Check out the results for SOL boys’ soccer teams in action on Friday.
WISSAHICKON 3, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 2 (2 OT)
With the season getting off to a start Friday, the theme of the day was giving a little extra.
Such was the case for Council Rock North, which opened against a talented Wissahickon team. A back and forth game between the squads wound up going to overtime, where the Trojans Cole Kropnik finally got the last laugh.
As the clock ticked toward a deadlock in the second overtime, Kropnik got a chance in close against Indians’ keeper Matt Moller. After being taken down with no call for a penalty kick, Kropnik arose, regained control of the ball and beat Moller with a shot to wrap up the 3-2 victory.
“Wissahickon played a better second half, creating several good chances and missing a few good opportunities with headers,” said Trojans coach Stuart Malcolm.
The Trojans struck first in the contest on a free kick goal by Matt Knittel less than two minutes in. The Indians, though, responded with an equalizer by Nick Hartwell at the 15-minute mark, which Alex Greenberg followed soon after to give CR North a 2-1 halftime edge. Zach Strauss and Bob Hill assisted on those tallies.
“Credit to CR North, who knocked the ball around well after that and deservedly tied the game with a header,” said Malcolm. “CRN managed to take the lead scoring from close range.”
The Trojans, though, finally drew even with under 13 minutes left when Alex Chiodo-Ortiz outjumped everyone for a loose ball and goal. That set the stage for the extra sessions and Kropnik’s heroics.
Kropnick and Shane Fallen also had assists in the triumph. Statistically, the Trojans impressively controlled things with an 11-4 shot advantage. Their goalie, Neal Guaglianone, needed to make only four saves, while Moller stopped five Trojan attempts.
ABINGTON 3, CHELTENHAM 2 (OT)
It proved to be an opening day scare for defending District I Class AAA champion Abington.
Twenty-five minutes into its trip to Cheltenham, a set up by Joe Galton allowed Josh Ryan to get a shot on goal. He delivered with a score to give the Panthers a 1-0 advantage, which they proceeded to build on thanks to another score by Christos Yiantsos that made it 2-0 at the break.
The Ghosts, though, had an answer, and it came in the form of better play in the second half of action. Two goals, one of which came from Harry Horn and the other off a late corner kick, knotted things up at and helped Abington force overtime. Then in overtime, the Ghosts capped their comeback with a goal from Matt Bevilacqua to win it.
“I was happy with the effort with my team. Obviously, I would have been happy with a better result,” Cheltenham coach Chuck Gesing said. “Last 20 minutes, they turned up the heat on us, and we weren’t able to respond.”
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 3, UPPER DUBLIN 1
After falling behind by a 1-0 score, Central Bucks West responded with a strong effort to pull away from the Cardinals.
The Bucks got some help in the process, as in the 29thminute, Upper Dublin yielded an own goal that tied things up. It remained that way until the second half, when 15 minutes in, Joel Klapper found the back of the net by beating Cardinal keeper Scott Wexler for the eventual game winner.
“I actually thought we were a little slow to start,” Bucks coach Stefan Szygiel said. “We got better as the game evolved.”
A one-goal lead was all Bucks goalie Redd Brown would need as he stopped five shots in the victory. However, CB West wasn’t finished yet as Klapper struck again in the 69thminute with an insurance goal.
The win was the first for Szygiel in his tenure at CB West. A 2003 alum of the school, Szygiel was also impressed with the play of Brady Boylan, who started his first varsity game and managed the back well for the Bucks. Boylan is the only sophomore starter at this point for the team.
“He was composed. He didn’t show that kind of nervous behavior you expect out of a first-time varsity player,” Szygiel said. “I think he showed great maturity.
The Cardinals lone tally came thanks to John Roos, who beat Brown with a shot set up by Glenn VanOrden 15 minutes into the game. Wexler also matched Brown with five saves.
“As far as we’re concerned, I think we played pretty well,” said Cardinals coach Richard Schmidt.
PLYMOUTH-WHITEMARSH 2, QUAKERTOWN 1
Plymouth-Whitemarsh came away with a tough opening victory, thanks to a goal from Ethan Miller that was set up by a long throw-in from Dylan Ensslin. Miller gained control of the set-up before scoring the game winner with about two minutes to play.
“He’s got a fantastic throw - he can get it to the far post from the opposite side,” praised P-W coach Devon Landgraff about Ensslin.
The victory avenged a 6-0 season opening setback to Quakertown in 2012, though it didn’t come easy. Quakertown’s Kyle Woulf killed any P-W first-half momentum with a goal that allowed the Panthers to lead, 1-0, at the half.
“We created a lot of opportunities in the first half,” said Landgraff. “That’s all it takes for Kyle Woulf, and he put one away.”
