Mounts Take Fast Track To Title Speed Is The Key Ingredient For Dallas’ Offense, Which Has Strong Second Half In D-2 Final Vs. L-l.
By DOUG PAPE [email protected]
Friday, November 02, 2001 Page: 1B
WILKES-BARRE TWP. – Speed, it can’t be coached, and generally it wears
opponents down.
The Dallas soccer team has speed and it used it on Thursday to offset a
gallant effort from Lake-Lehman for a 3-1 victory in the District 2 Class 2A
championship game.
“Our offense has been amazing this year,” said Dallas fullback Angelo
Recchia. “Nobody’s really stopped us this year. This was by far the hardest
game of the year and Lehman did a heck of a job. We just got away with the
win.”
Dallas (21-0) moves onto the PIAA 2A tournament and will play the District
Hughesville.
The game was the last for Lehman coach Mark Stroney. The 43-year-old has
guided the Black Knights the past nine seasons. He also spent six years at
Abington Heights and three at Keystone College. He amassed more than 225
victories at the high school level, 10 district titles and 13 appearances in
district finals.
“It’s been a lot of fun and it’s time for someone else to step in,”
Stroney said. “I was very happy with our team’s performance. I knew we didn’t
match up with them speed-wise in our attack, but we kept them scoreless in the
first half and that was a big accomplishment. I think getting a goal even in
the district final against Dallas was a good effort.”
With 33:16 left in the second half, Recchia solved the Lehman defense. He
took a pass from Ryan Love, weaved around Black Knight defenders and found the
corner of the goal.
“We were on a break away and I saw an opening,” Recchia said. “My
teammate passed me the ball and thankfully it went in. I just got lucky on
that breakaway.”
Lehman goalkeeper Roger Vrhel kept his team in the game with some
outstanding saves from point-blank range. He made 13 saves in the match.
“We have a lot of confidence in him,” Stroney said. “I don’t know what
the score would have been if he wasn’t in goal.”
With 15 minutes left, Black Knight star Dave Walters was tackled from
behind in front of the goal. The Lehman bench wanted a penalty kick called,
but didn’t get it.
“Dave Walters had an opportunity to score that was denied inside the box,
I’ll say that,” Stroney said. “I think that would have changed the
complexion of the game at that point.”
Ryan Rother found the back of the Lehman goal as he got a leg on a ricochet
in front and the ball bounced in with 12:51 remaining. An unassisted goal by
Aaron Moyer got Lehman on the board and within one with 7:22 left.
Dallas’ Ricky Branco dashed all hopes of a comeback as he dribbled around
the defense and placed a kick in the corner of the goal to seal the victory.
Paul Shiber assisted on the goal.
The Mountaineer offense has gotten most of the publicity this season, but
their defense has been outstanding as well.
“That’s the most underrated part of our team,” said Chris Chapple, who
co-coaches Dallas with Chris Scharff. “We probably should have been behind at
halftime if it weren’t for our defense. They controlled the play in our end of
the field. They played fabulous like they have all year.”
