Phantoms pressing for playoffs
The Phoenixville Area High School boys soccer team is enjoying a fine season under third-year head coach Mike Cesarski, who also coached many of these same Phantoms when they were venturing up through the ranks as middle school players
Phoenixville currently sports a 6-1-0 record in the Pioneer Athletic Conference Frontier Division, and the Phantoms stand at 7-2-0 in the PAC. The Phantoms trail only Pottsgrove (8-0-0, 9-11) in the PAC Frontier Division standings.
Leading the way on the opposite side of the bracket in the Liberty Division are Spring-Ford (70-0, 9-0-1) and Owen J. Roberts (5-1-1, 7-1-2).
“Defensively, we have played really well this year,” said Cesarski. “We need to be a little more consistent offensively finishing from the 6-yard box. Against Methacton, if we put one of those chances in, it changes the dynamic of the game. It changes the tone.”
Phoenixville recently celebrated Senior Night with a 6-0 victory over Upper Perkiomen, a contest in which the Phantoms led 3-0 at halftime.
Phoenixville’s roster this season included five seniors, led by veteran goalie Mitchell Coll, who is considered one of the top goalies in the circuit. Coll has also doubled as a placekicker for the football team since the end of last season. Midfielder Phil Meszaros and forward Andre Souza are returning league first team allstars in the Phantom lineup so they are also considered two of the best players in the circuit at their respective positions.. The other Phantom seniors include forward Colin Hook and defender Arun Sankar.
Souza, Meszaros and Colin Hook scored first-half goals for the Phantoms against the Indians. Junior Patricio Perez, Hook and junior Daniel Jackson converted second-half tallies for the locals.
Coll posted three saves while recording the shutout.
Phoenixville’s other starting players included junior midfielder Jared Carboy, junior defender Blake Ericksen, junior defender Sean O’Neill, junior midfielder Tyler Siefer, junior midfielder Danny Jackson and Jonathan Maldonado.
“It was a great way to put up a win on Senior Night,” said Coll.
“We have a lot of talent on this team and coach Cesarski. I thank him so much for everything he has done for me. This is a great way to cap off the week (after losing their past two outings). This will help our confidence, hopefully, and we can get back on the right track.”
The Phantoms hope to finish the regular season strong in order to qualify for the PAC Final Four playoffs as well as to put themselves in good position for the District 1 playoffs.
Coll has kept busy with soccer and football.
“It’s been fun,” said Coll. “On Fridays, it can be tough if I have a soccer game and then going to a football game at night. When I was a freshman, I started seeing the football team having fun. I am happy to help them out. I am here, and I am glad to be able to play with my teammates.”
Meszaros has also enjoyed an outstanding career at Phoenixville as the last of the five Meszaros children who played sports in this area and attended school at either Phoenixville or St. Pius X (now Pope John Paul II).
Meszaros is another player who has contributed a lot of skill, leadership and experience to the success of the squad.
“It is always nice to win on Senior Night,” said Meszaros. “We have been playing well. We needed it by scoring more goals. Overall, in our play this season we have nice possession of the ball, and our defense is probably the best inmany years. We have to pick up our offense.”
Many of the Phoenixville players have been on the field together for a long time.
“We have a lot of seniors who have been playing together our whole life,” said Meszaros. “That would be me, Mitch and Hook. Then Andre and Arun came in a couple years ago, and they have been a really nice addition to the team and why we have been winning.”
Cesarski considers this group of Phantom boys soccer players special because he has coached them for so long and because they have played together and won so many games while playing together for years and gaining valuable experience all the time. Caesars values them as solid people with leadership skills as well as strong players.
“This is my family,” said Cesarski. “They have had me their whole life. There is definitely a connection. They are a great group of kids. In terms of success from Phoenixville boys soccer, this is one of the most successful groups.
“Before, we only gave up one goal in three games, but we hadn’t scored. We lost one game, 1-0 in overtime. Tonight we scored. Defensively, this is the best team I’ve had in the three years I have been here. It was good to see us score goals tonight for a change.”