by Tom Utescher

The boys’ soccer team at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy heads into the 2018 campaign looking to defend two championships, since the Blue Devils won both the Inter-Ac League and the Pa. Independent Schools tournament in 2017.

While the most talented class on the squad last year was the 11th-grade group that is returning as the senior class this year, the loss of seven graduated players took away some seasoned defenders and defensively-oriented midfielders.

While the Devils are fortunate to have third-year starter Owen Elliott back in goal as a senior, his classmate Jack Myers has been sidelined by an ACL injury. Myers was SCH’s top returning defender, and he also scored the overtime goal in the 2017 regular-season finale that made the Blue Devils outright champion in the Inter-Ac.

Other injuries are dogging the Devils at the start of this season. Senior Nick Dolente is out of action for the time being with a broken foot, as is junior Luke Feeney. In addition, junior Vince Sciarotta is working through concussion protocol.

Don’t weep too long for SCH, though. There are still many big, strong seasoned players out on the field, and some rising young talent, as well.

Senior Peter Kapp, who assisted on Myers’ league-winning goal last fall, is a team captain this year, along with classmates Elliott, Phillip Burkhardt and Luke Greenberg. They formed the core of the starting 11 when the Blue Devils opened the season last Thursday with a 4-0 road victory over the Academy of the New Church of the Friends Schools League.

Also among the first 11 were senior Matt Bown, juniors Scott Bandura, Kevin Buck and Dane Harmaty, sophomores Christian Vetter and Connor Koschineg (who started as a freshman) and ninth-grader Sean Stackhouse. One of Stackhouse’s older brothers, Andy, graduated from SCH in 2017, and his oldest brother, Tom, is heading into his sixth season as the varsity assistant coach.

In goal, the back-up to Elliott will be Kieron Cook, and a fellow senior, Patrick McHugh, is a reserve defender. Junior midfielder Nasir Jackson was the first sub into the game last Thursday, and his other classmates on varsity (aside from Feeney and Sciarotta) are Alex Johnson, Jack Rice and Chase Rotelle.

Middle distance track runner Jack Leininger is one of the sophomores on the team, and R.T. Gentner is joining Stackhouse in the freshman class.

In the first half at ANC last week, some post shots, near misses and good saves by the Lions’ keeper limited the visiting “Hillers” to one goal, scored by Burkhardt. SCH reinforced its lead as Greenberg scored twice in the second half and Bandura deposited the fourth goal.

ANC generated some of its best offensive opportunities late in the game, but Elliott came up with some difficult saves to preserve the shutout.