Check out the recaps for SOL boys’ soccer teams in action Monday. (Upper Moreland/Lower Moreland photos provided by Amy Holman/Upper Moreland soccer)
SOL Patriot
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 0, NESHAMINY 0 (2 OT)
One hundred minutes could not determine a winner, forcing the Patriot Division rivals to settle for a scoreless tie.
“It was kind of back and forth,” Neshaminy coach Tom Foley said. “There was kind of a tricky wind, and whoever had the wind could play some long balls, and the balls were giving both teams issues, so that created some opportunities.
“I thought in the first half we moved the ball pretty well into the wind, got a few looks but couldn’t score. Rock had a couple of flurries as well. We fought pretty hard most of the way.”
With four minutes to go, the Redskins had a golden opportunity to get on the scoreboard when they were awarded a penalty kick.
“One of our guys got taken down in the box, and we got a PK – as luck would have it, we missed it,” Foley said. “The second overtime I sent an extra guy forward because we needed a goal, we needed the win. One of our guys went in on goal, he was probably 6-7 yards away and had a good, clean look and just knocked it clean over the goal.
“We had some chances. I said to the guys at the end of the game – I can’t get on them. All of them played really hard. We’re not getting any luck. It’s like a baseball guy when he’s in a slump – he’s squeezing the bat too hard. Sometimes we did things too individually just in the hopes that we would get a goal. It didn’t work out, but it’s certainly understandable. We’re trying so hard to find the back of the net, but we’re not having any luck.”
Rock South has been able to score goals this season, but not on this day.
“While I think we generated better scoring chances over 100 minutes, Neshaminy missed the best chance of the day with a PK with four minutes left,” Rock South coach Alan Nicholl said. “At the end of the day, it was a fair result. It was a hard-fought grind, typical for the high quality and high tempo I’m used to from Neshaminy.
“They are very organized and well prepared, and make you work for every inch all across the field. We’ve only been shut out twice this year, so full credit to Neshaminy for their organization and preparedness. I’ll say this, if they make the playoffs, I sure as heck wouldn’t want to play them.”
The Golden Hawks coach lauded the efforts of several players.
“My goalie Kieran Barry, and center back Isaac Burenga were terrific and didn’t put a foot wrong all day,” Nicholl said. “Gavin Hagan, Everett Kurtz, Cooper Walters, and Frankie Rafferty left it all on the field today. The scoreboard did not reflect their efforts.”
Foley also praised the efforts of several of his players.
“I thought JoeJoe Maxwell played really well,” the Redskins’ coach said. “He challenged balls like I’ve never seen him before. That was a real positive.
“Jimmy Campbell played really well for us in the center midfield, and Evan O’Neil continues to dig in and play hard like he has all year. Every kid that played today played their tails off hoping we could eventually knock one in the back of the net, but it wasn’t meant to be. I told the kids they’ve got to keep their heads held high. I can’t be kicking and screaming about their effort because they all gave 100 percent today.
“Rock South played really well today. Alan (Nicholl) always has his group ready to go. We would like to win, but it’s been the story of our year struggling to score goals. We’re going to have to get some luck to get into the playoffs at this point. We’ll see if we can try and win out and we’ll get a little luck that way. We’ll see what happens.”
Council Rock South (8-5-1, 6-5-1 SOL) will host Council Rock North on Tuesday (7 p.m.), and Neshaminy (5-5-4, 4-4-4) will travel to Pennsbury on Wednesday.
PENNSBURY 2, BENSALEM 1
The Falcons took a 1-0 lead into halftime and upped that lead to 2-0 before the Owls got on the scoreboard.
“We were fortunate to play from ahead due to a fantastic goal by Saad Williams,” Pennsbury coach Tom Stoddart said. “Saad tallied a second goal in the second half, thanks to the determination of Ben Bostian.”
Bensalem cut that lead in half when Matt Ebner scored, but the Owls would get no closer.
“Matt is a defender, and he made a great run and hit an absolute laser to the top left corner,” Bensalem coach Rob Brown said. “It was one of the nicest shots I’ve seen all year.
