Springfield-Montco puts on a show in PIAA-3A opener against Lower Dauphin

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SPRINGFIELD >> A spectacle is defined as “a visually striking performance or display.”

Yeah, that’d be a pretty good way to describe what Springfield Township’s boys’ soccer team did in its state playoff debut. The Spartans were relentless in their PIAA 3A first round match against visiting Lower Dauphin, scoring in the first minute and blending the audacious with the sublime in a highlight-filled display.

At the end, the District 1 champions’ season of firsts continued as they won their first-ever state game with a 6-0 dismantling of the Falcons.

“All around, we all played really well as a team,” Spartans co-captain Peter Schmidt said. “There wasn’t one person that really stood out because we all collectively played that ‘A’ game, that really great game and that’s the reason the score is 6-0. Great game to watch, great game to watch and great job from all the boys.”

For the crowd, which again packed the stands rallying behind this team on this run, it was a display of aerial acrobatics, looping crosses, technical wizardry on the ball and a couple wonder-goals. They had plenty to revel in and did so with aplomb, the student section counting out loud the total on the scoreboard with each passing tally.

As for the Spartans?

It was just Tuesday.

“We’ve done it so much, I think we’re used to it at this point,” midfielder Riley Martin said. “It’s still high energy, everyone’s up and we’re excited.”

As good as Springfield Township has been all season – posting a 15-3 record in the regular season, winning their first SOL Freedom title and capturing the program’s first District 1 title – the Spartan have also been getting better and better as they’ve gone along. Their playoff run solidified it and Tuesday night only accentuated it.

Not even a minute had passed in Tuesday’s match before the Spartans had a lead. Nick Hanushcak wrong-footed a defender on the left flank and hit a picture-perfect cross into the box where an un-marked Schmidt headed it home for the 1-0 lead with 39:04 left in the opening half.

Springfield Township never looked back.

“We needed to finish early, which we did, we had three goals in the first half to really set the tone,” Schmidt said. “Once we put away a couple more in the second half, we knew they were done, so we knew we needed to score early and just keep working hard.”

“Moving the ball was key for us,” Martin said. “We like to pass it around. I thought it was good, I liked our performance.”

Hanushchak had a first of his own on Tuesday, with the sophomore forward netting his first hat trick on a trio of excellent goals. His first might have been the best of his three and of any of the six Springfield Township scored. The Spartans had continued to pressure the Falcons after the opening goal, but the District 3 side managed to hold up  through the midpoint of the opening half.

Then, Martin got loose down the right side and zipped a cross toward the back post where Hanushchak met it for a sensational diving header while falling around a defender.

“I saw Riley running down the line and I knew he was going to cross it,” Hanushchak said. “If I was in the right place at the right time, I knew I would finish it.”

The sophomore doubled his total three minute later as the beneficiary of some hard work by his teammates. Schmidt pressured the ball at the back, clipping a clearance attempt that allowed Nicholas Marino to scrap and win the ball off a Falcons defender and slip to Hanushchak charging toward goal.

Holding off a defender, Hanushchak rifled a shot off his right foot from 20 yards that took a hop off the turf and tucked inside the post for another class finish.

“This is my first year at Springfield and it means a lot to be a part of getting us to where we are,” Hanushchak said. ” We just want to keep going and finish out strong.”

With a three goal lead at the break, the Spartans didn’t have to push the issue in terms of scoring. That didn’t mean they wouldn’t take the opportunities if they were there.

Springfield Township coach Dan Meder, who faced another first when his sharply-dressed manager informed him postgame their scorebook had run out of blank pages, summed it up in the second half.

“Take a touch,” the longtime Spartans coach said when one of his players received the ball in space in front of the home team’s bench, “and play what you see.”

A corner kick indirectly led to the Spartans’ fourth goal, which was set up by some masterful dribbling by Martin. The junior received a ball from Harry Bates a step inside the box with two defenders on his back, managed to turn and kept the ball on his foot through a tackle from a third Falcons player, switching feet to escape a second challenge and found enough space to squeeze off a low cross that a charging Ben Hubley knocked in from the doorstep.

“We’re a good passing team, so when we mix a few passes together, we can score some pretty nice goals,” Martin said.

Martin got a goal of his own soon after, taking a Vincent Kerper throw in and after what he deemed “a few hefty touches” ripped a weaving shot on frame that found the back of the net. A united count to five from the crowd soon followed.

Lower Dauphin had a late charge in it, the Falcons calling Spartans keeper Julian Casabon-Anzar into action five times and the senior keeper responding on each occasion. Casabon-Anzar’s best save came off a Lower Dauphin free kick with 26 minutes to play, the senior getting low to parry away a well-struck ball from a shade over 20 yards out.

All that remained was to see the game out and, if the opportunity arose, another first to add to the ledger.

Hanushchak got his hat trick on his final touch of the night, making a marauding run through the middle of the field and hitting a wonder strike from 30 yards out off his left foot that found the upper 90, an impossible-to-save shot.

“I was definitely trying to find the shot,” the sophomore said. “I had one earlier that hit the post but luckily that one found the net. It was my first hat trick, it felt pretty good.”

Springfield Township is on to the state quarterfinals on Saturday where it will face Selinsgrove at a site and time to be posted. They’ve already come this far, so the Spartans see no reason they need to or want to stop now.

“I think we’re going to have a good run,” Martin said. “I think Saturday we’re going to have a good opportunity to go out and win. We have what it takes to make it to the state final, I think.”

SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 3 3 – 6

LOWER DAUPHIN 0 0 – 0

Goals: ST – Peter Schmidt (Nick Hanushchak), Nick Hanushchak (Riley Martin), Hanushchak, Ben Hubley (Martin), Riley Martin (Vincent Keper), Hanushchak

 

 

Andrew Robinson

Andrew Robinson
Montgomery Media/Lansdale Reporter sports writer.

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