Gettysburg blanks Lansdale Catholic PIAA Class AA first round
PHILADELPHIA >> Gettysburg’s Adam Yingling scored two goals on his 18th birthday, as part of a thorough performance that Lansdale Catholic could not overcome Tuesday night at rainy Northeast High School.
Gettysburg’s 2-0 victory sends the Warriors to the PIAA Class AA Quarterfinals Saturday, against the winner of the Pottsgrove-Northwestern Lehigh matchup. Lansdale Catholic, District 12 Champs for the third straight year, was intent on making it out of the first round of states after opening-round losses in 2013 and 2014.
But the Crusaders fell behind early, and for the second year in a row fell to a tough Gettysburg squad, by an identical score of 2-0.
“The boys worked real hard, and they wanted to come in and see if they could get themselves forward (in the tournament),” Crusaders coach Joe Wilson said. “They wanted that district championship — they worked hard and they got that. They worked real hard this week, but we’re just not deep enough to play with that team.”
Gettysburg goal scorer Adam Yingling 10, is congratulated by teammates past a dejected LC goalkeeper.
Gettysburg, a team that was unbeaten all year until falling to Lancaster Mennonite in the District Three Final, scored 14 minutes in, when Yingling got open and was able to get a shot past LC keeper Jack Kane for a 1-0 lead.
A steady mist continued to fall to the slick turf all throughout the opening half, which was controlled almost completely by the Warriors (23-1). Gettysburg held a 6-0 advantage in shots, taking its one-goal lead to the break.
“It took us a little while to settle in, but once we did, we had our chances,” Yingling said. “The chances kept coming, and we were fortunate to put a couple in.”
Lansdale Catholic’s Ryan Magarity ,21, and Gettysburg’s Chris Kemp ,2, battle for a ball.
The second one came on a penalty kick, just over two minutes into the second half. LC was called for a hand ball inside the box, and Yingling — although he described the shot as “shaky,” getting on top of it a bit — placed it into the lower left corner, extending the lead to 2-0.
Yingling stayed perfect for the season on PK’s, and put LC into a deep hole just moments into the second half.
“It’s tough at that point,” Wilson said. “Now we have a lot of work to do against a team that has a lot of speed and a lot of talent.”
LC did generate some pressure, a shot by junior Josh Yurasits sailing a bit too high and going over the crossbar with about 25 minutes to play.
The Crusaders had a pair of corners late, but Gettysburg did a good job of clearing the ball out and sending it up the other end.
“We have a bunch of really good players,” Wilson said “and at no time did they wanna quit.”
Yanni Tassou earned the shutout in net for the Warriors, who will try to surpass last year’s trip to the quarters and reach the semifinals, possibly in a rematch with Lancaster Mennonite.
“We’re looking to continue this trip. A lot of us seniors don’t want it to ever end,” Yingling said. “We’re just gonna go into practice (Wednesday) with the same mindset that we’ve had all season and look onto the next one.”