“I credit Pennsbury for finishing their chances. We always have a good game with them since I’ve been at Bensalem. Both teams had parts of the game where they could have scored. Tom’s a good guy, and I enjoy playing them.”
The Owls dedicated the night to Pancreatic Cancer Awareness.
Pennsbury (4-7-2, 4-7-1 SOL) will host Neshaminy on Wednesday, and Bensalem (3-10-1, 3-9) will be on the road at Harry S Truman.
Pennsbury 1-1 2
Bensalem 0-1 1
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 9, HARRY S TRUMAN 1
To say Monday’s win over Truman was a team effort by the Indians would be an understatement. Everyone got involved in the action in this one.
Eleven different North players got on the stat sheet as the Indians won at home. All 22 players on the North roster for the day played at least half the match.
Senior Chase Robinson led the Indians with two goals while juniors Nick Wise, Tanmay Ondkar and Mike Brusca each added a goal and assist. Seniors Nick Cirincione, Jeremy Kamp and Andrew Bower contributed goals while classmates Simon Rupp and Bobby Miller each had two assists. Sophomore Mike Pinho had a goal and junior Chase McCaffrey added an assist.
Senior Jeremy Berman and sophomore Bobby Snyder held down the fort in net for North, making a combined four saves.
Council Rock North (5-7-1, 5-6-1 SOL) will face sister school Council Rock South in a battle for the Unity Cup on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Walt Snyder Stadium. Harry S Truman (0-13, 0-12) will host Bensalem on Wednesday.
SOL Colonial
SOUDERTON 3, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 2 (2 OT)
A tight game should have been expected.
After all, the two teams had battled to a 2-2 tie in their early season meeting. This time, Nolan Hughes made sure there would be no tie, using a Tyson Bui assist to score the game-winner in the 94th minute, giving the Indians the win in an overtime thriller.
“Our boys don’t make anything easy on us,” Souderton coach Matt Benner said. “They make us sweat everything out.
“I sound like a broken record, but it was a typical Colonial Division game. So many kids playing physical, winning balls, emotional shifts back and forth, and at the end of the day, it’s one goal that separates teams.
“The first time we played them it was a very, very similar game. It was back and forth – we were up, then they were up, we were tied and went into overtime. That game ended 2-2. Tonight was 3-2. The only difference was one team was able to find a goal in overtime this time around. It was an entertaining game, a game either team could have won.”
Benner was especially pleased to see Hughes score the game-winner.
“He had been plugging away all night,” the Indians’ coach said. “He had come close a couple of times. He kept putting himself in good positions to create scoring chances. It was great to see him make a really nice run off the ball, get in behind their back line and finish it off with a left-footed shot in overtime. I’m really, really happy for him.”
It was the Titans taking an early lead on a goal by AJ Peev four minutes into the contest. The Indians scored the equalizer in the 27th minute on a goal by Thomas Smith with an assist from Dillon Barbieri. The two teams went into halftime deadlocked 1-1.
Smith connected for his second goal of the night in the 48th minute, once again using a Barbieri assist. CB South had an answer with Nolan Helsel finding the net with the equalizer in the 60th minute, setting the stage for overtime and the dramatic finish.
“A couple of seniors in particular – our goalie, Aiden McClure, made some really, really dynamite saves to keep the game close,” Benner said. “Our two center backs – Tyler Bovell and Thomas Smith. Thomas Smith had two goals off restarts tonight. He’s such a presence in the box and a presence on a lot of our restarts.
“Dillon Barbieri, another one of our very experienced seniors – a four-year starter, assisted on both goals. We got really, really good contributions from our seniors tonight.”
Benner attributed yet another classic battle to the quality of teams in the league.
“I always go back to the coaching in our league and the way coaches have their teams prepared and ready to play,” the Indians’ coach said. “Coach Mike McMonagle (filling in for coach Joe Coscia) had their team really, really playing hard. CB South is really big, and they’re really athletic. They have some extremely talented technical players on that side, guys that can hit balls from distance that are dangerous on restarts. Both of the goals they scored against us tonight were really high quality, so we feel really, really fortunate to take three points tonight.”
