Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ soccer teams in action Monday. Lower Moreland/Bensalem photos provided courtesy of Greg Zesinger. Check back for a gallery of photos. (Neshaminy photos submitted by Neshaminy soccer)
SOL LIBERTY
Abington 2, Wissahickon 1
The Ghosts’ motto this season is to never give up.
It’s something senior co-captain and leading scorer Casey Touey loves to remind her teammates of, and because Touey is somebody to follow, her teammates listen. So when senior Myana Bebee-Gomberg had her first shot blocked three minutes into Monday’s first overtime, she didn’t give up.
A fortuitous bounce brought the ball back to Bebee-Gomberg and the senior’s left-footed hit in the six-yard box didn’t miss as it delivered the Ghosts a conference title.
“It’s hard to do this, these kids work really hard and I have no complaints,” Abington coach Rick Tompkins said. “The chemistry this year is really good. Myana, that goal is so big for her because she’s a senior, she struggles to score goals but she really likes to play and she has a lot of things she adds that don’t often get rewarded.”
Abington’s slick field proved to be a bit of a challenge but it didn’t slow either team from generating a heap of chances throughout. Lesha Karaba, Maura Daya and Touey created a bulk of the chances in the first half, with a Touey free kick forcing a diving save from Wissahickon keeper Caroline Hassall in the final seconds.
On the Trojans’ side, the hardworking group of Emma Baker, Natalie Ryan and Lannah Werynski looked to get creative striker Kylie Friedman the ball and Friedman replied with a few quality looks.
“I love what Chris (McDaniels) has done with that team,” Tompkins said. “Those guys and Hatboro-Horsham are the two best teams we’ve faced. It’s a shame, they may not make the playoffs but they’re good.”
Abington needed to win either Monday’s game or Wednesday against Plymouth Whitemarsh to secure the conference title. The Ghosts won the 2018 SOL American title with then-sophomores like Touey, Abby Bautista, Aly Holden and Camille Mugnier playing roles.
This year, it’s their team and despite having the start of the season delayed a week by COVID-19, they only had sights on a title.
“If we had the chance to play, I knew no matter what we would put up a fight because this means everything to us,” Touey said. “We’re a family, we have each other’s backs and we would all do anything for each other.”
Wissahickon would score first, with Friedman getting the finish after a tenacious build-up. Werynski won the ball off a throw, played on through a foul and sent the ball up field to Friedman. The sophomore left it for Baker, then got it back before juking a defender and skillfully curling a shot around another defender over the keeper and under the bar with a half-hour to play.
The Trojans, who held the No. 23 spot in the District I 4A rankings at the start of the day, needed the result to keep their postseason hopes alive.
“There are going to be a handful of teams on the outside looking in that in an 18-game season, anybody who watched a good bit of soccer this year would tell you deserved to be in,” McDaniels said. “I feel like we’re in that group. Granted, on the season, we had a couple slip-ups that in an 18-game season don’t look as bad but with a 10-game season, there’s no margin for error.”
Hassall made a tremendous stop on Day, pushing a blast by the sophomore up and off the bar with 18 minutes to play as Abington pursued a tying goal.
Touey, the champion of the never-give-up motto, gave her team a new life a few minutes later. Day was able to pick out the senior on the run and Touey hit a one-time shot hard along that ground that leveled the score with 15 minutes to play.
“The three captains are very different personalities,” Tompkins said. “Casey is a very laser-focused person and she is a spokesperson. They follow her vocal lead. Aly Holden is the glue, she keeps everybody together and Abby does what the other two don’t.”
Bautista, playing just her second game of the season, offered a key assessment at the half that helped Abington limit some of Wissahickon’s creativity going forward. The midfielder noticed that every time Wiss went forward up the middle, there was nobody there to cut the Trojans off and took it on herself to be a roadblock.
“She just knows the right thing to do or say and it was difficult for her this year because she was hurt for so long,” Tompkins said. “She showed up for everything and always put in her two cents, all of which was usually dead on.”
