Stewart twins a mainstay in North Penn lineup

Thankfully, Jamie and Ryan Stewart are required to wear different uniform numbers on the soccer field.

The North Penn seniors, about as identical as identical twins can get, have been mainstays in the Knights’ lineup for three years now and have their team on the cusp of a No. 1 District I 4A playoff spot. With this also likely to be their last year playing soccer as teammates, they’re also quite determined to help keep North Penn’s season going as long as possible.

Take away the different jersey tops though, and it goes right back to one getting confused for the other.

“It happens daily,” Jamie said after the Knights’ 5-3 win over CB South on Tuesday.

The twins, who also play club soccer for PA Rush on a team coached by CB West head coach Stefan Szygiel, add to the confusion with their versatility on the pitch. Against the Titans, Ryan, who wears No. 1, started as a defensive fullback while Jamie, No. 8, was the starting attacking midfielder.

They finished the match next to each other on the back line, but in between, Ryan had scored three goals, felt he should have gotten credit for a fourth and both of them had featured in about three or four other spots on the field.

“I think as early as 8-v-8, I was playing left back, center mid and it’s just grown throughout the years,” Jamie said. “I just want to be someone that can play anywhere around the field and just hold my own there.”

They started playing soccer at the same time, the year before kindergarten according to Ryan and both fell in love with the game right away. Aside from their versatility, both brothers are excellent service takers on set pieces and it’s almost always one of, if not both of them, standing over a free kick in scoring range.

Siblings, by nature, squabble with each other over anything and everything but Ryan and Jamie have gotten good at keeping any combativeness with each other off the field.

“We’ll fight at home but on the field, it just works out,” Ryan said. “I know where he’s going to be, what run he’s going to make and I can find him and it just comes easier than with anyone else on the field.”

Of course, they do still disagree on a few things.

“He took my goal against East,” Ryan said. “I really want to make that clear.”

The Stewarts consider their teammates to be brothers but in one case, it’s actually true. Sophomore Alex, the twins’ younger brother, is playing his first season on the varsity roster this year and has gotten a good share of playing time.

In the Knights’ home match against Quakertown, all three Stewart brothers started together. Knights coach Paul Duddy’s had plenty of brothers in his coaching career but he believes that was the first time he ever had three siblings on the field at the same time.

The twins made sure Alex knew he earned his spot, but they didn’t have to push him to be aggressive when his number was called.

“It’s incredible, I’m sure our mom was loving it, our dad was loving it and he fights out there,” Ryan said. “He’s a little smaller than your average soccer player but he’s a strong kid. He goes into tackles hard and he brings a boost to our team.”

“I told him it’s hard the first few games then you start settling into it,” Jamie said. “I remember my first start, it was rough and I did not play well at all but as you get into it more, you get used to it and start to play your game again.”

One of their favorite déjà vu, or in their case déjà Stewart, moments happened this year. The brothers share the same physics teacher but have the class in different periods. On a day with an away game, Jamie stopped in a period early and caused their teacher to think it was Ryan returning to retrieve something he’d left in the classroom.

The twins are looking at different colleges, but both said they want to continue playing soccer wherever they end up going with Ryan adding he’ll do anything in his power to be on a team next fall. They have another club season together but knowing their high school careers are winding down has made the last few weeks mean a little bit extra.

“The high school season is a lot different, we’re together every day so I think that lets us enjoy it a little more,” Ryan said.