Check out the recaps for SOL boys’ soccer teams in action Saturday. CB East/CB South photos courtesy of Tracy Valko. Check back for a gallery of photos.
SOL Colonial
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 2, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 1 (OT)
It was just another day in the Colonial Division.
Two one-goal games, one decided in overtime. The Patriots needed a late goal to knot the score and won it when Dylan Rose scored the game-winner in the first overtime period.
“It was another very difficult divisional game against a well-coached and sizable team,” East coach Josh Isaacsohn said. “It’s unbelievable – these late-game heroics and the boys playing these overtime and double overtime games after working so hard all game. It’s brutal. They’re true warriors. It’s pretty exciting stuff.”
The Titans struck first, breaking a scoreless tie midway through the second half on a goal by AJ Peev.
“Peev sneaked around back on a long served ball, and he got on the end of it and finished a nice ball,” Isaacsohn said.
With five minutes remaining, Michael Montabana delivered the equalizer on a penalty kick.
“He got the ball in the box, made a great move, he was taken down and he ended up also converting the PK,” Isaacsohn said. “It was great.”
If both teams hadn’t played enough soccer this week, the game headed to overtime where – with three minutes remaining in the first OT –Rose scored the game-winner.
“It was a long service in, flicked on by Cole Hedden and finished by Dylan Rose after a scrum in front of the net,” Isaacsohn said. “He did a great job. It was just a great finish.
“To have two games in a row where we’ve come back from behind, it says so much about these kids and their character. To see it through, it was just phenomenal, and I’m really proud of the whole team.”
The Patriots’ coach had high praise for his team’s defense.
“Trevor Jopling, Luke Christmas, Ethan Green, Owen Willis and Nick Knepp just held down the fort,” Isaacsohn said. “South actually came out of the gate at the beginning of the game in the first five or six minutes, and they put a little heat on us. The defense stood tall along with Casey (Prajzner) in goal and saw through a very, very good first half, evenly match.
“Joe (Coscia) and the South staff do such a good job of keeping the kids organized. They caught us off-sides more times than we would have liked, and we knew that was coming, but Logan Campbell and (AJ) Peev up front is a tough combination to go against. I thought the boys really challenged them.”
Central Bucks East (9-4-5, 8-3-3 SOL) will host Central Bucks West on Tuesday and then close out its regular season at North Penn on Thursday at 7 p.m. The Patriots are seeded 12th in the latest District One 4A power rankings.
Central Bucks South (9-6-1, 7-6-1) – 20th in the latest district power rankings – will host North Penn on Tuesday (7 p.m.) and will be on the road at Pennridge on Thursday (7 p.m.).
Central Bucks South 0-1-0 1
Central Bucks East 0-1-1 2
NORTH PENN 2, SOUDERTON 1
The Indians scored an early goal, but the visiting Knights – sparked by a goal and an assist from Jovani Gonzalez – answered with a pair of first-half goals and then held on for the win in a classic battle between the neighboring rivals.
“It was a great game,” NP coach Chris DePeppe said. “We played really well, we played like the experienced team that we are. I was very pleased. We seem to be hitting our stride right now. Guys are coming back from nagging injuries.
“They’ve got a good team. They’re organized, and they’ve got some real talent over there. Any other conference they’d probably be vying for a title, but it’s one of those years, and we still have to play them again next week, so we really wanted to come out there and play a really solid game and leave that taste in their mouths for next week.”
The Indians got on the scoreboard early on a goal by Ty Quintois with an assist from Brandon Fornwall.
“On the road, we went down a goal early,” DePeppe said. “They scored in the (14th) minute.
“It was a windy day, and we decided we would defend with it in our face the first half and hopefully keep it nil-nil, but they got the goal, and we just bounced back immediately.”
Achilles Triantafyllos scored the equalizer with an assist from Gonzalez.
“He had a great game,” DePeppe said. “He’s probably my man of the match. Achilles was our left back, but he was up and down both ends of the pitch.”
Later in the first half, the Knights struck again. This time it was Gonzalez (Jimmy Perrin assist) connecting for a goal that turned out to be the game-winner.
“We kept a lot of pressure on them – considering that we were going against the wind, we had the most chances,” DePeppe said. “We owned the center midfield – Hunter Stites, Alex Stewart and Nate Kim were outstanding today.
“Jimmy Perrin got free on the right side, got a really beautiful cross in, and Jovani buried it, so it was 2-1 at half. I was not expecting to score two going at the other goal, but it was one of those games that’s where we got it done. In the second half, we had a few chances – we hit the post twice, we played well, but we wanted to just lock it down. We started getting a little more defensive and we just kind of squeezed it out.”
Numerous players stepped up for the Knights in the win.
“Jovani (Gonzalez) has been our most consistent attacking player all year,” DePeppe said. “Gabe (Kemp) was strong in goal, but really, it’s about our defense right now. Ryan Mindick wears a captain’s band for a reason. He’s just a very steady influence in the back, and he and Brian Scott, who’s a sophomore, are playing like two very experienced center backs together. We’re looking strong in the back, and I think our offense really flows from that.”
DePeppe also tipped his hat to the Indians.
“(Nolan) Hughes, (Dillon) Barbieri and (Ty) Quintois are all really good,” the Knights’ coach said. “Their keeper is very good. They did a lot of good things.
“We were stepping up and winning balls when we had to. When you have senior guys that play defense and have been there in some big postseason games, it really starts to show.”
Souderton keeper Aidan McClure was credited with five saves.
North Penn (11-4, 10-3 SOL) – seeded 11th in the most recent District One 4A power rankings – will travel to Central Bucks South for a 7 p.m. game on Tuesday. Souderton (9-4-2, 7-4-2) – 17th in the latest power rankings – will be on the road at Pennridge on Tuesday.
North Penn 2-0 2
Souderton 1-0 1
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