In overtime, it didn’t take long for the Ghosts to find the winner. Freshman Piper McGinley, a recent JV call-up, sent in a cross while sliding to the ground that found Bebee-Gomberg at the far post.
“Whoever happens to step up, they go out there and do the job,” Tompkins said. “They all pull for each other.”
Wissahickon’s season concludes with a 6-4-2 record (4-4-2 SOL).
Abington hosts Plymouth Whitemarsh at 4 p.m. Wednesday. The Ghosts were the No. 2 team in the 4A rankings at the start of play on Monday but jumped into the top spot with their win.
ABINGTON 0 1 1 – 2
WISSAHICKON 0 1 1 – 1
Goals: A – Casey Touey, Myana Bebee-Gomberg; W – Kylie Friedman
SOL PATRIOT
Neshaminy 2, Council Rock North 0
It’s time to wake up.
Throughout the season, Neshaminy junior co-captain Jordyn Fregia often referred back to some preseason writings that didn’t have the Redskins featured prominently. It just made their accomplishment on Monday feel that much better as the team stormed off its bench to celebrate with the field players after securing at least a share of the SOL Patriot title.
“There’s a great quote from Jordyn, she always says ‘these teams are sleeping on us,'” Neshaminy coach Renny Papendick said. “We all take that little attitude of they’re sleeping on us. It’s a nice little thing to keep us motivated.”
Ironically, it was the Indians who put Neshaminy in position to secure a conference title. Council Rock North’s win over Pennsbury last Thursday meant a Neshaminy win secured no worse than a share of the Patriot crown.
Pennsbury had won at least a share of the last five conference titles.
It is the program’s first SOL title since the 2013 season, when the Megan Schafer-led Redskins went on to win a District I and PIAA title. Making the day extra special was the chance to celebrate with the Neshaminy boys’ team, which also won a Patriot title.
“The team was very, very hyped, we have a close-knit group and they were very happy for each other,” Papendick said. “It was a good win against a talented Council Rock North team. I go back to it all the time, I think we’re the toughest league in PA.”
Neshaminy notched a goal on each side of the break. Set pieces would again play a large role in the team’s ability to put the ball into the net with Neshaminy getting its first about 15 minutes in.
“It was a free kick from Kira Bradley that was cleared out, we won it back and Paige Borkowski flicked it back into the box,” Papendick said. “It fell to Avery Papendick and she buried a very nice goal.”
Avery Papendick and Borkowski are both sophomores, which has been a pretty big trend for Neshaminy this fall.
“Most people are surprised, but we’re starting eight sophomores,” Papendick said. “We’re very young and very talented and we think we have a couple years here to build. But, the youngness of the team doesn’t take away from the fact our upperclassmen are leading, they’re captains and they’re right there on the field.”
Neshaminy came out energized, knowing what was at stake and wanting to get the job done on its home field. Up 1-0 at the break, the Redskins knew the match was far from over and sought a second tally.
Midway through the second frame, they got one. A corner kick led to a scramble in the box with Neshaminy’s rugby standout, football punter and senior co-captain Nina Mason punching it home.
“Council Rock North has some tremendously talented players and they put the pressure on us a little bit after that,” Papendick said. “We hung on, hunkered in and killed the game from there.”
Hannah Labadie, yet another sophomore, picked up the clean sheet in goal.
Neshaminy, which entered the day clinging to the No. 16 and final spot in the 4A rankings, only helped itself with the result by moving up to No. 11.
“They were just so excited running onto the field to congratulate each other, they celebrated with the boys team and were planning to go out and get dinner,” Papendick said. “High school soccer is just such an experience for these kids, it’s positive and just nice to see.
“Who knows where it’s going to take us, but I think we can make a run and we’re here and we’re going to be a problem the next couple years. For now, just let them be kids and they just had such a great time tonight.”
Council Rock North (5-4, 4-3 SOL), which dropped to the No. 16 spot, will host Council Rock South at 5 p.m. on Tuesday in the annual Rock Cup game.
