Check out the recaps for SOL boy’ soccer teams in action Friday. Hatboro-Horsham/Archbishop Carroll photos courtesy of Rimas Gaver, and CR North/St. Joe’s Prep photos provided courtesy of Trish Sexton. Check back for galleries of both games.
Non-league
ABINGTON 3, ARCHBISHOP RYAN 0
Don’t be fooled by the final score
That was Abington coach Randy Garber’s message after his team’s impressive win over the visiting Raiders.
“Our field is so small, long throw-ins, lots of corners – they had as many chances as we did the first half,” the Ghosts’ coach said
But everything changed in the opening minute of the second half.
“We scored a goal in the first 30 seconds,” Garber said. “We literally tapped off, pretty much went down the flank. Aaron Comisar came down the right side, crossed the ball to Owen Gesing, who first-timed it in the air on a volley from probably 12 yards out, and it went in the back of the net in the first 30 seconds, so that kind of set the tone for the second half.”
The Ghosts weren’t content with a 1-0 lead and added two more.
“The second goal Zach Yurchyshyn headed the ball back in the mix, and Samuel Aruda scored on the goal on a diving header,” Garber said. “The third goal Jazafith Vasquez took the ball, beat two guys in the box, and he roofed one in the near post for the third goal. It was a very, very good goal, and that was pretty much the icing on the cake.”
Scoring summary
First half
No score
Second half
Owen Gesing (A) assisted by Aaron Comisar 41st minute
Samuel Aruda (A) assisted by Zach Yurchyshyn 60th minute
Jazafith Vasquez (A) 70th minute
Abington coach Randy Garber:
–On the game: “Their goalkeeper, in the first half, literally stood on his head because we had a lot of chances, and he just saved everything that was shot at him.
“This was a big win. They’re very good, they’re well-coached, but the first goal was really the killer coming out of the half – the way we came out. I think the goalkeeper was shocked because he saved everything the first half, and this kind of took him by surprise. It went in the back of the net, and the boys were excited and hyped from then on and played a good second half for us.”
–Props: “Kyle Kretschman played in the back, he plays up front – he’s a warrior. Carter Shannon plays in the back defensively, our goalkeeper George Hooven did an excellent job. He really turned in a terrific performance. It was a good win before the holidays, so they have a couple days off.
“Sean Westmoreland did a heck of a job, but he got injured, so we’ll see what happens. He’s one of our captains, and he played an extremely good game while he was in there.”
Next up: Abington (2-1, 1-0 SOL) will travel to Upper Dublin on Wednesday.
Archbishop Ryan 0-0 0
Abington 0-3 3
HATBORO-HORSHAM 4, ARCHBISHOP CARROLL 0
Senior captain Louis Matullo connected for a hat trick to lead the Hatters to the no-doubt-about-it non-league win Friday morning.
“Just overall, it was a good performance from the guys bouncing back after Wednesday’s defeat against Abington,” Hatters’ coach Kyle McGrath said. “It’s always good to go into a holiday weekend with a victory.”
With 14 minutes remaining in the opening half, Matullo’s first goal gave the Hatters a 1-0 lead they took into halftime. He added two more in a 10-minute span early in the second half. Ethan Kamchatov added a goal for the 4-0 final. Finn Reilly, Finn Marsden and Nick Belizzie each contributed an assist.
Scoring summary
First half
Louis Matullo (HH) assisted by Finn Reilly 28th minute
Second half
Louis Matullo (HH) assisted by Finn Marsden 46th minute
Louis Matullo (HH) assisted by Nick Belizzie 56th minute
Ethan Kamchatov (HH) Penalty kick, 61st minute
Hatboro-Horsham coach Kyle McGrath:
–Props: “Louis had a hat trick today, which was great to see. He’s someone who’s been on varsity for three years, and we kind of moved him around a little bit today, and it opened some things up for us. The three goals that he scored were really well-worked goals from Finn, Finn and Nick.
“Nick Belizzie obviously had an assist, but he also drew the foul for the penalty kick. While he didn’t score a goal today, he was very effective and helped us in the attack, so it was good to see that.
“Any time we can get a shutout – it’s something that we strive for and press for, so the back four today was Will Fisher, Lucas Smith, Finn Marsden was back there a little bit, Leighton Saxer started his first game as a freshman and did very well today., and Ryan Brosso did a good job at left back as well.”
Up next: Hatboro-Horsham (1-1, 0-1 SOL) will travel to Quakertown on Wednesday.
Archbishop Carroll 0-0 0
Hatboro-Horsham 1-3 4
UPPER MORELAND 2, CALVARY CHRISTIAN 2 (2 OT)
After a scoreless first half, both teams scored a pair of goals in the second half.
Neither team could find the net in two overtime periods, and both were forced to settle for the tie in what coach Dave Darnesto called a “fiercely contested battle.”
“Upper Moreland fought hard to defend their turf, but Calvary Christian’s offense proved equally relentless,” the UM coach said. “Both teams exchanged blows throughout the game, with neither able to secure a decisive lead. Despite multiple close calls and end-to-end action in extra time, the final whistle blew with the score deadlocked, a testament to the grit and determination of both squads.”
Scoring one goal each for the Golden Bears were Satiya Gogineni and Max Hubbard.
Up next: Upper Moreland (2-1-1, 0-1-0 SOL) will be on the road at New Hope-Solebury on Wednesday.
Calvary Christian 0-2-0-0 2
Upper Moreland 0-2-0-0 2
ST JOE’S PREP 1, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 0
Playing less than 24 hours after their league opener, the Indians were edged by The Prep in a non-league game Friday morning.
The outcome of the game was decided when the Hawks were awarded a penalty stroke midway through the second half and capitalized. That was the beginning and end of the scoring for both sides.
“You could tell we had played the night before,” Rock North assistant Brian Hoffman said. “Our legs were just heavy and tired. Guys didn’t play bad.
“The game really came down to a pivotal call. The initial call was a foul outside the box, and after the officials conferred, they moved it to a penalty kick, and that pretty much was all she wrote. We had 20 minutes to get the goal back, but it was not in the cards.”
Scoring summary
First half
No score
Second half
St. Joe’s Prep goal (Penalty kick) 60th minute
Council Rock North assistant Brian Hoffman:
–On the game: “I thought in the first half we had the better run of play. It’s kind of like when you’re standing on the track knowing a train’s coming. I turned to Joe (Stackhouse) two minutes into the second half and said, ‘Our legs are going to give out at some point.’ So, it is what it is.
“St Joe’s is a well-coached team, and they executed well. We got lucky a couple of times. They had a couple of good shots that did hit the post.
“The other thing is – when we got into the box, we didn’t shoot. We got in dangerous places and didn’t really test the goalkeeper. Some of it could have been that we played the day before, some of it could have been that it’s early in the season and we’re not in mid-season form, but that was the situation.
“I think that over the last few games we’ve been able to find a good rhythm of how we sub. We’re finding we have a little more depth on our bench than we thought we did at the beginning of the season, so that’s reassuring.”
Up next: Council Rock North (2-2, 1-0 SOL) will travel to Neshaminy on Wednesday.
St. Joe’s Prep 0-1 1
Council Rock North 0-0 0
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