All-Delco Boys Soccer: Bradleys, Gregory made Haverford School go

December 2, 2015

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In addition to Player of the Year Nick Jannelli, the remainder of the All-Delco teams consists of:

Episcopal Academy goalkeeper Matt Freese, center, stops a shot by The Haverford School’s Connor Gregory, left. Freese had five shutouts to earn All-Delco goalkeeper honors for the second year in a row. (Courtesy photo)

Matt Freese, Episcopal Academy: Freese picked up right where he left off after a stellar finish to his sophomore season that earned him a spot on last year’s All-Delco team. Despite a season-ending ankle injury in the second meeting with Malvern Prep, he did plenty to earn a repeat All-Delco nod in piloting EA to second place in the Inter-AC. He posted five shutouts on the season in backstopping EA to a 14-win campaign. The Harvard commit made eight saves in a 2-0 loss to Malvern, seven stops in a 1-1 draw with Haverford School (conceding only a penalty) and four in a shutout of Germantown Academy.

Matt DePillis, Episcopal Academy: The senior, who led the Churchmen in scoring with 10 goals as a junior, converted to the backline to help coach David Knox fill an area of need and made an instant impact as the team’s steadiest defender. He still managed to score nine goals and add four assists, mainly off set pieces, while also matching up with opponents’ best attackers. He scored both goals in an early-season 2-1 win over Providence Day of North Carolina. He converted from the penalty spot to force a draw with Haverford School in their first meeting and even filled in as the goalkeeper for Freese against Malvern Prep.

Ryan Straube, Springfield: The senior center back was the last line of defense for the Cougars on their way to the PIAA Class AAA semifinals. His superior instincts reading the game and extinguishing fires as the sweeper made the Cougars’ man-marking system so effective, and he hardly put a foot wrong the entire postseason. The All-Central pick scored one goal on the season, but his dead-ball deliveries from the back helped generate numerous attacks, shifting the momentum of play in the Cougars favor time and again. The most important such instance came in overtime of the Cougars first District One contest, which turned into Andrew Astrino’s game-winning goal off an assist from Jannelli in a 2-1 win over Central Bucks West.

Springfield’s Ryan Straube makes a leaping try for a head ball during the Cougars’ District One Class AAA playoff win over Central Bucks West. Straube was a senior sweeper on a Springfield team that reached the PIAA Class AAA semifinals. (Times Staff/Tom Kelly IV)

Shane Bradley, Haverford School: Few players blend the physical and cerebral aspects of the game better than the Fords senior, who was the 2014 Daily Times Player of the Year and this year’s Inter-Ac co-player of the year with teammate Connor Bradley. The Philadelphia Union Academy product and Villanova signee was a force in the air, backstopping a Fords defense that allowed just 13 goals in 23 games en route to a fourth straight Inter-Ac title, the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association crown and national recognition. Bradley scored nine goals, most of them with his aerial prowess, second-most on the Fords. Five of his markers came in the Inter-Ac or PAISAA title quests. He scored twice in a thrilling 4-3 win over Shipley early in the season. This is Bradley’s third All-Delco nod.

Kyle Dutch, Interboro: The senior midfielder may have only found the back of the net twice this season — both in a late-season loss to Garnet Valley — but his contributions were much vaster than the scoresheet indicated. A two-time All-Delco honoree, Dutch was the midfield anchor for the Bucs’ run to a Del Val League title and coming within fractions of a point of the District One playoffs. The All-Del Val selection served as the Bucs’ holding midfielder, helping backstop a stingy team that lost just once in the league. Dutch is weighing offers to play collegiate soccer.

Conor Bradley, Haverford School: The senior three-time All-Delco has had more prolific seasons in terms of stats — such as in 2013 when the was the Daily Times Player of the Year. But the two goals and five assists Bradley provided the Inter-Ac and PAISAA champion Fords illustrate only a sliver of his value. Bradley was one of the key facilitators in midfield for the Fords. He served as the conduit from a rock-solid defense to a varied and deep attack, orchestrating their suffocating, possession-oriented approach and using his expert distribution to generate attacks. The All-Inter-Ac pick will join his brother next fall at Villanova.

