Four SOL girls’ soccer team advanced to Saturday’s quarterfinal round of the District One 4A Tournament. Neshaminy/CB East photos of Jesse Garber (http://jsgarber.zenfolio.com/p905249812 ). Also, please check John Gleeson's gallery of Neshaminy vs CB East…CLICK HERE.
#1 NESHAMINY 1, #17 CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 0
It was a given that any team that ended up knocking the Patriots out of the postseason was not going to do so easily.
Such was the case for top-seeded Neshaminy, beginning its district run after a week off from games. For a half, Neshaminy was playing like a team that had a week off.
"We came out very flat in the first half," Neshaminy coach Chelsea Lovelace said. "I think not playing for a week and also the rain played a big factor into it, but we talked at halftime and told our girls their fate is in their hands. We told them they can either come out and work hard for 40 minutes and play on Saturday or they can just be content with how they are playing and let this be our last game. You could see a different type of intensity from the start of the second half that was absent in the first 40 minutes."
Lovelace credited her captains – Maggie Daeche, Riley Nyhus, Nicole Palmer and Alyssa Tobin – for getting the team on the right track.
"We started being first to 50/50 balls, getting good first touches and settling down and possessing, which helped us get the goal," Lovelace said.
Neshaminy broke through 4:28 into the second half after a 25-yard service by Daeche put the ball in the box. The co-captain's first strike was stopped but not saved by the keeper, allowing Jackie Ziegler to follow up and power the ball home.
Of course, East wasn't going to just go away.
"They were just hammering balls down the field and we would get in trouble when we would let them land," Lovelace said. "So, we had to do a good job of taking the balls out of the air before they bounced on the wet field. We did a good job of staying focused and smart to keep the 1-0 lead."
The Patriots had a number of players step up to keep the game within reach.
"Abby Brown was an absolute leader both offensively and defensively," CB East coach Paul Eisold said. "Senior Hayley Smigley stepped up big time. Delaney Kenendy and Bri Talbot controlled a very good Neshaminy midfield and Katie Bloom was a ball-winner at center back."
East loses four senior starters from its group. The Patriots had a slow start as they tried to find a new identity but caught stride in the second half of the season.
Neshaminy will face Downingtown West in Saturday's quarterfinals after Downingtown advanced over Quakertown on penalty kicks. For Neshaminy, the quick turnaround is a nice change after a week-long gap between matches.
"We went from playing every other day to not playing for a week so I think using this game to back into the groove of things will help us," Lovelace said.
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 0 0 – 0
NESHAMINY 0 1 – 1
Goals: N – Jackie Ziegler (Maggie Daeche) 45'
#2 PENNSBURY 1, # 18 BOYERTOWN 0
What was Pennsbury field hockey's loss was soccer's gain.
A high school field hockey player the last two years, junior Dani Cady switched sports this fall and has been a mainstay for the Falcons almost from the start. She's no novice, coming in as a club player, but in her first postseason game, Cady was a big part of the Falcons moving on.
"She was a spark for us today building up some of our most dangerous attacks," Pennsbury coach Kaitlyn Battiste said. "She plays club ball with a number of the girls, so the transition was natural. She's a competitor and her teammates respond to that energy. She is just one of those teammates who your players want to be around and the coaches enjoy working with."
Pennsbury had good energy all game, but it wasn't necessarily the most effective, at least on the offensive end. Battiste said players were winning a lot of individual battles but nothing dangerous in the final third.
"I don't feel like we ever lost control in the game, but we weren't at our best offensively today," Battiste said. "Fortunately, our defense was strong and only allowed one shot on frame. The relentlessness of our defense, led by Rachel Beri, is what makes a one-goal game a win."
Cady wasn't the only newcomer to stand out on Thursday. Battiste noted the play of freshman Gabby Zalot, who she called a "workhorse" and cited her constant movement.
The Falcons got their goal in the first half off a set piece.
"Dani Cady was taking players on from the beginning and she earned us a few corners," Battiste said. "Hope Drewes served a beautiful ball into the box and (Meredith) Webber connected on the end of it to head in the game winner."
From there, the defense did the rest.
"They kept the game in front of them, played aggressively on offense and doubled back defensively and never gave up on a play," Battiste said.
