Jarrad Saffren recaps all of Tuesday’s SOL boys soccer games.
By Jarrad Saffren
Thursday is the last night of Suburban One League play in 2016. And two SOL conferences—the Continental and the American—are not decided.
Perennial second place finisher North Penn can clinch the Continental by winning on Thursday. Central Bucks East can win the league for the fourth straight year and 11th time in 13 years with a win and a North Penn loss.
Defending American champ Upper Dublin can also clinch by winning on Thursday. Hatboro-Horsham has a chance if UD loses.
Even in the power rankings era, coaches still take great pride in winning their leagues.
“It’s so much more relevant than people think,” North Penn coach Paul Duddy said. “Especially because our league is such a great league.”
“For us, the league is the most important,” Upper Dublin coach Derek Priest said. “Power rankings take care of themselves. But the conference title is the main objective every year.”
Tuesday’s results—there were nine league games—greatly impacted those races.
They also impacted the District One Power Rankings, even though we won’t see how until the weekend.
We will, of course, speculate, because that’s what we do in the media until powerful people tell us things.
At this point in the season, some teams are out of it. But those teams always seem to end their seasons by winning on senior night.
Seriously.
Read about it all—the conference title races, the District One Class 4A playoff race and the senior night Cinderellas—below.
SOL Continental
Souderton 2, Central Bucks West 0
Pennridge won its last seven games of the 2015 regular season. The Rams snuck into the district playoffs as the 24th and last seed.
Souderton may soon be the Pennridge of 2016. The Indians have won three of four to move above .500 at 9-8. They are No. 31 in the power rankings, which came out Monday. They have won two straight since the rankings came out.
“We went into today knowing we had to win to keep our playoff chances alive. We are trying to take it one game at a time,” Souderton coach Matt Benner said. “This was a good one for us. The boys were pumped.”
Souderton’s seniors have been through this before. The 2013 Indians “closed out on a tear, went into the playoffs as a hot team, won the first round game on penalty kicks and almost won in the second round,” Benner said.
Nick Marculo played varsity minutes on that team. Dylan Molyneaux and Cameron Hart were in the program. That trio is leading the 2016 Indians.
“We’ve relied so much on our seniors this year. I said to them, ‘This might be last time you play on our home field. Go out there and play like it,’” Benner said. “And they did.”
Marculo scored in the fourth minute. Hart scored in the ninth minute. Ray Ricci assisted on the first goal. Marculo assisted on the second.
“Any time you get two goals in the first 10 minutes, that sets the tone for a pretty good day,” Benner said.
Souderton can only do one thing, and it’s a huge cliche, so forgive me (It’s just so true and appropriate): Control what it can control. Beat William Tennent on Thursday to close the regular season at 10-8.
“We are playing our best ball as we are closing it out. We need one more Thursday at Tennent,” Benner said. “This team has come a very long way. We’ve molded a lot of different guys playing different positions.”
Junior Abbel Carranza started every game at left back in 2015. Benner moved him up to “a winger out wide.” Ben Campman was Souderton’s backup goalie in 2015. Now he’s a reliable center midfielder.
The Indians (9-8, 4-7 SOL) know their roles at this point. And they play them well. They are hoping they get to keep playing them after Thursday. Their showdown with Tennent starts at 3:30.
Central Bucks West (8-7-2, 5-5-2 SOL) seemed like a playoff lock in recent weeks. The Bucks are No. 18 in the power rankings. Tuesday’s loss created some doubt.
The Bucks could really use a win over Plumstead Christian on Thursday at seven.
Souderton 2-0 2
Central Bucks West 0-0 0
North Penn 2, Central Bucks South 0
North Penn took another step toward accomplishing two goals: A league title and a first round bye.
The Knights can clinch the Continental title by beating Pennridge on Thursday. North Penn’s seniors are 57-15-4 in almost four full seasons. But they have not won a league title. They finished second to Central Bucks East the last three years.
“We’ve been pretty close but close doesn’t count,” North Penn coach Paul Duddy said. “This would be a great accomplishment for our seniors and for the team in general. Pennridge will be ready. We know that.”
“Winning the league is the number one goal. Winning the district is number two. Making states is number three,” Duddy added.
The Knights are No. 6 in the power rankings. They are 1-0 since the rankings came out. The top eight seeds earn byes. North Penn should earn one if they win their last two games.
“I hope we can move up a spot or two. But even if we win three games, I don’t see the teams above us losing,” Duddy said. “So I think we’ll have to continue and stay where we are.”
Central Bucks South’s position is more tenuous. The Titans are No. 25 in the rankings, the first team out. They are 1-1 since the rankings came out. They beat No. 15 Abington 3-1 Monday.
“I have no idea what our chances are. We dropped a spot last week with a win,” CB South coach Don Brady said. “Last night was a good victory. It probably puts us back in the hunt. But I don’t know after tonight. It’ll probably come down to Thursday.”
Neither team scored until the 61st minute on Tuesday. Carter Houlihan kicked the ball to Luke McMahon. He blasted it past the keeper.
North Penn scored again in the 72nd minute. Mike Kohler toed the ball to Nate Baxter, who booted it into the net.