P-W, though, responded with a fervent effort in the final 40 minutes and finally got the equalizer thanks to Dominic Wlodarczyk’s tally off a crossing pass into the box. Ultimately, P-W outshot the Panthers by a 7-4 margin, while goalie Brett Paul pulled in four saves in the win.
“These guys are highly motivated,” said Landgraff. “Even though they’re a young bunch, they’re motivated and they’re very goal oriented.”
FATHER JUDGE 2, SPRINGFIELD (MONTCO) 0
Senior Ryan Nork found the back of the net on a pass from Geoff Degnan just 10 minutes in to give Father Judge an advantage it would not relinquish in a season opening victory. Cole Speiser added another tally in the second half to put the Spartans away. Springfield will try to get back on track Sept. 10 in both its home and league opener against Cheltenham.
NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 4, UPPER MORELAND 2
Despite a pair of second half goals, Upper Moreland was unable to overcome a New Hope-Solebury team seeking its fourth straight District I tournament in 2012. The Golden Bears fell behind, 2-0, at halftime before getting tallies by sophomore Jacob Winter and senior Tyler Kleinert. New Hope-Solebury, though, was able to beat Bears goalie Connor O’Hagan twice more in the final 40 minutes to pull away.
Upper Moreland continues a three-game non-league stretch to open the season with a visit from Lansdale Catholic Sep. 4.
PENNRIDGE 3, SOUTHERN LEHIGH 2 (OT)
It’s usually important to get off to a good start, which is something Pennridge had failed to do the past two years. The Rams were 0-1-1 in season openers since 2011 and looked doomed to add another setback to that record. Yet, after falling behind 2-0 in the first half, the Rams responded with two goals to reach an extra session.
“This is hopefully a step in the right direction,” said Rams coach Pete Valimont.
Pennridge cut the deficit to 2-1 at halftime thanks to a goal from junior midfielder Lucas Hefner. Then in the second half, senior midfielder Kris Gross, who is a co-captain with classmates Justin Csaszar and Adam Gebert, tied things up with a goal set up by sophomore midfielder Cayce Giblin. Junior goalie Steven Catlett, who split time with senior Zach Jarrett, held down the fort from there in the second half. Both keepers finished with four saves that helped send the game to overtime.
It took less than four minutes for Pennridge to earn the win as Gross set up junior Ethan Aigeldinger for a shot. The forward, who also kicks for the football team, took advantage, as he buried the last shot of the game for a goal.
The Rams finished 3-14-1 last season but are optimistic for a better campaign this year so long as the junior back players execute. Valimont is further hoping his team can play with a lead, which it has yet to do in scrimmages or the regular season.
“We have to stop giving up goals and having to come from behind,” he said.
NORTH PENN 4, LANSDALE CATHOLIC 1
Due in part to a big day from Dylan McMahon, North Penn cruised to a 4-1 win to open up its season. McMahon finished with two goals to help the Knights’ cause, while another score from Roben Qawasmy and a penalty kick tally by Drew McMeniman rounded out the scoring for the home team.
Lansdale Catholic only trailed, 2-1, at halftime because of a goal from Scott Jacobs, but the Knights pulled away with another pair in the final 40 minutes. Goalie Jordan Katz had eight saves for the Knights, who will try to better last year’s 15-5-1 mark over the next two months.
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 3, CHRISTOPHER DOCK 0
It took 25 minutes to get on the scoreboard, but Central Bucks South had few problems taking control of and pulling away from the Pioneers. Dean Helwig beat the Pioneers Seth Frankenfield to give the Titans a 1-0 lead, and before the halftime whistle, Danny Remick added another goal to extend CB South’s stranglehold.
Helwig went on to score again in the 68thto make it 3-0, and Titan goalie Matt Weigner made those tallies stand to earn the shutout. It was the 21st shutout of a standout career for Wiegner.
The Titans sent 15 shots at Frankenfield in the winning effort.
TRUMAN 2, OWEN J. ROBERTS 2
Truman opened its campaign with a 2-2 tie on the road. Both teams netted goals in the first and second halves, but neither was able to cap an overtime-filled day around the SOL with a “golden goal.”
For the Tigers, this affair proved to be the Tim Hild and David Rodriguez show. The latter scored on an assist from the former for Truman’s first goal of the year, while Hild found the net in the second half thanks to a set-up from Rodriguez. Truman’s Jon Lopez also nabbed nine saves.
O.J.R. earned goals from Bruce Donlen and Shane Kelly. Both were assisted by Jared Cooney.
CONESTOGA 2, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 0
Dave Zipkin and Matt Marcelli each scored first half goals for Conestoga, which did not look back in earning a 2-0 shutout victory in a non-league contest. CR South will have to wait a while to have another chance at its first win, as the Golden Hawks are off until Sept. 10’s league and home opener against Abington.
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