Given the week off and the rain on Thursday, a slow start wasn't out of the question. But the Falcons have taken up the motto of a world-class player for the postseason and put it into practice Thursday.
"Coach (Kim) Voorhees has been reading Carli Lloyd's book and we've adopted her mantra, 'It's not how you start; it's how you finish'," Battiste said. "Today was just the start, tomorrow we go back to work on that dream finish."
Pennsbury will host Central Bucks South in a quarterfinal Saturday.
BOYERTOWN 0 0 – 0
PENNSBURY 1 0 – 1
Goals: P – Meredith Webber (Hope Drewes)
#3 PENNRIDGE 3, #19 WISSAHICKON 0
When these teams met 10 days prior, the Trojans pushed the Rams into overtime and had Pennridge on its heels.
Thursday, in mostly heavy rain, it was a bit of a different story. Pennridge had learned not to take Wissahickon lightly and a very fired-up group of Rams finally got out of the second round.
"Part of our game plan was to win all the 50/50 balls, it was integral in getting us to move forward," Pennridge forward Kennedy Peace said. "We always looked to connect, whether it was with other midfielders, other forwards, we looked to be moving our way out of the back."
Peace was the offensively catalyst, combining with her sister Kouri to create all three goals. Kennedy Peace had the first two, scoring in the 39th and 48th minute, then had an assist on Kouri's 50th minute goal.
The Peaces, Melissa Lyon, Abby Groff and Piper Zimmerman were all looking to jump on some of the short passes the Trojans liked to use in the back to start their attack.
"Those short balls, we knew those were going to happen," Peace said. "If we could stay around there, something would come up. If not, then something from the midfield could go between their defenders and give us an opportunity to go to goal."
The rain seemed to slow Wissahickon offensively, but so did Pennridge's aggressive midfield and back line, which won tons of air battles and 50/50 balls.
"We were held in our defensive end more than we had hoped," Wissahickon defender Mary Matthews said. "That being said, I think we played well for playing so much in our defensive end."
Pennridge used all its players to contain Wissahickon's Maddie Elwell though senior right back Rachel Velez had a lot of that responsibility.
With Erin Stevenson and Savanna Harrison doing a lot of the ball-winning in the midfield, Wissahickon was never really able to break out.
"They had speed and numbers forward," Elwell said. "Nicole (Hastings) had many great saves but one of those times, they were going to find a hole in the defense. The defense played really well but it was a matter of them being able to keep the possession in our defending third and our not being able to get enough numbers forward."
Getting past the second round was a big moment for the Pennridge seniors, and with one more win, they'll attain their goal of making the state tournament.
"From our freshman year, we've wanted states," Stevenson said. "We made it past the second round, it's better than we've done the last three years. Us seniors, when we come together and want something, we're going to go after it.
"We just have to want it and keep wanting it."
Pennridge will host Downingtown East on Saturday in the quarterfinals.
WISSAHICKON 0 0 – 0
PENNRIDGE 1 2 – 3
Goals: Kennedy Peace (Kouri Peace) 39', Kennedy Peace 48', Kouri Peace (Kennedy Peace) 50'
#7 CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 2, #10 WEST CHESTER HENDERSON 0
Last year, the underdog Titans turned their No. 24 district seed into a storybook run to the state tournament. Underdogs no longer, the Titans – after an opening round bye – took care of business in Thursday’s second round. They were opportunistic on offense and impenetrable on defense.
“There’s definitely more pressure than last year,” junior Margot Centofanti said. “I don’t think any of us were expecting that last year, but we all know this is our chance this year because we’ve played together for so long.”
Neither team generated any serious offensive threats in the first half, although the Titans appeared to be picking up momentum as time was winding down in the half. Still, it had the look and feel of a game where one goal could win it.
That goal came nine minutes into the second half when Centofanti’s direct kick from 20 yards out – which appeared heading over the crossbar – dropped into the net for a goal that proved to be the game winner.
“That’s my spot – that’s like my sweet spot,” Centofanti said. “When I hit it, I felt it off my foot, and I knew it was going in. It dipped right in. It’s something I practice a lot.
“When we came out a little slow in the second half, I think we all took it upon ourselves that we needed to pick it up. No one wants to end our season right now. This is our chance, this is our year.”
For good measure, midfielder Kylie Walsh added a goal six minutes later, coming up with the ball during a scrum and deftly finding the net.
