Several SOL teams came up with big wins heading into the final week of the regular season. Check out Saturday's recaps.
Boys
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 1, PENNSBURY 0
Keegan Cannon buried a penalty kick in the 71st minute for a goal that propelled the Patriots to the important non-league win.
“The ball was played into the box, and we had possession of the ball – our guy had total control, and he was tripped in the box,” East coach Jeremiah White said of the play that resulted in the PK.
It was the third 1-0 game of the week for the Patriots – their second straight win after a 1-0 loss to Central Bucks West to open the week.
“We’re not a team that scores a ton of goals,” White said. “We had a run where we scored a lot of goals, but that’s not our MO.
“We stayed organized tactically. I made a few tactical adjustments that gave us more pressure up top in the second half. Our guys understood that we needed to stop their service, and they did a really good job of executing the tactical plan, and they worked their butts off.”
The win, according to the Patriots’ coach, was the result of a team effort.
“Honestly, everyone played well,” White said. “Thomas Cannon played really well. Adam Zortea came off the bench and helped us tremendously.
“Will Eisold had a good game, Gabe Gomez, Luke Schloffel and Bill Rossman – our back line was solid. Our goalkeeper Jordan Geller came up really big with a couple of saves.
“It was a really good defensive effort. We changed the tactics quite a few times. They executed quite well, especially the guys in the back line and the midfield. Again, everyone did their part.”
Central Bucks East (10-5, 8-3 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks South on Wednesday (3:30 p.m.) for its conference finale. Pennsbury (10-5-1, 7-3 SOL) will be on the road at Council Rock North Monday for a 7 p.m. contest.
Central Bucks East 0-1 1
Pennsbury 0-0 0
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 4, GREAT VALLEY 2
The Bucks trailed 1-0 at halftime, a deficit that was quickly erased with a four-goal outburst in the second half. Reed Sturza connected on an unassisted goal, and then Carson Snyder turned a Jack Galt pass into a goal. Galt (Alan Zlotin assist) and Zlotin (Bailey Moyer assist) also found the back of the net.
Goalkeeper Dylan Smith recorded six saves in a winning effort.
Central Bucks West (12-4, 8-3 SOL) will host Souderton on Monday at 7 p.m.
Central Bucks West 0-4 4
Great Valley 1-1 2
NORTH PENN 3, LA SALLE 3 (2 OT)
Saturday morning’s battle of soccer heavyweights certainly lived up to its billing.
"La Salle is a first class quality program," North Penn coach Paul Duddy said. "That's what we're going to see in the playoffs, and that's why we play them.
"Tom McCaffery, their coach, does a great job with them, and we're longtime friends. They get into the District 12 playoffs and we go into the District One playoffs, and it just gets us both better prepared."
The Knights appeared poised to walk away with the big win when Alieu Sheriff turned a corner kick into a goal that gave North Penn a seemingly commanding 3-1 lead with 10:51 remaining. Thirty-five seconds later, the Explorers trimmed that lead to one and tied the game with four minutes remaining, but a pair of overtime periods could not determine a winner.
Earlier, the Knights opened up a 2-1 halftime lead. Aiden Jerome (Jack Johnston assist) and Mike Chafee accounted for the Knights’ goals.
The Knights played the final six minutes of regulation and both overtime periods down a man, the result of a red card, but did not allow a goal. Duddy acknowledged the strong play of central midfielder Chris Caputo as well as Matt Murphy.
"It was a great high school game," the Knights' coach said. "There was a big crowd, and when it was over, everyone was hanging around and was talking about what a great high school game it was."
North Penn (12-2-1, 8-2 SOL) will host Central Bucks South on Monday at 7 p.m.
La Salle 1-2-0-0 3
North Penn 2-1-0-0 3
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 2, ARCHBISHOP RYAN 1
The Indians spent the fall atop the SOL National Conference standings but on the outside looking in when it came to the 24-team field that would earn berths in the District One 4A Tournament. After Saturday’s non-league win over Ryan, the Indians find themselves the 23rd seed in the power rankings.
Council Rock North (10-6-1, 9-1-1 SOL) will host Pennsbury at 7 p.m. in Monday’s conference finale.
