2 left standing

The 2 Central League teams did their best in the PIAA State semi-finals but it just wasn't enough. Central Bucks East beat Conestoga 2-1 and Springfield lost to Senaca Valley in OT 1-0. The Central League continues to prove that it is one of the best boy's soccer leagues in the state.

The 2015 LM Aces officially wrapped up their season with their annual, soccer banquet on Monday evening at the Great American Pub in Conshohocken. The varsity ended with an 11-5-4 overall mark & another District One playoff appearance, the JV finished up with a very impressive 10-3-3 season, and the Freshmen team had their 1st undefeated campaign, 8-0-1, since 1987. Congratulations to all 3 teams. The future looks bright for LM Aces Soccer.

I will be posting only occasionally during the off season, but picking up again next Spring as the Aces start preparations for a new season. Next year we will go back to our "LM Soccer Alumni Weekend" format by including several of our activities in the same weekend; The Steve Fountain Memorial Golf Event on that Friday, the annual Alumni Game on Saturday morning, and watching the current Aces play that Saturday afternoon. I will post the dates for that weekend next Spring.

If there are any LM Soccer Alumni out there who have changed their email addresses, or have not been receiving our weekly email updates during the season (meaning we don't have you in our database), please send your current email address to me at: bubdavidson@comcast.net.

Hope you all have a great holiday season.

3 District One teams in State Final Four

In the State Quarter-Finals C.B. East beat Cumberland Valley 4-1 which Conestoga beat West Chester Henderson, also by 4-1. They will meet each other in one of the State Semis on Tuesday, 7 PM, at Souderton H.S.

Springfield defeated Fox Chapel 2-1 in their Quarter-Final and will play Senaca Valley in the other Semi-Final on Tuesday.

State Playoffs Begin

All 4 District One representatives are alive & well in the PIAA State Playoffs.

#1 C.B. East beat Hershey 2-0
#2 Conestoga's game vs. Emmaus was cancelled last night and will be played tonight
#3 Springfield beat Northeast 2-0
#4 W. C. Henderson beat Lower Dauphin 1-0 in OT

In the past 30 years a District One team has won the PIAA AAA State Title 17 times, and finished as the runner-up 12 times.

In the last 30 years a Central League team has won the PIAA AAA State Title 9 times, and finished as the runner-up 5 times, making it the strongest soccer league in Pennsylvania over that time

You can get all the 2015 results at www.piaa.org/assets/web/documents/2015_AAAB_SOC_Brax.pdf

District Champion

In the 2015 AAA District One Title game it was top ranked C.B. East getting past the undefeated and defending District One Champion Conestoga Pioneers 2-1. East opened up a 2 goal lead at halftime but Conestoga charged back, with the difference in the game being East goalkeeper Austin Prime.

In the 3rd place game Springfield was defeated 2-1 by West Chester Henderson. All 4 teams move on to the PIAA State playoffs.

Playoff Update

In one the District One semi-finals #1 seed C.B. East (20-0) easily defeated #4 seed West Chester Henderson 4-1, and #2 seed Conestoga (18-0-1)  beat #3 seed Springfield 1-0 in the other. They will face each other on Saturday night for the District Crown.

All 4 teams will move on into the PIAA State Playoffs.


Past PIAA State Champions

The PIAA State Championship began in the Fall season of 1973. Below are listed the 44 winners (by year), along with the runners-up, with both team's District number in (   ), and the score of the State Final game (in blue). When the State Final game ended in a tie (after the overtime periods were played) co-champions were declared.