“My back was turned, and one of our forwards made the run towards the ball, and I waited for the ball and I just saw it drop,” the senior captain said. “That’s when I turned my hips and shot it.
“This was a team we saw in the playoffs last year, so obviously they wanted revenge on us. This is a different year. We have the higher seed and more weight on our shoulders, so this win was huge.”
The Titans’ defense silenced the dangerous Sydney Zandi, a member of the U17 U.S. National Team who recently returned from competing in the World Cup.
“Having Maddie Koch follow her around the center mid and being able to tackle and not dive in on her, that helped us the most, Centofanti said. “And just trying to watch the ball because she really has good ball work. I give her a lot of credit. She’s a good player.”
The Titans’ executed their game plan to perfection as Zandi was never a factor.
“We actually ended up having an extra midfielder, and I think it’s a system of play that’s pretty conducive to this group,” coach Betsy Bullock said. “I saw more offense generated from that than I have in our league play. It worked well.”
Central Bucks South (15-3-1, 9-2-1 SOL) will travel to second-seeded Pennsbury for a quarterfinal contest Saturday.
“We’re just going to have to come out intense,” Centofanti said. “We can’t come out slow. We can’t wait until the second half to start playing. We have to come out from the start and put the ball in the net.”
WC HENDERSON 0 0 – 0
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 0 2 – 2
Goals: Margot Centofanti 45’, Kylie Walsh 55’.
#9 DOWNINGTOWN WEST 1, #8 QUAKERTOWN 1 (Downingtown 4-2 PKs)
In Mike Koch's opinion, it was the best game his team had played all season.
It just wasn't enough to find a second goal against a district powerhouse and the Panthers saw their season end in a cruel fashion.
"We hit two posts and a crossbar, soccer is a cruel sport sometimes," Koch said.
Downingtown West scored in the first minute of the game when its dangerous forward Sydney Amparo found Sammie Sipes for a goal. After that, the Quakertown defense really buckled down and held a team that had scored 10 times in its first round game scoreless for 79 minutes.
"It says a lot about my team when a traditional district powerhouse, a three-time state champion and we're down 50 seconds in and we just played brilliantly from that point forward," Koch said.
Quakertown trailed at the half but tied the game up six minutes into the second half on a corner kick when freshman Sam Barkholtz served one in that Vic Sturgess put away
"Sam hits unbelievably great corners and Vic Sturgess just got up and headed it in," Koch said. "It was a great goal."
After the early goal, Lauren Pursel and Sturgess were instrumental in keeping the Panthers calm and getting them right back in the game. Katie Crouthamel was also huge in putting pressure on Downingtown West right away.
Koch said the first round bye really helped his team, especially after winning the SOL American title. The time off let his girls soak in the accomplishment and just as importantly, heal up and get in some good training.
"We were prepared to play and we played our best game," Koch said. "We got a little bit unlucky."
Koch felt his defense as a whole played exceptionally well.
"I can't say enough about what our two outside backs did because that was a concern," Koch said. "Julia Taylor and Sam Ramsden, Sam's the kid that plays everywhere for me, they just did a great job.
"Our center back pairing of a senior (Carley Peacher) and a freshman (Melina Jagiello), it was a special thing. Morgan Small had one save that was crazy, fully extended, parried it out. She controlled the box and was a big, big part of our success."
The season put Quakertown on the map, but the Panthers wouldn't have gotten there without their seniors.
"It was so deserved," Koch said. "They've been great leaders, great role models. The last time we were in districts, three of them played a lot. Then we had a tough couple years in the Continental Conference and they came committed this year to have a great senior season and they did. They led by example, they welcomed the underclassmen and our two freshmen that contributed were made to feel part of the team."
The Panthers will have many pivotal players, including Pursel, Small, Barkholz, Jagiello, Kyra Handel, Grace Kave, Becah Fox and Madison Smith, back next season.
"We have to continue that commitment and I believe we have the kids that will do it," Koch said.
#5 SPRING-FORD 3, #21 COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 1
The No. 5 seeded Rams proved too much for the Indians in their second round match.
Mia Scalamandre provided the lone strike for North, scoring with 5:18 left in the first half to temporarily tie the game 1-1. Spring-Ford regained the lead with 3:38 to go before the break and added an insurance goal with 28:57 to play in the second half.
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