Check out the recaps for SOL boys’ soccer teams in action Friday. CR North/Archbishop Wood photos courtesy of John Gleeson. All SOS photo galleries for BOYS’ SOCCER can be viewed by clicking HERE.
Non-league
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 2, ARCHBISHOP WOOD 1
One-goal games were not kind to the Indians last year.
Seven of their games were decided by one goal – the Indians were 1-6 in those games. If the first week of the season is an indicator, things are going to be a lot different this time around.
Rock North – sparked by a pair of Nick Wise goals – upped its record to 3-0 on the young season with its second one-goal win of the week, this one over the defending Class 3A state semifinalist Vikings.
“It was an entertaining, excellent match played by both sides,” Rock North coach Joe Stackhouse said. “North controlled more of the play, but Wood made it difficult at times. North held a statistical advantage in shots, corner kicks and ultimately goals, but both crews gave the fans their money’s worth.”
North took an early 1-0 lead in the first three minutes on a strike by Wise, a senior captain. The Indians held possession most of the half as the defensive core of Danny Ugras, Mike Pinho, Chase McCaffrey and Corey Brennan held the Vikings in check. “Junior midfielder Ari Pollack was all over the park and probably deserved man of the match for North,” Stackhouse said. “Senior goalkeeper Gavin Roon had some work to cleanup at times but was always equal to the task.”
Wood came out of halftime more determined, but North didn’t give in until about eight minutes remained in the match when Enzo Petruzzelli tied it 1-1 on a Logan Pietrzak cross.
Just when it looked like the match could be headed to OT, Nick Wise scored his second goal of the game on an excellent feed from fellow senior Mike Brusca – also his second assist of the day.
“Midfielders Tanmay Ondkar, Cole Mayer and Jack Randolph did an outstanding job rotating thru and helping to keep the North contingent fresh,” Stackhouse said.
The game brings North to 3-0-0 overall (2-0-0 SOL) while Wood dropped its first game of the year as a perennial PIAA state tourney 3A participant and last season’s state runner-up. North goes to sister-school CR South on Wednesday evening in its return to league play.
Archbishop Wood 0-1 1
Council Rock North 1-1 2
UPPER DUBLIN 4, METHACTON 2
The visiting Flying Cardinals rebounded from an early 1-0 deficit to defeat the Warriors – who scored 15 seconds into the game – in Friday’s non-league contest. The win capped an impressive opening week of the season for the Cardinals, who won all three of their games.
“Methacton is a good team,” UD coach Noah Johnson said. “It was a big win for us because having three games in a week – it’s always scary that third game because you never know how you’re going to respond.”
Just minutes after the Warriors stunned the Cardinals with their early goal, Zach Gallagher answered with a goal for the Cardinals, and the two teams went into halftime deadlocked 1-1.
Five minutes into the second half, Tommy Clayton scored a goal to give the Cardinals a lead they would not lose. A goal by Christopher McMeel three minutes later put the Cardinals on top 3-1.
Methacton trimmed that led to one with three minutes remaining in regulation, but a minute later, Domick Plaku scored to give the Cardinals their final margin of victory.
Johnson lauded the effort of central defensive mid Daniel Gorman, who earned UD’s ‘Man of the Match’ honor.
“Dan did his job very well – he won every 50-50 ball that came his way,” Johnson said. “He did a really good job of disrupting the other team’s offense going forward and just was being a leader today more than usual.”
Upper Dublin (3-0, 2-0 SOL) will host Abington on Wednesday.
Upper Dublin 1-3 4
Methacton 1-1 2
PENNRIDGE 4, FAITH CHRISTIAN 0
They’re neighbors and rivals – two squads that hope to be playing well into the postseason in their respective classes, but Friday night’s game belonged to the Rams, who opened up a 3-0 halftime lead on their way to the impressive non-league win.
