Check out the recaps for SOL boys’ soccer teams in action Tuesday. CR North/Pennsbury photos courtesy of John Gleeson. Check back for a gallery of action photos.
SOL Patriot
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 2, PENNSBURY 1
The Indians couldn’t have picked a better night to notch their first win of the shortened season, breaking a scoreless halftime tie with a pair of second-half goals en route to the Senior Night win.
“It was a good night,” Rock North coach Joe Stackhouse said. “A lot of these kids are kids that have been in the shadows of those other guys the past couple of years.
“We started all the seniors – our two keepers split halves. Eight started on the field because one is injured.”
The Indians broke a scoreless tie when Shane Bradley found the back of the net, and with six-and-a-half minutes remaining in regulation, Xavier Guerreiro scored to give Rock North its two-goal lead that held until the final whistle.
“Shane Bradley made a nice run and beat the goalie far side,” Stackhouse said. “Xavier scored the game-winner – he hit a rocket that came out of a scramble. It came to the top of the box, and he buried it from the top of the box.
“That would should have been the icing on the cake, but, of course, they have to keep me in (suspense).”
The Falcons, who cut that 2-0 lead in half with a goal of their own, possessed the ball more, but Rock North stood tall with Jake Block, Viswa Rathnakumar and the goalie tandem of Andrew Fite and Christian Wierzbowicz holding down the fort.
“We held pretty well keeping them out of the box,” Stackhouse said. “According to the sheet I had, we outshot them, but they had possession more, which flowed into the game plan I wanted.
“I’ve been telling our kids all year – it’s one of those years we’re going to have play through and see where we land. What I tell them is – ‘Let them possess it. Who cares? We’ve got to play good in our back end of the field,’ and that worked because we were getting eight guys behind the ball all night.”
Council Rock North (1-2) will travel to William Tennent on Thursday, and Pennsbury (1-2-1) will host Bensalem on Thursday.
Pennsbury 0-1 1
Council Rock North 0-2 2
NESHAMINY 3, BENSALEM 0
In a shortened season, every game looms large, and after settling for ties in its first two games, Neshaminy entered Tuesday’s game against the 2-0 Owls with a sense of urgency.
“I told the kids before the game – it’s about as must-win as you could get because if we lose to that group we have to do a lot of hoping and praying if we want to win the league,” coach Tom Foley said. “If we lose to them, I don’t see them losing three of their last five games in the league, so they knew going in it was a big deal for us, so we had to bring our ‘A’ game and beat that group.
“They did. They won pretty much every aspect in the game. We got a little sloppy at the end, and our goalkeeper had to make a couple nice saves, but overall, we locked them up pretty good. We limited their chances.”
After two scoreless ties to open the season, the Redskins’ attack is coming to life, erupting for three second-half goals to blow open a tightly contested game.
“I thought it was going to be one of those days again,” Foley said. “In the first five minutes, we had two 1v1 looks at the keeper and didn’t bury them.
“It was still 0-0 at halftime. We had our chances. They didn’t really have anything dangerous other than they have this kid who can throw the ball a country mile. That put us under the gun a couple of times.
“I was satisfied with the way we played. We limited their space in the midfield, and we challenged hard. We created opportunities, but we just couldn’t score.”
Ten minutes into the second half, Ryan Schoeneman set up a goal by Gavin Rowan that turned out to be the game-winner and also opened the floodgates.
“We work a lot on diagonal balls across the field, and he hit an absolute seed across 40 yards right to Gavin Rowan’s feet in the air. He collected it on the left side and buried it behind their goalkeeper,” Foley said. “You couldn’t have drawn it up any better. It was a fabulous ball by Ryan.”
Four minutes later, Cole Jackson found the back of the net to give the Redskins a 2-0 lead.
“We had a throw-in, one of their guys headed it out to their guy, he tried beating Cole Jackson, who stripped him and hit a laser from about 22 out to beat their keeper,” Foley said.
The Redskins capped a dazzling 12-minute span with their third goal when Kristian Gkegka scored on the rebound to close out the scoring.
