Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ soccer teams in action in Tuesday’s opening round of the PIAA 4A Tournament. Neshaminy/Penn Manor photos courtesy of John Gleeson. Check back for a gallery of photos: https://solsports.zenfolio.com/f405978483 (Pennridge/Central photo provided by Althea Tomlinson/Pennridge soccer)
Class 4A
#1-4 CB West 2, #11-1 Parkland 1
Even half a world away, Mike Moyer was tuned in.
The CB West coach, on a business trip to Spain, ignored the time difference and followed every second on his iPad as his team battled undefeated Parkland for a chance to keep their improbable postseason alive. With the Bucks in the capable hands of assistant coach Victoria Bremer and his son Cooper - the West boys' head coach turned fill-in assistant - Mike Moyer saw West do it again.
"It was just awesome. We are just playing with house money, and we’re enjoying every single bit of it," Mike Moyer said. “If someone would have told us at the beginning of the season we’d be one of eight teams left at the end of the year - no one would have believed this. We just never quit, and we never give up.
“I’m just so proud and so happy right now. I honestly have no words. It’s literally one in the morning over here. This is way past my bedtime, but I am so excited right now. This is crazy. Who would have thought from another continent away that I’d get to watch a game live on FaceTime."
Parkland avoided Pennridge, which had knocked the Trojans out in 2018, 2020 and in last year's first round, but couldn't avoid the SOL entirely.
Cooper Moyer, who led his own team to the district playoffs in his first season as the head coach, felt right at home filling in for his dad on the sidelines Tuesday. A former West player, the younger Moyer also thanked another mentor for showing him the way. In 2019, then West boys’ soccer coach Stefan Szygiel’s squad was the 23rd of 24 teams in districts and advanced to the state final.
"This is crazy. I actually just got off the phone with Stefan, and I said, ‘Thank you for teaching me how to snipe a playoff game,’” Cooper Moyer said. “We totally just sniped a team that was 23-0, a league champion, a district champion, and here little CB West - who came in as the 26th seed in districts - just put an end to their season.
“I’ll tell you what - I love coaching West kids. We are never the most talented group, we never have all the best players, but West kids just work harder than any other kid, and that’s a fact. They’re just blue collar, hard working kids. and it really makes coaching a pleasure when you have kids like that that are all bought in and who just want to get the job done.”
There might be no player who better embodies the West toughness this season than senior keeper Jules Broskey. Playing through injuries that would have sidelined most others, Broskey authored another remarkable performance that earned praise all the way from Europe.
“Jules made a save in the first half on a one-on-one breakaway - I think that was the turning point. You could sense that Parkland was like - ‘Man, this can’t be happening right now.’ Jules has been the rock for us all season. I’ve said it before - she is the best goalkeeper in the state, no one can convince me otherwise," Mike Moyer said. "She’s playing right now with a torn rotator cuff. What is underneath her uniform with all the wraps and bandages - I just can’t even believe that she’s still able to play."
West got one of its hardest workers back on Tuesday when Alexis Castro returned after missing three games due to injury. The junior is a presence in the midfield, and her ability to win the ball, especially out of the air, gave a boost to a Bucks team that had to defend several corners and free kicks.
Cooper Moyer agreed, also noting the impact of Castro as well as senior Taylor Madden, who was a forward last year and to start this season but has shifted to a fullback role that allowed the Bucks to move Kate Weyer into the midfield.
"Jules Broskey was up to her usual tricks in goal, absolutely standing on her head and bailing us out of deep trouble more than once, she was fantastic," Cooper Moyer said. "Taylor Madden played incredible at left back and kept one of their best players at bay for most of the game. It was nice to have AC Castro back in the midfield and just her presence is so important, she did a great job winning 50/50 balls and making some important interceptions and tackles."
Mackenzie Gausch opened the scoring off an Eva Wierzbowski assist midway through the first half.
The Trojans tied the game 1-1 in the second half. Late in regulation, the Bucks earned a corner kick that would again turn the tide of the game. The initial service from Kate Weyer came down in a mix of players, leading to a loose ball that freshman Emery Sterling hit on a one-timer over the sliding keeper for the match-winner.
West still had to see the game out, but once the final horn sounded, the Bucks raced onto the field and swarmed around Broskey as their crazy postseason run continued.
