Check out the recaps for SOL boys’ soccer teams in action Wednesday.
SOL Liberty
UPPER DUBLIN 5, PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 3
Senior Sean Seabrook connected for a hat trick to lead the Flying Cardinals to their second win of the season.
For a while, it looked as though the Cardinals were on their way to an easy win.
“We scored three goals in the first 10 minutes,” UD coach Andy Meehan said. “By the 11th minute, the momentum turned in their favor after a few defensive mistakes that led to two unanswered goals by them. It was a wild first 20 minutes.”
Seabrook accounted two of the Cardinals’ three early goals, and senior Luke Rappaport had the third.
“Once we scored the third goal, we relaxed a little bit,” Meehan said. “By halftime, we were able to regroup and get back to how we started the game.
“(Chris) McMeel took on a few players and got the first goal of the second half.”
Several minute later Seabrook was able to complete his hat trick with a shot to the corner to put the Cardinals on top 5-2. The Colonials added a goal but would get no closer.
“Seabrook played very well today as always,” Meehan said. “He is one of our leaders, and I can’t say enough about the way he plays. It doesn’t matter if you man mark him or play him straight up, he’ll find a way.
Upper Dublin (2-1) will be on the road at Wissahickon on Thursday, and Plymouth Whitemarsh (1-2) will travel to Abington on Thursday for a 4 p.m. contest.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 2-1 3
Upper Dublin 3-2 5
SOL Freedom
WILLIAM TENNENT 3, NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 1
The Panthers found themselves deadlocked 1-1 with the host Lions early in the second half after a Davis Nagg goal, but they closed out to the game with a pair of unanswered goals to earn their third win in as many games.
“It was another great game with chances for both sides,” Tennent coach Nick D’Andrea said. “It’s a tough division – all the games are competitive.”
Tennent took a 1-0 lead into halftime, thanks to a Carlton Walters goal after a restart with a great pass by Sean Metz. Nagg scored the equalizer on a highlight reel goal.
“New Hope tied the game with a fantastic shot by the player of the match in #17,” D’Andrea said of Nagg. “He made a turn and unbelievable hit from 35 out that was amazing.”
Tennent took a lead it would not lose on a goal by center back Ben Weir.
“Ben Weir displayed some good dribbling skills in the box to finish off a set piece with a fortunate bounce,” D’Andrea said of a goal that turned out to be the game-winner.
Tacking on an insurance goal was Christian Huslin, who finished off a feed from Henry Guzman for the 3-1 final.
“It was a great match and we look forward to playing them again,” NHS coach David Bachart said. “We missed some great opportunities – we need to finish better.”
D’Andrea acknowledged the strong showings of the Lions’ center midfielders.
“Credit to New Hope and their center mids (Nagg, Nate Donohoe and Declan Curran) who played fantastic and found the ball a ton,” the Panthers’ coach said, going on to laud the play of one of his own players. “Damian Dangler played energetic for us in the midfield.”
William Tennent (3-0, 2-0 SOL) will host Upper Moreland on Thursday, and New Hope-Solebury (1-1-1) will travel to Upper Moreland on Tuesday.
William Tennent 1-2 3
New Hope-Solebury 0-1 1
Non-league
NESHAMINY 1, HOLY GHOST PREP 0
“Tap-In J”
It’s a nickname Jason Spencer’s teammates gave him in reference to the senior forward’s knack for scoring on tap-ins.
It was Spencer finding the net with the game-winner midway through the second half of Wednesday’s non-league game, bringing a welcome end to a Neshaminy scoring drought that extended over two-and-a-half games to open the season. It was, of course, a tap-in.
“Ryan Schoeneman threw a ball in, Jose Rivera had a nice flick, and Jason Spencer collected on the far post and tapped it in,” coach Tom Foley said. “The boys like to call him Tap-in J because that’s how he gets all his goals. Everyone was real happy when Tap-in J got the goal. It was good. We were happy that we finally got the goal.”
The Redskins and Firebirds battled to a scoreless halftime tie, but the Redskins had their chances.
“The first half we did some really nice things,” Foley said. “We had a lot of good opportunities – we hit a post, we had a couple go just wide, a couple nice blocks by Ghost, we missed a penalty kid.
“You’re just shaking your head, thinking ‘Are we ever go to score?’ We did everything right. We moved the ball well. They had one opportunity in the first half. It was kind of a short-side save our keeper had to make, but it wasn’t one of those sweating things.”
Overall, the Redskins held a 15-4 advantage in shots, and their defense was once again impenetrable.
“Our defense was rock solid again,” Foley said. “Our back line was AJ Rivera, Mike Albarran, Ryan Schoeneman, who was a beast today, and Lou Salmi. They all did a great job.
“Our midfielders took away what they like to do – they like to target their forward and lay if off. Our midfielders had their midfielders marked, and we kind of took away what they like to do. “
Foley rotated four central midfielders into the game – Rich Faul, Connor Steele, Cole Jackson and Joe Maxwell.
The Redskins’ coach lauded the play of junior forward Jose Rivera.
“He’s been outstanding,” Foley said. “He got the assist today. He’s going to get a goal sooner or later. He’s been a great target player for us.
“He and his brother (AJ Rivera) are twins, so we have them for another year. They’re really coming into their own. They played a little varsity last year. I didn’t know what to expect from them, but both of them have been outstanding.”
Neshaminy’s defense has not allowed a goal in three games to open the season.
“We continue to play great defense, and we finally got on the board,” Foley said. “We’re generating chances. I think we’re a little tight, we were pressing a little bit. One of our guys drew a yellow card – he was frustrated because things weren’t going our way, we hadn’t scored yet.
“It’s nice to get the monkey off your back and finally put one in. I can’t be upset with the way we’re playing. We’re playing very well. We’ve got to start taking care of our opportunities.”
The Redskins – like every team in this shortened season – did not have any scrimmages or early season non-league games.
“We didn’t have the luxury of those two scrimmages, which are huge for us,” Foley said. “We usually use the five games as the laboratory – what combinations are going to work the best?
“Usually we have it figured out by game seven or eight, but we don’t have that luxury this year.”
Neshaminy (1-0-2, 0-0-2 SOL) will host Council Rock North on Thursday night (7 p.m.).
Holy Ghost Prep 0-0 0
Neshaminy 0-1 1
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