Seton LaSalle boys succeed despite injuries in season’s 1st half

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, September 29, 2017 | 12:39 PM

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Kellen and Kaleb Krebs accounted for the game's only goal in an important Section 4-A soccer matchup last week.

The Seton LaSalle boys soccer team edged Bentworth, 1-0, as Kellen Krebs, a junior midfielder, scored in the first minute of the second half. Kaleb Krebs, a senior defender, was credited with an assist on the play.

Junior goalkeeper Sam Reinhart made four saves to preserve the shutout for the Rebels, who ended the first half of their season with a 7-0 section record and 9-0 overall.

“We've had a multitude of injuries this early in the season,” coach Ryan Kelly said. “We have only played one game when all of our guys were healthy, and two of them got injured early in the second half of that game.

“I'm hoping we can continue to play well in section, clinch a playoff spot and finish at the top. We're still a work in progress if we want to truly compete for both a WPIAL and PIAA championship.”

Seton LaSalle (10-0, 8-0) also blanked Chartiers-Houston, 1-0, on Saturday to start the second half of section play. Kellen Krebs connected on a penalty kick with about 14 minutes remaining; Reinhart posted the shutout.

An All-WPIAL and all-section selection in 2016, Kellen Krebs leads the Rebels in scoring with 16 goals and seven assists.

Other leading scorers include senior forward Darryl Daniels, with nine goals and six assists; Kaleb Krebs (three goals, 11 assists), sophomore forward Gabe Rosario (two goals, five assists), sophomore midfielder Ethan Gardner (two goals, three assists) and senior midfielder Cullen Vereb (one goal).

Daniels, who has missed four games this season because of injury, led the WPIAL in goals scored in 2016 with 41, including 11 game-winners. He was an all-section, All-WPIAL, all-state and all-region selection, and was named Player of the Year in both Class A and Section 4.

Reinhart, a transfer student from Central Catholic, has been spectacular in the net, allowing just three goals in 10 games and registering seven shutouts.

“Sam has been a calming presence in the net for us,” Kelly said. “He has a great demeanor for a goalkeeper. He also does a really good job at being in the right position and coming up with big saves.”

Reinhart has been supported by a defensive corps consisting of Kaleb Krebs, juniors Domenic Viskovicz, Kyle Killen and Chris Sigg, and sophomores John Pete and Tyler Stack.

“They all have done a very good job individually, but as a (defensive) unit I still think we can get to another level,” Kelly said. “We want to be suffocating to play against, and we're not there yet.”

Through 10 games, Seton LaSalle held a commanding 38-4 overall scoring advantage and was averaging close to four goals per game.

The Rebels ended the first half of section play holding a two-game lead over Bentworth (5-2) and Chartiers-Houston (5-2). Monessen (4-3), Brentwood (3-4), Beth-Center (2-5), Bishop Canevin (2-5) and California (0-7) rounded out the section standings.

Last season, Seton LaSalle won its 12th section title in school history, advanced to the WPIAL and PIAA semifinal rounds in Class A, and finished 22-3 overall.

Ray Fisher is a freelance writer.