Hilarczyk headlines in Nazareth victory
Junior standout has 2 goals, pair of assists as Whitehall is defeated
Cole Hilarczyk continued his remarkable breakout season on offense in Nazareth High School’s 4-1 District 11 Class 4A soccer victory over Whitehall on Thursday night — played on his home pitch at Andrew S. Leh Stadium.
The junior assisted on the thirdseeded Blue Eagles’ two first-half goals, then produced back-to-back scores himself a minute apart late in the game to set up a semifinal date with secondseeded Parkland, a 2-1 winner over Pleasant Valley, on Tuesday.
Senior Nolan Booth made five saves in recording his 34th career victory, junior Sam Roberts once again led the defense in front of Booth, and Salem Joseph and Colin Henchy also added goals for Nazareth (15-4).
Hilarczyk was double-rostered last season and played sparingly with the varsity. He did not have a varsity goal or assist entering the season.
“We lost our two best offensive players last season to graduation,” said Hilarczyk, who has 20 goals and five assists and is one of the top scorers in the area.
“So I had to think to myself, think deep down, and I felt like I had to fill in the gap this season, play strong and represent. I’m happy with the way things have turned out so far.”
“Cole just plays with confidence,” fourth-year coach Gerry Petrozelli said. “He goes out there and says, ‘I’m gonna do it, I’m gonna do it.’ He tries different things and they work.”
Sixth-seeded Whitehall (10-8-1), which upset Liberty 2-1 in the same round last season, had Nazareth on its heels as it applied offensive pressure in the first 10 minutes. But it was Joseph, who had just entered the game as a substitute a minute before, who gave Nazareth a 1-0 lead with 11 minutes, 33 seconds left in the half with his third goal of the season.
“He made me look like a genius,”
Petrozelli said with a smile. “He’s been great off the bench for us, a real solid contributor.”
Henchy made it 2-0 with 2:02 left in the half with his sixth goal of the season when he slid a short shot from the left side into the right corner of the net.
“We had great ball movement on the outsides of the field,” Henchy said. “They’re big and tall, and we weren’t going to win it in the air in the middle. Our first two goals were off the outside crossing in and we got it in the back of the net.”
“We knew they were going to bring it hard in the beginning,” Petrozelli said.
“We absorbed that. Bend but don’t break, that’s kind of our mentality.
“We’re one of the best teams out there in possessing and moving the ball quickly. We grew into the game and then took it over.”
The 6-foot-5 Booth, a four-year starter, lost the shutout with 58 seconds left in the game.
“We put away our [offensive] chances which is great,” he said. “And the defense in front of me, Sam and Liam Allen and Sebastian Puente, all played great.”
“Sam Roberts just shuts everybody down from his center-back position,” Petrozelli said. “Sometimes he makes
everybody look foolish. And he makes it look so easy with his grace and poise. It looks like he’s sleepwalking sometimes he does it so naturally. “
Said Roberts: “We came in with a game plan and executed it. Once we started using the wings on offense, we got some momentum going and went from there.”
Parkland (18-2-1), ranked No. 2 in the area, and seventh-ranked Nazareth did not play each other during the regular season.
“They have a lot of firepower and can just march kids on the field, and march and march and march,” Petrozelli said.
“I’ll have to use the bench a little more, that’s for sure.”
“We have to press, press, press Parkland,” Hilarczyk said. “They’re an amazing team. But if we’re pressing and we’re on, we’re unstoppable.”
BOXSCORE
Whitehall (10-8-1) 01— 1
Nazareth (15-4) 22— 4
Whitehall goal: Elie Khalil. Assist: Ziyad Atiyeh. Saves: Cole Guerney 8. SOG: 6.
Nazareth goals: Cole Hilarczyk 2, Colin Henchy, Salem Joseph. Assists: Hilarczyk 2, Parker Hoff. Saves: Nolan Booth 5. SOG: 12.