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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING TORCH PLAYERS
Maegan Smith (Spring Arbor - F) led her team in scoring with 24 goals and 15 assists for a total of 63 points. She has been named to the 2011 All Mid Central Conference First Team and was the 2011 MCC Player of the Year, NAIA All-American Honorable Mention, and is the recipient of the NCCAA 2011 Michelle Akers Award.
Keri Shannon (Wheaton University - M) played a crucial role in her team's NCAA D-III Championship second place finish. This season, she scored 13 goals and had 13 assists for a total of 39 points. Keri was named to the First Team All College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) and was named CCIW Offensive Player of the week September 6.
Melissa Kornock (Indiana University PA - F) was named to the 2011 All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference First Team and to the 2011 Daktronics All-Atlantic Region First Team. She was sixth in the PSAC in total points with 33 and second on her team in scoring with 13 goals. She also dished out 7 assists which led her team and placed her fifth in the conference.
Ally Brown (Lancaster Bible College - F) registered a team high 49 points with 18 goals and 13 assists. She was named to the 2011 Northeastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) First Team and was named the NEAC 2011 Player of the Year. LBC made it's first NCAA D-III post season appearance this year by going undefeated in conference play (11-0-0). Ally was also named to the NCCAA 1st Team All North East Region Team.
Kristina Clairmont (Lancaster Bible College - M) did not play for the 2011 Torch, but was a member of the '09 and '10 teams and does plan join the 2012 team. Along with her teammate, Ally, she was also named to the 2011 NEAC First Team. Kristina anchored the midfield and scored 7 goals and had 3 assists and was named to the NCCAA 1st Team All North East Region Team.
Rachel Kilbry (Olivet Nazarene University - M) received NAIA All American Honorable Mention and was also recognized as 2011 CCAC First Team All-Conference. She scored 4 goals and had two assists in her second year at Olivet.
Ben Allen (North Greenville University - B) was recognized for his academic achievement when he was selected to the Conference Carolinas 2011 Academic All Conference Team.
Seth Mangum (Philadelphia Biblical University - M) received NCCAA All East Region 1st Team and CSAC Honorable Mention.
2012 TRYOUTS WILL BE HELD MARCH 10.
For more information, contact us at torch@buxmonttorch.com or fill out the online application.
2011 TORCH CAMPS REACH HUNDREDS
1, 2, 3, 4….75 and they're still coming! It was the first day of camp and the kids kept rolling in with their soccer balls in hand and huge smiles on their faces. This past week in Sellersville with Faith Baptist Church, camp was held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. with 100+ kids each day.
Every morning the camp opened with a different chapel message from one of the Torch players after which was station time. The kids rotated between six different stations of passing, shooting, fun and games, trapping, defensive strategies, and ball control for the first part of the camp Monday through Thursday. Halfway through the stations the kids would break into small groups called "Team Time" when their leader would spend time discussing the message and what lessons they could take away from it. The last hour of the day was dedicated to scrimmage time for the kids to release all of their last bits of energy and concluded with one of the coaches sharing his or her testimony of how they came to know Christ as their personal Saviour. The last two days at the Faith camp were especially fun due to the water games on Thursday and the round robin tournament on Friday. Each child's face lit up when they saw the buckets filled with water balloons. They delighted in soaking each other with the balloons and sneaking up on their coaches to get them wet. The last day of camp was solely devoted to playing time instead of taking an hour for stations. There was an older bracket and a younger one in which the winning teams received medals and trophies when the tournament ended. The coach's award, sportsmanship award, and MVP award were handed out to a player on each team, as well. The camp finished with a time of fellowship and laughter between the coaches and players and free snow cones that left a lot of us with red or blue tongues. The Torch also partnered with Grace Alone Frankford Fellowship, Molasses Creek Park , Action Harvest, Ayuda Community Center, One Hope Community Church, 8th Street Community Church, Push the Rock, Sanctuary, and Faith Baptist for soccer camps in the last month. The Torch strives to create an enjoyable environment where the kids can be challenged in their faith as well as their soccer ability and where church staff can be taught how to do sport ministry. These camps have been a tremendous blessing. Each week a presentation of the Gospel is given during one of the chapel messages and is estimated that more than 500 kids have been able to hear the message of Jesus this summer. These camps have especially been a blessing to the Torch players because for many, this is the first time speaking in front of crowds sharing their life story.
The staff looks forward to their last week of camps for the summer and is praying for lives to be impacted.
