Spring-Ford rolls to PAC-10 title

In soccer, perhaps more than any other sport, looks can be deceiving.

Lining up for the national anthem, Spring-Ford could have been mistaken for a JV team. Its two senior leaders, Eric Giovagnoli and Anthony Merchant, stood no more than 5-foot-7.

But both have attracted the attention of Division I colleges. And neither wasted any time showing why on the field.

In Wednesday night's Pioneer Athletic Conference championship game, the Rams used finesse, speed, and some deceptive muscle to cruise to a 3-1 win.

The game confirmed a notion that has been brewing only among die-hard soccer enthusiasts for weeks: Spring-Ford is a team to watch out for in the District 1 tournament.

"We're used to being under the radar and we're completely fine with it. We like being under the radar," Giovagnoli said. "The teams that play us [in districts], hopefully they come in cocky. We're just going to play our game. And they'll find out by the end of the game what we're really about."

The Rams (18-0-2) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute when Giovagnoli took a free kick from just outside the box. Teammate Blake Emerson was there to head the ball in just in front of the net.

Twelve minutes later, Giovagnoli gave his team a cushion by juking Perkiomen Valley goalkeeper John Murphy just to the right of the goal and sliding the ball into the net. The goal was his 22d of the year.

Giovagnoli later assisted on Jake Harriger's goal in the 69th minute. The assist was Giovagnoli's 16th of the season.

Giovagnoli and Merchant "are the heart and soul of this team," Spring-Ford coach Doug Landis said. "They're our two captains, and without them, we wouldn't be in this position."

The two command the midfield like rockets weaving in and out of idle traffic. They don't play a conventional midfield, preferring to sprint up and down the field, always looking to attack the ball and always looking for each other when they get it.

"Me and Anthony have been playing soccer since we were seven years old," Giovagnoli said. "We know exactly what we're going to do before we do it."

Spring-Ford held onto its lead thanks to a stellar performance in net by goalkeeper Jeremy Mulders. Credit the Vikings with applying a consistent attack, particularly in the second half when Drew Vernon's goal brought the Vikings to within a goal.

But Mulders, perhaps the only physically imposing player on Spring-Ford's roster, standing 6-foot-3, ensured that the lead stood.

The senior goalkeeper missed 10 games this season with a concussion suffered against Owen J. Roberts on Sept. 14. But in 10 games since returning, Mulders has allowed only four goals.

"We feel like we have good morale going into districts, and we're pumped," Mulders said. "I feel good. The team feels confident. And I think we're going to be able to compete."

Spring-Ford hasn't lost a game yet. And the team doesn't plan on doing so when the district tournament starts Tuesday.

"We're out there in the district and sometimes we don't get the respect we deserve," Landis said. "Traditionally, any team that comes out of our league that goes into districts loses and everybody says, 'That figures.' But this year, it's not going to happen."

Spring-Ford   2 1 – 3

Perkiomen Valley   0 1 – 1

Goals: S-Blake Emerson, Eric Giovagnoli, Jake Harriger; PV-Drew Vernon.

Saves: S-Jeremy Mulders 7; PV-John Murphy 5.