"Ashley Lott really helped us kill the game the last eight minutes and put constant pressure on their back line while the other nine field players just defended their tails off," Cooper Moyer said. "All around a huge team effort and the energy from the bench was incredible and pushed us across the line towards the end of the game.
"Also, a shoutout to Vic Ehlinger for organizing and leading these girls and being the glue in my dad's absence. All these girls look up to her and she knows exactly how to bring out the best in this team."
On the other side of the ocean, Mike Moyer was ecstatic to see his team play the role of giant killer.
“I’ve said it all year - we are not the most talented team. We came in as the 26th seed, and here we are in the final eight. These girls - we come to practice, we’re in the training room more than we’re on the practice field. I bring brownies, I bring pretzels. We just talk about life and what it takes to really be a leader and to understand the culture that we’re trying to have at West," the Bucks’ coach said. “We don’t care about winning the division, we don’t care about winning the district. Every single year our focus is to make the state tournament, that’s it. We don’t put too much pressure on it. This is the first year we’ve done it since I’ve been the head coach. You know what - my job is to give these girls an outlet, to give them an unbelievable high school memory and do it in the best way possible.
"I don’t think anyone has as much fun as we do. We just keep saying - why not us? I think our white jerseys are getting worn out by this point because we’re never going to have a home game. We just keep playing for each other, these girls play for the program, they play for me, and at the end of the day, we have each other’s back come hell or high water."
West (14-10, 8-8 SOL) will face Pennridge in Saturday's quarterfinals. It will be the fourth meeting between the teams this fall, the Rams winning both regular season games while the Bucks outlasted Pennridge in a shootout after a district quarterfinal draw.
“When I look at my season and I see my losses, and half of my losses are to Pennridge and CB East - it just goes to show you how tough our conference is," Mike Moyer said. "It stinks of us that one of us is going to have to go home. I have a ton of respect for them up there. They’re a really good team."
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 1 1 - 2
PARKLAND 0 1 - 1
Goals: CBW - Mackenzie Gausch, Emery Sterling
#1-1 Neshaminy 3, #3-3 Penn Manor 0
In prior years, the District 1 champion facing a third seed out of District 3 hasn't ended well.
Whether any of the current Neshaminy players knew about that old hex or not didn't seem to matter on Tuesday. It's their first state playoff experience, and the Redskins weren't really looking for a
one-and-done stay.
"As the game started, we knew that Penn Manor was going to play hard, they had some fast players and that definitely caused some problems during the first half," Neshaminy coach Josh Van Reed said. "After the first 10-15 minutes we started to settle in and find space behind the midfield with the ball which resulted in a series of corner kicks."
Corner kicks and Neshaminy go really well together. The 'Skins have several players who can serve in a good ball off a corner and several players who can finish, so they have options.
"With 28 minutes left in the half we took a short corner. Alexis Ocasio laid the ball off to Mercedez Paino, who fired the ball across the goal that made it to the back post and in the path of Gyzell Rowan for the first goal," Van Reed said.
The Comets pushed back hard after falling behind, and Neshaminy, which had given up a lead in its last two games, had to work to keep the advantage.
"Hannah Labadie got down to save a nice shot that she kept wide of the goal and maintained the lead," Van Reed said. "At this point in the
first half, it seemed that we were trading opportunities back and forth a bit until with five minutes before half when we struck again."
Kylie Maxwell had a terrific performance in the District 1 title game, and the sophomore forward has been in form all postseason. Paino had to leave the district final with an injury, but the senior more than made up for it Tuesday and picked things right back up, combining with Maxwell in key opportunities.
"Kylie was able to get the ball wide and carry the ball to the end line, spotted Mercedez coming in behind her and she took a great shot high near post that went off the keeper's outstretched hand to put us up 2-0 at half," Van Reed said. "At halftime we talked a bit about our transition going forward and limiting their counter attack which allowed us to apply pressure and also win balls in the midfield more. It resulted in a lot more possession and a lot more scoring opportunities."
Neshaminy iced the game with 25 minutes left, using another combination of quick passes, good timing and a boost from another returning player, this time forward Angelina Daino.
"Kylie got behind the defense along with Angelina Daino, as Kylie approached the keeper Angelina moved in a good spot to receive the pass for an easy 
back post shot," Van Reed said.
