Delco Christian midfielder Matteo DeBellis scores lone goal to defeat Dock Mennonite
A deflected shot in the 27th minute secured the Knights' second consecutive District 1 Class A championship and a playoff berth.
By Beatriz Soto ·
Matteo DeBellis, a senior midfielder for Delco Christian, scored the only goal of the game to lead his team to a 1-0 victory over Dock Mennonite. The match took place on Tuesday evening at Upper Dublin High School and served as the District 1 Class A boys soccer final. DeBellis is a playmaking winger who transitioned into a holding midfielder role this season, occasionally stepping in at center back to provide defensive structure for the Knights.
The decisive play occurred in the 27th minute. DeBellis began the move near the right touchline, where he froze the ball on the byline twice before splitting a pair of Dock Mennonite defenders. He drove down the right channel toward the penalty area and struck a shot from 16 yards out. The ball was aimed toward the right post but deflected off Dock center back Noah Burleigh before entering the left side of the net.
Delco Christian finished the season with a record of 17 wins, 2 losses, and 1 tie. This victory marks the program's second straight district title and its third state tournament appearance in four seasons. The Knights previously reached the Class A final last year but lost to Bentworth in overtime. The result also avenges a 2-1 loss to Dock Mennonite on Oct. 5, which was one of only two setbacks for Delco Christian this season.
Dock Mennonite finished with a record of 13 wins, 5 losses, and 2 ties. The loss sends the team into a regional match against MaST Charter from District 12 on Thursday. Dock Mennonite has a chance to advance to the state tournament if it wins that regional contest.
Delco Christian controlled possession for much of the first half, mirroring the performance of its girls team in an earlier doubleheader match against Faith Christian. DeBellis credited patience and a specific game plan for the team's success. He noted that playing center back often required him to choose his moments for attacking runs carefully to avoid leaving gaps in the midfield.
The Knights created consistent offensive pressure throughout the match. They forced six saves from Dock Mennonite goalkeeper Ethan Kratz. The most notable save occurred in the second half when Kratz parried a drive from Justin Ma with his right hand. Ma had received a pinpoint long ball from DeBellis midway through the second half. Earlier in the second half, Ma beat his defender to the end line and crossed to the far post, but John Casteluccio missed his chance to score from that angle.
Delco Christian goalkeeper Carter Dill made one save during the match. The stop occurred in the final minute of the first half when he rushed off his line to block an attempt by forward Cade Jackson. Dill also charged out to stop Joshua Cespedes 12 minutes into the game, though that play was ruled offside.
Late in the match, tensions rose after a hard tackle by Delco Christian's Behr Schreiber. In the 77th minute, Cole Matthews of Dock Mennonite received his second yellow card after leaving a boot in on a challenge. PIAA rules classify this as a soft red card, allowing Dock Mennonite to continue with 11 players while Matthews avoided a suspension. Dock Mennonite created little from two late corner kicks, and Miguel Martin skied a shot high in the final 90 seconds to end the game.