Neshaminy (5-3-1, 5-2-1) will face Phoenixville in a nonleague game on Wednesday.
NESHAMINY 1 1 – 2
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 0 0 – 0
Goals: N – Avery Papendick, Nina Mason
Non-league
Bensalem 1, Lower Moreland 0
It was a long time coming for the Owls.
Playing in an extremely tough conference, Bensalem never shorted itself on effort or hard work but didn’t have a win to show for it. Stepping out of the Patriot on Monday, the Owls got a hard-earned reward with a win over the Lions.
“It’s been too long for the girls,” Owls coach Bob Crawford said. “They have been improving all season and working very hard.”
Sam Daut scored the lone goal of the day.
Crawford cited his team’s ability to move the ball and willingness to share, but finishing has been a bit of a struggle throughout the season.
“Compared to last year, I think they’ve really improved working as a unit,” Crawford said. “Our JV team also had a great season and we have a strong ninth and 10th grade class.”
Abby Brunell has been a stalwart in goal all season for Bensalem and posted the shutout win on Monday.
Delanie Bell, Lexi Cahill, Erin Devlin and Gianna Paglaiccetti had formed the core of a solid midfield group for Bensalem.
Despite not having a win to show, the Owls often drew plenty of praise from opponents for their attitude and work rate in matches. The coaches only wanted the players to keep working hard and improving, something they did without fail.
“You just keep the players upbeat and show them what good things they are doing and help them with what they need help with,” Crawford said. “I always tell the kids I coach – I judge you not on the way you play and not always on the end result. So, we kept showing them what was working and they bought in.”
Crawford stressed the players and his assistants deserve the credit and that it’s never a one-person job. He also thanked the athletic administration at Bensalem for their hard work to make sure the players got a chance to have a season.
“We are trying to build a program and not just a team,” Crawford said. “This year we had a great group of girls who just wanted to play.”
Bensalem closed out its season with a 1-9 record (0-8 SOL). Lower Moreland finished its regular season with a 2-5-3 record. (2-3-3 SOL)
BENSALEM 1 0 – 1
LOWER MORELAND 0 0 – 0
Goals: B – Sam Daut
Council Rock South 2, William Tennent 0
Playing for what was likely the final time on their home field, the Golden Hawks seniors were determined to go out the right way.
“We felt we hadn’t started games strong so we wanted to answer that first whistle,” Hawks’ coach Nick Heim said. “Our seniors had their last home game today and I think bringing that up in pregame left a mark. They played like they were defending their home turf. They are a group that takes pride in that and it showed today.”
South had all the scoring it would need less than seven minutes into the game.
Carly Irvin slotted home a finish off a nice through ball from Karly Wunder three minutes in, then about three minutes later, Wunder picked up a second assist when she picked out Aubrey Hondros on a free kick that the senior was able to help find its way into the net.
“The two early goals really helped settle us,” Heim said. “Tennent is solid. They’re physical and have some dangerous players. Luckily, we were able to have a game plan to limit the chances for their creative players in (Gabby) Sowers and (Ava) DeGeorge.”
Heim credited his defensive back line and the midfield for taking the Panthers out of their element.
“We did a solid job making sure Sowers went horizontal because when she gets going vertical, she’s dangerous,” Heim said. “We also wanted to keep DeGeorge playing negative when she was in that forward position because from film, we saw she can make that final pass that splits a defense.”
Tennent (9-2, 8-0 SOL), which locked up the SOL Freedom title last week, fell to the No. 10 spot in the District I 4A rankings.
Council Rock South (7-2-1, 4-2-1) jumped to the No. 6 spot with the win. The Hawks have a chance to claim a share of the SOL Patriot title on Tuesday when they travel to face Council Rock North in the Rock Cup. CR North also currently occupies the final playoff spot at No. 16.
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 2 0 – 2
WILLIAM TENNENT 0 0 – 0
Goals: Carly Irvin, Aubrey Hondros
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