Check out the recaps for SOL boys’ soccer teams in action in Tuesday’s opening round of the District One 4A Tournament.
It was a clean sweep for the SOL boys’ soccer teams in the opening round of the District One 4A Tournament. Five teams were in action. All five were winners, and all five won by shutout. Their wins set up a second round that will include eight SOL teams in the 16-team field.
CLASS 4A
#22 PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 1, #11 DOWNINGTOWN EAST 0
Sparked by a Brendan Corpus goal in the second half, the Colonials pulled off the biggest upset of Tuesday’s opening round, sending the Cougars home for the season.
“It was definitely a good result for us,” PW coach Rich Kessler said. “The way we looked at it – we still view ourselves as good as anybody. We had a strange season where we had really bad results intermixed with really good results, but a lot of those really bad results I don’t think were indicative of the real character of the group.
“We’re still figuring stuff out. I guess we’d rather find momentum later in the season than earlier, so it’s a good time for us.”
At halftime, the two teams found themselves locked in a scoreless tie.
“We came in with a very specific game plan,” Kessler said. “We wanted to defend, we wanted to congest the middle of the park and make it really challenging for them to do anything but put balls into the box, and we did that.
“I think we had better moments through counterattacks. Their goalie in the first half made an unbelievable save on Mason Clatterbuck’s breakaway. He counterattacked on the right side, and their goalkeeper made a phenomenal save.”
The flow of the game changed considerably in the second half.
“The second half was more progressive from Downingtown,” Kessler said. “They started to pose much more of a threat, they got the ball in the box more, and they had a couple moments where they were right on the edge of scoring.
“They hit the post off of a header, a long service hit the bar as well. They had some chances that kind of came out of nowhere. They were serving the ball in, but there was not a whole lot of possession in dangerous areas, but still, the moments were there. The game was close all throughout the whole entire time.”
Corpus scored the game’s lone goal in the 68th minute on the rebound of a goalie save.
“We broke through, and Mason Clatterbuck got the ball into the corner where he was able to collect it right at the corner flag, and really, he made an unbelievable solo run to beat five players,” Kessler said. “He beat the first guy man-to-man, split two more defenders, beat another defender and was able to hold one off and then hit a really great shot. The goalkeeper made an outrageously good save, and it just happened that the rebound went right to Brendan Corpus, who really buried it.
“The game was a classic rainy high school game, and it was anybody’s game. For us, a lot of things came together defensively even though we conceded those two moments that were really dangerous. It was a really good defensive performance from us which we’d been lacking. We’d typically over the last couple of years score a bunch of goals and give up more. We’re starting to make some adjustments on the defensive end, and it showed tonight.”
The Colonials’ coach credited the efforts of several players whose names won’t show up in the box score.
“Goalkeeper Dan Small did a pretty good job,” Kessler said. “He didn’t do a lot of shot stopping. I’m not even sure he made a save, but he did a great job of controlling the box. Anything that did come in he was able to comfortably collect.
“Our three center backs were all fantastic. Dean Allen, who’s a senior, was unbelievably good. Sammy Cohen, a junior, also played really good. Joe Redmond, a senior, also played really, really well. It was just a complete performance by the defense.”
The win came in the Colonials’ first trip to the postseason in four years, and they had to overcome not only the Cougars but also the elements.
“Obviously, it was a messy game – the rain was off and on but on more than off,” Kessler said. “The wind was picking up a lot, here and there it was really bad, so we knew it was one of those games.
“It was a tight game. It was played mostly in the middle of the park. Downingtown did not have a single shot in the first half, but they did have a good amount of the ball, but there was no threat really in the first half. It was all in the middle third.”
Plymouth Whitemarsh (11-7, 10-6 SOL) will travel to #6 Boyertown for a second round game Thursday (7 pm).
“Boyertown is a really good team – we’ll see what happens,” Kessler said. “We feel really confident. If you were to ask any of the boys, I’m certain they’re feeling they can beat anybody. We’re a low seed, so we get viewed as a low seed, but I don’t know if I’d be wanting to play against this PW team right now.”
Plymouth Whitemarsh 0-1 0
Downingtown East 0-0 0
#13 HATBORO-HORSHAM 2, #20 HARRITON 0
The Hatters broke a scoreless tie with a pair of second half goals to earn the opening round win.
“We didn’t know a ton about Harriton,” HH coach Kyle McGrath said. “Obviously, they play in the Central League, which is a good league. They have a good history of solid teams, so it was a good matchup for us, and I’m happy to move on to the next round.”
Neither team could find the back of the net in the first half.
“In the first half as with a lot of games today, the wind was a factor,” McGrath said. “We were going into the wind in the first half. The idea was to get through the first half 0-0 if we could. We were able to do that. Not too many chances in the first half.
“They hit the crossbar off a free kick that was wind aided, but it got to halftime 0-0, which we were happy about. The start of the second half we came out really on fire and scored two goals in the first six minutes.”
The Hatters led 1-0 after a goal by Nathan Scavo with a Ryan Toporowski assist in the 43rd minute.
