High School Soccer

Altoona puts up valiant fight in title setback

By John Hartsock

jhartsock@altoonamirror.com

HOLLIDAYSBURG -- Altoona and State College have waged some fierce, tightly-contested battles in District 6 Class 4A boys soccer championship games over the years, and Wednesday night's latest edition at Hollidaysburg's Tiger Stadium followed suit.

Senior forward Owen Hollobaugh scored two goals, including the go-ahead goal that broke a 1-1 tie midway through the second half, to give top-seeded State College a 3-1 victory and its third straight district title.

"That was a heck of a match,'' said Altoona coach Dave McCarter, whose second-seeded Mountain Lions finished a 13-6 season. "That was a lot of fun. It was real quality soccer back and forth the whole way -- what you want to see in a high school soccer match, especially at this level.''

Hollobaugh provided the heroics Wednesday for State College, which will advance to host a PIAA subregional game Saturday against McDowell of District 10.

Hollobaugh was on the receiving end of a nifty ball exchange between himself and two teammates, found himself open in front of the Altoona cage, and buried a shot into the lower righthand corner of the net at the 20:37 mark of the second half to give State College the lead for good, 2-1.

Junior midfielder Drew Kogelmann started the scoring play, feeding the ball to junior midfielder Matias Harte, who then passed it to Hollobaugh for the game-winning shot.

"We had a lot of people up on the top of the field,and my boys were able to connect very well and find me open, and I had a great strike on the ball,'' Hollobaugh said. "I knew that we had to pick up some momentum to win this game.''

State College had reeled off 10 straight victories coming into the game, including a 5-0 win over Altoona at Mansion Park less than three weeks ago. But State College hadn't played a game in two weeks prior to Wednesday, and it took the Little Lions over 40 minutes to get their legs and rhythm, according to head coach Danny Orton.

"We needed the first half tonight to get back into a rhythm, but in the second half, we played really well,'' Orton said. "Altoona is a great team, Dave (McCarter) always has his team really well set up, and we enjoy the camaraderie that exists between the soccer programs at the two schools.''

State College didn't get a strong leg up on the victory until the 29:26 mark of the second half, when senior forward Henry Pinto scored an unassisted goal to put the Little Lions ahead, 3-1.

"Scoring that goal felt super relaxing,'' Pinto said. "I knew after that goal that the game was settled, and we could be able to play another game (in the PIAA subregional).''

Hollobaugh -- who also scored the game-winning goal as a sophomore in State College's 2-1 district championship victory over Altoona in 2020 -- opened the scoring Wednesday by converting an assist from Kogelmann at the 30:32 mark of the first half.

Altoona got the equalizer just over three minutes later, at 33:37, when senior defenseman/midfielder Chris Bartley booted a high shot from near midfield that escaped the outreached grasp of State College keeper Luke Torbic.

Both Torbic and Altoona sophomore keeper Luke Mitchell made several outstanding saves in the game.

"Both keepers were lights out,'' McCarter said. "Luke played great for us, and their goalie came up big when we had some good chances.''

Altoona will graduate their three senior co-captains -- Bartley, Elijah McCune, and star forward Kade Black -- who will all be sorely missed.

But the Mountain Lions will return a decent nucleus of present underclassmen in 2023.

"This season was so much fun,'' McCarter said. "These kids were a joy to coach. There will be a little bit of a reset next year, but I'm so proud of these kids.''

SCORE BY HALVES

Altoona……………………………………..1 0 -- 1

State College……………………………. 1 2 -- 3

First half: SC--Hollobaugh (D. Kogelmann), 30:32; A--Bartley (unassisted), 33:37.

Second half: SC--Hollobaugh (Harte, D. Kogelmann), 20:37; SC--Pinto (unassisted), 29:26.

Shots on goal: State College 17, Altoona 10.

Saves: Mitchell, A, 14; Torbic, SC, 9.

Records: Altoona (13-6); State College (14-2-1).