Mountaineers Keep Their Winning Streak Alive With The Class 2a Title Already Locked Up, The Powerful Mountaineers Turn Back A Challenge By An Upset-minded Lake-lehman Team.
By MICHAEL LELLO [email protected]
Wednesday, October 24, 2001 Page: 1B
LEHMAN TWP. – Forget the fact that Dallas entered the game with a 31-game
conference winning streak. Forget the fact the Mountaineers have outscored
their opponents by a 16-1 ratio this season and had locked up the Wyoming
Valley Conference Class 2A title.
When Dallas plays Lake-Lehman, it’s always meaningful. And Tuesday’s game
at Lehman was no exception. The Mountaineers (18-0) faced their toughest test
of the season, but got by the Black Knights, 5-2, in both teams’
regular-season finale. The Mountaineers also retained possession of the
coveted Back Mountain Youth Soccer Association Player’s Trophy in the process.
Last year’s Class 2A crown came down to this season-ending matchup, but
don’t tell Dallas the 2001 version had no significance.
“We really wanted to keep our undefeated season and we knew Lehman was out
to stop us,” said Dallas senior forward Ryan Love, who had two goals and an
assist Tuesday. “The Lehman game is always the toughest. We knew it was going
to be hard even though teams haven’t been challenging us much.”
The Mountaineers got on the board early in the first half when Love scored
on a header off an Andrew George assist. Soon after, Nathan Carsman of Lehman
(14-4) knocked in a Brian McMahon pass while cutting in front of the goal to
tie the score. Love broke the tie off an assist from Don Murray, and late in
the half Ricky Branco scored on a breakaway to give Dallas a 3-1 lead at the
intermission.
Less than three minutes into the second half, George fed a wide-open Love
from just inside the midfield stripe. Love got off a crisp pass to Branco, who
punched it in for his second goal of the afternoon. Carsman closed the gap to
Angelo Recchia scored off a nice Tim Faneck pass across the front of the
net to give the Mountaineers a 5-2 lead with just over six minutes to go.
“It was the toughest test of the season,” said Dallas coach Chris
Scharff. “Lake-Lehman and Dallas are always looking to come out and play each
other. It’s a battle every time. It doesn’t matter if Lehman’s 0-18 and we’re
not let them get the momentum at home, which we did.”
Lehman dropped its fifth consecutive game to Dallas and might face the
Mountaineers again in the District 2 playoffs, which start Friday.
“I’m very happy we scored two goals,” said Lehman coach Mark Stroney.
“We didn’t have enough of an attack as an entire team to keep wave after wave
like Dallas does. Their first thought is I’m going to shoot or score a goal,
and we’re not always in that same mentality. The better team won today, no
doubt about that.”