“Vince DiMaria got the ball on the right side, he beat his guy, shot near post and their goalkeeper made a save, and Kristian Gkegka wacked in the rebound,” Foley said.
The Redskins’ coach praised the efforts of his players.
“Our quartet of midfielders – Connor Steele, JoJo Maxwell, Rich Faul and Cole Jackson – and we added a fifth midfielder in there – Manny Weagba played an outstanding game today,” Foley said. “Again, the back four – Ryan Schoeneman, Mike Albarran, AJ Rivera and Lou Salmi – did a great job. Trevor (Rush) had two really good saves at the end to preserve the shutout.
“Everyone played today, everyone did an outstanding job today. Guys that came off the bench and got limited minutes really did well, so we’ll look to increase their minutes. All in all, I was really pleased with the group’s effort.”
The Redskins held a decisive 20-8 advantage in shots.
“We’re generating chances,” Foley said. “I’m hoping they gain some confidence out of today. They got three goals, and they were well deserved. I was happy for the guys. They did a real nice job.”
Neshaminy (3-0-2, 2-0-2 SOL) will host Council Rock South on Thursday, and Bensalem (2-1) will be on the road at Pennsbury Thursday.
Neshaminy 0-3 3
Bensalem 0-0 0
SOL Colonial
PENNRIDGE 2, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 0
The Rams are rolling.
After dropping a pair of one-goal games to open the season, the Rams have reeled off four straight wins, their most recent a shutout win over the visiting Titans.
“South is a strong team, they’re a well-coached team, but I’d say this was finally an overall effort where we controlled most of the game,” Pennridge coach Pete Valimont said.
With 15 minutes remaining in the opening half, Aiden Castle put the Rams on the scoreboard with an assist from Colin Monahan.
“A ball got played in by Monahan, the goalie came out and misjudged it, Castle got around him and was able to finish a great goal,” Valimont said.
Jake Saville scored 10 minutes into the second half, using an assist from Jeff Stritzl.
“On the far side, Stritzl was streaking down, a quality left-foot ball in, and Saville just one-time ripped it inside the box into the back of the net.
“Quite honestly, we left a couple on the table. We hit the crossbar in the first minute, and we had one or two come streaking across that we just weren’t on the back end of.”
A key to the win was the Rams’ ability to handle South’s vaunted off-sides trap
“CB South is very good with the off-sides trap they play, and they had a very good triangle in the middle going with their formation,” Valimont said. “My assistant was able to see that early, and we were able to man-mark a couple of their guys.
“Carlos Erazo really stepped up and shut down their one center mid. There were a couple of times here and there where we had lapses for a couple of minutes, but overall, we scouted them well. We were only offsides three times the entire game. Everybody else, I’ve read, has been off eight or nine times. We did a real good job with the off-sides trap.
The shutout was the third in a row for the streaking Rams.
“I want to give a shout-out to my two goalies,” Valimont said. “Owen Gunn, a senior, played the first half, and my sophomore, CJ Dimmick was in the second half. This is their third league game sharing a shutout. They’re doing a fantastic job in the back.”
Pennridge (4-2, 3-2 SOL) will be on the road at Central Bucks East Thursday for a 3:30 p.m. game.
“We’re going to start the second half of season on Thursday with CB East,” Valimont said. “We lost to them 1-0, a pretty even game back and forth. Everybody knows everybody now. It’s just who’s going to make the least amount of mistakes.”
Central Bucks South (2-3) will host Souderton on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
Central Bucks South 0-0 0
Pennridge 1-1 2
SOUDERTON 1, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 1 (OT)
The Bucks ended a four-game scoring drought in the opening half when West captain James Lutz connected on his team’s first goal of the season, but the Indians answered with the equalizer after the intermission. Overtime could not determine a winner.
“I think it was a slow 10 minutes for both teams, and then we started to get behind each other a little more and create some good chances,” West coach Stevan Szygiel said.
Midway through the first half, Lutz put the Bucks on the scoreboard.
