Click here to subscribe today or Login.
By JOHN ERZAR; Times Leader Sports Writer
Wednesday, September 21, 1994 Page: 7B
WILKES-BARRE — Coughlin’s Jim Torbik wasn’t tired after the first overtime
Tuesday. He was just taking some time to be alone with his thoughts.
“Before every quarter, I say a prayer,” said Torbik, who was pulled aside
by Coughlin coach Joe Spagnuolo before the start of the second overtime.
“That’s all I was doing. He thought I was tired.”
Somebody must have been listening.
Torbik rocketed a 20-yard shot into the net at 2:07 of the second overtime,
giving Coughlin a 2-1 win over Meyers and a piece of first place in Division
1-B of the Wyoming Valley Conference soccer league.
The victory sent Coughlin (4-1) into a three-way tie with Meyers (4-1) and
Bishop Hoban (4-1).
Actually, Spagnuolo didn’t think that Torbik was tiring … at least not
physically.
“I had to get his head back into the game,” said Spagnuolo. “He was
thinking more about what to do instead of doing what comes natural.”
When Torbik took control of the ball at the right side of the 18-yard line,
he knew exactly what to do. The senior forward pulled the ball out a few
yards, then blasted a shot that Meyers keeper Marc Joseph had no chance of
stopping.
“I had time to set up on the shot,” said Torbik. “I had time to pull it
back and shoot. I didn’t shoot much during the game because as a wing I
crossed the ball a lot.”
The Crusaders spent a good part of regulation crossing the ball or passing
it inside the penalty area, but couldn’t get a goal through 76 minutes. Gene
Burke, Dan Evanofski, Chin Orih, and Ray Kuhl all had chances, but didn’t
score. Meyers fullbacks James Conmy and Mel Shaw made nice defensive plays in
the third quarter to stop two threats.
“Everybody had shots on goal,” said Torbik. “We just couldn’t get them in.”
Eventually, Orih struck with his division-leading ninth goal of the season.
The freshman midfielder capitalized on a miskick by a Meyers defender to score
from the 18 at 16:33 of the fourth. Dallas Fetterman assisted.
“It was a back-and-forth game,” said Meyers coach Herb Wiedlich. “We had a
couple miscues on that attack. Other than that, it was a pretty even game
right on through.
“We had more pressure after they tied it up, but time ran out and we went
to overtime.”
Coughlin had more offense in the 80 minutes of regulation, outshooting the
Mohawks 28-15. But the Mohawks had the lead, 1-0, until Orih scored to force
overtime.
Jason Barker had the Meyers goal at 13:04 of the opening quarter. Dave
Solomon started the scoring play, sending a 35-yard direct kick in front of
the net. Barker then rushed in from the left side to score.
Meyers best chance of scoring in the second overtime came with about two
minutes to play. Moses Ngolo sent a corner kick in front of the net, and
Solomon and Ryan Bly attempted to head the ball but collided.
Both keepers played outstanding. Joseph stopped 15 shots while Coughlin’s
Matthew Hunter had 10 saves.
Coughlin 0 0 0 1 0 1 –2
Meyers 1 0 0 0 0 0 –1
First: 1. Mey, Jason Barker (Dave Solomon), 13:04. Second: None. Third:
None. Fourth: 1. Cou, Chin Orih (Dallas Fetterman), 16:33. First OT: None.
Second OT: 1. Cou, Jim Torbik (Joe Spagnuolo), 2:07.
Shots: Cou 30, Mey 20. Saves: Cou 10 (Hunter), Mey 15 (Joseph). Corners:
Cou 9, Mey 7.
Seton 4, W. Scranton 2
SCRANTON — Kevin Pryor and Dan DePhillips scored two goals each as Seton
Catholic defeated West Scranton in a game played Monday night.
Pryor gave the Eagles a 2-0 halftime lead with goals in the first and
second quarter. Joe Carmody and A.J. Bernardi assisted.
DePhillips added goals in the third and fourth quarters. Carmody assisted
both goals.
Seton Catholic 1 1 1 1 –4
West Scranton 0 0 1 1 –2
First: 1. SC, Kevin Pryor (Joe Carmody), 4:02. Second: 2. SC, Kevin Pryor
(A.J. Bernardi), 9:13. Third: 1. SC, Dan DePhillips (Joe Carmody), 0:42; 2.
WS, not available, 12:22. Fourth: 1. SC, Dan DePhillips (Joe Carmody), 3:34;
2. WS, not available, 18:00.
Shots: SC 44, WS 11. Saves: SC 8 (Ramiza), WS 22. Corners: SC 8, WS 2.
Abington 2, Lehman 1
LEHMAN TWP. — Abington Heights scored two goals in the opening quarter to
give first-year coach Melissa Weber her first WVC victory.
