Spring-Ford gets long-awaited revenge on Springfield-Delco

ROYERSFORD >> Talk about revenge.

The rematch of last year’s District 1 quarterfinal between Spring-Ford and Springfield-Delco was a complete mismatch.

The Rams, who fell in the final minute of that district game, 9-8, had nine goals by halftime Tuesday night against the Cougars while shutting them out. Spring-Ford cruised on to a 15-3 victory on its home field, sending another loud statement early in a season that appears filled with promise.

After a confidence-boosting season-opening victory over Avon Grove, this was even better, especially satisfying in the wake of last spring’s bitterly disappointing loss to Springfield-Delco. Following that setback, the Rams went on to lose in the third-place game and miss out on what would have been a first-ever school berth in states. Accomplishing that first this year looks very much in play if the Rams keep playing like this.

Being motivated for months to play Springfield-Delco, which went on to win the district tourney in 2015, certainly helped.

“I think we all had just had it from last year, and we were looking forward to it all off-season, to come out and show what we’re about,” Spring-Ford attackman Jake Hvazda said.

“That loss last year was really tough,” added Dan Cassidy. “We really wanted it, and our confidence got built by beating Avon Grove. This is like ninth months in the making right here. That stuck in our minds.”

Hvazda and Cassidy had a lot to do with the tone-setting and dominance of this performance. Each scored four goals. Hvazda also doled out four assists. Cassidy scored three goals in a span of 1 minute, 1 second inside the last 1:07 of the first half.

The Rams (2-0) had it all going from the outset, getting offense from all angles and numerous players, and a great performance by goalkeeper Christopher Morgan, who made five eye-popping saves in the first half.

“It’s all about the defense; they make me look good,” Morgan smiled. “It’s all about communication really. We have a lot of starters returning, and we’re like a well-oiled machine out there.”

The Rams controlled the ball almost at will, setting up camp in the Cougars’ end of the field.

Justin Schwenk got the Rams on the board quickly, just 1:22 into the game, from 12 yards in front off a deft feed from Hvazda. Defensive middie Cassidy and defender Liam Hare made stops and teammates helped seal the perimeter. Meanwhile here came the Rams in waves on the other end. Raymond Orcutt scored off a beautiful right-to-left dish from Hvazda. After three impressive saves by Morgan, Hvazda scored to make it 3-0, hitting from a bad angle nearly parallel right of the goal early in the second period.

Springfield-Delco was unable to mount much offense the rest of the half. Matt DellaCroce made it 4-zip at the 6:05 mark and Kevin Todd scored less than two minutes later on another assist from Hvazda.

After another Todd goal on a fast transition run after a takeway, with Jarrod Marenger assisting from the wing, Cassidy went on his roll. At the 1:07 mark before the half, he scored, then again with 15.7 left on an assist from Todd, and then on a rush, firing the ball in with 6.2 to go.

He scored a fourth straight 45 seconds into the second half on an assist from Hvazda to make it 10-0. The Rams played solidly throughout the second half in what was a complete performance.

The ball movement was terrific.

“They were throwing a zone defense at us, and we were moving the ball real fast,” Hvazda said.

“We’re not a one-man team; we use all six guys on the offensive end, so ball movement and moving it fast is something we always practice,” Cassidy said. “It’s the mark of a good team.”