Boys Soccer Super 7, Oct. 5
The first soccer notebook of the season debuted Monday, which means it’s time for the first Super 7 since the preseason, which looks a fair bit different now. Stat leaders can be found here for the Central League, while a Delco-wide leaderboard is coming soon. Standings are available under each league and are as up-to-date as possible. If we’re missing games (and coaches, you know why that is), you can find that out under each team’s page. Email me at mdegeorge@21st-centurymedia.com and we’ll get it corrected.
Here are the Super 7s, starting out with the boys because, well, they’re just easier to sort out.
There’s little questioning the Fords in the top spot. They rose a place to fourth in the nation this fall, according to TopDrawerSoccer.com. One of their losses came to the nation’s top team , St. Benedict’s Prep of New Jersey. For a PIAA frame of reference, they bludgeoned Holy Ghost Prep and St. Joseph’s Prep, two traditional powers, by a combined score of 9-1 last week. Connor Gregory seems like a man possessed, scoring 15 goals in 11 games. The run through the Inter-Ac won’t be easy – Malvern Prep is very good , and the team behind them in this ranking is no slouch – but the Fords again have the pieces for something special.
The Churchmen have powered through the first part of their schedule, the only losses to Pennsylvania opposition coming to Hill School and Shipley. They’ve successfully rectified last year’s bugaboo, a lack of scoring, with consistent production, and while Matt DePillis’ six goals lead the bunch, the production comes from a chorus of contributors, including five goals from Spencer Higgins. This team isn’t yet as stout as you’d expect with All-Delco goalie Matt Freese, and scorelines like 4-2 against Germantown Friends and 7-4 against Phelps certainly aren’t preferable.
Time for the Central League logjam. Conestoga is the class of the league and rightfully a favorite to win the District One title. (It’s first in the latest release of District One power rankings and 24th in the fall season nationally per TDS.) How the Delco squads fill in behind constitutes a riddle. Springfield deserves early consideration given their win over Marple Newtown, and we’ll get more information when the Cougars travel to Radnor Tuesday. The recipe for Springfield is simple: Solid goalkeeping from Mike Gerzabek behind a disciplined defense and enough support for a game-altering talent like Nick Jannelli in midfield that has helped him collect 11 goals already.
There is no 1-2 punch in the county more central to its team’s fortunes than George Lambritsios and Hunter Dyson. You’d expect Lambritsios to post numbers like his 11 goals this season, but for Dyson to be having the electric production (12 goals, eight assists) that he’s accumulated informs the Tigers’ win total. (And to be fair, Kostas Silkas and Antonio Mandell aren’t too shabby in midfield either). The fear with the Tigers is this: Goalkeeping remains a question, as does the ability to prevent goals at large. They have kept just three clean sheets, two in blowouts of Cardinal O’Hara and Bonner-Prendergast. They have to show the ability to win more games like the 1-0 result they ground out against Lower Merion if they harbor serious dreams of progressing deep into the postseason.
The new District One points system has drawbacks. But one of its chief advantages is the end of the entitlements to the Del Val League, which has positively impacted its teams. Del Val sides are incentivized to build tough nonleague schedules, and in the search of bonus points, Central League teams have a reason to schedule the Del Val. Both Penn Wood and Interboro found their way into districts last year, and they’re in position to do the same this year. They renew acquaintances Thursday at Interboro after the Patriots won the first round.
Finally a stretch of the rankings that makes intuitive sense. Penn Wood beat Radnor in overtime on Hassan Warritay’s goal, and Radnor beat Interboro. This seems as good a place as any to intersperse the Del Val teams into a Central-heavy hierarchy. The Raiders are another surprisingly high-scoring team. Alex Egg-Krings has nine goals, and Joe Dardel’s distribution from the back (nine assists) cannot be overlooked. Combined with the usual stinginess you’d expect from a Joe Caruolo team, and this could be a dangerous playoff side.
The record isn’t too impressive. But you must applaud Interboro for welcoming all Central League challengers. They beat Marple Newtown, Haverford and Penncrest and gave Lower Merion a game in losing 1-0. They’ll bolster the win total in league play, where Penn Wood is the most serious threat. That steady accumulation of wins should see them into the postseason, and there aren’t many teams in the region that Interboro can’t hang with.
Honorable Mention: Strath Haven (5-4-1; the Panthers were bitten by the injury bug early, but a return to health could help solidify their postseason credentials); Haverford (5-4-1, still not sure what to think about the Fords, who beat Radnor in overtime. We’ll know more by the end of next week as they navigate a gauntlet that includes Harriton, Strath Haven and Springfield).
