PLAINS TWP. — A tied score at halftime in a game to that could end the season. Yet, Wilkes-Barre Area wasn’t overly worried Saturday afternoon.
The way the Wolfpack viewed it, one defensive mistake knotted the score. Prevent any more in the second half and a chance for a championship was very likely.
That’s what the Wolfpack did Saturday afternoon. They clamped down on defense and scored a pair of goals to defeat Delaware Valley 3-1 in a District 2/4 Class 4A boys soccer semifinal game.
Johnny Mendola scored the go-ahead goal about seven minutes into the second half and Mauricio Mejia connected on a perfectly-placed long liner as WBA (12-6-2) knocked off the defending champion Warriors.
Up next for the Wolfpack is the D2/4-6A title game at 6 p.m. Tuesday at rival Wyoming Valley West (12-5). The teams split their two Wyoming Valley Conference meetings.
“That a very big rivalry,” Mendola said. “It’s one of the biggest games of the year even regular season. It means a lot to win against them or to play against them. That is a big rivalry in general.”
Mendola gave WBA a 1-0 less than five minutes into the game. Mejia took a restart from far out on the right and tried to send the ball to Mendola. A Del Val defender tried to flick away the ball with the outside of his foot, but instead bumped it to Mendola.
The Wolfpack continued the pressure with Leondro Espinoza creating a lot of activity in the offensive end. Del Val, though, managed the other goal before halftime.
The Warriors dumped a long pass into the penalty area where two WBA defenders were. Neither made an immediate attempt to clear, allowing Eric Choi to speed in and score.
“I thought we possessed well in the first half,” WBA coach Jack Nolan said. “One error gave them that opportunity in the box where we didn’t communicate well. But I thought we possessed well, we were doing the things we needed to do. Last 10 or 15 minutes of the first half, we let them take dictation of the play from us.”
The second half was all WBA. The defense held Del Val without a shot. The two best runs into the box were thwarted by aggressive tackles by defender Tait Stahovic.
As Del Val tried to generate offense, WBA was able to score twice. Mendola made it 2-1, scoring off an assist by Mejia. Mejia scored the Wolfpack’s third goal by placing a 22-yard liner from far out on the left wing into the upper right corner.
District 2/4 Class 4A Semifinals
Wilkes-Barre Area 3, Delaware Valley 1
Delaware Valley`1`0 — 1
Wilkes-Barre Area`1`2 — 3
First Half: 1. WBA, Johnny Mendola (Mauricio Mejia), 4:21; 2. DV, Eric Choi, 35:15; Second Half: 3. WBA, Mendola (Mejia), 47:38; 4. WBA, Mejia (Leondro Espinoza), 54:39.
Shots: DV 3, WBA 10. Saves: DV 5 (Shane Kirk), WBA 1 (Dylan Parry). Corners: DV 2, WBA 5.
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