“Our goal came off a throw-in on the far side of the field,” Szygiel said. “It was a little bit of a broken play second ball.
“James Lutz stepped up and hit a really good half volley. Good for him, it was a really good piece of skill. I can jokingly say the goal was worth the wait. We had to get the monkey off the back. For the rest of the first half, they started to get more dangerous. We had to defend a lot more. We saw out the first half.”
The Bucks weren’t as fortunate in the second. Souderton knotted the score on a goal by TJ Hibsman in the 59th minute.
“The second half they made some really good adjustments and forced us to defend a lot again, and we did – we were up for it,” Szygiel said. “They kind of worked the ball around, and they were able to get behind us, and TJ Hibsman scored a nice goal. When they tied it up, they were pouring it on. Then we came back at them on the counter.”
The West coach credited the strong showing of his forwards.
“Between Zach Martine, Chase Naso, Luke Parlee and Carter Philo, we really started to generate some good chances but couldn’t get the second one,” Szygiel said. “I’ll go on record as repeating this constantly – the records are going to end up where the records are going to end up, but any of the six teams in this conference – good luck playing any of us. The records are not indicative of how you’re actually playing against. It’s not a knock to any other league whatsoever. Top to bottom, these six teams – it’s just so darn competitive.”
West goalie Luke Shank was credited with five saves.
“I think he had his best game of the season,” Szygiel said of his keeper. “He was more vocal, he came out and dealt with a lot of their dangerous crosses. He was a much better leader today, which is something we’ve really been working on, and in a short season for him, we have try and squeeze as much out of him as possible.”
The Bucks’ coach tipped his hat to the Indians.
“Souderton gets forward well, they have good chemistry, they have good cohesion, they’re obviously well coached, and they’re young,” the Bucks’ coach said. “They’re scary young actually. I’ve been through it. This year’s group is not senior heavy, and I look at it and go, ‘Man, the future is really exciting for both programs.’ They’re probably a bit more in it now than we are, but it was a really good high school game honestly.”
Aidan McClure had seven saves in net for the Indians.
Souderton (2-1-2) will travel to Central Bucks South Thursday for a 5:30 p.m. game, and Central Bucks West (0-4-1) will host North Penn on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Central Bucks West 1-0-0-0 1
Souderton 0-1-0-0 1
NORTH PENN 2, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 0
North Penn celebrated the team’s 10 seniors with a shutout win over the visiting Patriots on Tuesday night.
“It was a typical high school game,” NP associate coach Paul Duddy said. “It was a lot of back and forth. CB East is always prepared. It was a good game defensively.
“It was our Senior Night, and every one of our seniors contributed. That made it a good Senior Night.”
Appropriately, a pair of seniors teamed up to put the Knights on the scoreboard 21 minutes into the opening half. Dominik Gedek, a newcomer after playing academy soccer, scored his first goal of the season, using an assist from Orpheus Triantafyllos.
“Dominik is a really skilled player,” Duddy said. “He played up top, and he’s a goal scorer.
“Orpheus came off the bench and got a real nice assist for us. He just played a really good game. He didn’t have a whole lot of minutes, but he made the most of his minutes and made a real contribution to the game tonight.”
The Knights’ 1-0 lead stood until three-and-a-half minutes remained when Josh Jones turned Nate Kim’s corner kick into a goal.
“Nate Kim served a corner kick – it was a good corner, and Josh got to the end of it and headed it,” Duddy said.
The Knights’ associate coach lauded the play of junior Alex Stewart, who played defensive central midfield, and Roman Ivlosky, who plays in front of Stewart.
“They played very well,” Duddy said.
Sawyer Meade notched the shutout in goal, his fourth in five games.
“The defenders played very well in front of Sawyer,” Duddy said. “We had enough chances and scored a couple goals against an East team that is always good and very well coached.”
North Penn (4-1) will be on the road at Central Bucks West on Thursday for a 7 p.m. contest, and Central Bucks East (2-2-1) will host Pennridge on Thursday at 3:30 p.m.
