SOL Boys’ Soccer PIAA Preview (11-8-16)

Three SOL boys’ soccer teams will be in action when the PIAA Class 4A Tournament gets underway Tuesday. Check back for Jarrad Saffren’s recaps.

Three SOL teams are among the five District One teams competing in the 2016 PIAA Class 4A Tournament on Tuesday. North Penn will have a chance to avenge one of its losses when the Knights travel to Northeast High School to take on PCL/District 12 champion La Salle. A short-handed Knight squad fell to La Salle 1-0 in a non-league game on Sept. 24.

Council Rock North is looking to rebound from back-to-back losses in district play when it travels to J. Birney Crum Stadium in Allentown to take on an Emmaus squad that was seeded fifth in district play but pulled off several upsets to capture the District XI title.

Neshaminy will travel to Manheim Township High School District 3 champion Hempfield.

#1-3 NORTH PENN v #12-1 LA SALLE (at Northeast High School, 7 p.m.)

North Penn

17-4 overall
10-2 in SOL Continental Conference
Won first league title since 2007
Knights had 10 shutouts during the regular season
Winners of nine of their last 10 games, the Knights only loss in that span came at the hands of top-seeded Conestoga in the district semifinals (2-1).
Senior midfielders Mike Kohler, a four-year varsity veteran, and Nick Terchek are key at both ends of the field. Defense anchored by Noah Kwortnik and goalie Bobby Dean.

How they got here: After an opening round bye, the fifth-seeded Knights opened district play with a 2-0 second round win over 21^st-seeded Kennett. North Penn edged fourth-seeded Pennsbury 2-1 in a district quarterfinal game before falling to top-seeded Conestoga 2-1 in the semis. In Saturday’s third place game, the Knights used an own goal as well as a goal by Luke McMahon to edge third-seeded Council Rock North 2-1.

La Salle

17-1-3 overall
9-0-2 PCL regular season champions
Captured first PCL title since 2012 with 2-1 win over defending champion Roman
Defeated North Penn 1-0 on Sept. 24
Only loss of season came at the hands of Council Rock North on Oct. 8 (2-1).

How they got here: La Salle – the PCL’s top seed – had an opening round bye, and in a second round game, the Explorers defeated ninth-seeded St. Joe’s Prep 2-0. After battling fourth-seeded Archbishop Wood to a 1-1 double overtime tie, La Salle earned a 3-0 win in penalty kicks. In La Salle’s 2-1 win over Roman in the title game, Zach Hogan scored the game winner. La Salle went on to defeated previously unbeaten Northeast 2-1 in the District 12 title game.

#1-4 COUNCIL ROCK NORTH v #11-1 EMMAUS (at J Birney Krum Stadium, 7 p.m.)

Council Rock North

16-4-2 overall
10-2 in SOL National Conference
Won first conference title since 2011
Indians had 10 shutouts during the regular season
Nikita Ilin leads the Indians’ attack

How they got here: The Indians – after an opening round bye – defeated 14^th-seeded Unionville 3-2 in a second round game. In a quarterfinal contest, Rock North edged National Conference rival and sixth-seeded Neshaminy 4-3 before falling to second-seeded West Chester Henderson 5-0 in the semifinals. In Saturday’s third place game, the Indians fell to fifth-seeded North Penn 2-1.

Emmaus

12-6-1 overall
9-4-3 East Penn Conference
Two-time defending District 11 champions
Hornets were 1-4-1 during a six-game midseason stretch but have won seven of their last eight games with only loss to Liberty (2-1 OT) in East Penn quarterfinals.
Attack led by Kacper Grycel (12 goals – 4 game winners, 5 assists), Dakota Bauer (2 goals, 11 assists), Jonathan Heberlein (6 goals, 3 assists) and Nick Cari (6 goals).

How they got here: The defending District 11 champions were the tournament’s fifth seed. After an opening round bye, Emmaus defeated Northampton 4-0 in a quarterfinal game. The Hornets upset top-seeded Stroudsburg 3-1, a win that snapped a 16-game winning streak for the number one seed. In the district finals, the Hornets battled second-seeded Parkland to a 0-0 tie after regulation and two overtimes and then won in PKs (4-2).

#1-5 NESHAMINY v #3-1 HEMPFIELD (at Manheim Township High School, 7 p.m.)

Neshaminy

16-6 overall
8-4 in SOL National play
Finished third in SOL National behind CR North and Pennsbury
Midfielder Dan Grindrod leads a Redskin team that was shut out just once during the regular season. Attack led by Vince Hosephros, Chase Rider & Jack McCourt.
Defense anchored by Jon Albarran, Kevin Hanscin, Dylan McDonald, Jared Stonkus and keeper Val Scarsellatto.

How they got here: After an opening round bye, sixth-seeded Neshaminy defeated 22^nd-seeded Owen J. Roberts 2-0 in a second round district game. In the quarterfinals, the Redskins fell to conference rival and third-seeded Council Rock North 4-3. Neshaminy defeated seventh-seeded Lower Merion 3-1 in a playback game, and after battling eighth-seeded Central Bucks East to 0-0 tie after double overtime, the Redskins edged the Patriots in PKs (4-3) in Saturday’s fifth place game.

Hempfield

23-2 overall
10-0 Lancaster-Lebanon Section 1 regular season champion
Lost to Elizabethtown 2-1 in the Lancaster-Lebanon championship game.
Led by returning first team all-star Kurtis Rineer and leading scorer Colby Smith

How they got here: Hempfield rode its number one seed to the District 3 title, opening the tournament with a 3-0 win over 16^th-seeded Carlisle. In second round action, Hempfield earned a 3-1 win over ninth-seeded Ephrata and then edged fourth-seeded Cumberland Valley in the semifinals. Hempfield defeated 11^th-seeded Elizabethtown 1-0 in Saturday’s title game with Colby Smith’s goal four minutes into the game the only score for either team.