“We got a throw in – Ryan Toporowski threw the ball into the box, and it kind of fell for Nathan Scavo,” McGrath said. “He turned his defender and found a way to get it past the goalkeeper to make it 1-0.”
Three minutes later, the Hatters added an insurance goal.
“We had another throw in, and instead of going long, Ryan Toporowski threw the ball in to Nick Katherine’s feet, and Nick was able to get half turned, and he just crushed a half volley past the keeper to make it 2-0, and that was all we needed,” McGrath said. “I thought we were in control most of the game. They were very good on the transition and counterattack, and they have some good attacking players who were good in that situation.”
The Hatters’ coach lauded the strong showings of several players.
“Jacob Kim and Caleb Hudson, my two center backs, were very good in transition,” McGrath said. “Ryan Toporowski and Jake Freedman put out a lot of fires in center mid, and we were able to get guys in good spots early in the second half to finish a few chances.”
HH goalie Noah Schlosser was credited with four saves. It was his 12th clean sheet of the season.
Hatboro-Horsham (13-6, 11-5 SOL) will travel to West Chester Henderson for a second round game on Thursday (7 pm).
“We started the week with the goal of winning three games,” McGrath said. “Obviously, every team that gets in playoffs has that same goal because it guarantees a spot in states. We scrimmaged Henderson early in the season. A lot has changed since then.
“It should be a good game. Both programs have a storied history. I’m just looking forward to an opportunity to practice with the guys tomorrow and get another chance to play on Thursday.”
Harriton 0-0 0
Hatboro-Horsham 0-2 2
#16 CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 2, #17 KENNETT 0
The Patriots scored a pair of second half goals and kept the visiting Blue Demons off the scoreboard to earn the hard-fought win in Tuesday’s district opener.
“It was a very good game” East coach Josh Isaacsohn said. “I knew they were coming in very well coached and organized. They had a few trick plays. They caught us on an offsides trap on a long service, and you could tell they had done the homework.
“In the first half, it started off a bit even and then I felt the game tilted our way a little bit. They had some good possessions and a few chances on goal both ways. It was a really well played first half.
“In the second half, I think we came out with a head of steam a little bit, and we actually hit the bar three times in the course of 40 seconds. It was just one of those things. The boys very quickly after that took advantage of that positive flow of play.”
Midway through the second half, East got on the scoreboard when Josh Daniels scored using a Nick Knepp assist.
“Josh has come back better and better every game,” Isaacsohn said. “He was a captain who was out most of the year (with an injury). Our other captain, Brandon Epstein, came back, and they both contributed tremendously.”
With 13 minutes remaining, Knepp connected on an insurance goal.
“We had a free kick from far, and it was a bit of a windy day,” Isaacsohn said. “Nick Knepp kicked it, and it just kind of floated. I think everyone from both teams was expecting it to drop a little bit, and it stayed up in the air much longer, and it ended up just floating over everyone’s head. No one even touched it, so Nick had the goal from 35-40 yards out on the right side of the field.”
The Patriots’ coach acknowledged the efforts of several players.
“Ethan Green, our left back, just always plays completely incredible,” Isaacsohn said. “He was so great today. He was getting heavily fouled. He got fouled two or three times really hard. He’s just been a warrior.
“Michael Frye and Owen Willis, center defensive midfielders, stood really tall. It was a solid and complete game, and it was really what we need to keep moving forward. I’m extremely proud of these guys. They’ve really worked hard, and it’s been a lot of fun. Today was more of that. It was just a fun game to be a part of. We have a fantastic bench, a lot of positivity and really good support system, and now we have nothing to lose going up against Conestoga.”
Central Bucks East (11-5-3, 9-4-3 SOL) will be on the road at top-seeded Conestoga on Thursday.
“They’re incredibly good,” Isaacsohn said of the Pioneers. “It’s going to be a challenge, but I learned a couple years ago with the win against North Penn when we were the only team they lost to that anything can happen. I’ve been around the league long enough to know it and see it. That’s the attitude we have to have. We absolutely have nothing to lose and everything to gain. It’s very exciting, and it’s really a lot of fun. I’m very, very happy for the boys. We have a lot of hardworking kids who after a long year-and-a-half really deserve stuff like this.”
Central Bucks East 0-2 2
Kennett 0-0 0
#18 SOUDERTON 2, #15 STRATH HAVEN 0
The visiting Indians overcame not only the Panthers but also the elements to notch the opening round win.
“After we figured out the wind and after we settled down and found feet and played through our midfield, I thought we were good tonight,” Souderton coach Matt Benner said. “It was a well-deserved win for our boys, and I’m really proud of them.”
The Indians got on the scoreboard in the 27th minute, thanks to a Strath Haven own goal from a Nolan Hughes cross.
“That definitely gave us some positive momentum heading into halftime,” Benner said. “I felt like we had some really good periods of play in the first half.
“We had some good combination play in the midfield. We were getting numbers forward and getting guys in the box and creating chances. Strath Haven was playing with the wind, playing a little bit direct, causing us some problems on throws and corners, but for us to get that goal 13 minutes before the half, we were able to regroup at halftime and say, ‘Here we go, we’re playing really well, we have the goal to show for it, and now we’ve got the wind at our back.’ We felt really confident going into the second half.”
