Cheltenham notches SOL American win over Quakertown
CHELTENHAM >> The Cheltenham boys soccer team waited just about all season to put together a performance like it did Monday afternoon.
Entering its home contest with Quakertown, Cheltenham had only two wins on the season having already lost to Quakertown 1-0 earlier in the season. Cheltenham finally had a complete game and complete team effort to earn the 2-0 win.
“As far as executing up top and getting shots its definitely (our best game),” Cheltenham coach Chuck Gesing said.
It wasn’t surprising to see Cheltenham play solid defensively it’s been the cornerstone of the team thus far. As always RJ Magallanas and Wes Paik who helped preserve the shutout led the defensive unit win for Cheltenham.
“Our two center backs are stalwart players,” Gesing said. “They play almost every minute of every game and when teams are just come at you constantly it just wears you down. Now we’re getting into some flow up top it gives them a little break.”
Paik particularly saw a lot of action as he thwarted many of the Quakertown runs that tried to go down the middle of the field. Paik was up to the task, getting clears and keeping the ball out of harm’s way.
Something that stuck out particularly with the Cheltenham offense was not necessarily how effective it was but the effectiveness combined with the confidence displayed by just about ever forward and midfielder that touched the ball for Cheltenham on Monday.
“Now it seems like we got guys who are working together,” Gesing said. “The shots are coming and hopefully this is where we get started.”
The one thing that can’t be said about Cheltenham is that it gets cheap and easy goals. Cheltenham has a knack for having to do things the hard way especially offensively.
“We don’t give up (and) we work,” Gesing said. “If you look at our scores we’ve had some blowouts but we’ve come close against some pretty good teams.”
In the two goals scored in Monday’s game both Drew Moreland’s goal with less than 15 minutes to go in the first half and Jake Rucket’s goal just minutes into the second half were no simple tasks.
Both Moreland’s and Rucket’s goals came off of rebound shots that came after Cheltenham putting on intense pressure in the Quakertown zone.
It’s probably too late for any kind of postseason run for Cheltenham but with five games remaining on its schedule, it could put a couple more wins on its final record to finish up strong.
“The thing is it takes a while for us to figure out where everybody fits,” Gesing said. “Once that happens, every year we seem to go on a little run, it seems our run started a little late this year but hopefully it can continue.”
