Springfield Township wins District 1-3A boys soccer final over Phoenixville
WEST NORRITON >> Both teams in the District 1 Class 3A boys soccer championship had already gone further and accomplished more than any other in their respective program’s history. And it was Springfield Township that added another first-ever feat with a 2-1 win over Phoenixville Thursday night at Norristown High School.
Peter Schmidt and Riley Martin scored on penalty kicks in the second half for the fourth-seeded Spartans (18-3) after Efe Ulcay put the second-seeded Phantoms (18-3-1) on the board first earlier in the half. Both teams had already clinched berths in the PIAA 3A Tournament that begins on Tuesday.
“The first time winning the league in Suburban One, the first time in the district final, the first time winning the district final, the first time going to states,” Schmidt said. “It’s been a big year for us. It’s been a big year for me as captain. Now I’m getting to lead the guys to states.”
Phoenixville’s Nate Stewart found a lot of open space coming down the left flank and crossed a pass to Ulcay, who drilled the ball into the net 11 minutes into the second half. That lead lasted until the Spartans were awarded a penalty kick with 16 minutes remaining.
Phantom goalkeeper Jason O’Neill made a save on Martin. But Phoenixville was called for a violation and the Spartans got a chance to kick it again. This time Schmidt knocked it in to tie the score.
“I knew exactly what to do,” Schmidt said. “We’ve been working on penalty kicks every day in practice. I told the coaches I can take it and I buried it.”
Another foul in the box with 4:40 left in regulation gave Springfield another penalty kick and Martin scored to put the Spartans on top.
Phoenixville had a couple of chances to tie it late in the contest, but failed to score on their first and only corner kick of the half with 1:10 to go and on a free kick by Stewart with 50 seconds left that sailed over the crossbar.
“I’m super proud of the players,” Phantoms coach Michael Cesarski said. “They deserved better today.”
The early play was fairly even with Phoenixville gaining more corner kick opportunities and the Spartans putting more shots on goal. The Phantoms had their best chance of the first half with 11 minutes left when a free kick down the middle hit the crossbar.
Then Ben Hubley put a shot on net for Springfield on a counter-attack and the Spartans unleashed shots that went just wide left and then wide right before the halftime break.
Springfield had a good opportunity to break the 0-0 tie in the second minute of the second half when Schmidt charged toward the goal and put a blast on the net, but O’Neill knocked the ball off course. The Phantoms had a chance to break the deadlock a few minutes later when Jack Illig put the ball right out in front to Stewart for a header, but Spartans keeper Julian Casabon-Aznar made the save.
Springfield Township wound up with a 7-4 advantage in corner kicks. Casabon-Azner made four saves and O’Neill stopped seven shots.
Both teams were coming off two straight shutouts in district play, including Springfield’s 1-0 blanking of top-seed Radnor on Tuesday and Phoenixville’s 1-0 win over Holy Ghost Prep the same night.
“We have a great group of guys. We all work as a team,” Schmidt said. “I think honestly, the coaches are consistent and doing the same things in practice every day. And all the athletes are gifted.”
The Spartans won the SOL Freedom Division with a 13-3 record. The Phantoms went undefeated during the Pioneer Athletic Conference regular season before losing in the PAC semifinal playoffs and made it to the district final and qualified for states for the first time.
Springfield will open state play against the fourth-place team from District 3, either Lower Dauphin or Palmyra. Phoenixville will start with the District 12 champion.
Cesarski hopes his players will use the loss as motivation.
“Whatever frustration they’re feeling right now, they have to roll it into Tuesday,” he said.
Springfield Township 2, Phoenixville 1
Springfield Township 0 2 – 2
Phoenixville 0 1- 1
Scoring
Second half
PX-Efe Ulcay (Nate Stewart)
ST-Peter Schmidt (penalty kick)
ST-Riley Martin (penalty kick)
Saves: ST 4 (Julian Casabon-Aznar), PX 7 (JAson O’Neill
Corner kicks: ST 7, PX 4
