by J. COOPER ROBB

The second division U-11 boys notched a solid 5-0 win over the Upper Moreland Strikers. Goals came from Brian Sachs, Jim Hall (2), Alex deBerardinis, and Evan Hall as the offense dominated the game. Blue Lightning speedsters Cole McCourt and Ty Martin pressured the Strikers all game, pushing the ball up the wings. Goalies Adam Hoskins and Matt Sabin notched the shut out while sweepers Jordan Monroe and Mike Pinover controlled the backfield.

Ten minutes into the U-13 boys’ game against AC United, Cesar Wyckoff sent a pass up the left wing to Spencer Jones. Jones crossed the ball to Graham Johnson for a relatively easy goal inside the post. Then just before half time, Jack Koehler fought through the defense to knock in a rebound for the second score. In the second half Jones sent Johnston touched the ball past the sliding keeper and magically keep the ball at his feet chipped it in past a covering defender. Ron Burrell held tough on defense while Zach Fernberger notched his second shutout of the season and the 3-0 win.

On Saturday the Chestnut Hill U-14 Travel Team took on Whitpain in a home game at Carson Valley. Chestnut Hill scored when Jack Kavetski knocked in a rebound off of Ben Gemberling-Johnson's shot. Alex Blenheim followed later in the half with an unassisted goal of his own. Matt Berson added to the lead with a goal off a beautiful feed from Ben Gemberling-Johnson. In the second half, Alex Blenheim scored his second goal of the game off a nice assist from Mike Caracappa. To complete the 5-0 victory for Chestnut Hill, Mike Caracappa scored off a rebound from Matt Berson. Chestnut Hill remained the only unbeaten team in the division. David Hilton and Todd Domanski played superbly in goal to record the shutout.

The U-10 boys Fourth Division Team faced the Springfield Lightning in a rematch of undefeated teams who tied in their only previous meeting.  Kyle Espenshade's strong play in the midfield and Gabe Buchanan’s tough goal tending allowed the game to remain scoreless in the first half. Daniel and Jacob Spivack put on the offensive pressure in the second half and eventually Augie Frank broke away to put the ball in the net for the first goal of the game. Springfield tied the game soon after and then pulled away to a 3-1 lead. Chestnut Hill fought back with a goal by Gabriel Osorio-Soto on a nice cross from Henry Bushnell.  But while CH played bravely, Springfield pulled away with two more goals sending the Blue Lightning to their first defeat of the season by a score of 5-2.

Trailing 1-0, the U-10 boys stormed back for a 3-1 win over Phoenixville. Goals by Jamie Hearn, Peter McCall and Greg Boxley led the way and the defense stiffened around Sam Rudovsky and Vince Sirianni. Ben Kreiger and Sam Sheppard were again rock solid in the goal, stopping several breakaways and a number of treacherous corner kicks.

The U-11 girls took home a victory against Upper Moreland on Saturday. In the second half Iris Williamson scored assisted by Katie Binswanger and Riley Tarver. Williamson got a break away goal shortly after that. Theresa Shropsire played excellent defense along and goal keepers Lauren Mobley and Taylor Bagley played impeccably in the 2-0 victory.

In their second game of the weekend, the U-11 girls pulled out to an early lead against Warrington on Sunday. Sarah Bergman scored the first goal of the game with an assist from Iris Williamson. Melanie Sachs drove the ball in from twenty feet out to end the half with a 2-0 advantage. The Warrington Jets fought back with two late goals to finish the game in a 2-2 tie.

The U-10 girls suffered their first defeat this season, losing to Pearls 1-0. Nevertheless the team played well. Sarah Thomas, Tara Harrington and goalie Reysna Hughes were especially strong while Tasmin Lamb patrolled the midfield and Mariah Young-Jones consistently pushed the ball forward. In all, the Lightning played hard, swallowed the loss, and look forward to the upcoming rematch.

Playing with less than a full complement, the U-14 girls played a bigger Towamencin team close early and trailed just 1-0 at the half. In the second half the Chestnut Hill side was worn down in an increasingly physical game and let in two more goals. Despite the 3-0 defeat, keeper Marisol McKee and forward Gaby Nolan played well, as did defenders Anna Idler and Rebecca Williams.

The U-15s game against Upper Dublin was a prime example of why the score often does not reflect the quality of a team's play. Even though Chestnut Hill created more dangerous scoring opportunities and out-shot the visitors, Upper Dublin benefited from two strange head balls, a muffed clearing pass that actually went backwards, and a foul on a player running away from the goal that resulted in a penalty kick. The result of all these oddities was a tough 4-1 loss. Chestnut Hill’s lone goal started with a long throw from keeper Phil Jones that Henry Robb flicked to Maurice Young, who then threaded a wonderful pass to Steel that he knocked inside the far post.

The U-9 boys' Blue Lightning had another successful weekend with a 4-0 shutout of host Southampton. Ethan Rabinowitz led the charge with two goals, Ben Winebrake had an outstanding game at halfback and Ben Holl had an inspired performance in the goal.

The U-15 girls scored all their goals in a 10-minute span midway through the 2^nd half, defeating YMS 4-0. Featuring a solid defensive line of Julia Bergman, Laura White, Nina Carpenter-Farran and Tierney Wilson, the Blue Lightning protected their keeper and allowed Heather Tannenbaum to post her 4^th shutout of the season. Logan McGill opened the scoring off of assists from Hannah Conant and Laura Zipin. After Conant tallied a score (from Elena Ballard and Brooke Hall), Zipin (from Mariah Barstow) made it 3-0 before forward Julia Miller (with an assist to Ballard) gave CH its margin of victory. The team’s record is now 5-3-0.

Contributors Richard McCourt, Phillip Scott, Bob Kaufman, David Bushnell, Lesley Carson, C. Shephard, Jeffrey Maxson, Graham Robb, Bob Weishaupt and Thomas Randall.