UGH BRINGS MEMORIES TO TORCH Wednesday nights have been anything but boring for the Torch ladies this summer. Each week the women look forward to loud car rides, smaller fields, and ritual trips to Chick fil A and Rita's Water Ice. Needless to say, Wednesday nights would not have been the same this summer without UGH. UGH stands for United German Hungarian league which the Torch took part in this summer. The league has been around for several years but this is the first year that the Torch has jumped on board. The games are 20 minute halves on a smaller field with eight players on each side. As much as the ladies enjoy staying in shape through the games the ministry they bring is for what they play. After each game the Torch players prayed in the center of the field, inviting the other team to join them, and briefly explaining why the Torch is different. The past two weeks the Torch players have been able to hand out bracelets of five different colored beads: the black one symbolizes our sin and separation from God, the red stands for the blood that Jesus Christ shed on the cross to take the penalty of our sins, the white symbolizes the loving forgiveness of our Father, the yellow represents the Heavenly throne where God awaits His children on streets of gold, and the green stands for eternal life that we are given through a relationship with Jesus Christ. The opposing players were very receptive to the bracelets and the explanation of them after the game. YOUTH GROUPS SUPPORT MEN TORCH SOUDERTON, PA (7/12/11) - Announced as youth night, the game against FC Sonic Lehigh Valley was not a disappointment. We had a great showing of fans from the youth groups from Calvary Church in Souderton, PA. Some came with posters to help root on the Torch men...of course it didn't hurt that Calvary's Jr. High youth pastor, Richie Sparling (#11), plays on the team. It was obvious a lot of thought and time was put into these creations. Judge for yourself. We thought they were awesome!!! .JPG)
Made by: Kendra and Celene Desko
Made by: Sarah Pletscher
TORCH MEN GAIN VICTORY AND WOMEN TIE
At the start of the game the teams were evenly matched and as the game progressed the intensity increased. The Crusaders outshot the Torch 9-6 and there were a total of 20 fouls for the night.
The Torch came out stronger than they had before and played as a unit leaving no room for breakdowns. Torch keeper, Melissa Fawcett, had 16 saves for the game and the Charge outshot the Torch 22-1. Both teams fought for a goal until the final whistle but walked away in a tie 0-0.
BUXMONT TORCH 2, MILBURN MAGIC 0 PERKASIE , PA (6/29/11) - Last Wednesday the BuxMont Torch ladies took on the Milburn Magic for the first time this season. The Torch walked away with their second win of the season out shooting the Magic 11-9 In the first half neither team was able to put one away even though opportunities arose. Just four minutes into the first half, Torch player, Courtney Collins scored off of a pass from Ally Brown. In the 82 nd minute, Torch forward, Lisa Philbin made the game 2-0 finishing with a goal off an assist from Melissa Kornock. Both teams continued to shoot throughout the game. The Torch had eight saves and the Magic had nine, and the Torch was able to walk away with a much awaited for victory. FC BUCKS 3, BUXMONT TORCH 2 NEWTOWN , PA (6/22/11) – FC Bucks (4-3) defeated the BuxMont Torch (1-6) by one this past Tuesday after a strong come back from the Torch. The game was played at Council Rock High North at 7 p.m. and was the second face-off of the season.  Within the first five minutes of the game, the Bucks utilized their speed up top. Bucks forward, Jennifer Hoy, ran through the Torch backline to play a ball to Heidi Sabatura who finished it past keeper Melissa Fawcett for a goal.Both teams had opportunities in the remainder of the first half but the score remained 1-0 at halftime. Midway through the second half Sabatura got her second goal of the game off a pass from Kimberly Powoski. Shortly after that DiClemente scored to make the game 3-0. The last fifteen minutes the Torch dominated the field. They maintained possession keeping the ball in the Bucks' defensive half and attacked relentlessly. Their persistence paid off when Courtney Collins received a pass from Allison Brown and nailed a shot above the keeper's hands for a goal. "Allison Brown came in and lit the fire which spread to the rest of the team," says Torch interim coach, Rich Sparling. The Torch's flame was now fueled even more as they fought for another goal. This came a few minutes later when Brown crossed the ball into Jessica Clarke who finished off a header. "We need to improve on our concentration. We allowed the Torch back in the game," says Bucks head coach, Ed Lee. The Torch continued to press keeping the Bucks on defense but couldn't get a third one in for a tie. The Bucks were able to attain a 3-2 victory for their fourth win of the season. The Torch ladies play next Wednesday against Miburn Magic at Pennridge High at 7 p.m. "I guess the difference was that we started to exploit the space on the outside of the field instead of trying to drive it up the middle of the field," says Sparling. "I just hope we can use this as a springboard to our next