The Hopewell Inferno's difficult Spring season continued with a 3-1 defeat to local rivals West End that took place in sweltering conditions Sunday, April 26 at Ewing.

After recent setbacks, the Inferno coaches asked their players to return to simple basics, which payed off early when some good interchanges lead to an early goal--their first of the season--with Paul Shatynski finishing a multiple man move from close range.

However the Inferno found it hard to maintain their momentum in the heat, and Ewing gradually fought their way back into the game.

Despite holding a 1-0 lead at halftime, and some outstanding and brave goalkeeping by Owen Clarke, West End netted twice shortly after the interval.

A brave attempt at an Inferno retaliation was cut short by a harsh penalty decision, leading to a third West End goal from the spot.

With the heat building, injuries to key players made the task seem even harder, and the remaining 11 Inferno players saw out the game without conceding any further goals.

Labels: boys soccer, Hopewell Valley

This Saturday night, April 18, the Yardley Makefield Soccer (YMS) Xplosion U17 team will face Lower Merion Velez for the right to attend this summer's USYSA National Championships in youth soccer.

This battle is the final game of the U17 USYSA National League season, which is comprised of eight of the top teams in the country. This is one of the more anticipated youth soccer games played in eastern Pennsylvania in a long time, with the coveted automatic entry into the USYSA National Championships on the line.

The game pits two of the more successful youth boys teams from this part of the state vying for the opportunity to be one of six teams to move on and play for the National Championships later this summer.

Among the players competing for YMS are Pennsbury's Eric Schoenle and Jimmy Ockford as well as Council Rock North's Ryan Tessler and Jake Fields. Schoenle is a senior who is headed to West Virginia. Tessler, a senior, and Ockford, a junior, have committed to Mount St. Mary's. Fields is headed to George Washington University in 2010.

Pennsbury top scorer Eddie Adams also competes for the Xplosion as does CR North junior Steve Neumann of New Hope, Brian Powers, a Pennsbury junior from Yardley, and keeper Mike Moulton, a Notre Dame junior from Newtown.

Germantown Academy juniors Colin Skelly, of Wrightstown, Chris and Ben Wysocki, both of Newtown, help anchor the YMS midfield. Pennsbury junior Drew Hutchins, of Morrisville, mans a position between the pipes for the Xplosion.

YMS can actually advance to nationals with a tie on Saturday. Lower Merion needs to win to get there. Both the Xplosion and Lower Merion can also reach nationals if the Dallas Texans Houston Division either loses or ties their game this Saturday against Cobb FC. The team from Georgia is battling the Texas squad the same night in Jackson, Mississippi.

The battle kicks off at 7:15 p.m. at Drexel University's Vidas Field this Saturday in what guarantees to be an intense yet entertaining event. The field is located at 43rd and Powelton Avenue in the University City section of Philadelphia.

The USYSA U17 Boys National Championships are set for July 21-27 in Lancaster, Massachusetts and will include the top two finishers from the USYSA National League, along with the four regional champions.

Labels: boys soccer, YMS

Labels: boys soccer, field hockey, Football, Pennsbury

Yardley-Makefield Soccer Program Director John Greaves (center) is flanked by YMS Xplosion center-back Eric Schoenle of Yardley (left) and Ryan Tessler of Newtown (right). A Pennsbury High senior, Schoenle made a commitment to play soccer at West Virginia University. Tessler, a Council Rock North senior, is headed to Mount St. Mary's.

Labels: boys soccer, Council Rock North, Pennsbury, YMS

Pennsbury senior and YMS Xplosion center-backfielder Eric Schoenle signed a National Letter of Intent Feb. 4 to play soccer at the University of West Virginia. Eric joins classmate Dalton Pepper who accepted a full scholarship to play basketball for the Mountaineers.

Labels: boys soccer, Pennsbury, Yardley, YMS

Council Rock North senior and YMS Xplosion outside backfielder Ryan Tessler signed a National Letter of Intent Feb. 4 to play soccer at Mount St. Mary's. A Newtown resident, Ryan says he wouldn't have been able to take his game to the collegiate level without the assistance of the coaching staff at YMS.

Labels: boys soccer, Council Rock North

Neshaminy High School has announced more than a dozen student-athletes who have accepted award scholarships to the following schools.
The 13 students were recognized for their achievements at a signing ceremony held at 1:30 p.m. this afternoon (Feb. 4) in the Neshaminy High School HUB.
Four of the students are members of the football team that went 12-2, captured the SOL National Conference championship and earned a berth in the District One Class AAAA finals.
Six are members of Coach Rich Reice's soccer teams including boys co-captain Kyle Soroka, who led his team to the District One Class AAA finals as well as a berth in the PIAA AAA semifinals.
Reice's girls' team went far too, earning a hard-fought win over Council Rock North after falling in overtime to CB West in the district semis. The win over the Indians meant that Neshaminy would finish third in the D-I AAA tourney.
In states, the Lady Redskins made it all the way to the PIAA AAA quarters, falling in overtime to Lower Dauphin.
Three are field hockey players, members of Lisa Pennington's squad that captured a District One Class AAAA championship, 25 years after Pennington and her crew did it, guided by former skipper and Athletic Director Sheila Murphy.
- Sports Editor Steve Sherman

Jay Colbert, New Hampshire, Football
Dan Shirey, Villanova University, Football
Paul Carrezola, Rutgers University, Football
John Zavorski, Kutztown University, Football
Kyle Soroka, Villanova University, Soccer
Zach Turchi, LaSalle University, Soccer
Marlaine Schneider, Rider University, Field Hockey
Moriah Allen, Villanova University, Field Hockey
Alexa Doyle, Kutztown University, Field Hockey
Kelli Kerr, Millersville University, Soccer
Lyndsay Pierson, University of Pittsburgh, Soccer
Diana Rowan, West Chester, Soccer
Jennifer Anne Hutchinson, West Chester, Soccer

Labels: boys soccer, field hockey, Football, Neshaminy

Pennsbury senior Leigh Deininger has chosen to continue her athletic career at St. Joseph's University as a field hockey player.
A standout midfielder in both hockey and soccer, Deininger was more experienced playing soccer for the YMS Speed Demons for the past seven years.
Deininger started playing soccer competitively when she was 8-years-old, under the tutelage of her dad Roger who was a standout in the sport at Shippensburg.
Last season in hockey, Deininger was an SOL National Conference first team selection, helping Pennsbury to the first round of districts.
Deininger will join three male student athletes at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5 when the four will sign Division I National Letters of Intent at the PHS TV studios on the East campus.
The Pennsbury boys who are signingThursday include soccer players Eric Schoenle (Mount St. Mary's) and Alex Ockford (West Virginia) in addition to linebacker Steve Marck, who is headed to Miami of Ohio to join his brother C.J.
- Sports Editor Steve Sherman

Labels: boys soccer, field hockey, Football, Pennsbury

Yardley Makefield Soccer is hosting an athletic signing today at the Continental Tavern in Yardley Borough.
Two players - Eric Schoenle of Yardley and Ryan Tessler of Newtown - from their U-17 boys team, the YMS Xplosion are announcing their college commitments at 6:45 Wednesday, Feb. 4 (weather permitting).
A Pennsbury High School senior, Schoenle is headed to the University of West Virginia. Teammate Ryan Tessler, now a senior at Council Rock North, will play his soccer at Mount St. Mary's.

Labels: boys soccer, CR North, Pennsbury