Ben Winderman gives his perspective on Thursday’s District One AAA semifinal contests.
Continentals and Nationals Reign Supreme in 2012
By: Ben Winderman
Central Bucks East vs. Souderton and Pennsbury vs. Abington; between these opponents they’ve played over six hours of white knuckle soccer against each other this season, which may have proven their mettle but not yet their superiority. The comfort is that all of these teams have won - along with the survivor of the playbacks - a trip to the state tournament. The suspense is that all of these squads have the potential to win that crown.
As I spoke to the coaches over the course of the last few days, each of them echoed similar themes: Admiration for their players and the sacrifices they’ve been willing to make, relief to have earned a spot in Pennsylvania’s final 16, and respect for the league they compete in with teams like William Tennent, Bensalem, Hatboro-Horsham, and Central Bucks West who have all played a role in the semifinalists rise to the elite.
So let’s examine the games: As CB East and Souderton meet for the third time this season, geography separates the teams but not much else. East won both games this season (1-0 and 2-1) and in the last three campaigns East has been what Souderton coach Tom Quintois calls, “Our Kryptonite.” But the Indians coach likes his current supermen and the manner in which they approach the game.
“Our guys are a great group,” the Indians’ coach said. “We really respect East, but we’ve hit our stride. Our guys are on the verge of it.
“The other night (a 4-1 victory versus Downingtown West) was a fun game. We have great camaraderie from the starting 11 to what we call our 12th man, the bench.”
Quintois credits senior Elijah Pizzo who “spearheads” that unselfishness.
“He brings energy to the field and lifts the game when he joins it,” he said.
That energy combined with the fluid competence of players like Ryan Molyneaux, Jeff Wolf, and Wilson Gonzales make the Indians a balanced side. Add standout goalkeeper Tyler Afflerbach to the mix and Souderton’s a downright super-foe. But the Patriots are wearing capes of their own.
Coming off a phenomenal 2-0 triumph over the top-seeded West Chester Rustin, CB East has good reason to look to Hershey, but count on Coach Michael Gorni to keep his men grounded and ready to battle their familiar Continental division rivals.
“We know them very well,” he said of Souderton. “We respect each other a great deal.”
Gorni praised his senior but “inexperienced” back line and complimented players like Mark Philipson, Ian McArdle, Ryan Vare, and Robert Salvo for learning quickly, adjusting to new roles, and performing to an exceptionally high standard. Salvo, who recently returned from a concussion, epitomizes the Patriot resilience. Enter goalkeeper Jacob Nesteruk to that crew, and the East defense shapes up as almost impenetrable.
Chances for both sides will be limited and whether East can defeat Souderton yet another time may come down to the Patriot man of steel, Ben Marks. He tallied twice against Rustin and will certainly draw attention from Souderton’s players, coaches, fans, and bus driver. Ask Neshaminy’s coach Tom Foley how tough it is to beat a team three times in one season and he may mutter, “Abington.”
Which brings us to Abington vs. Pennsbury: The Ghosts finished fourth in the National Conference and lost twice to Neshaminy in the regular season, but when Coach Randy Garber and his team knocked off third-seeded CB South in round two, alerts went out to beware of the Ghosts.
As he has done all season, Danny Sheppard provided the scoring, and Austin Brotman stood on his head in goal, as Abington toppled Neshaminy 2-1 in the quarterfinals en route to a third clash with the Pennsbury Falcons.
Meanwhile, the Falcons depended on staunch team defending, the strong goalkeeping of Spencer McCullough, and PK magic in their last two wins (Great Valley and North Penn) to reach the final four. Falcons coach Tom Stoddart recognizes his team’s need to generate more chances. It will be tough, however, to penetrate the Abington defense. Billy Natter is one of the most rugged midfielders in the area and Chris Tracey patrols the back with vision and communication.
Any scenario is interesting, and no result would be shocking. When the games are played (Thursday and Saturday night at Souderton Area HS), we should all recognize the superheroes behind the scenes who gave us lights, transportation, and safe facilities, allowing the athletes the opportunity to compete and the fans the chance to cheer.
The Class AA semifinal games will be played on Saturday at Harriton High School. Springfield (Montco), the third-seeded team, will face second-seeded Pottsgrove at 2 p.m. Despite boasting the smallest enrollment in the SOL, Springfield compiled a 7-6-1 record in league play (10-7-1 overall). Providing strong leadership for the team are captains Will Lambert and Tyler Bond. The Spartans play team soccer and receive scoring from nine different players. Top-seeded Holy Ghost Prep will take on fifth-seeded Lower Moreland in the other semifinal game at 4 p.m.
CB West and Neshaminy – Poised for a Championship
By: Ben Winderman
Coaches like to say that rankings and seeds don’t matter, and this year’s district tournaments have proved them correct. The Class AAA boys’ final four is comprised of the 8th, 13th, 15th, and 19th seeded teams while on the girls’ side there was a bit more predictability. Remaining are the top two seeds: Strath Haven and Neshaminy, along with #6 Downingtown West and #21 Central Bucks West. At #21, West appears to be an underdog, but as a program, the Bucks have a the deepest history of being here before.
“We’re going to do what we always do,” said CB West coach Chris Freudig.
Translation: The Bucks will make life difficult for their opponents; they will bring high pressure in the midfield, play the ball to the corners, execute restarts efficiently, use reserves to keep their opponent off balance, and limit Strath Haven’s clear looks at goal by having numbers behind the ball.
They will rely on the playmaking ability of Shae McCarty and Erin McQuate, the aggressive defending of Emily Grove and crew, and the consistently strong goalkeeping of Grace Bendon. They will have to contend with a Strath Haven squad that boasts 16 shutouts and a 19-0 record. They will have to defend the likes of Kristin Miller and Morgan Glassford and hopefully beat goalkeeper Krissy Welsh on at least one occasion, but the Bucks - who were nervous they might miss out on the district tournament - must be congratulated on a well-deserved return to States.
Alongside CB West, Neshaminy represents the SOL as the #2 seeded team. The Redskins’ matchup is an intriguing one as they take on Downingtown West - the last team to beat the Redskins (Aug. 30). According to Neshaminy coach Rachel Clemens, her team is ready avenge the loss.
“We’re definitely on a roll,” said Clemens. “Our goals were to win the league, win districts, and then move on to states.”
For the Redskins, unbeaten in their last 19 matches, those goals seem within their grasp. Inspired by the sublime ability of attacker Megan Schafer, Neshaminy has become a multi-dimensional team.
“Megan makes everyone around her better,” said Clemens. “She penetrates so well and lays balls off to other players like Erin Farrell, Jamie Mason, Julia Andreozzi, and Katie Suchodolski. Players know that a cross is coming and they work to get on the end of it.”
In the back, coach Clemens had much praise for Jess Kelly and Sam O’Donnell.
“Sam is our keystone player back there, she’s so important to everything we do,” the Redskins’ coach said.
McKenna Mullin anchors the defense in the goal and makes Neshaminy one of the clear favorites to keep winning.
If you’re hoping for an all SOL final, CB West vs. Neshaminy, you’re not alone.
The challenges both team face are formidable but a Redskin vs. Bucks could be in the cards. For three other area teams - Pennridge, Pennsbury, and Central Buck East, a state tournament berth is still in their sights. Pennridge looks to return while East and Pennsbury are hungry for their first appearance. The players are rested and the competition is fierce. The fans are fired up and the coaches have upset stomachs.
See you at the field!
- Log in to post comments
