Soccer Notebook: Vol. 11

11/09/08 11:06pm Posted by admin_user

By Alex Frazier

State playoffs – For Neshaminy it was déjà-vu Saturday when the Redskins took on Lower Merion for the second time in 10 days.
In the first meeting on Oct. 29 in the District One semifinals, it was Dan Foley who scored in the waning minutes of the game to give the Redskins a 1-1 tie. Eventually Bob Shegda scored on a penalty kick to give Neshaminy the win.
Fast forward to Nov. 8 at C.B. West.
The Redskins trailed again 2-1 late in the game when Foley came to the rescue once again. And like the first time, the outcome came down to penalty kicks, and once again Shegda buried the winning one to advance the Redskins to the state semifinals against Downingtown West, Neshaminy’s nemesis in the district championship.
Meanwhile, in the lower half of the state bracket, Central Bucks East cruised along to the semifinals against Peters Township by dominating District Three champion Exeter, 3-0, and third place Lampeter-Strasburg, 2-0. For the Pioneers of Lampeter, it was their first time in the Class AAA division, having played in AA previously. They did get a nice 3-0 win over State College, before being schooled by the Patriots.
State brackets – Currently, four District One teams qualify for the state playoffs. Three of them are placed in the top half of the state bracket, which represents teams from the eastern half of the state. The fourth team is placed in the bottom half with the western teams.
Obviously, the fourth place team has to do more traveling, but to compensate for that, it often has the easier road to the finals. Meanwhile, the top three District One teams are knocking each other off in the top half of the bracket.
In one respect, it would be better for a team to lose in the consolation game so that it could be placed in the western bracket.
Some District One coaches are promoting the idea of placing two District One teams in the top and the other two in the bottom. That way, D-1 teams would have a better chance of advancing further, since they are often the strongest teams in the tournament.
“We have to do something,” said Neshaminy coach Rich Reice. “Either make the consolation game more meaningful or just spread out the District One teams. The travel is a concern, but let’s be fair. Let’s not load up one half of the bracket where guys are beating the heck out of each other and you get the fourth place team from your district be able to skate through to the final. There’s something wrong with that.”
Conference standings – Back in the pre-season, I predicted the finish of teams in all three conferences. Well, as usual, I wasn’t exactly on my game. Now, you know why I never make the trip to Atlantic City.
Here we go:
National Conference
Predicted finishes
  1. Pennsbury
  2. Neshaminy
  3. Council Rock North
  4. Abington
  5. Council Rock South
  6. William Tennent
  7. Bensalem
  8. Harry S Truman
Actual finishes
1.       Pennsbury 14-5-1 overall, 11-3 SOL
2.       Abington 13-5-1, 9-4-1
3.       Council Rock North 13-6-1, 9-4-1
4.       William Tennent 14-6-1, 9-5
5.       Neshaminy 15-6-2, 8-4-2
6.       Bensalem 5-11, 4-10,
7.       Council Rock South 4-13, 4-10
8.       Harry S Truman 0-17, 0-14,
Continental Conference
Predicted finishes
  1. Central Bucks East
  2. Central Bucks South
  3. North Penn
  4. Souderton
  5. Hatboro-Horsham
  6. Pennridge
  7. Quakertown
  8. Central Bucks West
Actual finishes
1. Central Bucks East 17-4-1, 13-0-1
2. Pennridge 12-6-1, 9-4-1
3. Central Bucks South 11-8-1, 8-5-1
4. North Penn 10-7-2, 8-5-1
5. Hatboro Horsham 9-9-2, 7-7
6. Central Bucks West 3-12, 3-9
7. Souderton 3-12-3, 2-11-1
8. Quakertown 2-10-2, 1-10-1
 
American Conference
Predicted finishes
  1. Upper Dublin
  2. Wissahickon
  3. Upper Merion
  4. Upper Moreland
  5. Cheltenham
  6. Springfield
  7. Plymouth Whitemarsh
  8. Norristown
Actual finishes
1.       Upper Dublin 14-5-1, 13-1
2.       Wissahickon 12-5-3, 11-2-1
3.       Cheltenham 10-6-3, 9-3-2
4.       Upper Merion 7-9-2, 6-7-1
5.       Plymouth Whitemarsh 7-9-2, 5-8-1
6.       Springfield 6-11, 5-10
7.       Upper Moreland 4-12-1, 3-10-1
8.       Norristown 4-13, 1-12
 
