Pennridge Edges Boyertown to Win District Gold (11-2-19)

Pennridge defeated Boyertown to capture the program’s first District One 4A title since 2011. Photos provided by Keith Clemens Photography. CLICK HERE for a gallery of action photos from the Championship game.

#1 PENNRIDGE 1, #2 BOYERTOWN 0

Maddie Angelo wouldn’t let go of the District I trophy.

It was fitting that the Pennridge junior defender was entrusted in keeping the hardware safe after she and her companions on the back line had just preserved a 1-0 lead for 45 minutes and a wave of pressure from second-seeded Boyertown. The top-seeded Rams had trekked to Spring-Ford on Saturday knowing they were in for a test against the Bears, but it wasn’t anything they weren’t ready for.

A timely goal by Leah Malone was all the scoring Pennridge needed Saturday to win its first District I girls’ soccer title since 2011.

“This is something we didn’t get to experience last year even though we did end up going to the state final,” Angelo said. “One of our goals as a team was to get all three. We have the conference title, we have the district title and now it’s on to states so I think this is something everyone wanted from the beginning, and as soon as we knew we would play in this game, we practiced to win it no matter what.”

Boyertown’s resume reads just as impressive as Pennridge’s. The Bears, behind a prolific offense and tough defense, won the PAC Liberty title and then won the league’s four-team playoff bracket before grinding their way through the playoff bracket.

Even with junior forward and leading scorer Samantha Goffice sidelined, Boyertown posed a considerable threat with speed up top and a major weapon in junior midfielder Camilla Kuevers, a German exchange student who is part of the country’s U16 national side.

It was a challenge senior midfielder Maddie Anderson got a look at watching a preseason scrimmage but was eager to see how she stood up against with a title on the line.

“I’ve never played against anyone with her height and her skill, she was just amazing,” Anderson said. “She won almost every 50/50 ball so I had to start reading what she did after winning the ball out of the air, whether it was a flick or if she would try to connect a pass.”

Rams coach Audrey Anderson remembered that conversation and couldn’t have been happier with how Maddie Anderson handled the task.

“We watched Boyertown play early in the season and she said ‘I wonder if I’ll be able to play against her,’” Audrey Anderson said. “It was very exciting for her coming into the game knowing she’d get to play against (Kuevers) and I’m proud as a coach and proud as a parent that she was able to be a big presence against a player like that.”

For all their preparation, the Rams still conceded some nerves coming into the game, and Boyertown was on the front foot for the first 15 minutes of the game. Luckily, senior keeper Meghan Kriney was able to turn away a couple chances including a header by Kuevers to help her team settle in.

Breaking down Boyertown’s tenacious defense would take a little longer. Malone noted it was tough to get past the Bears’ defenders and Boyertown showed a willingness to throw a body in front of a shot or pass to disrupt the Rams’ attacks.

“Sometimes it takes us a little time to get into a rhythm and that’s something we have to do better if we want to go deep into the state tournament,” Audrey Anderson said. “We can’t give a team 10 minutes to play around us before we play our game. Once we were able to connect, that’s what works with us. We have too much talent to hit big balls and panic.”

Pennridge found the breakthrough off a well-executed counterattack off a Boyertown throw. Anderson and Angelo worked to win the ball in the Rams’ box, with Anderson kicking off the charge the other way with a pass to Malone near midfield.

Malone dropped the ball back to Lindsey DeHaven, who carried it into space, fought through a tackle and slipped it wide to Grace Myers on the left. Myers was able to catch it just before the ball hit the endline, snaking a cross by a defender to the trailing Malone, who flicked it in at the near post with five and a half minutes to go in the half.

“You have to anticipate the defenders are going to miss or it’s getting to you anyway so you have to prepare for it and that’s what I did,” Malone said. “I like being able to step up in that moment, I think it’s really cool. In postseason, it’s a different gear and a different game.

“People ask if a team is good, and obviously, yes they are but it’s different playing them. It’s a matter of finishing opportunities when you have them.”

Audrey Anderson couldn’t have asked for much more on the build-up.

“We talk about being able to be in a scoring position in four passes or six seconds after gaining possession,” Anderson said. “It was fitting we score on a counter with only four passes. I give Grace a ton of credit, she’s played a ton of different roles this season and today, we asked her to put a ball inside the 18 and she did. Leah did what she does best; she attacks the ball and steals it from the keeper.”

From there, the back line was up. Despite losing fullback Ashley Gordon to injury in the first half, the Rams defenders were very strong dealing with Boyertown’s speed threats.

Angelo, senior Lauren McIntyre, freshman Zoe Sabol and junior Kera Dam, who replaced Gordon, were able to win tackles and clear the ball without giving up set pieces in dangerous spots.

“We’re just relentless, no one is getting by us and that’s the mentality you have to have,” Angelo said. “I think we just work really well together, we’re always talking and it helps us to be organized and prevent balls getting through.”

While the stakes were high on Saturday, the Pennridge players didn’t look at it that way.

“One thing we had today we didn’t have the past couple of matches was everyone just had fun,” Maddie Anderson said. “We came in a little nervous, but we were also trying to look at the bigger picture. We’re already in states, we’re trying to get to the state championship. It’s awesome we just won districts but we have to keep it game by game and just have fun with it.”

Pennridge (20-1-1, 10-1-1 SOL) will open states against District 3 third place finisher Wilson on Tuesday. Winning the district title has brought a bit of a hex recently, with the District I champion losing its first round game in 2016, 2017 and 2018.