Central Bucks West fell to defending state champion Conestoga 2-0 in Tuesday’s PIAA 4A semifinal contest. Photos provided courtesy of Keith Clemens Photography. CLICK HERE to go directly to the BOYS' SOCCER GALLERY.
By Jarrad Saffren
#1-1 Conestoga 2, #1-4 Central Bucks West 0
There was no crying from Central Bucks West players after their season-ending loss Tuesday night.
The loss came in the state semifinals, which was further than West had ever gotten before. It also came to a better boys’ soccer team, undefeated Conestoga (24-0-1), the defending state champion.
“It is new territory, and it is historic, and I think the guys should be really proud of that,” said West coach Stefan Szygiel. “Look, they were better. I don’t think we gave them much of a game in the first half, which I was very disappointed with. That being said, the second half was much better. We had some good looks and quality chances.”
Conestoga outshot CB West 12-4 in the first half, and netted two goals, both scored by Chris Donovan. West was only able to put one of its four shots on goal.
But in the second half, West outshot Conestoga 7-2. It just could not get one past Conestoga goalkeeper Luke Smith, who made two diving saves.
“They were absolutely phenomenal, the best team we’ve played in my four years,” said West senior midfielder Tarin Morris, of Conestoga. “I can’t even be upset about it, honestly.”
“By far the best team we’ve played in our four years,” said West senior center back CJ Lang. “They are just so quick.”
Morris and Lang led the Bucks to an 18-7 season, their first state tournament appearance since 1982 and the first state semifinal appearance in program history.
“I can live with the state semifinals,” Lang said. “We had a great year and went out with a bang.”
Morris and Lang were the only two seniors in West’s starting lineup. The other nine starters, seven juniors—Dylan Smith, Michael Redfield, Jack Galt, Luke Fehrman, Nick Centenera, Carson Snyder and Reed Sturza—and two sophomores—Alan Zlotin and Bailey Moyer—will be back next year. So will top subs Colin Burn, James Lutz and Kanishk Nazareth.
“If I look at the big picture, it’s really bright, and it’s really, really exciting,” Szygiel said. “We feel great about it, and the next crop coming through are hungry.”
“But it doesn’t mean that this is what happens every year. We had some things happen during this run that were special, but you need that in a playoff run,” Szygiel added. “That just didn’t show up tonight. The magic kind of ran out, which happens.”
But there was plenty of magic throughout the ride. West won two playoff games—a district quarterfinal over Lower Merion, which clinched a state tournament berth, and a state quarterfinal over Cumberland Valley—in penalty kick shootouts. It upset La Salle—the District 12 champion—in the first round of states. But most importantly, the Bucks beat their archrival—CB East—in the second round of districts.
“There was no better way to start a playoff run than by winning against your rival school,” Morris said. “So that was our most memorable win, especially with the atmosphere and everything.”
Central Bucks West – 9-3 in SOL Continental Conference play – closed out its successful season with an 18-7 record.
Central Bucks West 0-0 0
Conestoga 2-0 2
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