Wyoming Seminary freshman Matthew Swartz (33) celebrates after scoring the first of his two goals for the Blue Knights in their District 2 title win over Wyoming Area on Friday.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Blue Knights knock off Wyoming Area for third consecutive year
Goalie Trevor Kruszka gets consoled by Wyoming Area’s players and coach along with Wyoming Seminary players after the Blue Knights’ overtime win on Friday.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Wyoming Area’s Kendall Heck (20) gets congratulated after scoring the tying goal in Friday’s District 2 finals, knotting the game at 2-2 in the second half.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Wyoming Seminary goalie Marc Jackett (1) leaps high in the air to deflect away a Wyoming Area corner kick in the second half.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Liam Burke (8) sends a ball toward the Wyoming Seminary net in the second half, where Kendall Heck was able to put it home for the game-tying goal.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
WYOMING — The method was different Friday afternoon, the result the same.
Once again, Wyoming Seminary defeated Wyoming Area for the District 2 Class 2A boys soccer championship.
Thomas Iskra bounced in a direct kick from about 35 yards out 2:55 into overtime as Seminary edged Wyoming Area 3-2, giving the Blue Knights their third consecutive one-goal win over the Warriors in the district final.
Seminary (12-4) handed Wyoming Area (19-2) only its second loss of the season. The Blue Knights will play in the PIAA 2A playoffs on Tuesday against an opponent to be determined.
The Blue Knights built a 2-0 lead at halftime, squandered it when Wyoming Area scored two goals three minutes apart in the second portion of the second half and then won it on Iskra’s goal.
“Wyoming Area is a great team. You have to give them all the credit in the world. They were the top team all year,” Seminary coach Aaron Littzi said. “They we able to come back on us and we’re just thankful we were able to win.”
On the winning score, Iskra hit a low liner that hit at about the 6-yard line and skipped just inside the right post. Aiden Gilbert ran up to and past the ball, a tactic that had no impact on Wyoming Area’s defense, before Iskra ran up and connected on his winning strike.
“I decided to keep it low,” Iskra said. “I had a free kick in the first half that I tried to put in the top corner and the keeper had plenty of time to react to it. So this time I decided to keep it low and see what happens.”
The goal gave Seminary its fourth consecutive D2-2A title by one-goal margins, including a pair of 1-0 victories over Wyoming Area in 2019 and 2020. The 2018 championship came via a 1-0 win over Scranton Prep.
Early on, it didn’t appear Seminary would need such dramatics. The Blue Knights scored 1:13 into the game as freshman Matt Swartz took a bouncing pass in the penalty area from Iskra and sent it inside the far post. Swartz made it 2-0 with just under 14 minutes until halftime when Swartz clipped in a pass from Marco Magnotta.
Wyoming Area had three corner kicks in the first 20 minutes of the second half, but nothing became of them. The Warriors finally got on the board with 14:28 left in regulation. Kendall Heck curved a direct kick from just outside the penalty area to the left part of the box where Braidon Kostik booted it in.
The Warriors then tied it less than three minutes later. Liam Burke managed to navigate through a couple defenders and sent a pass to the right side to Heck. Heck’s shot had just enough on it to hit off the hand of Seminary keeper Marc Jackett, who made a diving save attempt to his right, and go in.
Despite having the momentum, Wyoming Area couldn’t break the deadlock in regulation.
District 2 Class 2A Championship
Wyoming Seminary 3, Wyoming Area 2 OT
Wyoming Seminary`2`0`1 — 3
Wyoming Area`0`2`0 — 2
First Half: 1. WS, Matt Swartz (Thomas Iskra), 1:13; 2. WS, Swartz (Marco Magnotta), 36:33; Second Half: 3. WA, Braidon Kostik (Kendall Heck), 65:32; 4. WA, Heck (Liam Burke), 68:29; Overtime: 5. WS, Iskra, 82:55.
Shots: WS 8, WA 11. Saves: WS 7 (Marc Jackett 7/Antonio Gallo 0), WA 3 (Trevor Kruszka). Corners: WS 2, WA 7.
