Boys Soccer: Conestoga tops Lower Merion to cap perfect season in dramatic fashion

TREDYFFRIN >> Winning the Central League regular season crown and earning a possible No. 1 seed for the upcoming District 1 Playoffs simply wasn’t enough for the Conestoga boys’ soccer squad.

The unbeaten Pioneers wanted to make an even bigger statement on Senior Night at electric Teamer Field, and senior midfielder Blaise Milanek delivered, scoring the game winner less than three minutes into the overtime session to cap off a 2-1 victory over visiting Lower Merion on Tuesday evening.

“It’s my senior year and I’m lucky to go out on a bang like this,” Milanek said. “I couldn’t be prouder of this team. It was quite a way to end it.”

Conestoga (11-0) had already wrapped up the Central League crown. Now 18-0 overall, the Pioneers became the first boys soccer team in school history to complete the regular season without a blemish.

“You want to try to accomplish as many things as possible in a season,” said Conestoga head coach David Zimmerman. “We already had the Central League title in our back pocket, but having this claim to fame is something that can’t be bettered.”

Seeded seventh in the latest District 1 power rankings, Lower Merion completes the regular season at 8-2-1 (12-2-2 overall), and like Conestoga, has high hopes for the postseason.

“There is a reason these two teams have the records that they have,” said Aces head coach Nico Severini. “There was a lot of good soccer out there, a lot of good passing and good creativity.”

“Our boys stepped up to the challenge, but fell a little short at the end.”

At the 7:36 mark of the OT, Milanek got his head on a throw-in by teammate Will Klein and deposited it into the back of the net. The game-winner sparked a raucous celebration, with the large and boisterous student section storming the field.

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