game." FATHERS DAY ENDS BITTERSWEET FOR THE TORCH  SOUDERTON , PA (6/19/11) - At Souderton High this past Sunday the Torch men hosted Erie Admirals and the women hosted the Chesapeake Charge. The afternoon was full of activities such as pre game clinics, a bounce house, and free hats for all of the fathers in the stands.The Erie Admirals came out strong scoring four goals against the Torch in the first half. Galvin Falconer started the lead for the Admirals followed by Shane Howard just a few minutes later. Afrim Latifi finished off the half with two goals in the back of the net. At halftime, the Torch put Jonathan Valerio in goal and made changes to the backline. The Torch kept the Admirals to one goal in the second half scored by Sean Washek. The Torch persevered and Tyler Cotton got one in just before going down with a broken wrist. The final result was 5-1 and the two teams will see each other again on Sunday at Lehigh University at 4 p.m. Lady Torch, Father's Day - After the Torch ladies losing 7-0 to the NYAC just the day before, they were exhausted but determined to walk away with nothing less than a win. The Charge was in similar condition after having played two games in the 24 hours before facing the Torch. 12 minutes into the game Torch player, Courtney Collins, took a far off shot that hit the left post to sail into the right side of the net off a pass from Meagan Smith. Midway through the second half, Kristin Abbott took the ball down the left side of the field for a cross that was finished by Torch forward, Melissa Kornock sliding in for the goal. In the last ten minutes Brittany Haddaway took a corner kick that wound up in the goal after going off of the Torch keeper for the Charge to make the game 2-1. "It definitely felt good to come away with a win," says Torch women's head coach, Erin Iwaskiewicz. " Chesapeake did a great job of continuing to work and press and they caught us on our heels. Going forward we'll need to manage a lead better, but overall this was a really good result for our group." The Torch men play Wednesday at home against Reading Revolution and the women travel to play FC Bucks. Both games will be played at 7 p.m. PENN LEGACY INFERNO 3, BUXMONT TORCH 1 LANCASTER , PA (6/15/11) - For the second match up of the season, Penn Legacy Inferno (3-0-3) faced the BuxMont Torch women (0-4) this past Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. The Torch came out ready for the rematch after losing 3-0 last time, but wound up leaving with a similar result. Both teams took the field confidently with advancing opportunities. The Torch was required to sharpen their defensive line early on facing related situations as before with Inferno's switching forwards. In the first ten minutes Inferno had a few chances to score but couldn't find the frame of the goal. "I thought that the Torch came out better than us," Inferno head coach, Douglas Harris, says. .jpg) 16 minutes in, a long ball was played to a Torch forward running on the left side. The ball was passed back to midfielder Kristin Abbott who played it into midfielder Keri Shannon. She took one touch to set up, and then nailed a shot into the left corner of the goal past Inferno keeper, Amanda McGowan. Shannon 's goal was the first for the Torch this season.
"I thought we played really well in the first half and thought we had good energy," Torch head coach Erin Iwakiewicz says. "We were making smart decisions in the attacking end of the field which allowed us to keep possession, work the ball around a bit, and control a good portion of the half. We scored a great goal as a result." Starting the second half, Inferno pressed harder towards goal. At the 53 rd minute mark, one of the Torch defenders miss headed the ball which was picked up by Inferno forward, Deana Sherry. Torch keeper, Melissa Fawcett came off of her line for the ball, but Sherry was able to finish it between Fawcett and the post to tie the game. The Torch did not give up continuing to push the ball forward, hitting a few close shots. McGowan had three saves for the night. Just before the 65 th minute, Torch defender Tannia Nieto went down with a knee injury going to the ball close to the half-line. The Inferno took advantage of the gap in defense, sending the ball through to Sherry. She placed it in the back of the net for Inferno to take the lead 2-1. "The second goal really hurt us. With an injured man down, we lost our shape in the back and weren't able to scramble out of the play," says Iwaskiewicz. In the 83 rd minute, a Torch defender attempted to clear the ball out but Inferno forward Lauren Wilson received it and played it by Fawcett for the goal. "The first goal by the Torch was phenomenal. But we came out second half and were finally able to put the ball through the Torch's defense and had some great opportunities that we were able to capitalize on," says Harris. Inferno was able to out-shoot the Torch 7-4, and each time had three corner kicks during the game. Inferno walked away with a 3-1 victory. The Torch prepare for their next game in New York on Saturday against New York Academy at 11am. AC CRUSADERS 3, BUXMONT TORCH 0 ATLANTIC CITY , PA (6/14/11) - The AC Crusaders (5-0) took on the BuxMont Torch men (1-5) at 6:30 this