By Alex Frazier
Three of four SOL teams in the second round of the District Tournament advanced to the quarterfinals Thursday night. That’s about as good as it could get, considering two Suburban One teams played each other.
No. 8 Hatboro-Horsham 8, No. 9 Pennsbury 7 (OT)
The Hatters made history when they became the only team in the program’s history to win two playoff games and have a chance to capture a state berth.
In Thursday’s thrilling OT win, they continued to ride the senior leadership of Ryan Kreston, Edward Coombs, Greg Cutilli, Ryan Mullen and Dino Vitale, and they won it in dramatic fashion when one of those seniors – Cutilli – turned a Kreston pass into the game winner.
Everybody knew it would be a great game, and it was just that.
“Going into this game I was very confident we matched up really well with them,” said Pennsbury coach Jamie Huber. “I knew it would be a good game. I knew it would be close and I knew it would probably be a one-goal game.”
Pennsbury was down 5-2 at the half and came back to tie it 5-5 in the third quarter.
“We felt we were right back in the game,” said Huber. “At that point it was anybody’s game.”
The Hatters jumped out to a 7-6 lead until the Falcons’ Pat Bonnot scored with less than four minutes left to tie it.
Pennsbury had a shot with 30 seconds left that Dino Vitale came up big on to send it into overtime.
Hatboro-Horsham won the faceoff to start the overtime and won it on a shot by Cutilli.
“He had a nice shot,” said Huber.
Pennsbury goalie Drew Sweetland made 16 saves while Hatboro’s Dino Vitale had 14 saves.
“It was a great game,” said Huber. “Any other day that game could go either way.”
Kreston and Jake Durkin led the Hatters with three goals each. Kreston also had three assists. Coombs and Cutilli both added single goals while Robert Nalge had an assist.
Ricky Jutkiewicz contributed a pair of goals to lead the Falcons, who received single goals from Calvin Hopkins, Josh Caven, Kenneth Warren, Tim Considine and Pat Bonnot. Hopkins and Warren as well as Josh and Shawn Caven each contributed an assist.
The Hatters held a 37-31 advantage in shots over the Falcons, who closed out their season with a 17-3 mark.
The Hatters will take on No. 1 seed Springfield Delco at 2 p.m. Saturday at Harriton.
No. 2 Abington 16, No. 18 Avon Grove 7
There’s never much doubt that the Ghosts can put the ball in the net. Coach Randy McNeil was hoping that the defense could stop Avon Grove’s attack, which it did quite well, after a first period lull, which found Abington down 3-1.
By halftime everyone was in sync as the Ghosts took a 9-4 lead en route to a 15-4 margin later in the game.
Avon Grove scored three goals in the last three minutes, but by then it was all moot.
“The guys lightened up and lost focus,” said McNeill.
Ryan Ambler led Abington with four goals and two assists. Joey Jones pumped in three goals and had three assists, Anthony Hensley had two goals and four assists, Matt Rambo tallied four goals, Rich Rambo accounted for one and Nick Pesko had a goal and an assist.
In goal Jessie McGinley stopped 10 shots.
“He played really well,” said McNeill. “I expected us to play well and score. It was a matter of stopping their offensive guys.”
Abington will meet Radnor, a 9-8 triple overtime winner over Ridley, Saturday at 12 p.m. at Harriton.
No. 4 Central Bucks East 6, No. 13 Downingtown West 5
The Patriots received a pair of goals from Ben Auteri and Conor McSherry. McSherry also had an assist as the Patriots notched the exciting win. Both Alex Fetterman and Chris Vetter contributed a goal and an assist.
The two teams were deadlocked 1-1 at the end of one quarter, 2-2 at halftime and 4-4 heading into the final frame when the Patriots outscored the Cougars 2-1. In goal, Harrison Holak turned away 13 of 22 shots he faced.
The Patriots will play Garnet Valley Saturday at 2 p.m. at West Chester Henderson.
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