Boys’ Soccer: Spartans, Eagles capture Schuylkill League quarterfinal wins
North Schuylkill boys' soccer coach Jarrid Todd, right, praises senior Gage Reidler, standing, during their post-game huddle after Reidler's goal in double overtime lifted the Spartans to a 1-0 win over Schuylkill Haven in Saturday's Schuylkill League boys' soccer quarterfinals at Blue Mountain.
ORWIGSBURG — North Schuylkill senior Gage Reidler has spent a good portion of the soccer season overcoming an ankle injury.
His hard work to get back in the lineup paid off Saturday in a historic victory for the North Schuylkill boys’ soccer program.
Reidler’s goal in the second overtime lifted the Spartans to a 1-0 victory over Schuylkill Haven in a Schuylkill League boys’ soccer quarterfinal at Blue Mountain’s Eagles’ Nest.
The victory was North Schuylkill’s first-ever Schuylkill League playoff win and earns the Spartans (12-7) a date with Division I champion Pine Grove (13-3-2) in Monday’s semifinals.
Defending champion Blue Mountain (13-5-1) will take on Division II champion Shenandoah Valley (17-1) in the other semifinal after the Eagles decked Tri-Valley 10-0 in Saturday’s second semifinal.
“It was a phenomenal effort from top to bottom,” North Schuylkill coach Jarrid Todd said. “We just battled. We have guys battling injuries … it’s the end of the season, so we’re banged up.
“Going two OTs is a lot of minutes these guys are playing. I’m just hoping we can recover for the next one.”
A senior midfielder, Reidler rolled his ankle and suffered ligament damage during a game earlier this season against Pottsville. He didn’t start Saturday’s quarterfinal but brought a scoring presence into the middle of the Spartans’ offensive zone when he came into the match.
Each team had scoring chances during the first half but couldn’t finish. The Spartans controlled most of the second half, outshooting Schuylkill Haven 5-1, but the game went into the 15-minute overtime periods scoreless.
Carter Daniel just missed on a slant toward the goal in the first overtime for Schuylkill Haven (13-6), and Luke Smith’s shot on a free kick was stopped by Spartans’ keeper Kaden Onuschak.
The Hurricanes also had a free kick just outside the box sail high in the second overtime and Onuschak came out to stop a rush three minutes into the second OT.
“We’ve been in games like that all year where we don’t get that goal that we need and we have to hold on and hope one breaks through,” Schuylkill Haven coach Gary Hess said. “We’ve been in overtime multiple times and today just wasn’t our day.
“I knew coming in that we were very evenly match and it was just going to take one of those fluky goals, and that’s how they got it. They finished and we didn’t do that.”
Reidler’s game-winning goal was set up by an advance down the right side by Brady Welker, who had attempted the same move several times in the first half but was unable to create a successful scoring chance.
This time, Welker crossed the ball toward the middle to Reidler, who chested the ball down and pushed it past Haven keeper Gavin Wade.
“Brady did a great drive down the corner,” Reidler said. “I got myself in a good position in front of the defender, took it off my chest and finished. All around great effort from brady getting that in there. All I had to do was tuck it in.”
The fact that the game-winner came from Reidler, after all he did to get back into the lineup and get to play in his first-ever Schuylkill League playoff game, was satisfying for both Reidler and his coach.
“It was a long process,” Reidler said. “It was frustrating at times knowing I could do something just being slow. You get used to it, you start healing and it gets better. It feels great now.”
Added Todd: “He’s been working hard, battling that injury. His minutes have been limited, but when he’s in there he creates so much for us. We’re just really grateful he was able to punch one in and finish the game for us.”