Souderton (8-2-2, 6-2-2 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks East on Thursday, and Central Bucks South (8-4-1, 6-4-1) will host Central Bucks West on Wednesday.
NORTH PENN 3, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 0
The Knights hadn’t forgotten their first encounter with the Bucks in the SOL opener back in September. A 1-0 loss was not the beginning the Knights were hoping for, but they exacted a degree of revenge on Monday, taking an early lead and never looking back.
Listening to North Penn coach Chris DePeppe tell it, the Knights employed a different strategy this time around, and it netted a decidedly different result.
“The first game we allowed West to keep us pinned too deep, so we came out with a different approach today and put them in immediate distress in the back,” DePeppe said. “We almost scored on the tap play, but within four minutes Jovani (Gonzalez) put us on top with a nice finish inside the post. And a few minutes later, Hayden Wagner was able get something in a cross, and we were up two goals within 10 minutes.”
It was, according to the NP coach, the Knights’ best start of the season.
“West teams never quit, and we had to defend well to get to the half 2-0,” DePeppe said. “In the second half, we absorbed a lot of attacks and dealt with 7-8 corners and a few free kicks, so it wasn’t done and dusted until Riley Baker got in 1v1 and put it cleanly in for the insurance goal.”
Baker’s goal in the 64th minute sealed the win for the Knights. DePeppe credited Alex Stewart, Hunter Stites, Ryan Mindick and Jovani Gonzalez for their outstanding play.
“But my man of the match was Nate Kim who was really a joy to watch today,” DePeppe said. “He put on quite a display with great ball control and quick combinations.
“I was very pleased that Gabe Kemp got the shutout too because he has worked extremely hard. He made a full extension diving save late that I want to see again. We played a complete game, and everyone played well, including Jake Myers and Brian Scott in the back.”
The Bucks were ultimately doomed by the Knights’ strong start.
“They came out ready and we didn’t,” West coach Stefan Szygiel said. “We got exactly what we deserved today, and I sure hope we learn from it.”
The Bucks coach acknowledged the solid outings of several players.
“Justin Moore, Joey Dowd and Cole Kujath played well for us today,” he said.
West keeper Griffin Blokker was credited with six saves.
North Penn (9-3, 8-2 SOL) will host Pennridge on Wednesday, and Central Bucks West will travel to Central Bucks South on Wednesday.
PENNRIDGE 4, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 0
On Sept. 9, the Rams and Patriots battled to a 1-1 tie.
Monday’s rematch figured to be more of the same, but the Rams had other ideas, scoring a pair in each half to notch the convincing win.
“They’re an excellent team,” Pennridge coach Pete Valimont said. “I know this was a frustrating one for them. Our first game with them was a battle down at their place.
“We were just fortunate to get a couple of shots that got in behind tonight. Coach Josh Isaacsohn always has his kids ready to play. His kids battled the entire time. Hats off to him and his staff for always doing a fantastic job over there. I have tons of respect for him.”
With just over 11 minutes remaining in the first half, Jake Saville put the Rams on the scoreboard with a goal that turned out to be the game-winner.
“Jake Saville got a ball from Jared Hess, turned and fired a great shot into the corner,” Valimont said.
Less than three minutes later, Saville’s corner kick set up a Shane Velez goal.
“Jake served a great ball into the box, and Shane Velez came up and won a header – it was just a bang-bang play,” Valimont said. “The ball got hit, the ball got headed right into the back of the net off a corner.”
The Rams took that 2-0 lead into the intermission and added to it in the second half when Velez scored on a PK with 26:17 remaining in regulation.
“Aidan Castle got in, was able to beat the defender and get past the goalie – he got tripped up, and the goalie got a yellow,” Valimont said.
The Rams weren’t finished yet, and with 13:40 left, Nicky Williams scored for the 4-0 final.
“Nicky William took a ball around midfield, dribbled past a couple of guys and just ripped a shot,” Valimont said.
