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PLAINS TWP. — Williamsport started with a very strong attack early and ended the game with another offensive flurry.
In between, Wilkes-Barre Area scored just enough Wednesday night to advance in the District 2/4 Class 4A boys soccer playoffs.
Johnny Mendola switched the momentum with a first-half goal and Robbie Miller scored what proved to be the game-winner early in the second half as the Wolfpack defeated Williamsport 2-1 in a quarterfinal game.
WBA (8-7-4) will play at Wyoming Valley West (10-5-1) on Friday at a time to be announced. Holy Redeemer has a football game at the same stadium that night. The Wolfpack and Spartans split a pair of one-goal games in the regular season.
“They beat us in double overtime here and we beat them in double overtime over there,” WBA coach Jack Nolan said. “It should be a hell of a game.”
Wednesday night didn’t start well for WBA. Williamsport (7-8-2) had two shots in the first two minutes that were saved by Wolfpack keeper Joe Egidio. Another shot skimmed off the crossbar a few minutes later.
WBA shifted the momentum at the 12-minute mark. Miller got free and while his shot was saved it also jump-started the offense.
The Wolfpack eventually scored with 66 seconds left until halftime. Diego Leva launched a long pass from near midfield that sprung three teammates on breakaways. Mendola was the middle guy and scored.
“The goal we got on their mistake was critical to give us a little bit of confidence,” Nolan said. “We came out tentative. That’s what we talked to them about at halftime. For 30 minutes Williamsport pressed us. We seemed tentative and nervous. The goal helped us and we played toe-to-toe with them in the second half.”
Miller was the recipient of a Williamsport miscue about seven minutes into the second half. A poor clearing attempt went right to him and he scored uncontested from 15 yards away.
Williamsport cut the deficit to 2-1 about four minutes later. Brayden Ungard dribbled parallel to the goal before ripping a low shot to the left corner from about 25 yards out.
The Millionaires had three solid opportunities to tie in the latter portion of the second half. Egidio saved shots from Ungard and Isaac Balza and escaped a tense situation with under six minutes to play.
Balza made a strong run down the left side and the ball eventually got to Connor Hofstrom. Hofstrom’s 28-yarder hit off the crossbar, bounced high and landed about eight yards out where Egidio was able to gather it with a Millionaire rushing in.
That was the last dangerous threat from Williamsport, which finished with 18 shots.
Wilkes-Barre Area 2, Williamsport 1
Williamsport`0`1 — 1
Wilkes-Barre Area`1`1 — 2
First Half: 1. WBA, Johnny Mendola (Diego Leva), 38:54; Second half: 2. WBA, Robbie Miller 47:02; 3. WIL, Brayden Ungard, 51:04.
Shots: WIL 18, WBA 9. Saves: WIL 3 (Maxwell Fink), WBA 12 (Joe Egidio). Corners: WIL 5, WBA 1.