Central Bucks East 0-0 0
North Penn 1-1 2
SOL Liberty
HATBORO-HORSHAM 2, UPPER DUBLIN 1 (OT)
The Hatters took care of business in a hurry in Tuesday’s overtime when Nathan Scavo turned a Caleb Hudson pass into the game-winner in the fourth minute.
“We talked before overtime about finishing our opportunities,” HH coach Kyle McGrath said. “Caleb played a ball from probably 10 yards inside our half over the top, and Nathan Scavo ran onto it before their goalkeeper came out, and he just kind of half volleyed it over top of him, and it went in over the post.”
The Flying Cardinals got on the scoreboard when Sean Seabrook converted a penalty kick in the 62nd minute. Seven minutes later, the Hatters were awarded a PK, and they made it count.
“Jake Freedman was fouled to draw the penalty kick for us, and Tommy Harmon stepped up to take it,” McGrath said. “The goalkeeper made a good save, and fortunately, Caleb Hudson was there and was able to put the rebound in to make it 1-1.”
Tuesday’s win in OT was the Hatters’ third one-goal game in five and second overtime.
“We knew it was a shortened season and we were playing everyone twice so close together,” McGrath said. “Our league is tough, and we play a lot of difficult games against these teams, and they’re just battles.
“We’re just preparing the guys and making sure they’re ready to play. We weren’t great at the beginning of the game today. Upper Dublin was definitely the better team in the first 20-25 minutes.
“Fortunately, we didn’t give up any goals and we were able to grow into the game a little bit and kind of get our footing again, and then we started to play the way we wanted to play.”
McGrath credited the play of several players in the win.
“My back four played well, and actually, Fran Moio stepped in to play outside back because we had an injury to our one outside back,” the Hatters’ coach said. “He’s been someone we’ve been using as a sub, but he started today and played almost the entire game.
“Jake Freedman, our defensive midfielder, had a very good game for us in front of Caleb Hudson and Ryan Toporowski. Those guys and Jake Weiss, my other outside back – he was a major source of offense today as well. He was probably our best player today.”
“We also had a couple guys play today that haven’t been playing much, and they stepped up and did a good job, so that was encouraging to see as well.”
Hatboro-Horsham (3-2) will travel to Wissahickon Thursday for a 7 p.m. game, and Upper Dublin (2-2-1) will host Abington Thursday at 3:45 p.m.
Upper Dublin 0-1-0 1
Hatboro-Horsham 0-1-1 2
ABINGTON 7, QUAKERTOWN 0
The Ghosts spread the wealth around in Tuesday’s contest, giving new meaning to the phrase team effort as seven different players – count them – each scored one goal. It was a marked contrast to the Ghosts’ game against Plymouth Whitemarsh five days earlier when they could not buy a goal in a 3-0 loss.
“All the goals we missed against PW – they went in today,” said coach Randy Garber, who went deep down his bench in both halves.
Scoring one goal each for the Ghosts – who led 4-0 at halftime – were Luke O’Donnell, Liam Hartman, Jalen Harris, Bryce Lexow, Jake Kosik, Michael Lyou and Jack Raisch.
Abington (4-1) will travel to Upper Dublin Thursday for a 3:30 p.m. contest, and Quakertown (0-6, 0-5) is off until next Tuesday when the Panthers will host Upper Dublin.
Quakertown 0-0 0
Abington 4-3 7
SOL Freedom
UPPER MORELAND 4, NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 1
Mike Kane scored a pair of goals to lead a potent Golden Bear offense that took 23 shots, 16 on net.
“The score wasn’t indicative of the actual game – it was a hard fought game,” UM coach Justin Allegra said. “We played really well.
“I didn’t know how we were going to come out because on Thursday we played Tennent, and that was a very crushing game for us. It was back and forth, it was 1-1, we had a chance on the goal line and one of our kids missed it with a wide open net and 40 seconds to go. We go into overtime and lose in the first minutes.
“I didn’t know how they were going to respond. I saw them at practice on Friday, and they were just so bummed. They knew they could have won and should have won the game.”