The Rams’ coach credited Tommy McKinney, Ryan Saville, Jeff Stritzl and Velez for their play in the back.
“The four of them just did a fantastic job,” Valimont said. “Aiden Castle does his thing. He got banged up tonight, but he kept his focus and really worked hard. Jared Hess and Troy Thanel – our two outsides – really worked their butts off tonight. Even though they didn’t find stats, they really contributed with their effort.”
Pennridge (9-2-2, 7-2-2 SOL) will be on the road at North Penn for a key division battle on Wednesday, and Central Bucks East (7-3-3, 6-2-3) will host Souderton on Wednesday.
SOL Liberty
HATBORO-HORSHAM 1, WISSAHICKON 0
Call this one a payback.
Last year, the Trojans edged the Hatters, thanks to a goal with just one second remaining. On Monday, the Hatters returned the favor when Caleb Hudson turned a Tommy Harmon pass into the game-winner with five seconds remaining in regulation.
“We played a ball deep, and we won a throw-in with a minute left, and everybody was excited, and everyone was trying to bomb forward, but we kind of relaxed a little bit,” HH coach Kyle McGrath said of the sequence leading up to the game-winner. “The throw-in went in, and we won a corner kick off the throw-in.
“Tommy Harmon raced over to pick the ball up, played the initial ball in, and we had sent everybody forward except for our goalkeeper because there were only a few seconds left. He played the first ball in, and their defender actually cleared it, but it was coming back out to Tommy, and he was able to get to the ball before it went out of bounds, played a second ball in to the back post, and Caleb Hudson headed it in over the goalkeeper for the game-winner. It’s good for Caleb because his turnover led to their goal last year, so it was a little bit of redemption. It all works out in the end.”
Both teams had their share of chances prior to Hudson’s goal that won it.
“Wissahickon had a goal taken off the board for off-sides, we missed a ball from the six with an open net – put it over the goal, and both goalkeepers made some big saves,” McGrath said. “Fortunately, we were able to punch one in at the death.”
McGrath handed out props to several players.
“Caleb Hudson playing center back and scoring the goal was huge,” he said. “Nick Katherine didn’t get on the scoresheet, but he played very well as one of our forwards.
“Noah Schlosser and Jacob Kim, our goalkeeper and center back, played well, and Ryan Toporowski again was arguably one of the best players on the field. It was just overall a good performance from the guys.”
Hatboro-Horsham (9-5, 8-4 SOL) will travel to Plymouth Whitemarsh on Wednesday (7 p.m.). Wissahickon (6-7-1, 6-6 SOL) will host Abington on Wednesday.
Wissahickon 0-0 0
Hatboro-Horsham 0-1 1
ABINGTON 3, UPPER DUBLIN 0
The Ghosts put a damper on Upper Dublin’s Senior Day, opening up a 1-0 halftime lead on their way to the shutout win.
“It was a lot closer game than the score shows,” Abington coach Randy Garber said.
Luke O’Donnell scored the game’s first goal, using an assist from Thiago Danielle. In the second half, Liam Hartman connected on an unassisted goal, and Danielle put the finishing touches on the win, this time using an assist from Michael Lyou.
“Our whole entire defense played extremely well – Drew Paxson, Jimmy Marino, Michael Lyou, Jose Rodriguez, Pat Capone and Oscar Hoffman,” Garber said. “Kevin Kretschman did a superb job in goal.”
Abington (11-1-1, 9-1-1 SOL) will travel to Wissahickon on Wednesday, and Upper Dublin (6-7, 6-5) will host Quakertown on Tuesday.
Abington 1-2 3
Upper Dublin 0-0 0
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 4, QUAKERTOWN 0
The Colonials seized control of this one early, erupting for three first-half goals on their way to the big win over the visiting Panthers.
“It was a good battle from the Quakertown boys, who never gave up,” PW coach Rich Kessler said.
Luke Edwin opened the scoring in the sixth minute with an assist from Brendan Corpus. A few minutes later, Corpus found the back of the net to give the Colonials a 2-0 lead. Sophomore Jarred Rutman made it a 3-0 game with a goal in the 17th minute.