All-league selections – Congratulations to the following players who were selected as the best in their conferences.
National Conference All-League Selections
Player of the Year – Jeff Pio, William Tennent
 
First team
Jeff Pio, 12, William Tennent; Kyle Soroka, 12, Neshaminy; Tom Natter, 12, Abington; Alex Ockford, 12, Pennsbury; Eric Schoenle, 12, Pennsbury; Jake Fields, 11, Council Rock North; Andrew Foran, 12, Abington; Greg Hill, 12, Abington; Greg Cochrane, 12, Council Rock South; Eddie Adams, 11, Pennsbury; Ryan Tessler, 12, Council Rock North
 
Second team
Jiddell Roach, 11, Abington; Dylan Gerstenfield, 12, William Tennent; Tristan Emig, 12, Neshaminy; Kyle Subley, 12, Bensalem; Jim Carra, 12, Harry S Truman; Jim Ockford, 11, Pennsbury; Steve Neumann, 11, Council Rock North; Justin Massaro, 10, William Tennent; Dan Kennedy, 12, Neshaminy; Zach Orenstein, 11, Council Rock South; Sam Matthews, 11, Abington
 
Third team
Brian Powers, 11, Pennsbury; Askia Rumph, 11, Pennsbury; Joe Bucantis, 12, Pennsbury; Alex Ruhfass, 12, Council Rock North; Vorey Radel, 12, Council Rock South; Jim Raciti, 11, William Tennent; Zach Turchi, 12, Neshaminy; Seth Jeffries, 12, Neshaminy; Mike Cahill, 12, Bensalem; Ian Malis, 12, Abington, Jim Clarke, 12, William Tennent.
 
Honorable mention
Eric McDowell, 12, Council Rock North; Sam Weinstein, 12, Council Rock North; John Cantwell, 12, Council Rock North; Alex Rojas, 9, Harry S Truman; Dan Foley, 12, Neshaminy; Bob Shegda, 12, Neshaminy; Zack Busch, 11, William Tennent; Kyle McDonald, 10, Pennsbury; Drew Hutchins, 11, Pennsbury; Greg Brenner, 12, Abington; Matt Kops, 12, Council Rock South.
 
