Check out the recaps for SOL boys/girls soccer teams in action Saturday. (Hatboro-Horsham photo provided courtesy of Francesca Rossillo.)
Boys
WILLIAM TENNENT 1, CHELTENHAM 0
Sean Zolk scored with an assist from Jimmy Manning with four minutes remaining in regulation. That goal turned out to be the game-winner.
“Cheltenham played great, and it was a great game,” Tennent coach Nick D’Andrea said. “Cheltenham’s OJ McNab and Mohamed Toure were outstanding along with their keeper Lou Liodtka.
“Cheltenham is very well coached as they are decimated with injuries yet they played very inspired soccer. It was great to be a part of that game.”
The Panthers were minus six starters in Saturday’s game.
“I was very proud of our effort today,” Cheltenham coach Bill Tonkin said.
Tennent sophomore James Richie earned the clean sheet in his first varsity game as a keeper.
William Tennent (2-3, 1-2 SOL) will host Neshaminy on Tuesday, and Cheltenham (2-5, 0-4) will host Hatboro-Horsham Tuesday.
Cheltenham 0-0 0
William Tennent 0-1 1
HATBORO-HORSHAM 2, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 0
The visiting Hatters broke a scoreless tie with a pair of second-half goals to earn the important non-league win.
“We knew going into the game it was going to be a good game,” coach Kyle McGrath said. “Obviously, CB West is always a well-coached and good team. Our guys were up for the challenge today, and we were able to get the victory.”
Junior Enrico Romano put the Hatters on the board in the 45th minute.
“We had a throw-in deep in their end and had a long throw-in to the box,” McGrath said. “The ball kind of bounced around a little bit, and it finally fell to Enrico Romano, who chipped it up over the goalkeeper into the net for the first goal.
“We knew they were going to be dangerous because they have some really good players offensively, so we wanted to keep pushing and try to get the second goal to make it easier for ourselves.”
The Hatters added an insurance goal when Bradan Mallon connected in the 60th minute, using a Zach Joachim assist.
“My outside back, Zach Joachim, played a perfect ball in to Bradan Mallon, who hit a one-time volley, and it beat the goalkeeper near post to give us a 2-0 lead,” McGrath said.
It was the Hatters’ fourth straight shutout.
“Goalkeeper Noah Schlosser has been very good during that stretch,” McGrath said. “My back four have been great. We had to move JD Mallinder to center back in the second half today, and he did an awesome job back there.
“Everybody just bought in, and we really played well as a team today. They’re going to win a lot of games, and we needed to keep our run going. We were able to do that, and we were able to beat a very good Central Bucks West team.”
Hatboro-Horsham (4-2, 3-1 SOL) will be on the road at Cheltenham Tuesday, and Central Bucks West (2-2-2, 1-1-1) will host North Penn on Tuesday in a battle of last year’s conference co-champions.
Hatboro-Horsham 0-2 2
Central Bucks West 0-0 0
SOUDERTON 1, SOUTHERN LEHIGH 0
Senior Conor Kellough converted a penalty kick in the 78th minute, propelling the Indians to the dramatic non-league win.
“Southern Lehigh has a ton of athletic kids, and they went toe to toe with ours for the whole game,” coach Matt Benner said. “At the end, we were able to press them in their own end.
“We won a ball, we got across, and we were able to track it down on the back post. There was a foul that was rightfully awarded as a penalty kick, and our senior captain, Conor Kellough, just stepped up and calmly rolled it into the far corner, and that’s all she wrote.”
Senior goalkeeper Riley Finger recorded seven saves in another strong outing. Benner lauded the team’s defense.
“We got excellent goaltending today from our senior goalie Riley Finger,” the Indians’ coach said. “He came up with some really big saves. A couple of really hard hit balls came his way, and he turned them all aside and kept us in the game.
“Sometimes one goal is all it takes. We haven’t given up any goals in our home stadium this year, so we’re really excited how our backline is playing.”
Comprising the Indians’ backline are Dillon Barbieri, Thomas Smith, Ethan Lacher, Tyler Bovell and Carl Boehm.
“All five of them played outstanding today,” Benner said. “They all played major, major minutes, and they all played great.
“They all have some familiarity with each other, and they’re playing really well. We got some really quality minutes in the second half off the bench from Carl Boehm, a senior who stepped up and played the whole second half in the back. It gave us some flexibility with our roster and was really able to change the dynamic of the game.”
Saturday’s win was the third of the season in six games for the Indians, who won just three games all of last season.
“There were a lot of games last year where we fought hard, particularly in the league, and we would lose by a goal or lose in overtime,” Benner said. “Our non-league schedule as well – we came up just short a couple of times.
“One of the things we talked a lot about in the offseason was learning how to win games, and once you learn how to win games how to keep it going. Obviously, winning feels a whole lot better than losing. We want to try and keep doing it as much as we can.