past Wednesday at Egg Harbor Township High. Both teams were in for a slippery night as the rain continued to come down on the players and fans. Despite the weather, the attendance report was 1,186 for the evening. .JPG) Starting the game, the Crusaders experienced difficulty in the back. Due to the Torch's high pressure, the Crusaders turned the ball over, giving the Torch offensive opportunities early on. The Torch kept the ball in the Crusader's defensive side the majority of the first half with their continued pressure.At the 35 th minute mark, John Zwart had the closest scoring opportunity for the Torch. He went one on one with Crusader's keeper, Tim Van Liew, breaking towards goal from the left side. His shot was pushed by Van Liew just wide of the right side of the goal. The Crusaders were able to get a few solid shots on goal first half, but Torch keeper, Jonathan Strunk, was able to make the saves despite the wet ball. Both keepers had two saves for the night. The Torch approached second half confident to take the lead, but could not keep up towards the end of the game. In the 68 th minute, Crusaders midfielder, Adam Sternberger, picked off a pass from the Torch's back line for a breakaway. He finished the goal past diving Strunk to make the game 1-0. Just two minutes later, Crusaders forward, Nico Tramonata was able to reach a ball that had found its way in the back of the net after a scramble in the front of the goal. At the 83rd minute mark, Crusaders took their fifth corner kick of the game and sealed the win. Tramonata finished off of a back post volley for his second goal of the night, making the game 3-0. Following a Crusaders foul just outside of the penalty box, Torch forward, Ben Allen cracked a shot that just missed the target one minute after the Crusader's third goal. Forward Seth Mangum left the field around the 85th minute with a broken nose after an accidental kick in the face from a Crusader player. This was Mangum's first appearance for the Torch this season. The last five minutes both teams battled, but the Torch couldn't find success. The Torch had 13 fouls for the game, and the Crusaders had 10. The Crusaders out-shot the Torch 10-3 and remain undefeated. FC READING REVOLUTION 2, BUXMONT TORCH O READING, PA (06/04/11) – Anyone who was at last Saturday's game would say that it was nothing short of a battle. Everyone in the stands felt the exciting and tense atmosphere as the BuxMont Torch men (0-3) fought hard against FC Reading Revolution (3-2). The game was played at Albright College at 7 p.m. and ended in a disappointment for the Torch. Coming out in a 4-3-3 formation for the first time the Torch did not know what to expect lining up against Reading in a 4-4-2. Reading took the field with the advantage of two more games under their belt than the Torch so far. The Torch started the game more organized with better chemistry than previous ones but their movement was staggered due to the new formation. In the 8th minute of the game Torch forward, Ben Allen, just missed the goal. Afer a strong build-up, Torch midfielder, Tyler Cotton, took the ball down the right side of the field for the cross. The ball was deflected off of a Reading defender's head where Allen received it and shot low, just missing the left side of the goal. Since early success was not achieved for the Torch, Reading tried to take the lead with several shots on the Torch keeper, Jonathan Valerio. Reading midfielder, Carlingtom Lamont grazed the outside of the left post with a rocket shot while Valerio was off his line. Towards the end of the first half, Torch defender, Richie Sparling tried to intercept a through ball from Reading midfielder through the Torch backline. He wound up shoulder to shoulder with midfielder Leslie Fraser in a 30-yard sprint. Nearing the end line, both players found their way to the ground with injuries. Sparling left the field with a strained quad, and Fraser went off with a pulled hamstring. The Torch went back into a 4-4-2 for the second half. Reading pressed hard for the first 15 minutes pummeling keeper, Jonathan Strunk, who started the second half for the Torch. Reading's advancement caused Torch players to chase and recover possession while their goal was being attacked. Reading outshot the Torch 19-2. At the 72nd minute mark, a deflection caused the ball to go high inside the 18 yard box, where one of the Torch defenders was called for a handball in receiving it. The penalty kick was taken and scored by Reading defender Pete Rowley giving them a 1-0 lead. Nine minutes later, Reading midfielder Eric Franks crossed the ball from the left side. Forward Derek Long received the ball off of a deflection from a Torch defender to shoot it past Strunk to close the lead. Between Valerio and Strunk, the Torch had 10 saves for the game and Reading had 1. Reading also had 8 offensive corner kicks and held the Torch to 1. Regardless of the stats, The Torch continued to play with heart until the game was over. Both teams earned 10 fouls, revealing the level of passion displayed on the field. The Torch take on Pocono Snow on Wednesday at home at Souderton High at 7 p.m. PENN LEGACY INFERNO 3, BUXMONT TORCH 0 SOUDERTON , PA (06/04/11) - The BuxMont Torch ladies (0-1) took