North Penn defeats Souderton, 3-1
Goals by Johnston, McMahon send NP to 4th straight victory
Luke McMahon saw Jack Johnston dashing down the right wing and the North Penn senior knew this was a golden opportunity for the Knights to get in front of Souderton.
“Jack came on right before I played the ball. Jack’s not a winger, but Jack’s the fastest kid that I know so when I saw him on the wing, I was like “I got to get him through,’” McMahon said. “So when he made the darting run, I was like that’s it.”
Johnston charged onto the ball sent forward by McMahon, took a touch into the Indians’ 18-yard box then drilled a shot past Souderton goalkeeper Mitchell Race into the right side of the net and after mounting pressure throughout the second half, the Knights finally had broken the 1-1 tie in the Suburban One League Continental Conference matchup.
“What a great take that was,” said North Penn coach Paul Duddy of Johnston’s goal. “He covers a lot of ground that guy.”
McMahon provided the Knights with some insurance with his goal and North Penn earned a 3-1 victory over the
visiting Indians Tuesday afternoon to move into a tie for first place in the conference.
“We got off to a slow start. It’s a big win especially with what happened last night with (Central Bucks) East beating (Central Bucks) West so now we’re tied up again at the top of the league,” McMahon said. “It’s a good win.”
Souderton took a 1-0 lead against the run of play in the first half, as Sam Becket caught Knights keeper Joe Lindsey out of the net and lofted in a long-distance effort from the left side. But the Knights got a break to pull even as a shot by Carter Houlihan deflected right into the path of Ryan Stewart in the box for the tying goal.
“It was really good to get the opening goal,” Souderton coach Matt Benner said. “It was good to kind of get off on the right foot. And you can’t just kind of sit back against North Penn, they got quality all through their side. They got good athleticism and speed. We didn’t defend well enough on restarts and that was the one that hit us, that first goal of theirs.”
“But we’re starting to figure out as we go, we’re trying to put more complete efforts together and we just talked at the here about working some of the little things out in the beginning part of the season so that we’re poised for a good stretch run.”
The Indians (2-3-1, 2-2-0 conference) did not create many chances through the run of play after Becket’s goal and did not do much with its free kicks and corners. Eventually, Johnston and McMahon put the hosts ahead as the Knights (5-10, 3-1-0) won their fourth straight since falling to CB West 2-1 on Sept. 8. North Penn also stretched their unbeaten streak against Souderton to 10 games (9-0-1).
“I think we’ve played better the past two games than the way the first four games for sure,” Duddy said. “Just like they’re coming together a little bit better. That’s kind of senior leadership and training and stuff we’re working on, trying to correct.”
North Penn hosts Philadelphia Catholic League side Archbishop Wood 10 a.m. Saturday. Souderton looks to end a two-game losing streak 7 p.m. Friday at home against Southern Lehigh.
“We’ve played very well on our home field so far this year,” Benner said. “We haven’t lost there and we know that that’s going to continue, 100-percent confidence that we get back on the training ground tomorrow and we make things right for Friday and we keep that good string of results going at home on Friday night.”
After Stewart made it 1-1, the Knights were close to taking the lead before halftime but Race made a pair of stellar saves. First, he denied McMahon after a free kick was sent into the box. The ball was headed to an open McMahon, but he shot was denied by Race’s foot. Aiden Jerome then had a great chance but his volley after a cross into the box was stopped by a diving save by Race.
McMahon made it 3-1 off a long clearance by Lindsey, McMahon getting behind the Indians defense and sending his shot into the opposite right corner of the goal.
“I saw Joey pointed to me and once the ball bounced I saw their defender step up so I knew I could behind him with my speed and put it away for the insurance goal,” he said.