Hunter Dyson, Marple Newtown: The senior forward/midfielder shifted to the left wing, a move that unlocked the Tigers’ most dangerous attacking posture en route to finishing as the runner-up in the Central League and hosting a District One Class AAA playoff game. Dyson had a direct hand in over half of the Tigers’ 46 goals this season with 18 goals and nine assists and provided a creative verve that influenced far more goals. He recorded hat tricks against Garnet Valley Oct. 1, Ridley Oct. 8 and Harriton Sept. 17, the latter with two assists added in, en route to garnering Central League MVP recognition by league coaches. He also paired two goals with two helpers in a 4-0 shutout of Cardinal O’Hara Oct. 3 and provided the game-winning goal in overtime plus two assists in a 3-2 downing of Kennett. Dyson is weighing Division I interest for his soccer future.

Marple Newtown’s George Lambritsios, right, loads up a shot that connected for a goal against Central League rival Strath Haven. It was one of 17 goals Lambritsios scored on his way to a second All-Delco nod. (Times Staff/Tom Kelly IV)

John Mansaray, Penn Wood: The senior forward was the engine that powered the Patriots back to the District One playoffs. He notched 13 goals and eight assists, the most consistent source of offense for Penn Wood. His best performance came in the Del Val grudge match with Interboro, when Mansaray had a goal and three assists in a 4-2 win in the first meeting despite the Patriots being down to 10 men for most of the second half. He also hit Chichester for a hat trick, scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Academy Park and saved Penn Wood some serious blushes with the overtime game-winner against Glen Mills. Mansaray edged Interboro’s Diego Lopez for All-Del Val MVP honors.

Connor Gregory, Haverford School: The senior forward had his most distinguished season yet en route to a third straight All-Delco nod. Gregory started the season with six goals and an assist in the first two games and never looked back, tallying 31 goals and five assists. He recorded hat tricks in consecutive outings against St. Augustine, Holy Ghost Prep and St. Joseph’s Prep. In 10 Inter-Ac games, he scored 10 goals, including the only goal in a win over Penn Charter and the equalizer in a 1-1 draw with Episcopal Academy in the first meeting. In three PAISAA games, the Springfield native (and Jannelli’s club teammate at Lower Merion S.C.) scored twice, including a goal and three assists in the quarterfinals against Friends’ Centrals, and fired the shot that forced the decisive own goal in the 1-0 win over Malvern Prep in the final. The Inter-Ac co-player of the year with Shane Bradley will continue his career at Brown.

Diego Lopez, left, scored 15 goals, including hat tricks against Haverford and Academy Park, in leading Interboro to the Del Val League crown. (Times Staff/Robert J. Gurecki)

George Lambritsios, Marple Newtown: While his teammate Dyson did a little of everything, the two-time All-Delco Lambritsios was more single-minded in his focus. He scored goals, plain and simple, 17 of them in all to go with two assists. That included the game-winners against Lower Merion in a 1-0 decision Sept. 29 (off a Dyson assist), a hat trick in a 3-2 win over Strath Haven Sept. 15 and both goals in the 2-1 win over Penn Wood Sept. 4. Lambritsios, who was an All-Delco Football placekicker last season and an All-Central pick on the gridiron this fall, has received interest from colleges in both sports.

Diego Lopez, Interboro: The junior forward churned out goals at a prolific rate, firing home 15 markers and two assists for a more balanced Bucs attack that furnished a Del Val title. Lopez’ highlights included hat tricks against Haverford and Academy Park, both wins. He recorded braces against Penncrest and Ridley, the former including the game-winning strike in overtime. Lopez finished as the runner up to Mansaray for Del Val MVP by a narrow margin.