By Alex Frazier
Sayonara – This will be the last notebook of the season, barring any breaking news. I would like to congratulate all the coaches and players for another fine season. Without their cooperation, this notebook wouldn’t have been possible.
If anyone has comments or suggestions about how the notebook can be improved next year, please e-mail me at suburbanonesports@comcast.net.
Dream Team – I have always been critical of the number of players the Suburban One League names to all-league teams. To me, it dilutes the significance of the honor when about 50 percent of the starters league-wide makes some level of all-league.
With that in mind, I have selected a “dream team” of SOL players that could take on the world.
The Dream Team
Forwards
Dan Foley, Neshaminy
Ian Smith, Upper Dublin
Craig Heckman, Souderton
Midfielders
Sean Peckham, Central Bucks East
Kyle Soroka, Neshaminy
Jeff Pio, William Tennent
Jake Fields, Council Rock North
Greg Cochrane, Council Rock South
Defenders
Greg Hill, Abington
Alex Ockford, Pennsbury
Mike Whitaker, Central Bucks East
Ryan Tessler, Council Rock North
Chris Eisold, Central Bucks East
Goalie
Jake Pickering, Central Bucks East
Sam Matthews, Abington
Reserves
Anderson Gaussaint, Cheltenham, forward
Alex Shubert, Central Bucks East, forward
Heath Kupecky, Upper Merion, defender
Jason Bilotti, Wissahickon, defender
Menkevah Daramy, Upper Moreland, forward
Greg Ashton, Springfield, goalie
Pat Rennie, Central Bucks South, midfielder
Game(s) of the Year
Beating a team once on penalty kicks is one thing, but beating the same team twice on PKs, and in a span of 10 days, is quite another thing.
Neshaminy sure gave its fans something to cheer about when it defeated Lower Merion, which had been rated No. 1 in Southeastern Pennsylvania, the entire state and in the National Region Three poll, 3-1 on penalty kicks in the District One semifinals.
The two met again in the PIAA state quarterfinals and the Redskins came back from a 2-0 deficit to win 4-1 in PKs.
Coach of the Year
Neshaminy’s Rich Reice endured a stormy regular season in which the Redskins finished fifth in the National Conference, but he had his veteran troops ready for the post-season.
The No. 12-seeded Redskins made it all the way to the district finals, where they fell to eventual state champion Downingtown West, 1-0, in overtime.
And in the state tournament, Neshaminy defeated District 12 champion North Catholic and then ousted Lower Merion before falling to Downingtown West in the semifinals.
Player of the Year
With so many good players out there, this is a difficult choice, to say the least.
But Central Bucks East goalie Jake Pickering was a big reason the Patriots advanced to the state semifinals. Pickering and his defense registered 16 shutouts for the season, which raised Pickering’s two-year total to an amazing 35.
Final Top Five SOL teams
1. Neshaminy
2. Central Bucks East
3. Pennsbury
4. Abington
5. Council Rock North
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