That confidence was well founded. Ten minutes into the second half, Tyson Bui buried a left-footed shot from a Nolan Hughes through ball to put the Indians on top 2-0.
“The goal we scored was a really quality goal,” Benner said. “Nolan Hughes was able to play a ball into space for Tyson Bui. He took his defender on, got inside position on him and went into the box. He hit a really hard shot with his left foot into the far post. It was great. The boys reacted really well to it, continued to win balls, continued to be physical in the back and kept the chances for Strath Haven to a minimum.
“We felt like we played well all night. We were creating opportunities to find a really good goal in transition, which is something we talked a lot about leading up to the game tonight – being good in transition, being good in the final third and finishing what little chances we get because we know in playoff soccer chances are very hard to come by.”
The Indians coach called the win a team effort.
“The whole team played very physical, and the whole team was committed to improving on defending restarts and winning balls,” Benner said. “Our back line of Thomas Smith, Logan Good, Ryan Schewe and then we had lots of different guys that played in wide areas, whether it was backs or midfielders that did the same thing, but I thought our defenders did a really, really nice job for us tonight, kind of gave us the foundation to go forward and commit numbers in the box.”
Souderton (11-5-3, 8-5-3 SOL) will travel to #2 Lower Merion for a second round game Thursday (3 pm).
“We tell our team – the playoffs are a whole another animal and anybody is beatable,” Benner said. “We respect Lower Merion a ton. We know what kind of quality, technical players they have on their team. They play a real good style. They’re not the number two seed in the district for no reason. They’re a very quality side, but we’re not going in afraid.
“We’re going to go in and we’re going to play really hard, and we’re going to make the game difficult for them. We present a lot of athleticism, a lot of ball winning and are just a tough team to break down. Tonight, us shutting down Strath Haven on the road – that’s our MO, that’s what we want to do. We’ll be ready.”
Souderton 1-1 2
Strath Haven 0-0 0
#19 COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 3, #14 SPRING-FORD 0
Rock South’s trip to the district tournament was a long time coming, and the Golden Hawks made the most of it, seizing control from the outset and never letting go.
“It was an hour trip, it was a little windy,” Nichol said. “I think the boys were very focused, they were very up for it.
“We feel like we’ve been waiting a long time for this, and I was a bit concerned that we might be a little overly emotional going into it. I was trying not to say too much in preparation for the game. I was trying to stay somewhat calm and leave them to their preparation because I could tell it was very tense, it was very focused, and I was concerned, but they were outstanding. From the opening whistle, they just jumped on it.”
Everett Kurtz put the Golden Hawks on the scoreboard midway through the opening quarter.
“It was just reward for a hard worked opening frame for us,” Nicholl said.
The Golden Hawks took that 1-0 lead into halftime, and they added to that advantage three minutes into the second half on a low drive rifled into the net by Frankie Rafferty. With 18 minutes remaining, Gavin Hagan scored on a penalty kick.
“We saw out the game really well and didn’t give Spring-Ford any clean looks,” Nicholl said. “We did the dirty work today, won the battles in the trenches and never downshifted for 80 minutes.
“Our work rate was unmatched as the boys really wanted to make a statement today. They’ve been eager to get to the postseason and fully expect to take advantage of this opportunity. We play a very competitive schedule, and I think we were extremely well prepared for a battle tonight.”
The Golden Hawks’ coach had high praise for his two forwards – Frankie Rafferty and Everett Kurtz.
“Literally from the opening whistle, we showed great intent,” Nicholl said. “We were very, very industrious. My two forwards were the hardest working players on the field. They just were relentless in their pursuit.
“They were very disruptive, they didn’t let Spring-Ford settle into their game. It looked like they were trying to knock the ball around, they tried to possess the ball and tried to keep things relatively tight and play as a unit, and we were all over it. We didn’t give them room to breathe really.”
There was plenty of praise to go around in this one.
“There have been so many games where I think my goalkeeper (Kieran Barry) has stood on his head for us,” Nicholl said. “He’s been outstanding, and if I’m being honest, he didn’t have much to do, and I’m so pleased. I think our best defense was played so far away from him that Spring-Ford never really got a foot in the game, they never really asked a whole lot of my goalie.
“Gavin Hagan was very, very good in his possession, and my two center midfielders – Josh Nikolevski and Stepan Kovalev – were just a big physical presence. They really commanded the center of the park and dictated that physical style.
“Spring-Ford struggled trying to get a foot in the game. They did have a forward (Justin Russell) we’d scouted who’s a pretty dangerous player, but he really couldn’t get his feet going. I didn’t mark him but Lex Lenoir was all over it. We were very industrious. It was 80 straight minutes of hard, hard work football. We talk all the time as coaches about playing a full 80 and not letting down. Goodness me, did they save a solid 80 minutes for the right time.”
Council Rock South (13-5-1, 10-5-1 SOL) will travel to #3 Downingtown West on Thursday (7 pm).
Council Rock South 1-2 3
Spring-Ford 0-0 0
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