Conestoga overwhelms Spring-Ford to return to District 1 semifinals

Tredyffrin >> Staring into the morning sun at Conestoga’s Teamer Field on a perfectly crisp late October day isn’t nearly as idyllic as it sounds.

For opposing teams, it means it’s playoff time, and the Pioneers aren’t playing host so they can hand out treats.

The experience became even less ideal for Spring-Ford after just 59 seconds of Saturday’s District 1 Class 4A quarterfinal.

Junior Diego Ramirez got the final touch on senior right back Peter Miller’s long throw-in for a first-minute goal and Ramirez doubled his total in the second half as Conestoga clobbered the Rams, 2-0 to advance to the District 1 semifinals for the third time in four years.

The reigning District 1 and PIAA champions dominated the matchup with No. 12 seed Spring-Ford, not allowing the Rams a shot on goal.

“That was the game plan, to dominate, move the ball, play to the best of our ability,” Ramirez said. “We have the mentality of going 1-0 every game. After this game we’re going to put it in the past and focus on the next one.”

Conestoga’s (18-2) next one is a semifinal visit from No. 11 Pennridge (1-0 winner over Downingtown East Saturday) on Tuesday back at Conestoga. Spring-Ford (13-4-4) enters into playbacks where it will travel to No. 3 Downingtown East on Tuesday with a PIAA tournament spot on the line.

The intensity has ratched up in the postseason for longtime coach David Zimmerman’s Pioneers and the proof was all over Saturday’s win.

“Coming into all these playoff games, it’s a different mentality,” Miller said. “Everyone is focused up, everyone is engaged and ready to play no matter how far down on the bench you are. It’s been great.”

Spring-Ford was unable to match that mentality, especially in the game’s first 20 minutes.

“I knew they were going to be good, but I don’t think we compete on the level to compete with teams like that,” first-year Spring-Ford coach Mark Chambers said. “It’s a learning experience for us. Hopefully we take what we saw today and bring it Tuesday. We play another good team on Tuesday. We’re not out of it. We still have a chance to get into the state tournament but we need to win on Tuesday.”

The Rams have ‘notoriously started slow’ this fall according to Chambers and the start couldn’t have been worse.

Less than a minute in, Miller heaved his long throw-in from the sideline toward the back post, bypassing the main pack of players and giving Ramirez a chance to get a touch and put Conestoga up early.

“I saw Peter lining up and a couple people were in the front packing the pit, which is what we like to do,” Ramirez said. “I saw the ball skim across the top toward the back post. I was toward the middle but I like to loop back just in case and it was there.”

Miller, one of only six Stoga seniors, has taken the throw-in mantle from the graduated Lorenzo Vargas-Clarke, who was an X-factor throughout last year’s postseason run and undefeated season.

“It was a lot of work over the past season, learning the form, being able to consistently do it without hurting myself,” Miller said. “Lorenzo had back and shoulder problems so I’m trying to make sure I don’t over-do it but at the same time that I’m ready to show up every game.”

Conestoga dominated early and had other good scoring chances from Westin Fryberger and Charlie Culbert but settled for a 1-0 halftime lead.

They weren’t bothered by the scoring margin not reflecting the game’s one-sided action.

“Our game plan is to grind down teams,” Ramirez said. “It could come in the first minute, it could come in the last minute. Our mentality is to keep on going no matter what.”

Conestoga got its reward 6:43 into the second half when Ramirez beat his defender one-on-one from the left corner of the 18 and smashed a rising blast into the opposite side for the 2-0 advantage.

“I megged the kid and I saw that nobody was coming to pressure me to shoot,” Ramirez said. “I was at a tight angle but I trusted my ability to put it in the top right corner.”

Spring-Ford’s best moment was coupled with its worst. SF goalkeeper PJ Pozniak was given a red card for an elbow to the face of Cuthbert during position jockeying on a restart.

Straight red to SF keeper PJ Pozniak for elbow in traffic on restart

Brendan Sites enters and saves PK on Brady Costin.

2-0 Conestoga, 7:30 2H pic.twitter.com/ZmagSHbKgr

— Austin Hertzog (@AustinHertzog) October 29, 2022

Senior goalkeeper Brendan Sites stepped in cold and saved the penalty kick attempt of defender Brady Costin to keep it a two-goal game with 7:30 to play. He’s expected to get the start in the playback round due to Pozniak’s red card suspension.

The players change – significantly after last fall’s senior class star power led by Pa. Player of the Year Sebastian Tis (Lafayette) – but the results rarely do for Conestoga.

This year’s side is carving their own path.

“Last spring we talked about how we are not coming to defend a state title. We’re coming to hunt for one,” Miller said. “We’re a completely different team but we have the same values, the same game plan. It’s a different team and everybody’s stepped up.”

NOTES >> Conestoga led in shots on target 8-0. Pozniak made four saves, while Sites had two.