Council Rock North boys soccer hoping to catch lightning in a bottle
NEWTOWN – While Council Rock North might have lost only five players from last season, they might have been the Indians’ Fab Five in 2015. Gone are All-Suburban One second teamers Arthur Vasyluk and Jared Scharf along with three-time All-SOL Honorable mention goalkeeper Billy Storm.
Additionally, the Rock is missing midfielders Brett Miller, a catalyst on offense and just a bundle of energy in the midfield last year along with the Indian without a vowel Max Mykhylyk, who sparked the team offensively down North’s late season stretch to the District 1 playoffs.
The good news is that the Rock returns plenty of talent to the pitch in 2016 starting with senior goalkeeper Anthony Caruso. The talent possessed by the 12th-grader was on full display Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 24 in a scrimmage against Penn Charter.
Caruso had to make multiple saves in order to give the Indians a fighting chance in the first of three periods against the Quakers. Knocking on the doorstep time and again in the initial stanza, PC senior midfielder Max Jacobs finally poked one home camped out on the left side of the goalmouth in the 22nd minute of play.
“We’re not as physical as we were last year but we’re deeper,” said CR North head coach Joe Stackhouse. “We played a good, tough team and that’s something our kids needed to do because we’re behind the curve, with regard to physicality.”
“Our class and the class below us has a lot of really solid kids,” added senior midfielder Ben Hoefer. “We fit the spot well. They’re a tough loss but everyone on this program is strong; we can fill it.”
Among those returning to Rock’s roster in 2016 are All-SOL third teamers Eric Levine – a defender – and Nick Guarna, one of the senior co-captains. Seniors Noah Ehlin – a defender who does most of the throw-ins on offense and Nikita Ihlin – a forward who the Indians are going to rely on up top are also back to complete their final season in an Indians’ uniform.
In the second period of the scrimmage against the Quakers, it was Ihlin’s understudy – sophomore Kyle Dearie – who put the only ball in the back of the net for the Rock, giving North the 1-0 advantage in the middle stanza.
Meanwhile, both sides appeared to be gassed by the time the third period rolled around.
“We dominated the whole second period,” said Stackhouse. “They had the better of the play in the first period, we definitely had the better of the play in the second period and the third period was a wash.”
The Indians have a little more than a week to get their legs up under them. North opens at home on Friday, Sept. 2 against 2015 SOL American Conference runner-up Wissahickon.
So far, Stackhouse is impressed with the work turned in by Caruso, his number one goalkeeper.
“He has a good skillset,” said the coach. “Technically, he’s very good. He may be one of the best keepers in our league.”
Rock fans are hoping Caruso can tip the balance of power in favor of the Rock. While CR South returns a pair of goalies from last season and Val Scarsaletta is back for Neshaminy, most of the area teams including 2015 All-SOL National Conference keepers Fernando Mendez (Truman), Sam Wells (Abington) and Anthony Rosso (Pennsbury) have graduated. Remember, the Falcons and the Galloping Ghosts finished one-two in the National league ahead of the Indians.
It’s early yet but Stackhouse wants to see his team win more headers.
“Last year, we won everything in the air. Today the ball bounced and hit the ground too many times.
“On the goal that was scored on us was because we did not clear the ball on a header.”
That’s where the Rock is missing Vasyluk. Last year, it was Arthur who cleared all those balls out of the air. North will count on Hoefer to fill the void left by the departed defensive midfielder.
“He was one of the most athletic kids I’ve even known. He just kept running; he never got tired,” said Hoefer. “He was good on the ball, he was athletic and he was big.”
“It’s a tough spot to fill. I’m going to do my best. I think I can do it – I have the ability, I have the size.”
The Indians also need to solidify the defense.
“Noah (Ehlin) and Eric (Levine) are solid in the middle of the back but a couple of the guys haven’t played there for us in the past,” said the coach. “We have to get them used to what we’re doing in terms of their responsibility of the area they need to cover and where they need to be.”
For his part, Dearie scored for the second time in consecutive scrimmages, something the coach was sure to appreciate.
“His job is going to spell Nikita for 10 to 15 minutes every match,” said Stackhouse. “If we have Nikita scoring goals and we have him coming off the bench and scoring goals, we’ll be in good shape.”
The forwards will look to juniors Justin Scharf and Conor O’Donnell to serve the ball into the strike zone. It was Scharf who initiated the play on the Rock’s second period goal, taking a free kick from the 30 that PC senior keeper Jay Jennings got a piece of, though he could not control the rebound which caromed off a defender to the foot of Dearie, who poked it into the right side of the net with only seconds to go in the second stanza.
Both the program directors and the players think this team can go far this season.
“If we can catch lightning in a bottle we may make the states,” said Stackhouse. “Anything can happen but I think we’re definitely in districts and I think we can push for the league. We’re one of the top teams.”
Finishing last season in the SOL at 8-4-2, North took third place in the National Conference and its 1-1 record in districts pushed the Rock to 12-6-2 overall.
Last year in the District 1 Class AAA Tournament, the Indians topped Central League third-place finisher Radnor 3-0 on a first period header by Ihlin, a second period header by Mykhylyk and a penalty kick by Guarna. Their season came to an end however in the following postseason matchup when they lost 2-1 to 2015 Central League champion Conestoga (21-2-1), a District 1 finalist and PIAA semifinalist last year.
NOTES: Stackhouse was going up against PC head coach Bob DiBenedetto, one of the players he guided during his time at Holy Family University. Stackhouse coached at Holy Family from 1992-2000. His record as head coach was 100-79-7.
Contact Steve Sherman at ssherman@21st-Centurymedia.com or @BucksLocalSport on Twitter