on Penn Legacy Inferno (2-0-1) for their second game of the season at Souderton High this past Saturday. Penn Legacy Inferno approached the field with confidence connecting passes and pressing high early on. The Torch appeared rushed in the beginning of the first half forcing the ball over top into the final third without proper build-up. Fighting to maintain possession, the Torch handed the ball the Inferno several times in the first half due to poor first touch and undirected passes. Two minutes before halftime, Inferno midfielder attacked the space in front of her looking to play a ball through. As she approached the backline of the Torch, the Inferno forwards switched places. Capitalizing on the miscommunication from the Torch backline, Kendra Jones received the ball up top and quickly put it away for a goal. Frustrated at the scoreboard, the Torch appeared more in-sync and unified as they came out determined for the second half. Famished for a goal, the Torch fired away at Inferno keeper, Joy Shaiebly, totaling six saves for the game. The Torch's willpower fueled the Inferno's zeal to win. At the 67th minute, just inside of the 18 yard box, midfielder, Courtney Peffley, shot the ball low, which deflected off a Torch defender, finding its way into the back of the net. Heated from the circumstances, the Torch did not give up and relentlessly attacked the goal. Even though they out shot the Inferno 13-10, the Torch couldn't get the ball across the line. "I thought we hung in there pretty well with them and had some good moments, particularly in front of their net. But we weren't able to finish, and it goes to show you how important capitalizing on those opportunities is," says Torch head coach, Erin Iwaskiewicz. The tone of the game shifted again in the 75th minute when Jones penetrated forward with the ball. Fighting to get the ball out, defender, Brittany Hangesh slid for the ball inside of the 18, resulting in a penalty kick called against the Torch. Jones finished the ball into the right side of the net without complication for her second goal of the game, making the score 3-0. Even though that pretty much sealed the victory for Lancaster, the Torch continued to put pressure on the opponent's goal. Both teams finished with four offensive corner kicks during the game and Torch keeper, Melissa Fawcett had two saves. Out of the 10 shots from Inferno, five were on goal. "Penn Legacy is a good team, but I don't think a 3-0 result is truly reflective of how we played," says Iwaskiewicz. The Torch ladies take on Chelsea Metro in New Jersey at 7 p.m. Tuesday evening. BUXMONT TORCH FALLS 0-1 to FC BUCKS VIPERS SOUDERTON, PA (05/28/11) - The Buxmont Torch ladies hosted their first game of the season at Souderton High School this past Saturday lining up against FC Bucks, who entered the game with one loss so far in the season against ASA Chesapeake Charge. Playing their first game, the Torch seemed to hold their own against a team who had beaten them 7-0 two years ago. The first few minutes, the Torch struggled to hold the ball. As the first half progressed, the Torch became more comfortable, and it seemed to be an evenly matched game. The half would have gone much differently if goalkeeper, Melissa Fawcett, had not made a back-to-back save, quickly jumping up for the rebound shot to save the Torch from going down a goal. FC Bucks came out determined creating scoring opportunities as they had done in the first half. In the 53rd minute, their perseverance paid off when a cross was made over the Torch backline to Heidi Sabatura who went 1v1 with Fawcett, finishing with a goal. The FC Bucks continued to press only giving up two defensive corner kicks while the Torch gave up five. Even though the Torch wound up out shooting the Bucks 7-6 they were unable to put one in the back of the net before the final whistle blew. Both goalies totaled four saves each and FC Bucks walked away with their first victory of the season. The Torch continues to build chemistry on and off the field as they prepare for their game this Saturday at Souderton High School at 4 p.m. verses Penn Legacy Inferno. MEN HOLD HEADS HIGH DESPITE LOSS After only four practices, the Buxmont Torch men's team stepped on the field to take on FC Sonic Lehigh Valley. The Torch battled hard and held them until the last few minutes left in the first half. FC Sonic had a throw-in into the box where one of their forwards headed it on. The ball dropped inside the six in place for Joseph Puleo to shoot it in the upper 90. Entering the second half with a few lineup changes, the Torch seemed a little unprepared. FC Sonic came out strong with Anthony Barnold taking advantage of a Torch defensive error and scoring. The Torch continued to fight for scoring opportunities but struggled to keep the ball throughout the second half. With ten minutes left in the half, Barnold finished it off for his second goal of the game off a breakaway. The Torch was able to attain three shots on goal and continued to play hard until the 90 minutes were up. They hold their heads high as they now work on team chemistry and prepare for their next game this Saturday against FC Buffalo at Souderton high at 7 p.m. |
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