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Eastern thriving with Edwards at controls

Haddon Township coach Jim Bonder had one request of his boys' soccer team. "Keep it away from 12," Bonder kept yelling to his players during Friday's quarterfinal of the South Jersey Soccer Coaches Association tournament.

Logan Edwards. (Elizabeth Robertson/Staff Photographer)
Logan Edwards. (Elizabeth Robertson/Staff Photographer)Read more

Haddon Township coach Jim Bonder had one request of his boys' soccer team.

"Keep it away from 12," Bonder kept yelling to his players during Friday's quarterfinal of the South Jersey Soccer Coaches Association tournament.

Eastern senior Logan Edwards wears No. 12. He didn't score a goal in his team's 1-0 victory, but that wasn't unusual. He has just four goals this season.

Edwards played his typical game, Eastern coach Steve Kosyla said. Edwards controlled the action from the defensive midfield, directing traffic and sweeping away scoring chances before they could fully materialize.

"That's what he does," Kosyla said. "We put him on the other team's best offensive player, and he shuts him down. He controls the game for us."

Edwards will lead Eastern, the No. 5 seed, into the semifinals against top-seeded Washington Township at noon Sunday at Paul VI.

The Vikings and Minutemen split in the regular season.

"We're going to need to play tough," Edwards said of the challenge of facing one of the state's top teams.

Edwards said he was a midfielder who scored a lot of goals in youth soccer.

But he has become more of a defensive player at Eastern. His style suits the Vikings, who rely on steady, sturdy, responsible play rather than offensive fireworks.

"The thing about Logan is that you can always trust him," Eastern senior midfielder John Salicandro said.