While the offense continuing to produce was exactly what Neshaminy wanted to see coming out of districts and into states, Penn Manor was not a walk-over opponent. Just as crucial was the play in the back and center of the field in posting the all-important shutout.
"The defense (Paige Borkowski, Taylor Maxwell, Alexis Ocasio, Carly Hock-Smith) and midfield moved the ball very quickly around and through the back. Overall, the passing tonight was excellent, and the quick decisions and speed of play all over the field allowed us to see the game out and keep a clean sheet," Van Reed said. "The creativity in the final third is continuing to still improve every game."
Neshaminy (22-0-2, 14-0-2 SOL) faces a rematch with Conestoga in Saturday's quarterfinals. The Redskins edged the Pioneers in a shootout to conclude an epic district semifinal match and will again face a Conestoga squad looking to return to the state title match.
NESHAMINY 2 1 - 3
PENN MANOR 0 0 - 0
Goals: N - Mercedez Paino, Gyzell Rowan, Angelina Daino
#1-5 Pennridge 7, #12-1 Central 0
The Rams made short work of the District 12 champions, moving on to the state quarterfinals for a fifth straight year.
Tori Angelo opened the scoring just 90 seconds in, with Casey Malone and Lindsey Balmer adding goals in the first 10 minutes for a quick 3-0 lead. Angelo and Balmer added their second respective goals with seven and six minutes left in the first half before Lauren Murphy put one more away before the break.
Anna Croyle rounded out the scoring in the second half.
Pennridge (21-2, 15-1 SOL) will face CB West in Saturday's quarterfinals. The Rams won both regular season meetings while the Bucks took a shootout to advance in the teams' district quarterfinal meeting.
PENNRIDGE 6 1 - 7
CENTRAL 0 0 - 0
Goals: P - Tori Angelo 2, Lindsey Balmer 2, Casey Malone, Lauren Murphy, Anna Croyle
#3-2 Central Dauphin 2, #1-2 Central Bucks East 0
A year ago, the Patriots saw their season end out in Harrisburg against a talented Rams team.
CD changed quite a few names, but the idea was the same again on Tuesday. Short-handed but not short on fight, CB East saw a successful season again come to a close in the first round of the PIAA tournament.
"We knew this would be a tough one since our experience with them last year in the state tournament, and while they graduated a lot, they had a core returning that were sharp," East coach Jake Nesteruk said. "They move the ball really well, very quick on the defensive transition, and have a couple of really talented girls in their attack."
Even on level terms, it would have been a significant challenge, so the Patriots knew they faced a steeper climb with a few players unable to go. Senior Cam Williams was key among them, not even able to make the trip due to an illness after fighting through it to play in Saturday's District 1 title match.
"Any time we’ve played without Camryn on the field has been difficult, so we knew we’d have to do some things differently," Nesteruk said of the Seton Hall recruit who had well over a dozen goals and assists this fall. "As best as we could, I thought we played a solid game against a great side. I thought we created a few decent chances in the first half, and pressed the game much better in the second, but credit to that group, they are tough to beat."
Nesteruk credited his back line - Chantal Van Dongeren, Brooke Roumy, Sophia Schorn and Grace Craig - for their efforts against a talented Central Dauphin front line that features a standout in sophomore Kayden Williams. Williams, who had both goals, is already nearing 100 career points.
Last year, making the state playoffs was the end result for a group that helped East win a share of the SOL Colonial title. With a large senior class departing from that team, it fell on this year's group to decide how to carry that on.
"We said a couple of days ago at training that winning a league and making it to states last year could’ve been an anomaly to be proud of. But for our girls to get this program back here and play in a district final as well, has made these types of seasons a program standard and doing it in a way, both soccer wise and culture wise, that we can be proud of," Nesteruk said. "These girls absolutely took the keys and got us here and that’s a huge credit to a great group of seniors - Elliot Forney, Brooke Roumy, Gwyn Krystkiewicz, Cam Williams, Brielle Guarracino, and Savannah Jagoda - and leaders."
Junior co-captain Sofia Mignon will lead the returners next year as the Patriots (16-8, 10-6 SOL) try to keep up their run of success.
"As much as this stings, I'm just very thankful for everything this group put in this year and our seniors did," Nesteruk said.
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 0 0 – 0
CENTRAL DAUPHIN 2 0 – 2
Goals: CD – Kayden Williams 2.
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