When the Faith Christian Lions won the 2020 PIAA Class A soccer title, their road include state playoff wins over Tulpehocken and Moravian.
In 2022, Faith (19-3) defeated Tulpehocken in states, and had a chance to re-defeat Moravian. The Lions’ PIAA semifinal with the District 11 champs was postponed to a Wednesday late game at Whitehall High School.
“(Moravian) is really strong down the middle of the field,” Faith head coach Ryan Clymer said on Monday. “They are extremely talented. They’re older and more physical. We’re going to attack them on the outside, which is our bread and butter.”
Faith Christian opened PIAA play with a 14-0 throttling of District 12 champion Tacony Academy Charter on Election Night. It was the biggest margin of victory by any District One team at any level this fall.
The Lions scored 11 fewer goals in Saturday’s quarterfinal with District Three champion Tulpehocken at Northern Lehigh, but the result – a Faith shutout – was the same.
“One of my best scouts watched them twice this year. He gave us such a good scouting report that all we had to do was implement some things,” Clymer shared. “The boys played really well, starting with the defense.
“They had a really good striker. He had his way the first 15 minutes and then the defense settled in and played a whale of a game,” Clymer continued.
Two Colin Moyer first half goals and some late Titus Gardner insurance gave Faith the 3-0 win. Moyer’s first score “was a through ball early on between the left back and the left center back. Ryan Noel sent a 30-yard ball through just out of the reach of the left center back. Colin took it with a beautiful first touch, in stride, and finished top shelf,” Clymer described. Fifteen minutes later, Moyer was able to gather a cross and punch in the second one before the center back could get over.
In class 4A, the Pennridge Rams (17-8) had their historic fall end in Saturday’s state quarterfinal game at CB East. The Rams faced District One champion Lower Merion, whose lone blemish this season was to the Conestoga side that edged Pennridge in district semifinals. Pennridge fought valiantly in a 2-0 loss.
Lower Merion “is talented from top to bottom. At every level, they have highly skilled club players. They have experience,” Pennridge head coach Pete Valimont pointed out. “It’s a very well-respected program. Their kids hit two rockets and we just came up a little short.”
Rams defender Tommy McKinney made a nice early tackle to keep the game scoreless, but the Aces tacked on goals in the 13th and 21st minute. Despite heavy Pennridge second half pressure – the Rams even had a goal called back due to an offsides call – the 2-0 score held.
“We played well. We didn’t get blown out,” Valimont continued. “We did everything we could to battle back in the second half. If we’re going to lose, and if my coaching career is going to come to an end, to have it come to a program like that and a coach like that – coach Nico Severini and I are good friends – I’m at peace with it.” Valimont, the Rams’ head coach since 2008 and the father of four boys under 10, announced in the preseason that this would be his final campaign.
Pennridge commanded District Two champion Abington Heights 4-1 at Clarks Summit in the PIAA first round on Election Night. Troy Thamel started the scoring and Shane Velez added a hat trick. The Abington Heights match marked Pennridge’s first-ever PIAA win as the Rams, after two straight years of near misses, finally got to states for the first time in 25 years.
“I think it starts with our four captains who are all standout character guys: Shane Velez, CJ Dimmick, Tommy McKinney and Jared Hess. They set the tone,” Valimont credited. “They’re great students. They’re responsible and mature. Everyone fed off of that. And you have to have skill.
“My assistant coaches – Aaron Rapsinski – he has been outstanding. Shane’s dad Shawn was my volunteer assistant and he was fantastic,” Valimont credited. “They were able to connect with the kids. We did a fabulous job in games that probably a lot of people doubted us – to be an 11 seed in districts and go all the way to the state playoffs and win a game.”
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