In the second half, Rutman turned a pass from fellow sophomore Cole Rodenbaugh into his second goal and the 4-0 final.
Kessler gave a shoutout to the Quakertown goalie.
“He kept them in the game with several very good saves and a few 1v1 stops,” the PW coach said.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (8-5, 8-4 SOL) will host Hatboro-Horsham for its Senior Night on Wednesday (7 p.m.), and Quakertown (1-12, 1-11) will be on the road at Upper Dublin on Tuesday.
Quakertown 0-0 0
Plymouth Whitemarsh 3-1 4
SOL Freedom
WILLIAM TENNENT 4, CHELTENHAM 0
The Panthers scored two goals on each side of halftime on their way to the shutout win.
“We opened the scoring with a nice goal by Christian Huslin off a nice feed by Jimmy Manning,” Tennent coach Nick D’Andrea said. “Cheltenham missed a few chances over the top and wide and were very dangerous going forward.
“Connor Hanratty then scored his first of two goals with some hard work in the box to make it to 2-0 at half.”
In the second half, Griffin Newhouse finished a nice cross by Christian Huslin, and Connor Hanratty closed out the scoring with a nice finish from a feed by Jimmy Manning.
“Good job to goalie Patrick Corley for earning a shutout,” D’Andrea set of his keeper. “Great play by Cheltenham #7 Cameron Rhoades, #23 Chris Tomasic, and #5 Nate Quigley for their play today. They are well coached and a tough team to play against.”
William Tennent (5-6-2, 5-5-1 SOL) will travel to Springfield Township on Wednesday, and Cheltenham (2-9, 1-9) will host Upper Moreland on Wednesday.
Cheltenham 0-0 0
William Tennent 2-2 4
LOWER MORELAND 2, UPPER MORELAND 1 (OT)
The Lions notched an overtime win in Monday’s key Freedom Division contest between the neighboring rivals, scoring the golden goal three minutes into overtime.
Lower Moreland got on the scoreboard in the first half, but the Bears came back and knotted the score on a Max Gerlach penalty kick.
“Upper Moreland had multiple golden opportunities but could not find the back of the net,” UM coach Justin Allegra said.
Lower Moreland (8-2-2 SOL) will host New Hope-Solebury on Wednesday (7:30 p.m.), and Upper Moreland (6-5-3, 4-5-3) will travel to Cheltenham on Wednesday.
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 6, NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 1
Saturday, Oct. 9
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 1, NESHAMINY 1 (2 OT)
The Patriots and Redskins exchanged goals, but neither team could come up with the game-winner.
“It was really a tale of two halves as we faced a talented, strong and organized team,” East coach Josh Isaacsohn said. “Neshaminy came out quickly and almost scored straightaway, which led us to play a bit more inspired as it woke us up a little.
“Overall, I thought in the first half we had nice play on the ground and contested well in the air. Just seven minutes into the game, Liam Darreff did a great job of getting in the box and drawing a PK which Michael Montabana then converted. We had some other chances as well, but their defense and goalie stood strong.
“The roles reversed in the second half, and we found ourselves on our heels a bit and committing too many fouls. This led to a beautifully placed (Neshaminy) free kick to tie it up.”
The Redskins knotted the score with three minutes remaining on a goal by Jose Rivera.
“It was a really nice goal,” coach Tom Foley said. “He did a good job.”
Neither team scored in two overtime periods.
“To the boys’ credit, they saw the game through two overtimes,” Isaacsohn said. “They had some chances on goal as did we.
“Casey Prajzner did an outstanding job in net, and both defenses held strong to see the game through to a tie.”
Central Bucks East (7-3-3, 6-2-3 SOL) will travel to Pennridge on Monday (7:30 p.m.), and Neshaminy (5-5-3, 4-4-3) will be on the road at Council Rock South on Monday.
Neshaminy 0-1-0-0 1
Central Bucks East 1-0-0-0 1
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