Abington advanced to the PIAA 4A quarterfinals while CB West saw its season come to an end. (Photo courtesy of Kathy Leister Photography)
#1-2 ABINGTON 4, #11-2 EMMAUS 0
It would be tough to have a more picture-perfect goal than Sean Touey's first score Tuesday night.
After a frustrating game to that point, and with his team not quite assured of a victory yet, Touey authored a moment of brilliance that went a long way toward sewing up Abington's trip to the second round.
"It feels great, the last two years we hadn't gotten over that district hump but this year, there's a certain focus but at the same time, a joy we have going out there," Touey said. "I've never been a part of a tighter group, and working hard and getting a big win like this is amazing for both our confidence after a tough loss this weekend and in moving forward."
Touey's sublime strike put Abington up three goals with about nine minutes to go and his powerful header five minutes later pretty much made it official. While the senior, who notched his 28th and 29th goals of the season, provided the finish, the rest of the Ghosts gave him the set-up.
"We've been fortunate enough to score goals all year, the other night in the (District I) final we only scored one but left a couple we could have finished and tonight, we applied a lot of pressure and had a lot of chances in the beginning," Abington coach Randy Garber said. "If we get enough chances, hopefully one or two will go in the back of the net. When you play states, the different conferences play different ways and I don't know that they were ready to play that physical."
Nevin Baer, Abington's dynamic junior midfielder, said the Ghosts spent all of Sunday mentally working past their district final loss to CB West, which allowed them to get back to work training on Monday. With all their, well, ghosts out of the way by the time Tuesday's match began, Abington got back to its identity.
"We talked about pressuring their defense early, that was pretty much our whole thing," Baer said. "They wanted to go side to side and not as direct, so we felt we could pressure and steal it in their end and lead to quicker chances to score."
Baer and Touey, along with Gavin O'Neil, put that pressure to work early, with O'Neil striking the crossbar as Abington tried to steal an early goal. The Ghosts would get one on a rather unusual scoring play about 10 minutes in.
A corner kick service by Baer took a wicked curve right at the near post, dipping right into a cluster of players and finding itself over the line despite the best efforts of Emmaus' keeper to try and prove otherwise. Touey, the lone Abington player in the mix, said he didn't touch the ball but he was able to shield the keeper enough that it led to the goal.
"I tried to just hit it near post, it bent a little more and went in," said Baer, who admitted to not having a clear view himself.
Abington got a second goal less than two minutes later, again off a corner kick. This one, served in by Liam Friel, did not cause any question of who scored it when an Emmaus defender inadvertently kicked the ball into his own net.
For as quick as the Ghosts started, they slowed considerably over the next 15 minutes. Emmaus, a skilled side with the ball at their feet, settled into the game and took it to Abington and nearly knotted the game.
"They closed the half really well, so we wanted to stick to our plan and play high pressure," Abington defender Nate Rose said. "We wanted to force them to come up the middle and not take it outside at all costs."
The Hornets missed two prime chances inside 12 yards, shooting both over the crossbar. Abington's coaches let their players know about it at halftime.
"I told them at halftime that second 15 minutes, they kind of took off," Garber said. "They relaxed, they gave Emmaus too much space and they're capable of connecting some passes and causing some problems. It could have been 2-2 going into halftime and we can't do that. I said at halftime, if you don't pressure them, you will chase the ball for 40 minutes."
Abington's defense – led by another standout effort from Rose, Reese Gibbs, Vince Carosella and Liam Campbell – got the message.
"We just had to have more energy and work for each other," Baer said.
Touey kept trying for a goal in the second half, pushing a couple chances just wide. Finally, with about eight minutes left, he got the breakthrough in about as resounding a manner possible.
Liam Friel put the ball on a platter with a terrific cross to the far post where Touey unloaded on it for a one-touch laser of a goal.
"I knew it had to come eventually. I saw the ball come in the air and I knew it was going to dip over the defender's head, it was a ball Liam's played so often, a perfect dropping ball to the middle," Touey said. "I swung my left foot, and I don't know if I've ever made contact on a ball that well before. As soon as it left my foot, I knew it was a rocket straight to the corner."
The senior added the finisher with about four minutes left when he headed in Friel's corner kick.
Abington moves on to face Seneca Valley, the District 7 champion, in Saturday's second round.
"They're a tight-knit group, they like each other and it's important to have fun with this and they certainly have fun in the course of training and the games," Garber said. "When you have that mixture, you'll have a pretty good team."
ABINGTON 2 2 – 4
EMMAUS 0 0 – 0
Goals: A – Sean Touey 2, Nevin Baer
#3-3 CENTRAL DAUPHIN 2, #1-1 CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 1 (OT)
The season came to a heartbreaking end for the newly-crowned district champion Bucks when – seven minutes into overtime – Jason Kline found the back of the net, propelling Central Dauphin to the upset win.
“Well done to Central Dauphin,” West coach Stefan Szygiel said. “They got the job done tonight, and we wish them the best in the next round of states.”
The two teams battled to a 1-1 halftime tie with Luke Fuhrman connecting on a goal for the Bucks. That score stood until Kline’s game-winner.
A successful season came to and end for the Bucks (19-3, 11-1 SOL), who captured both the SOL Continental Conference and the District 1 4A titles.
“We will miss this senior class dearly,” Szygiel said. “These boys will be referenced for years and years to come for what they’ve accomplished these past four years and the past two in particular.”
CENTRAL DAUPHIN 1 0 1 – 2
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 1 0 0 – 1
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