Girls
PENNSBURY 2, PENNINGTON 1 (OT)
Pennington saved the best for last, opting to play the girls’ soccer game as the final event to cap a full day of Homecoming activities. The two teams did not disappoint, turning in a classic.
The Falcons also saved their best for last, scoring a goal in the 82nd minute to hand the New Jersey soccer power its first loss of the season after 10 straight wins.
“Pennington is very talented,” coach Kaitlyn Battiste said. “It was just an awesome playoff-like environment.”
Christine Cataldo-Smith headed home a corner kick from Jenna Peters, bringing a dramatic end to the riveting contest. It was the Falcons’ third corner kick in OT.
Battiste couldn’t have asked for a better springboard into the District One 4A Tournament.
“The confidence, team chemistry and heart they demonstrated in this game is what they’ll need to carry into the playoffs,” the Falcons’ coach said. “They battled for every inch tonight, and they did it for each other.
“They know they’ll be seeing teams of that caliber throughout the playoffs, and they had fun playing for each other.”
The Falcons had to battle from behind as the Red Raiders took a 1-0 lead when Kelli Collins found the back of the net in the fifth minute. Gabby Zalot scored the equalizer on a penalty kick in the 38th minute to send the two teams into halftime deadlocked 1-1.
“(Pennington) had the better of play for the first 25 or so,” Battiste said. “Once our mids were able to put pressure on their defense, we started to believe we could come back.
“Christine (Cataldo-Smith) got taken down in the box, the team got together and decided Gabby would be the one to take the PK. She stayed composed and buried her shot on freshman goalkeeper (Mia Justus), who spent most of September playing for the U-16 National Team.”
Cataldo-Smith also got one by Justus as the Falcons scored a pair of goals against a Raider squad that had allowed just two goals in their last seven games combined, a span that included five shutouts.
“At halftime, the whole team committed to playing better defense,” Battiste said. “We were very organized and used our counter-attacking opportunities to get behind their defense.
“Dani (Cady) and Jenna (Peters) earned us 10 corners in the game, and Jenna and Hope Drewes gave us something to work with every time.”
Pennsbury (13-1-2, 8-1-1 SOL) will host Council Rock North on Monday.
Pennsbury 1-1 2
Pennington 1-0 1
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 4, GWYNEDD MERCY 1
Trish Hauk – who scored the game winner in Monday’s 1-0 win over Central Bucks East – once again stepped to the fore, connecting for a pair of goals to lead the Bucks to the non-league win.
It was Hauk scoring a goal that sent the Bucks into halftime with a 1-0 lead. Her second goal put the Bucks on top 2-0. Single goals from Gracie Power and Kyra LaLena gave West a 4-0 lead before the visiting Monarchs scored late.
“Trish Hauck is a scoring machine,” coach Mike Moyer said. “Allie Walsh, Meg Gallagher and Ariana D’Elia were stellar in the back.
“The Fitzsimmons twins, Ryan and Erin, played extremely well in the midfield. Sam Lubin also played well in the midfield with a great assist to Hauck’s first goal.”
Central Bucks West (8-8, 3-8 SOL) will travel to Souderton on Monday for a 7 p.m. game.
Gwynedd Mercy 0-1 1
Central Bucks West 1-3 4
NESHAMINY 3, ARCHBISHOP WOOD 0
The Redskins controlled play in their shutout win over the visiting Vikings, opening up a 2-0 halftime lead and never looking back.
Michaela Boyd turned a cross from Jackie Ziegler into a goal just over five minutes into the game. That goal would turn out to be the game winner. In the 36th minute, Brianna Tobin’s corner kick was redirected by Fiona McDonald, and Jackie Ziegler was there to finish, sending the Redskins into halftime with a two-goal advantage.
Deanna Lebotesis put the finishing touches on the win when she found the net with five minutes remaining.
The Redskins held a 13-1 advantage in shots. Goalkeepers Victoria Smith and Riley Spingler combined for two saves in the shutout win.
Neshaminy (9-5-1, 6-3-1 SOL) will host Harry S Truman on Monday at 7 p.m.
Archbishop Wood 0-0 0
Neshaminy 2-1 3
MOUNT ST. JOSEPH 3, HATBORO-HORSHAM 1
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