Lower Merion has qualified the State Playoffs 8 times, with the results listed below:



1984 - Lost to Neshaminy in the State Final 0-1
1985 - Lost to Bethlehem Freedom 1-1 on PK's in the 1st round
1986 - Lost to Great Valley 2-3 in the Quarter Finals

1987 - Beat Fox Chapel in the State Final 2-1
1988 - Lost to Conestoga 1-3 in the State Final
2007 - Lost to Central Dauphin 1-2 in the 1st round
2008 - Lost to Neshaminy 2-2 on PK's in the Quarter Finals
2010 - Lost to C.B. East 0-2 in the Quarter Finals
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1973 West Snyder (4)  2-0  Upper Moreland (1)
1974 Middleburg (4)  4-0  Tulpehocken (3)
1975 Bethlehem Liberty (11)  1-0  North Allengheny (7)
1976 State College (6)  2-0  Bethlehem Freedom (11)
1977 ELCO (3)  2-1  Bethlehem Liberty (11)
1978 Fleetwood (3)  4-0  Upper St. Clair (7)
1979 ELCO (3)  3-0  Harriton (1)
1980 Fleetwood (3)  2-0  Radnor (1)
1981 Mount Lebanon (7)  2-1  ELCO (3)
1982 Neshaminy (1)  2-1 OT  Fleetwoon (3)
1983 Bethlehem Freedom (11)  1-1 OT co-champions with Trinity (7)
1984 Neshaminy (1)  1-0  LOWER MERION (1)
1985 Council Rock (1) 4-2  Moon Township (7)
1986 Strath Haven (1)  1-0  West Chester East (1)
1987 LOWER MERION (1)  2-1 OT  Fox Chapel (7)
1988 Conestoga (1)  3-1  LOWER MERION
1989 Downingtown (1)  1-0  Mount Lebanon (7)
1990 Fox Chapel (7)  1-0  Downingtown (1)
1991 Strath Haven (1)  1-0  Upper St. Clair (7)
1992 Wilson West-Lawn (3)  1-0  Strath Haven (1)
1993 Great Valley (1)  1-0  Wilson West-Lawn (3)
1994 Bethel Park (7) 2-2 OT co-champions with Neshaminy (1)
1995 Strath Haven (1)  8-0  Erie McDowell (10)
1996 Strath Haven (1)  6-0  North Allegheny (7)
1997 Coughlin (2)  9-5 OT  Erie Cathedral Prep (7)
1998 Downingtown (1)  1-0  Peters Township (7)
1999 Downingtown (1)  4-2  North Allegheny (7)
2000 North Allegheny (7)  1-0 OT  Emmaus (11)
2001 Strath Haven (1)  1-1 OT co-champions w/ Erie Cathedral Prep (7)
2002 West Chester Henderson (1)  2-1  Chartiers Valley (7)
2003 Upper St. Clair (7)  1-0 OT  West Chester East (1)
2004 Upper St. Clair (7)  2-0  West Chester Henderson (1)
2005 Warwick (3)  1-0  West Chester Henderson (1)
2006 Council Rock N. (1)  2-1  Manheim Township. (3)
2007 Peters Township (7)  2-1 OT  Downingtown West (1)
2008 Downingtown West (1)  2-1  Peters Township (7)
2009 Father Judge (12)  0-0 OT co-champions with Central Daulphin (3)
2010 Hempfield (3)  2-1  Central Bucks East (1)
2011 Conestoga (1)  1-0  Upper St. Clair (7)
2013 Upper St. Clair (7) 1-0 Wilson West Lawn (3)
2014 Peters Township (7) 2-1 Great Valley (1)

District One Final Four

The Central League's top 2 teams, Conestoga & Springfield, have both advanced to the District One Final Four.  All 4 teams will move on to the PIAA State Playoffs.

'Stoga, the #2 seed, beat Council Rock North 2-1 in the 2nd round (after a 1st round bye), and then dispatched Abington 4-0 in the quarter-finals. Springfield beat Central Bucks West 2-1 in OT in the 2nd round (after a 1st round bye), then defeated Pennsbury 2-1 in the quarters (scoring the winning goal in the last 7 seconds playing a man down). On Wednesday they face each other in the semis at William Tennent (7 PM). In the other semi-final #1 seed C.B. East (a PK winner against North Penn) takes on #4 West Chester Henderson, who beat Downingtown West 2-1.

Lower Merion won the District One Title 2 times in the last 8 years (2007 & 2010) as well as 5 other times since they began in 1954 ('54, '58, '65, '68, '88).