Upper Moreland saw its season end when the Golden Bears fell to Holy Ghost Prep in Thursday night’s District Final. To view action photos of the game, visit the Photo Gallery.
Class AA Final
#1 Holy Ghost Prep 3, #3 Upper Moreland 1
When they met in last year's District One Class AA Finals, Upper Moreland found a way to get the better of Holy Ghost Prep.
This time around, the Firebirds would not be denied.
Surrendering the first goal of the game despite outshooting the third-seeded Golden Bears, top-seeded Holy Ghost exploded for three picture-perfect goals in less than 12 minutes in the second half to rally past Upper Moreland and claim a 3-1 victory on Thursday night at War Memorial Field in Doylestown.
"We tried what we could do, we changed up a couple things in the second half," said Upper Moreland coach Jack Knauss. "But once they got that headball in on that corner, it sort of put our guys back a little bit. The next five or 10 minutes, we were a little out of whack."
Ghost's tying goal came in the 44th minute. While utilizing their blazing speed and stellar footwork to keep the Bears on defense, the Firebirds maintained pressure and netted the go-ahead tally when Kyle Klein -- who harassed the Upper Moreland defense all game -- blasted home a cross from Colin O'Neill. Holy Ghost would add an insurance goal four minutes later.
"We knew what (Holy Ghost) had," Knauss said. "We knew what players to mark, how to play it.
"We've been hurting, but we've been hiding it very well. We've been hurting physically over the last few games. Our outside backs, Nick Perkins and Tyler Kleinert, are both hurt. They can only go so far until their legs just couldn't do it. We planned it the way we wanted. I thought things were pretty even in the first half. I had no complaints at all. But I sort of felt that because of our physical ailments, sooner or later things would catch up to us."
The Golden Bears made the most of their relatively few chances in the opening half. After weathering an early storm by Ghost, an Upper Moreland clearance pass and a stumble by a Firebirds defender sent Tommy Hays and Jimmy Byrne in on a two-man breakaway. Hays booted a floater that evaded Ghost keeper James Gavaghan and gave the Bears the lead.
On the other end of the field, Golden Bears senior goalkeeper Kyle Walder was simply outstanding, turning aside nine first-half shots, including a number of highlight-reel stops.
"Before the game, I knew I needed to play the best game I've ever played," Walder said. "I feel I did that the first half. The second half, they were three real, quality goals, but I still feel like I could have done better."
"Kyle was wonderful tonight, and he's been that way for as many years as I've known him," Knauss said. "I've known him for many years. He's a good, quality kid. I can’t say enough about him. He's done a tremendous job, he's the glue that keeps everybody together. It's his leadership in the back, he and Kyle Lynch -- you saw him limping and playing his heart out tonight as well."
Denied not only a second straight district title but an opportunity to advance to the state tournament, the Bears were understandably subdued following the game. Silver medals, presented after the final buzzer, were stuffed into pockets and duffel bags. Seniors remained seated on the turf, unwilling to leave the field of play for the final time in their high school careers.
"We're heartbroken," Walder said. "We wanted to come out, we wanted to win again and be two-time district champion. We knew it was going to be tough, but we felt like we could do it. It just didn't turn out in our favor. Holy Ghost is a good team. You've got to give them credit. They came out and scored and kept going."
The Bears, who were seeded third in the district tournament last year as well, surpassed all expectations by claiming the 2010 district title. Despite losses to graduation, the Bears battled their way this season to second place in the Suburban One American Conference and put together an 11-game win streak that ended in the district final.
As far as Knauss is concerned, this team has no reason to feel badly about itself.
"I can't say enough about how Kyle Walder's played, Kyle Lynch, Tommy Hays, the midfield with Nate Roberts and Carl Wambold," Knauss said. "I'm so proud of these boys to come back, to do this for us. That's what I just told them. They have nothing to be ashamed of. They played well, they gave us two great years."
"The past couple years have been great," Walder said. "I never imagined anything like this. We came together, played together as a team. Last year we did amazing, won the district championship. This year we lost a few key players but came together and got on a hot streak. We just weren't able to finish at the end."
And while the loss will surely sting for the near future, Knauss has no doubts the players will eventually be able to step back and be proud of all their accomplishments.
"The boys wanted to repeat," he said. "We've been telling them, 'If it happens, wonderful. If it doesn't, it's not the end of life.' All season we've been talking about protecting our brothers, all season we've been talking about this is a team effort, all season, 'Hey guys, you're going to face adversity in life, it's just about how you deal with it and get over it.'
"Things happen in life. Things don't always go the way you hope. It's a matter of how you get over it as a man. And I think they did a wonderful of that. That's why I'm so proud to have these guys a part of my life and I thank them so much for what they've done for me."
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