The UM coach had to love his team’s response on Tuesday as the Bears opened up a 2-0 halftime lead. They received single goals from Josh Henderson and Max Gerlach while Mateo Infante and Logan Taylor each had an assist.
“It was battling back and forth, it was really hard fought,” Allegra said. “Everything in the air they won because they’re a big team.
“We pretty much controlled the entire first half with everything on the ground. They had their big number 17, who played well tonight, but we literally had Mike Soroka man-mark him the entire game. Our defense played phenomenal in the back.”
The visiting Lions cut UM’s lead in half with a goal on a restart, but again, the Bears responded.
“We just came back and – boom, threw a third one in, and we scored with 15 seconds to go to make it 4-1,” Allegra said. “Michael Kane up top and Travis Slear – Michael Kane had one of his best games.
“We’re playing really well, trying to have the guys finish. That’s what we lacked last year. We were a good team last year we just couldn’t finish.”
The Golden Bears are averaging close to three goals a game – it’s one of the reasons they’re 3-1 on the season.
“Their goalie played well, kind of kept them in the game,” Allegra said. “We’re just so resilient and we’re fit too, and that’s the key word to me. I stress being physically fit.
Upper Moreland (3-1) will travel to Lower Moreland on Thursday for a 3:30 p.m. contest, and New Hope-Solebury (1-2-1) will host Springfield Township on Thursday at 3:30 p.m.
New Hope-Solebury 0-1 1
Upper Moreland 2-2 4
WILLIAM TENNENT 1, LOWER MORELAND 0 (OT)
Sandu Zama converted a penalty kick three minutes into overtime, bringing to a dramatic end Tuesday’s conference battle. The sophomore also drew the foul that resulted in the PK.
“Sandu Zama headed the ball past a defender in the box and was fouled,” Tennent coach Nick D’Andrea said.
Tuesday’s overtime win was the second in as many games for the Panthers, who – according to their coach – were fortunate to escape with a win in this one.
“Lower Moreland was the better team today and had strong play from their center mids and center backs,” D’Andrea said. “For us, I thought our senior captain, Ben Weir, played well at center back, and junior goalie James Richie earned a shutout in his first appearance of the season. It was a great SOL match with two teams battling.”
What’s been Tennent’s secret to winning the close ones?
“I wish I knew the answer,” D’Andrea said. “We seem to be on the lucky side of games at the moment, but we do have great senior leaders in Sean Metz, JT Stone, Damian Dangler and Ben Weir, who demand a lot from their teammates.”
William Tennent (5-0, 4-0 SOL) will host Council Rock North on Thursday at 3:30 p.m., and Lower Moreland (1-3) will host Upper Moreland on Thursday (3:30 p.m.).
Lower Moreland 0-0-0-0 0
William Tennent 0-0-0-1 1
Non-league
WISSAHICKON 2, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 2 (OT)
The Trojans scored a pair of early goals and took that 2-0 lead into the second half. It turned out to be anything but secure as the Spartans answered with two goals of their own. Neither team could find the net in overtime, and they were forced to settle for a tie.
In the opening half, Aidan McKelvey found the net in the 12th minute, and eight minutes later, Ziggy MacFarlane connected. Alex Solomon and Jake Slackman were credited with assists for the Trojans, who took that two-goal lead into the intermission.
Springfield’s Matt Leibfried scored in the 67th minute, and with just three minutes remaining, he scored his second goal. The stage was set for overtime.
For the game, Wissahickon held a 12-6 advantage in shots but couldn’t capitalize.
The Trojans were scheduled to face Plymouth Whitemarsh, but that game was postponed. Trojan coach Stuart Malcolm expressed appreciation to athletic director Jim Cairnes for reaching out to other schools to find a game for his squad.
Wissahickon (2-1-2, 2-1-1 SOL) will host Hatboro-Horsham on Thursday at 7 p.m., and Springfield Township (0-3-2, 0-3-1) will travel to New Hope-Solebury Thursday for a 3:30 p.m. contest.
Wissahickon 2-0-0-0 2
Springfield Twp 0-2-0-0 2
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