Opportunistic Crusaders Rule Coughlin Makes The Most Of Every Shot To Beat Abington Heights 2-1 In Class 3a Title Game. It Is The Crusaders’ First District 2 Title Since 1997.
By MICHAEL LELLO [email protected]
Saturday, November 03, 2001 Page: 1B
WILKES-BARRE TWP. – As Coughlin’s boys soccer team basked in the glory of
winning its first District 2 title since 1997 – thanks to a 2-1 victory
against No. 1 seed Abington Heights in Friday’s Class 3A final at Betzler
Fields – a Crusader tried to douse coach Barry Trievel with Gatorade.
Trievel squirmed away and only his shoulder got wet, but junior forward
Steve Uhas gave it another shot, and this time landed a direct hit, soaking
his coach.
You couldn’t have scripted a better tribute, considering the No. 3 seed
Crusaders have often failed on their first attempt – like their 1-3 start to
the regular season – but always came back even stronger. The Crusaders
(16-3-1) haven’t lost in 17 games. Their lone blemish during the run is a tie
with Wyoming Valley West. Coughlin will play the District 3 champion – the
winner of tonight’s Cumberland Valley/Central Dauphin game – in the first
round of the Class 3A state tournament at 12:30 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at
Betzler Fields. When Coughlin won the district crown four years ago, it went
on to win the state title.
“We had this day set as our goal, and we knew that it was achievable on
Aug. 13 when we reported to practice,” Trievel said.
No. 1 seed Abington (17-2) had the majority of the early chances – the
Comets outshot Coughlin 12-3 in the first half – but the Crusaders capitalized
on their few opportunities.
With 19:28 left in the first half, Uhas recovered a shot that deflected off
Abington goalkeeper Jon Keller and booted it in for a 1-0 lead. About eight
minutes later, freshman Steve Ference took a Brian Tarulli pass and scored
from more than 18 yards out, and the Crusaders were up 2-0. Meanwhile the
Comets took shot after shot at the Coughlin goal, but thanks to goalie T.J.
Baloga (nine saves), they had nothing to show for it.
Early on, a Derek Jacobs shot sailed over the net, then Baloga made a
clutch save of a header, and with 17 minutes to go in the first half, the
junior dove to his right to deflect another Jacobs’ shot.
“At halftime, they should’ve been winning,” Baloga said. “We just got
lucky on those two goals. They beat us in both halves. They should’ve
definitely won the game.”
Jacobs finally connected when his shot with 34:11 left in the game
ricocheted off Baloga’s hands back to Jacobs, who punched it in. But that was
all the Comets would get, and Coughlin’s defenders – Trievel was especially
pleased with Frank Sperlazzo and Adam Kuhl – made the slim margin stand.
“I have to give our kids a lot of credit,” said Abington coach Dennis
Mishko. “Our kids could’ve packed up their tents and went home. I think we
controlled the game, but soccer’s a funny game.”
Coughlin’s Steve Uhas battles for the ball with an Abington Heights player
in Friday’s District 2 Class 3A final. Uhas scored a goal in the Crusader’s
