Tyler Blake doesn’t claim to be able to predict the future. But the Moon Area boys soccer coach figured he might have something special on his hands this season as far back as two years ago.
That’s when his club boasted a lineup that featured five or six sophomores who played meaningful roles in helping the Tigers to a WPIAL championship.
Back then, Blake had designs on a three-peat, but those dreams ended last year in the WPIAL quarterfinals when an injury-depleted Moon roster was upset by Franklin Regional.
But coming into this season, Blake and his players had high expectations – and they’ve more than met them, as they’ll bring a season-long 24-match unbeaten streak into Tuesday’s 6 p.m. PIAA Class 3A semifinal match against Conrad Weiser at Bald Eagle High School in Bellefonte.
“I don’t know that I saw us scoring 120 goals and being 24-0 at this point,” Blake said Monday. “But definitely a WPIAL championship and contending for the state was something we had on our radar coming into the season.
“We knew two years ago this year would be a really good year.”
Blake said those sophomores who played regularly two years ago – Aedan Costa, Evan Thomas, Jon-Mark Balbach and Zechariah Balbach – and Finnian Dangel, who missed that season due to injury but had started as a freshman, have improved steadily during the past two seasons.
“They’re so much stronger, faster and more technical, and they have a much better understanding of the game,” he said. “It’s not that they were just along for the ride two years ago, but you’re seeing the leadership coming out and the experience coming out.
“They’re maintaining a certain standard not just for each other but for everyone else on the team as well. They’re setting the tone.”
Costa leads the team in scoring with 23 goals and 17 assists, but he’s had plenty of help. Thomas has 18 goals, Zechariah Balbach 15 goals, Marc Haupt 14, Luiz Silva 11, Hayden Dunn 9 and Dengel 6. Balbach has also contributed 16 assists while Dengel has 12 and Haupt 10.
Moon, looking for its first PIAA title, reached Tuesday’s semifinal match by edging Allderdice, 2-1, in overtime in Saturday’s quarterfinals. Silva netted the game-winner for the Tigers off a cross from Zechariah Balbach.
Conrad Weiser, meanwhile, blanked Franklin Regional – the team that Moon beat in the WPIAL championship match – 2-0.
Moon won its first PIAA tournament game 2-1 over Lampeter-Strasburg.
Conrad Weiser has lost just once in 24 outings this season, and both of their PIAA tournament victories have come by shutout. The Scouts have outscored their opposition 20-2 in their District 3 and PIAA tournament games to date.
Conrad Weiser’s lone defeat came at the hands of Muhlenberg, 3-2, in the semifinals of the Berks County Interscholastic Athletic Association tournament.
Blake said he has watched a couple of Conrad Weiser’s games online and he’s certainly been impressed.
“It’s going to be a good game,” he said. “These are the state semifinals – there’s only four teams left. Typically that’s the four best teams.
“You don’t get there by happenstance.”
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