MIAA Soccer Week 1 Roundup
Calvert Hall scores a pair of come from behind wins to improve to 3-0; McDonogh, John Carroll and Curley undefeated in the early going
by Nelson Coffin
A pair of comeback wins have marked the early part of Calvert Hall’s A Conference season.
The Cardinals (3-0, 2-0 league) fell behind Archbishop Spalding and Mount St. Joseph before pulling out 3-2 and 3-1 triumphs over the Cavaliers and Gaels, respectively.
Senior forward Zach Tamanini scored twice against St. Joe and Freddie Harris assisted Harry Vasilios on the other Calvert Hall goal. Grant Hamilton’s cross found Tamanini for the final tally.
The Duodo brothers produced the Gaels’ goal — freshman Francis to senior Immanuel — in the 10th minute to give St. Joe’s an early advantage.
In a scheduling quirk, the Cardinals will travel to Spalding on Monday to challenge the Cavaliers for the second time in three league games. They hope not to fall behind again, 2-0, against such a quality opponent.
After all, Spalding is coming off an impressive 1-0 verdict over two-time defending champion Loyola Blakefield on Friday.
Meanwhile, veteran Calvert Hall coach Rich Zinkand said that he was confident in the Cards’ ability to create scoring chances despite falling behind in both conference matches.
“We just had to focus on finishing those chances,” he added.
Zinkand noted that there is room for improvement for his team.
“We also needed to do a better job of challenging on the long balls played in and winning the second ball,” he said.
Loyola had an impressive A Conference debut by beating Concordia Prep, 5-0, after opening the season with a taut 1-0 non-league verdict over Our Lady of Good Counsel and then falling to Spalding.
After thrashing DeMatha to open the campaign, Archbishop Curley had a tougher time against Spalding before senior forward Jack Comey finished with a header from Chase Matthai’s cross in the second half to subdue the Cavaliers, 1-0.
The Friars were then fit to be tied, 2-2, by Gilman on Friday. leaving them two points short of league-leading Calvert Hall and McDonogh, which edged archival Gilman, 3-2, in the A Conference opener for both schools and followed that up with a 4-0 verdict over St. Joe.
Greyson Greenlee struck first for the ‘Hounds against the Eagles, ramming in a rebound off a Sean Broadbent shot before McDonogh answered with a 3-goal onslaught prior to halftime while building enough of a cushion to prevail. Senior standout Bashir Abu closed the scoring for Gilman on a spectacular 27-yard diagonal floater that nestled into the far right corner of the goal.
John Carroll ran ist record to 3-0 after dispatching B Conference member St. Mary’s, 5-0, Harford County rival C. Milton Wright, 3-0 and Concordia Prep, 6-0.
In two battles against A Conference opponents and one against a highly-touted Pennsylvania school, B Conference contender Boys’ Latin showed some mettle in beating Gilman, 2-1, and then losing to McDonogh, 3-2, and Penn Charter, 2-0.