“In the last third of the game they outplayed us. I knew we were tired by that point,” Brady said. “It was pretty even before that. Both teams had surges.”
North Penn (13-3, 9-2 SOL) hosts Pennridge Thursday at seven. CB South (9-7-1, 6-4-1 SOL) plays CB East Thursday at 3:30.
North Penn 0-2 2
Central Bucks South 0-0 0
Pennridge 3, William Tennent 0
It’s the most reliable script in high school sports…
A team is going to miss the playoffs.
Its seniors have not had the senior season they hoped for.
Then, on senior night, they lead the team to a memorable win. A win that almost makes up for the rest of the season.
Pennridge is 6-9-1. The Rams are 37th in the power rankings. They are not going to make the district playoffs.
But their seniors followed the script on Tuesday. Seniors Kenny Estep and Roman Fair scored. Senior keeper Josh Jarrett earned the shutout.
Pennridge has six seniors. Estep, Fair and Jarrett “started almost every game and were major contributors,” Pennridge coach Pete Valimont said. “Estep and Jarrett were major contributors last year as well.”
The Rams made the playoffs and won a first round game in 2015. Valimont thought the 2016 team had similar potential.
“We would have loved to have had the run we had last year. But we had a couple bad breaks,” Valimont said. “Tonight made up for all the losses and heartbreak we had early in the season.”
Freshman Dylan Matitus scored Pennridge’s third goal. He drove the ball off the top post and in.
A William Tennent player got a red card in the first half. So the Panthers played a man down “for probably a good 50 minutes,” Valimont said. “But we played excellent in all phases.”
The Rams (6-9-1, 1-9-1 SOL) have two games left, starting with North Penn on Thursday at seven.
“Our word for the week is ‘spoiler,’” Valimont said. “We have nothing to lose.”
William Tennent (5-8-2, 3-7-1 SOL) plays Souderton Thursday at 3:30. The Panthers end their season against Council Rock North on Saturday.
Pennridge 1-2 3
William Tennent 0-0 0
SOL National
Pennsbury 3, Council Rock North 2 (OT)
Pennsbury broke a three-game losing streak against league opponents.
“It’s a big win against a really good team. It will carry a lot of power points,” Falcons coach Tom Stoddart said. “We want a top four position and a bye for Tuesday. We played extremely well too, so I was pleased with that.”
The top eight 4A teams earn a bye in the first round. Pennsbury is No. 5. Stoddart was never worried about dropping out of the top eight during the losing streak.
“This league is a tough league,” Stoddart said. “It’s a long season. We lost some focus and got some bad bounces.”
Pennsbury also beat Strath Haven on Saturday, so the Falcons have won two straight.
“Hopefully we are mentally and physically tested, not exhausted,” Stoddart said. “There’s a thin line between the two. It seems like we fall on the right side of it.”
Obi Onouha scored two goals on Tuesday. He has 10 in 2016.
Javier Sosa scored the overtime game-winner. Zach LoBasso and Sam Beidler notched assists.
Falcons’ keeper Nate Slotnick stopped six shots.
Pennsbury (14-3, 8-3 SOL) plays Harry S. Truman Thursday at 3:30, the season finale for both teams.
Council Rock North (13-2-2, 10-2 SOL) ends its regular season against William Tennent on Saturday at two.
Pennsbury 2-0-1 3
Council Rock North 2-0-0 2
Bensalem 3, Council Rock South 2
Bensalem also followed the senior night script.
The Owls improved to 5-8-1. They are No. 41 in the power rankings. They are not going to make the playoffs.
But their seniors made up for that. Seniors Sadah Kanneh, Matt Corbett and Dom Gallo scored. Seniors John Nieminski and Gallo assisted on goals.
“Sadah played really well. Matt Corbett played really well. John Nieminski played really well. Dom Gallo played really well,” Bensalem coach Joe Leone said. “The seniors, basically.”
Bensalem led 3-0. Council Rock South scored two goals to make it 3-2. But Owls’ keeper Kyle Mcvicar “made some really nice saves to keep our lead,” Leone said.
The Owls can actually finish .500 if they win their last three games, against Strath Haven, Abington and Penn Wood. Then who knows? Maybe there is still hope for a playoff spot.
“We are just trying to do the best we can to finish strong and make it respectable,” Leone said.
Bensalem (5-8-1, 3-7-1 SOL) plays Strath Haven Wednesday at 3:45. CR South (6-9-1, 3-7-1 SOL) hosts Neshaminy Thursday at 6:30.
Bensalem 1-2 3
Council Rock South 0-2 2
Neshaminy 3, Harry S. Truman 0
Neshaminy is No. 4 in the power rankings and fighting for a bye. The Redskins took care of business on Tuesday.
John Albarran scored from 20 yards out to put Neshaminy up 1-0 early. Chris Amaro assisted.
Dylan McDonald made it 2-0 later in the half. McDonald headed the ball past the keeper. Dan Grindrod set him up with a corner kick.
Grindrod scored on a penalty kick early in the second half. He has 14 goals and 13 assists in 2016.