Paul Silvernail scored at 4:29 of the first quarter to give the Comets a
1-0 lead. Louis Melucci added the other goal about five minutes later.
Lehman outshot Abington 25-12, but managed just one goal. Jeremy Fleeger
scored off a Charles Snyder assist at 8:45 of the second. Abington keeper
Jordan Evans shut down the Black Knights the rest of the way.
Abington Heights 2 0 0 0 –2
Lake-Lehman 0 1 0 0 –1
First: 1. AH, Paul Silvernail (unassisted), 4:29; 2. AH, Louis Melucci
(unassisted), 9:43. Second: 1. LL, Jermey Fleeger (Charles Snyder), 8:45.
Third: None. Fourth: None.
Shots: AH 12, LL 25. Saves: AH 14 (Evans), LL 7 (Kelly). Corners: AH 2, LL
9.
Hoban 4, Berwick 3
WILKES-BARRE — Julio Hernandez scored two goals as Bishop Hoban defeated
Berwick.
Hoban jumped to a 3-0 lead less than 12 minutes into the game. Hernandez
scored unassisted and Carl Mangold followed with a penalty kick goal. Paul
Bigus made it 3-0 as he took a crossing pass from Curt Cannon. Cannon later
set up Hernandez in the second quarter.
The Dawgs got goals from Jason Mayo, Hector Cruz, and Tom Boop. Tom Height
had an assist.
Berwick 1 1 1 0 –3
Bishop Hoban 3 1 0 0 –4
First: BH, Julio Hernandez (unassisted), 5:46; 2. BH, Carl Mangold (penalty
kick), 8:48; 3. BH, Paul Bigus (Curt Cannon), 11:32; 4. Ber, Jason Mayo
(unassisted), 12:46. Second: 1. BH, Julio Hernandez (Curt Cannon), 7:36; 1.
Ber, Hector Curz (Tom Height), 10:53. Fourth: 1. Ber, Tom Boop (unassisted),
13:04.
Shots: Ber 11, BH 20. Saves: Ber 13 (Fitch 5/Lego 8), BH 5 (Krokos).
Corners: Ber 4, BH 5.
O’Reilly 2, Tunk. 0
FORTY FORT — Keeper John Hogan made six saves as Bishop O’Reilly shut out
Tunkhannock.
The Queensmen took a 1-0 lead in the final minute of the opening quarter on
Tony Andario’s unassisted goal. Tim Hannigan added the other goal in the
third.
Tunkhannock 0 0 0 0 –0
Bishop O’Reilly 1 0 1 0 –2
First: 1. BOR, Tony Andario (unassisted), 19:32. Second: None. Third: 1.
BOR, Tim Hannigan (unassisted), 8:44. Fourth: None.
Shots: Tunk 10, BOR 13. Saves: Tunk 4 (Appel), BOR 6 (Hogan). Corners: Tunk
2, BOR 4.
Crestwood 4, Seminary 2
WYOMING — Mike Blasi and Joel Heintzelman teamed for three goals as
Crestwood defeated Wyoming Seminary.
Trailing 2-1, Heintzelman set up Blasi with the tying goal late in the
second quarter. Blasi gave the Comets a 3-2 lead in the third before assisting
Heintzelman about three minutes later.
Ben Brown and Nate Blodgett scored for the Blue Knights.
Crestwood 1 1 2 0 –4
Wyoming Seminary 1 1 0 0 –2
First: 1. WS, Ben Brown (Nick Sabatini), 1:38; 2. Crt, Mike Blasi (Joel
Heintzelman), 2:23. Second: 1. WS, Nate Blodgett (Doug Bruno), 12:56; 2. Crt,
Mike Blasi (Joel Heintzelman), 18:20. Third: 1. Crt, Mike Blasi (Pat Holman),
5:35; 2. Crt, Joel Heintzelman (Mike Blasi), 8:53. Fourth: None.
Shots: Crt 27, WS 27. Saves: Crt 18 (Ortlep), WS 19 (Pomento). Corners: Crt
7, WS 4.
Valley West 5, Dallas 1
DALLAS — James Lacy scored three goals as Wyoming Valley West defeated
Dallas.
John Littzi and Aaron Luka added the other Spartan goals. Robby Rolland had
two assists. Jim Noonan and Karl Kerr also assisted scores. Keeper Tim Butch
made three saves.
Quinn Cavanaugh had the Mountaineers’ only goal.
Valley West 2 0 2 1 –5
Dallas 0 0 0 1 –1
First: 1. WVW, James Lacy (Robby Rolland), 11:30; 2. WVW, Aaron Luka (Robby
Rolland), 12:40. Second: None. Third: 1.