Cardinals earn victory over PW
When it rains, it poursK bven though it did not start to rain real hard on the fiHOG unWLO ODWH Ln WKH fiUsW half, Upper Dublin High made it seem to Plymouth Whitemarsh as if the skies had opened up in the middle of the halfK
The Cardinals scored three JRDOs Ln OHss WKDn fiYH PLnutes, from the 19th minute to the 23rd minute, to take command of Monday’s soggy boys soccer match as Upper Dublin pulled away to a 5-1 victory in an important Suburban One American Conference battleK
Upper Dublin is now 101-2 in the conference (121-2 overall) as it chases Wissahickon at the top of the league standingsK The Colonials (T-4-2 league, T-T-2 overall) are chasing the CardsK Both teams had earned a tie against the Tro- jans over the past two weeksK
Upper Dublin was able to take care of business Monday, providing the team with some separation in the standLnJs DW WKH sWDUW RI WKH finDO week of the regular seasonK
“It is a real important win,” said Michael Connelly, who fed Dan Demchick in the 19th minute to get the scoring started, then put his goal in at the 23-minute mark for a 3-0 leadK “vou know they wanted to come out and show who they areK
“We needed this win to stay on top of things and keep our momentum goingK”
The Cards will complete their league season by hosting Upper Merion on Wednesday, then play a nonleague match with HatboroHorsham on Friday before awaiting Sunday’s District One seeding meetingK
Last year, seeding day was a devastating blow to Upper DuEOLn, wKLFK finLsKHG WKH year at 11-5-1 yet did not re-
ceive a postseason bid.
This year, the Cards have been motivated to erase any doubt in the seeding committee’s minds that they belong in the Class AAA playoff tournament, which begins next Tuesday.
“It’s really important IRU uV WR finLVh RuW WhH ODVW few games,” rpper Dublin coach Rick Schmidt said. “A lot of these guys were here last year, they remember what it was like last year and remember where we were, then look at this year.
“We learned last year you can’t count on anything. We have to do absolutely everything we can to keep pushing all the way.”
Demchick started the scoring and John Roos doubled the lead 70 seconds later. Connelly ended the succession of three goals, but rpper Dublin would go up, 4-0, with three minutes to play in the fiUVW hDOI whHn 7yOHU WhLWHhead’s long kick was put in by Glenn sanOrden.
By now, not only the Colonials thought it was pouring. The rain was falling hard on the turf at PW. The Colonials got on the board with a minute left in the half as Conor Moore made it 4-1 at the intermission, whHn HYHUyRnH Rn WhH fiHOG headed for cover.
Brian Schaefer added a goal late in the second half to close out rpper Dublin’s scoring. By now, even the rain had slowed down some.
“Conditions-wise, in this kind of situation, you have no idea what’s going to happen,” Schmidt said. “You’ve got to get out in front. Those three we had in rapid succession, that SuW WhH FRnfiGHnFH bDFk Rn WhH fiHOG WhDW wH’UH whHUH we need to be. You have to play the conditions.”
The Cards are well aware about dealing with adverse conditions late in the sea- son.
“Last year was real frustrating,” Connelly said of not making the district playoffs. “Most of us were here. We don’t want that to happen again. We want to make playoffs.
“We’re trying to do as well as we can at the end of the year.”
The team’s goal all season has been to not allow last year’s omission to be repeated this fall. Monday’s decisive victory over its nearest pursuer in the league was a big step toward that end for rpper Dublin.
The Cards are hoping to keep it pouring until Sunday’s meeting.