CB West outlasts Abington to win District 1 title

KING OF PRUSSIA >> Dylan Smith saved his best for last.

A last-ditch free kick by Abington had given the Galloping Ghosts as good an opportunity as they would get at an equalizer in the final half-minute of the District 1-4A final against CB West. After the initial service fell to the ground amidst a mass of bodies, Reese Gibbs was able to turn and shoot at the gaping wide-open net.

Smith, who was in that cluster of humanity and still falling, managed somehow to spring upward and push the ball up and off the crossbar. It was the kind of save only he could make and it was the one that saved the Bucks.

Behind another standout effort from Smith and a terrific offensive game from Jimi Leder, No. 6 CB West edged No. 4 Abington 2-1 in a stirring district title game Saturday night at Upper Merion.

“It’s almost like looking in a mirror,” Smith said of the two stylistically similar teams. “They have some great weapons up top and we were just able to find ways to deal with them. Playing the way we do, I think it helped us today.”

As clutch as he was late, Smith was also instrumental in the first half, denying three really good early chances by Abington. The Ghosts have thrived all season on being the first team to score, so West knew it couldn’t afford to go down early.

It also meant the Bucks would be under a lot of pressure in the back and players like Nick Centenera, Kyle Holt, James Lutz and Carson Snyder would have to be up to their game. Smith attributes much of his success to an implicit trust with his backs and it showed again on Saturday as the senior keeper stayed composed even with bodies hurling around his box.

“I thought it was a lot of fun for both teams, hopefully, to be a part of,” Bucks coach Stefan Szygiel said. “It was going to be a one-goal game in somebody’s favor and we just happened to come out of it on the 2-1 side tonight.”

Leder has really upped his game this postseason, scoring the game-tying goal in the quarterfinals against North Penn then the only goal in a semifinal win over Spring-Ford, both on the road.

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PETE BANNAN — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Central Bucks West forward Alan Zlotin reacts to scoring what turned out to be the gamewinning goal in the PIAA District 1 Championship against Abington at Upper Merion High School Saturday night.