“Faith brings a great energy with their student following,” Pennridge coach Pete Valimont said. “Coach (Randy) Clymer and his staff – they’re going to be one of the top, if not the best, 1A schools in District 1. They’re loaded, they’ve got talent everywhere, so for us to come out and play the way we did was really special.”
If the Rams needed extra motivation, the Rams’ coach gave it to them.
“I had to drive home for three months during the COVID year and look at the Faith Christian billboard on the 309 when they won the state title,” Valimont said. “I told them – ‘I want to see somebody else up there hopefully at the end of the year.’
“They did a (heck) of a job. I’m really proud. Everybody got in, everybody made a contribution. Hats off really go to Luca Angello, Shane Velez and Jared Hess – those three guys really went off tonight.”
Velez turned a pass from Hess into the game’s first goal six-and-a-half minutes into the contest. A minute-and-a-half later, Jack Bruno scored – also with an assist from Hess, and the Rams had a 2-0 lead less than 10 minutes into the contest.
“It was an absolute great touch,” Valimont said of Bruno’s goal. “The ball was bouncing – he it with the right side of his foot off the bounce from 20 out over the goalie’s head. It was a really fantastic goal.”
With 11 minutes remaining in the opening half, Angello scored with a Velez assist to send the Rams into halftime with a 3-0 lead.
“Shane hit a restart from around the 50, and Luca was able to get up and get a flick on it to make it 3-0,” Valimont said.
Midway through the second half, Ryan McMahon put the finishing touches on the win with a goal for the 4-0 final.
“Ryan McMahon – on the right side near our bench – hit a laser from 25-30 yards out,” Valimont said. “I’m pretty sure he was crossing it, but it found the net, so we’ll call it a shot. It was one of those that you saw, and you’re like ‘Oh my gosh, what did I just see?’ He was pretty ecstatic.”
Goalkeeper CJ Dimmick posted the shutout with junior Daylen Bachart closing out the game and keeping the clean sheet.
Pennridge (3-0, 2-0 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks East on Wednesday for a 6 p.m. contest.
Faith Christian 0-0 0
Pennridge 3-1 4
ABINGTON 5, ARCHBISHOP RYAN 2
The visiting Ghosts erupted for four second-half goals – three in the final 10 minutes to blow open a tightly contest game.
“It could have gone the opposite way because they were that good,” Abington coach Randy Garber said. “As soon as we scored the third goal, it took the wind out of their sail. They still kept on playing hard, but they pushed forward, and we capitalized when they pushed forward.
“Our defense was very good at the end. We haven’t scored this many goals all year. It was like our breakout game.”
Ryan got on the scoreboard first, scoring on a corner kick. The Ghosts evened the score with 32 seconds remaining in the first half to knot the score.
“The ball just happened to be in the mix,” Garber said. “Brady Hartman got a foot on it and put it away.
“At halftime, it was 1-1. It might have been a different result if that ball didn’t go in before halftime.”
Hartman connected for his second goal early in the second half.
“The ball was thrown in on a corner kick in the mix – Brady Hartman got a foot on it, and we went up 2-1,” Garber said. “He put it in a place where Joey (Phillips) wasn’t. Their goalie played absolutely brilliant.
“(Ryan) got a direct kick from 18 yards out, we set up the wall, their kid hit a great shot, beat Kevin Kretschman, and it ended up 2-2.”
That tie stood until just over 10 minutes remained when Braden Delgado scored the go-ahead goal.
“He was playing the flank, and he came across and scored just an absolutely brilliant goal to make it 3-2,” Garber said. “We ended up getting a penalty kick, and Liam Hartman scored.
“Then Liam goes and crosses a great ball that hit the crossbar, drops down in front of the goal, and Braden Delgado just tapped it in to make it 5-2 final. Within 10-13 minutes, we scored all the goals, and one was better than the next.”
Abington (3-1, 3-0 SOL) will travel to Upper Dublin on Tuesday.
Abington 1-4 5
Archbishop Ryan 1-1 2
LA SALLE 2, NORTH PENN 0
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