The Central Bucks East and Wissahickon boys’ soccer teams will be in action when the PIAA Class AAA Tournament begins on Tuesday.
Central Bucks East capped a magical run through the postseason by winning the program’s first district title since 1991, thanks to its 1-0 win over Great Valley on Saturday night.
The Patriots didn’t have long to celebrate.
On Tuesday, CB East will be back on the pitch facing a Central York squad that saw its district title hopes derailed in the semifinals when the top-seeded Panthers – who battled Lower Dauphin to a scoreless tie after double overtime – fell to the 12th-seeded Falcons 5-4 in penalty kicks.
Win or lose in districts, it doesn’t matter anymore. Teams have to regroup in a hurry for the state tournament.
“The District One title is such an honor to win,” coach Mike Gorni said. “However, because of the placement of the district final on a Saturday night prior to the first round of states which is on Tuesday – we’ve always emphasized the importance of winning whatever title you can.
“This group right now has a pretty impressive Continental League championship and a District One title, but we were very upfront with the team – if we go and we win (districts), you have to be excited, but you have to manage that by not getting too far ahead of yourself or too high. The same thing if we lost – you can’t get too emotionally drained from it because you have to turn around and play another game.”
The Patriots will be facing a Central York squad that rolled to its second consecutive York-Adams Interscholastic Athletic Association title and lost just once in the regular season (6-5 to district champion Reading).
With no playoff game for third place in District 3, Central York became the fourth place after Lower Dauphin – which upset the Panthers in the semifinals – fell to Reading (2-1) in the district title game. Conversely, the team Reading had beaten in the district semis – Mechanicsburg – became the third place team.
Gorni hoped for a state playoff game close to home, and he got his wish.
The Patriots will play a doubleheader with their girls’ squad at William Tennent High School.
“The quest is always for the state championship, but you never know if you’re going to get there,” the Patriots’ coach said. “That’s just so tough to do. Winning the district was important, but we just really want to keep improving. I think that’s what we’ve done.”
“It’s a great things for the kids to have won a district title, but we know that you have to turn around and face your first state game very quickly on Tuesday. You want to celebrate it and then get back to the drawing board.”
#1-1 CENTRAL BUCKS EAST vs. #3-4 CENTRAL YORK (at William Tennent, 7 p.m.)
Central Bucks East
- 20-2-0 overall
- 13-1-0 SOL Continental Conference champions
- Won first 12 Continental Conference games
- After advancing to final four in district seven of eight years, East captured first district title since 1991 with 2-0 win over Great Valley.
- Evan Vare scored seven goals and assisted on the eighth in a remarkable offensive showing during district play.
How they got here:
- In Saturday’s district title game, Brian Gilligan, using an Evan Vare assist, scored in the 34th minute, and that goal stood the rest of the way as the Patriots held on to defeat defending district champion Great Valley 1-0.
- In the district semifinals, Evan Vare scored four goals during a remarkable 12-minute span to lead the Patriots to a 4-1 win over top-seeded Unionville.
- Evan Vare scored an overtime goal to propel the Patriots to a 2-1 win over fifth-seeded Plymouth Whitemarsh. Earlier, Vare scored the equalizer in an evenly played game that saw the Colonials take a 1-0 lead.
- After a first round bye, the Patriots earned a 1-0 overtime win over 20th-seeded Methacton, thanks to a goal by Evan Vare with 3:42 remaining in the first OT. J.R. Eisold had the assist after a Booker Farrior throw-in.
Central York
- 21-2-1
- Two-time defending YAIAA champions
- Entered the District 3 Tournament as the number one seed.
- Shut out just twice all season, most recently in a district semifinal loss to Lower Dauphin in penalty kicks.
- Only regular season blemishes were 0-0 tie to Manheim Central on Sept. 13 and a 6-5 loss to Reading on Sept. 27.
- Led offensively by Igor Gomes, the Panthers’ striker from Angola, and Calvin Luckenbaugh.
How they got here:
- After battling 12th-seeded Lower Dauphin to a scoreless tie after double overtime, top-seeded Central York fell to the Falcons 5-4 in penalty kicks.
- Goals by sophomore Pierce Miller (Calvin Luckenbaugh assist) and Igor Gomes propelled Central York to a 2-1 win over Manheim Township.
- In a second round 2-0 win over 16th-seeded Exeter Township, Pierce Miller scored both goals.
#1-4 WISSAHICKON vs. 12-1 ARCHBISHOP WOOD (at Northeast High School, 7 p.m.)
Wissahickon
- 18-4-0 overall
- 12-2-0 second place SOL American Conference
- Led offensively by senior Cole Kropnick, who surpassed the 50-goal mark for his career this season.
How they got here:
- After falling to 15th-seeded Great Valley 1-0 in the semifinals, the Trojans lost to top-seeded Unionville 1-0 in Saturday’s third place game.
- In a dramatic quarterfinal win, the Trojans edged sixth-seeded West Chester Henderson 3-2 in penalty kicks after the two teams battled to a 2-2 tie at the end of two overtimes. Devin Memis connected for the winning PK, and keeper John Carrozza delivered a stop to seal the win. Also converting penalty kicks were Sam Hunt and Alex Escude. During regulation, the Trojans received goals from Tom McHale and Cole Kropnick – both with Ryan Becker assists.
- After a first round bye, the Trojans crushed Springfield (Delco) 6-1 in a second round game. Cole Kropnick set the tone with two early goals, and when he was leveled by the Cougars’ goalie on a breakaway, the Trojans were awarded a penalty stroke that Devon Memis converted. The Trojans also received single goals from Sam Hunt, Alex Tappen and Alex Chiodo-Ortiz. Memis, Hunt, Shane Fallen and Henry Zhong each contributed an assist.
Archbishop Wood
- 18-2-2
- 2014 PCL Champion
- Opened season with 10 straight wins, including a 3-1 win over North Penn in its season opener.
- Winners of five straight heading into the state tournament.
How they got here:
- In the District 12 title game, Wood trailed 2-0 at halftime as Northeast scored on its only two shots of the first half. The Vikings made it a 2-1 game on an own goal, and with eight minutes remaining, Scott Pierson scored to knot things up 1-1. Brendan Marshall (Dan McDonald assist) scored the game winner with 2:56 remaining in regulation.
- Defeated Roman Catholic 1-0 when Matt McWilliams turned a Dan McDonald corner kick into the golden goal with 12:13 remaining in the second overtime.
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