“It’s been some down years for the program. We have a ton of young talented kids coming into the program that are used to playing at a high level, and we’re putting them out there. Coupled with some good senior leadership and a few upperclassmen, they’re running with it. We’re really excited about the season and obviously the future as well.”
Souderton (3-1-2, 1-1-2 SOL) will host Pennridge on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
Southern Lehigh 0-0 0
Souderton 0-1 1
PENNRIDGE 3, NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 0
The Rams celebrated Community Night with a shutout win over the visiting Lions.
Fifteen minutes into the contest, they scored off a corner kick when Dillon Natitus found the net, using an Aidan Castle assist.
“The ball bounced around, Aidan was able to get a touch to Dillan, and Dillan hit a rocket into the top of the box, a really good shot,” coach Pete Valimont said.
Five minute later, the Rams once again hit pay dirt on a corner.
“Ben Scary got a flick from Colin Monahan, and Ben was in the right spot at the right time and was able to slide it past their keeper,” Valimont said. “It was a good effort all around.”
The Rams took that 2-0 lead into halftime. For good measure Connor Gable added a late goal, scoring with eight minutes remaining.
“Our speedster, Aidan Castle, was able to get around the defender and slotted a ball that made its way back post, and Connor Gable was able to wrap it up,” Valimont said.
CJ Dimmick and Owen Gunn split time in goal in the shutout win.
“Our goalkeeper the first half was CJ Dimmick, and he did a fantastic job,” Valimont said. “’In the second half, Owen Gunn saved a laser from about 20-25 out going upper 90. He had full extension and poked it up over the bar, which was a fantastic save. That would have made it 2-1, so that was a big play at a big time of the game for us.”
“Bobby Brashear was all over the field, just running down balls and putting pressure on whenever he could,” Valimont said. “It was an all-around good effort. It was kind of a tough week – a 1-0 loss to (Central Bucks West) and then the 2-2 double overtime with CB South in the monsoon Thursday. To get a win tonight in a non-conference game is good heading back into the conference next week.”
Pennridge 5-1-1, 1-1-1 SOL) will travel to Souderton Tuesday.
New Hope-Solebury 0-0 0
Pennridge 2-1 3
Girls
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 3, SPRING-FORD 0
Still stinging from Tuesday’s 1-0 loss to archrival Pennridge, the Bucks took the field against an unsuspecting Ram squad and made them pay, handing the PAC power its first loss in eight games.
“We have been chomping at the bit to play since the Pennridge game and it showed,” coach Mike Moyer said. “We played really well today and applied relentless pressure on their back four.”
Taylor Moyer opened up the scoring, turning a perfect pass from Keely McGlone into a goal that gave the Rams a 1-0 lead. Moyer also had a hand in the Bucks’ second goal.
“Taylor hit a great corner back post that freshman Courtney Moylan headed in for her first ever varsity goal,” coach Moyer said. “We continued to play high and fast and had numerous chances, but their keeper was fantastic. She kept them in the game.”
The Bucks took that 2-0 lead into the second half.
“We came out fast in the second half and had plenty of chances but again their keeper was up to the challenge,” Moyer said. “We made it 3-0 when Ryan Fitz made a great run and sent one across the box that Shea Lubin was there to tap in. It was a great goal.”
The Bucks’ coach lauded the play of several players in the win.
“I thought Bella Centenerra, Allie Evan and Tori Albrecht were great,” Moyer said. “Riley Corona gave us a huge burst of speed up top and applied great pressure on their backs.
“It was also nice to see (goalie) Jenna Abazza get another clean sheet.”
Central Bucks West (4-2, 2-1 SOL) will travel to North Penn on Tuesday.
Central Bucks West 2-1 3
Spring-Ford 0-0 0
PENNSBURY 2, PENNINGTON (N.J.) 2
Pennington took a 1-0 lead in the 32nd minute, and it looked as though that lead might stand until the final whistle. It stood until the 59th minute when Evie Ciaccia scored with a Taylor Mays assist, marking the beginning of a wild three-minute stretch.
A minute later, Kendall Palatine (Rosie Bostian assist) found the back of the net with the go-ahead goal only to watch Pennington score the equalizer a minute later to wrap up the scoring for the night.
Pennsbury (4-1-1, 3-0 SOL) will be on the road at Council Rock South on Tuesday.
Pennsbury 0-2-0 2
Pennington 0-2-0 2
LOWER MERION 5, PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 1
The visiting Colonials – thanks to a goal by Sam Matthews – took a 1-0 lead into halftime. The Aces answered with five goals in the second half to earn the non-league win.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (3-3, 2-2 SOL) will host Upper Dublin on Tuesday.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 1-0 1
Lower Merion 0-5 5
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