“Everyone contributed tonight for the shutout win,” Neshaminy coach Tom Foley said. “We will need to continue our hard work on Thursday against a CR South squad that always gives us fits.”
Neshaminy (13-4, 8-3 SOL) beat South 4-2 in a hard-fought game on Sept. 27. Thursday’s game starts at 6:30.
Harry S. Truman (5-12, 0-11 SOL) plays Pennsbury Thursday at 3:30.
Neshaminy 2-1 3
Harry S. Truman 0-0 0
SOL American
Upper Dublin 2, Hatboro-Horsham 2
The Flying Cardinals and Hatters tied for the second time in 2016.
“There is not much difference between the two teams,” Upper Dublin coach Derek Priest said. “They could have won it. We could have won it.”
“Both games deserved to end in a draw,” Hatboro-Horsham coach Kyle McGrath said. “Today was a battle for both teams. It was good to see that we can play against teams like Upper Dublin. We’ve been the two teams at the top of the league from the beginning of the year. In both games, we couldn’t determine a winner after 100 minutes.”
And they still can’t determine a league champion. Upper Dublin is two points up on Hatboro-Horsham. Both teams have one league game left.
Upper Dublin (13-2-2, 10-1-2 SOL) hosts Upper Moreland Thursday at seven. Hatboro-Horsham (12-2-3, 9-1-3 SOL) plays Cheltenham on the same day and time.
Upper Dublin can clinch the title with a win. Hatboro-Horsham can clinch with a win and a UD loss. If UD ties and H-H wins, they share the title.
“Winning the league would be an even bigger accomplishment this year because we have four very strong teams now, with Hatboro-Horsham,” Priest said.
“The conference title was one of our goals at the beginning of the season,” McGrath said. “I’m proud of the boys for putting Hatters soccer back on the map locally.”
Joe LaRouche and Danny Harmon scored for Hatboro-Horsham. Danny Bateman recorded an assist.
Jerry Bardol and Anthony Wisdo scored for Upper Dublin. Max Adams and Colin Muth assisted on the goals.
UD keeper Jason Stone made five saves.
Hatboro-Horsham tied the game on a free kick with 45 seconds left.
It was another exciting installment in a new rivalry.
“It was a very close game. I’m happy with the way we played apart from the first 20 minutes. We were playing too quickly, trying to get ball forward too quickly. We were playing at 100 miles per hour,” Priest said. “We slowed down after 20 minutes and from then on I was pleased with the way we played.”
“Hopefully we can turn it into a new rivalry. A lot of these guys know each other through club ball,” McGrath said. “There were some hard tackles and challenges both times we played. I coach three guys on both schools in club. There are a couple cousins on both teams. It’s a natural rivalry. After two ties, it will only grow from here.”
“Having Hatboro is great because it makes our conference stronger. Historically it’s just been us, Wissahickon and PW,” Priest said. “Now we have a fourth team that can make the playoffs and win in the playoffs as well.”
Plymouth Whitemarsh 1, Cheltenham 0
Plymouth Whitemarsh is now 4-2 against league opponents not named Upper Dublin, Hatboro-Horsham and Wissahickon.
Here’s the problem: The Colonials are 1-5 against their fellow American contenders. That is why they are in fourth place at 5-7 in league play. It is also a big reason why they are 36th in the power rankings.
“We are probably not alive for a playoff spot,” PW coach Jeff Heaton said. “We would have needed another win against Upper Dublin, Wissahickon and Hatboro-Horsham.”
Two of those five losses came by one goal.
“It wasn’t possessions that were the issue. We held a lot of possessions. Mainly it was scoring. We didn’t have a big guy up front to keep two defenders occupied,” Heaton said. “Tonight we must have had 30-something chances. Their keeper played a great game. We had several long throws in the box, several corner kicks.”
A Colonials player corner kicked the ball toward the net in the 56th minute. Rich Veon controlled it and took a two-hand shove in the back.
Veon lined up for a penalty kick and rocketed the ball past the keeper. It was the only goal of the game, and the only goal PW needed.
Colonials keeper Patrick Corpus made three saves.
PW (7-9, 6-7 SOL) takes on Quakertown Thursday at seven. Cheltenham (3-13, 3-10 SOL) hosts Hatboro-Horsham on the same day and time.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 0-1 1
Cheltenham 0-0 0
Wissahickon 4, Upper Moreland 1
Wissahickon continued its tear. The Trojans are 9-1-2 in their last 12 games.
They can’t win the American. But they can still earn a bye in the 4A first round.
Wissahickon is No. 9 in the power rankings.
Scoring two goals each for the Trojans were Tom McHale and Trey Schwartz. Eddie Fortescue added a single goal in a contest that saw the Trojans open up a 3-0 halftime lead on their way to the convincing win.
Wissahickon (10-4-2, 8-3-1 SOL) ends its regular season against Springfield Thursday at seven. Upper Moreland (7-8-1, 3-8-1 SOL) battles Upper Dublin Thursday at seven.
The Golden Bears are eighth in the 3A rankings. Nine teams make the 3A playoffs. Two straight losses to end the season would not help.
Wissahicon 3-2 5
Upper Moreland 0-1 1
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