Continental Conference All League Selections 
Player of the Year – Sean Peckham, 12, Central Bucks East
First team
Sean Peckham, Midfielder, 12, Central Bucks East; Michael Whitaker, Defender, 12, Central Bucks East; Pat Rennie, Midfielder, 12, Central Bucks 10uth; Alex Shubert, Forward, 12, Central Bucks East; John Owens, Defender, 12, Central Bucks East; Derek Swope, Forward, 12, North Penn; Chris Ei10ld, Defender, 12, Central Bucks East; Kevin Bailey, Forward, 10, Pennridge; Marcus Noel, Forward, 12, Pennridge; Craig Heckman, Forward, 12, 10uderton; Jake Pickering, Goalkeeper, 12, Central Bucks East
Second team
Mike Lambing, Forward, 12, Central Bucks South; Sean Bonner, Midfielder, 11, North Penn; Andrew Weyerhauser, Midfielder, 11, Hatboro Horsham; Dan Hucker, Midfielder, 12, Hatboro Horsham; Jesse Unangst, Midfielder, 12, Pennridge; Drew Hilinski, Midfielder, 12, Pennridge; JP Grove, Defender, 11, Central Bucks West; Alex Abdalla, Midfielder, 12, Central Bucks East; Dane Smith, Defender, 12, Central Bucks South; Dan Mueleners, Defender, 11, Souderton; Steve Dale, Goalkeeper, 12, North Penn
Third team
Zach Smith, Forward, 12, Quakertown; Rich Hobbs, Forward, 12, Hatboro Horsham; Jack Turchick, Midfielder, 11, Central Bucks South; Sean Nelms, Midfielder, 12, Central Bucks South; Alex Supplee, Defender, 12, North Penn; Nate Harder, Forward, 12, North Penn; Dan Grosso, Defender, 12, Hatboro Horsham; Dan Caya, Defender, 10, Pennridge; AJ Androkites, Midfielder, 11, Souderton; Jake Rapsinski, Defender, 11, Pennridge; Dan Saint-Pol, Goalkeeper, 12, Pennridge
Honorable mention
Michael Vare, Midfielder/Defender, 12, Central Bucks East; Fran Miller, Midfielder, 11, Central Bucks East; Ricky Pieri, Defender, 10, Central Bucks South; Ray Galgon, Defender, 12, North Penn; Chris Growe, Midfielder, 12, Pennridge; Will Wister, Midfielder, 11, Central Bucks West; Josh Burnside, Midfielder, 12, Quakertown; Sean New, Defender, 12, Hatboro Horsham; Scott Jablonski, Midfielder, 11, Souderton; Brent Landis, Defender, 11, Quakertown; Dan Fitch, Goalkeeper, 12, Central Bucks South
American Conference All League Selections
Player of the Year – Ian Smith, 11, Upper Dublin
Anderson Gaussaint, 12, Cheltenham; Rachyeed Hollenbach, 12, Springfield; Greg Ashton, 12, Springfield; Ian Smith, 11, Upper Dublin; Ryan Hartzell, 12, Upper Dublin; Ben Kessler, 12, Upper Dublin; Heath Kupecky, 12, Upper Merion; Menvekah Daramy, 10, Upper Moreland; Nick Matthews, 12, Wissahickon; Sepp Dasbach, 11, Wissahickon; Jason Bilotti, 12, Wissahickon
Second team
Miles Roman, 12, Cheltenham; Ian Hammer, 12, Norristown; J.J. Natale, 11, Norristown; Sam Negley, 11, Plymouth Whitemarsh; Kasro Fazliu, 10, Plymouth Whitemarsh; Matt Henry, 12, Springfield; Kevin Marvill, 12, Upper Dublin; Robert Friskey, 10, Upper Merion; Nick Cappa, 12, Upper Moreland; Jake Helman, 12, Wissahickon; Kevin Matthews, 12, Wissahickon
Third team
Murray Freedman, 11, Cheltenham; Jeff Henstenburg, 11, Cheltenham; Diego Salinas, 12, Norristown; Jimmy Garrison, 11, Plymouth Whitemarsh; Will Majer, 12, Plymouth Whitemarsh; Joe Rodgers, 12, Springfield; Cory Meyer, 12, Upper Dublin; Tyler Gregg, 12, Upper Dublin; Ben Andrews, 12, Upper Merion; Joe Farrell, 9, Wissahickon; Eric Reifenstahl, 10, Wissahickon
Honorable mention
Nick White, 12, Cheltenham; Ramon Ochoa, 12, Norristown; Alex Klein, 12, Plymouth Whitemarsh; Mack Woron, 11, Springfield; Ray Ludwig, 11, Upper Dublin; Sean Dugan, 12, Upper Merion; Nathan Kistner, 11, Upper Moreland; Oluwole Amudipe, 10, Wissahickon
 
NSCAA/adidas® Region III National Rankings
(Nov. 11)
1. St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.) 19 - 1 - 0  
2. Downingtown West (Downingtown, Pa.) 22 - 1 - 0  
3. The Pingry School (Martinsville, N.J.) 14 - 0 - 1  
4. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) 17 - 2 - 0  
5. Lower Merion (Ardmore, Pa.) 17 - 2 - 1  
6. Rancocas Valley (Mt. Holly, N.J.) 17 - 1 - 1  
7. Ramapo (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) 12 - 0 - 2  
8. North Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) 14 - 1 - 3  
9. Harrison (N.J.) 17 - 1 - 0  
10. Columbia (Maplewood, N.J.) 16 - 2 - 2  
11. Central Bucks East (Doylestown, Pa.) 17 - 4 - 1  
12. Manheim Township (Lancaster, Pa.) 20 - 4 - 2  
13. Paramus Catholic (Paramus, N.J.) 17 - 2 - 0  
14. Mount Lebanon (Pittsburgh, Pa.) 19 - 2 - 0  
15. Peters Township (Pittsburgh, Pa.) 16 - 5 - 0  
# Denotes District Champion
    For more information, visit the NSCAA website at www.NSCAA.com or call 800-458-0678
 
 
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