CHA soccer takes lead in Inter-Ac
by TOM UTESCHER
After losing two of their first three Inter-Ac League games, Chestnut Hill Academy's Blue Devils fashioned a four-game win streak to end the month of October in first place. The recent boon improved CHA's league ledger to 5-2, which translates into 15 points in the Inter-Ac standings (three for a win, one for a tie).
Winning 3-1 at Haverford on Tuesday to knock the Fords out of first place, the Devils (12-4 overall) went on the road again three days later and pulled out a 2-1 victory against defending champion Germantown Academy (8-5-4 overall; 3-2-1 Inter-Ac).
Haverford won over Penn Charter in another one of Friday's games, and the Fords (4-1-1; 13 points) have one more league match left on their schedule than does CHA. To claim the championship, the Blue Devils would have to take care of business in their final three games, while hoping that Haverford suffers at least one loss or tie in its last four Inter-Ac bouts.
Chestnut Hill senior Pat Spanninger, who had notched a hat trick against Episcopal on October 22, scored twice in the Haverford win last Tuesday, with his classmate Sam Greenwood supplying the other goal. Meanwhile, GA's Patriots had picked up only one point in the standings in Tuesday's action, tying Malvern 1-1.
On Friday, both goalies were tested from the outset, but the most impressive sequence featured GA netminder Dave Simolike. Reacting quickly to bat down a Spanninger potshot at him from the middle of the box, the Patriot senior immediately dove to his left to save the follow-up shot off of the rebound. Simolike finally gave one up with 16:56 remaining in the first half, when CHA junior Brent Campman aimed the ball from the right side of the penalty area towards the left side of the cage.
The Patriots evened it up just about five minutes later, as Alex Verdi carried the ball in towards the right post and then centered it for scorer Matt Thomas.
The 1-1 tie survived well into the second half as much of the play occurred in the midfield and the shot count dropped for both teams. A strong performance by GA defender Adam Lee helped keep the pressure off Simolike (five saves), and at the far end the Patriots lofted a number of serves towards the goal only to see them hauled down by Chestnut Hill's 6'4" goalie, Taylor Rooke (six saves). The match appeared headed for overtime on this chilly, damp, darkening afternoon.
With 11-and-a-half minutes to go in regulation GA's Dan Stampone headed a shot just over the CHA crossbar, and the Blue Devils came back down the field on the left wing and penetrated into the box. Andrew Ferry booted the ball across the goalmouth to his senior classmate, Spanninger, who knocked in the gamewinner from near the right post with 10:14 on the clock.
The Patriots put freshman goalie Mike Nemeth in the cage and sent the versatile Simolike out to play in the field, but after near-misses by GA's Verdi and John Barr in the closing minutes, Chestnut Hill departed with a victory.
