Brentwood boys soccer seeking return to WPIAL playoffs
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Saturday, September 15, 2018 | 3:27 PM
The Brentwood boys soccer team narrowly missed a WPIAL playoff berth in 2017, ending up 7-7 in section play and 10-7 overall.
The Spartans finished fifth in Section 4-A behind Seton LaSalle (12-1-1), Bentworth (10-4), Monessen (8-6) and Chartiers-Houston (8-6)
But with 15 lettermen back from last year’s team, including eight starters, Brentwood coach Ron DiNardo is optimistic his team can return to the WPIAL playoff status it enjoyed in 2016.
“I’m expecting a pretty good season; I have a lot of starters returning,” DiNardo said. “We have been working on ball control, and the team is looking pretty good.”
Sophomores Heran Pradhan, Mario Richards and Ben Betz; seniors Biren Biswa, Ramesh Bista, Dominic Dudiak, Simon Accamando, Suren Poudyel, Nick DiNardo, Adam Czerniejewski, Andy Smith and Sean Way; and juniors Shashak Gurung, Cody Bagnull and Brett Powers earned varsity letters a year ago.
The returning starters are Gurung, Pradhan and Betz at forward; Biswa and Bista at midfield; and Dudiak, Accamando and Poudyel on defense, which DiNardo believes is a team strength, along with ball control throughout the lineup.
Those eight have been joined in the starting lineup by three freshmen — midfielder Prason Gurung, defender Marc Accamando and goalkeeper Zach Dirling. Nick DiNardo and freshman Sergio Garcia are top reserves.
Other players in the program include junior Dave Males; sophomores Patrick Conway, Ryan Czerniejewski, Saroj Gurung, Dan Steingraber and Riley Wirth; plus freshmen Samir Kadariya and Patrick Wolfe.
Brentwood opened the season 2-0-1, defeating Chartiers-Houston, 2-1; and Bentworth, 6-1; and playing to a scoreless tie at Monessen. All three were section games.
Betz connected for a hat trick against Bentworth and was complemented offensively by Shashak Gurung, Prason Gurung and Garcia, who netted one goal apiece; along with Biswa, who registered three assists.
Biswa and Pradhan scored goals against Chartiers-Houston.
Ray Fisher is a freelance writer.
Tags: Brentwood
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