)
The Rams played toe-to-toe with the state’s top-ranked team, and according to coach Jorge Rodriguez, they came within a dazzling stop by Wood goalie Deanna Messner of a point blank shot by Maggie Butcher in the closing moments of the game of earning the big win.
“They were a good team,” Rodriguez said. “I thought we came out a little flat up top, but once we made some adjustments, I thought we controlled possession the entire game.
“I thought we had the better of play in both halves. We were possessing the ball and moving the ball, but we didn’t create shots. We didn’t create as many opportunities as we should have, but overall we played well.”
Wood got on the scoreboard with a minute remaining in the first half and took that lead into the intermission.
The Rams knotted the score with four minutes remaining in regulation when Shannon Chynoweth scored.
“Stevi Parker played the ball in,” Rodriguez said. “It was deflected inside the eight, and Shannon got her foot on it.”
While Messner made a big stop to send the game into OT, goalkeeper Ashley Schoelkopf also had numerous clutch saves for the Rams as well.
When overtime could not determine a winner, penalty kicks ensued. Messner guessed right on the first to make the big save, and the Rams’ second hit the inside of the post and rolled out.
“We just didn’t have luck going our way,” Rodriguez said.
Wood connected on all four of its shots to earn the win, and despite Saturday’s disappointing ending, it had been quite a season for the district runner-up Rams, who also captured a share of the SOL Continental Conference title.
“That’s what I was trying to remind the girls,” Rodriguez said. “It was a very good season.
“I don’t think very many people were expecting us to be in that position.”
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