BOYS' SOCCER: PCL Regular Season -One For The Ages

PHILADELPHIA- If looking for one fact that supports the notion that Catholic League boys’ soccer has enjoyed one of its most entertaining regular seasons ever, consider the following:

Roman Catholic did not lose a single game, and yet, the Cahillites placed third behind first-place La Salle and second-place Father Judge. That anomaly is a Catholic League first.

Think about that. Undefeated after 11 games, and in third place . . .

“That's the strength and the beauty of the Philadelphia Catholic League,” said Roman Catholic coach Ray DeStephanis. “It's honestly some of the best soccer, and hotly contested, in Southeastern Pennsylvania.”

The collective record of the top three squads is 26-1-6. Their composite goal differential is 97-15. Father Judge surrendered only three goals; the other teams, six apiece.

2016 PHILADELPHIA CATHOLIC LEAGUE PHOTO GALLERY

“While I know it’s cliché, on any given night, any team can challenge and challenge hard for a positive result,” said DeStephanis. “That's why we took nothing for granted this year as returning champions. In fact, all these tough league games and even nonleague games, I genuinely feel has made us not only better, but keenly aware that nothing is a given.

“If you don't show up with a competitive attitude and aren't willing to play hard and smart, there's a real probability that you'll be looking at a loss. We, as a coaching staff and as a team, are really looking forward to the upcoming playoffs. It should be some great soccer as always.”

Ditto, said La Salle coach Tom McCaffery.

“This season showed what the PCL is all about, with really well-matched teams that played close matches,” said McCaffery. “When there are two undefeated teams in the same league, it is awesome. The amount of one-goal games was very high this season, and it has set up some great playoff match-ups. It will be very tough for any of the teams to win the championship, and the plaque will be a well-deserved prize for any of the eight teams that are left playing.”

While four contests ended in a stalemate, a whopping 20 were decided by one goal, with four of those settled in overtime. A foot here or a foot there, and the Catholic League standings might look strikingly different.

Consider the possibilities while reviewing the records for each team in both ties and one-goal finishes, listed in order of most to least points acquired in those affairs:

Archbishop Ryan (5-3, 18 points); Archbishop Wood (3-1-1, 10 points); Roman Catholic (2-0-3, 9 points); Archbishop Carroll (3-2, 9 points); La Salle (2-0-2, 8 points); Bonner-Prendergast (2-3, 6 points); Father Judge (1-1-1, 4 points); Conwell-Egan (1-1, 3 points); Cardinal O’Hara (1-1, 3 points); Lansdale Catholic (0-2-1, 1 point); St. Joseph’s Prep (0-3, 0 points); Bishop McDevitt (0-3, 0 points).

“I think the league is more competitive than ever,” said Archbishop Ryan coach Ryan Haney. “The fact that we take away two goals or score two more, we are in ninth place or second.”

Trophy Presented to St. Joe's Prep Head Coach Jim Murray by Father Judge During Prep vs. Father Judge Game

St. Joseph’s Prep coach Jim Murray, who will retire at the end of the season after a distinguished 50-year career, has been impressed with just about every team in the league.

“From almost top to bottom it’s been a great battle,” said Murray. “We have actually played well (including two overtime losses) and yet finished ninth. The old adage that ‘on any given day’ is perhaps more true than ever. Any one of several teams could finish on top.”

Father Judge Head Coach John Dunlop (right) Presented Long-time St. Joe's Prep Head Coach Jim Murray (left) with Trophy Honoring His Year's of Service and Dedication After Their game on September 13th.

Now that the two play-in contests are completed (ninth-seed St. Joseph’s Prep defeated eighth-seed Bonner-Prendergast while seventh-seed Archbishop Carroll beat 10th-seed Cardinal O’Hara), it’s time to think playoffs.

On October 21, the quarterfinals will feature top-seed and undefeated LaSalle (9-0-2) hosting ninth-seed St. Joseph’s Prep (4-7) at 3:00; second-seed Father Judge (9-1-1) playing seventh-seed Archbishop Carroll (5-6) at RAMP Playground (7:00); third-seed Roman Catholic (8-0-3) taking on sixth-seed Lansdale Catholic (6-4-1) at Lighthouse Field (7:00); and fourth-seed Archbishop Wood (7-3-1) meeting Archbishop Ryan (7-4) at Veterans Field in Southampton (3:30).

2016 PCL Season Gallery

In the first match-up among those eight teams, each of the higher seeds was victorious. La Salle defeated the Prep, 3-0; Judge stopped Carroll, 5-0; Roman Catholic beat Lansdale Catholic, 2-0, and Wood (7-3-1) edged Ryan (7-4) by a high-scoring 4-3.

The winners will advance to the semifinals, October 26, at the United German Hungarian Club field (5:00 and 7:45). The Catholic League championship is scheduled for 6:30, October 29, at South Philadelphia’s Super Site (10th & Bigler Streets).

“For my team, it’s been a season of missed opportunities,” said Lansdale Catholic coach Joe Wilson. “If we capitalize on half of them, our only loss would have been to Father Judge.”

Several coaches would probably be able to support a similar argument – further fodder that this past regular season was, in a word, outstanding.

(John Knebels can be reached at jknebels@gmail.com or on Twitter @johnknebels.)