WILLIAMSTOWN — Ricardo Chagolla knows that when Jorge Nechar releases the ball, it’s time to sprint.
The Nativity duo have developed a superb chemistry that has produced a plethora of goals during the first part of the Schuylkill League boys’ soccer season, a tally to which they added Wednesday night.
Chagolla scored four goals, three stemming from plays started by Nechar, as Nativity held off a furious second-half rally from Williams Valley to beat the Vikings 5-2 in a Division II contest.
The telepathy between Nechar, a sophomore fullback, and Chagolla, a senior forward, doesn’t just come naturally. It’s the result of tireless training.
“In practice, the defenders come at me and I just try to find my open space,” Chagolla said. “(Nechar) knows where that open space is so he would just play the ball right to that open space.”
It was Alfredo Diaz that got the Hilltoppers started Wednesday. Diaz picked up a ball down the middle in the fourth minute, worked to the outside of the Williams
Valley defense and created a shot to the right of Vikings keeper Brent Reinoehl to give Nativity an early 1-0 lead.
The rest of the Hilltoppers’ offense was all Chagolla. His first goal in the 14th minute wasn’t assisted by Nechar, but the goal wouldn’t have happened without him. Nechar delivered a free kick from 40 yards out that got loose in the penalty area, eventually finding Chagolla’s boot for a 2-0 Nativity lead.
In the 18th minute, Nechar lobbed a ball over the Williams Valley defense that Chagolla chased down and buried for a three-goal lead.
Two minutes later, Nechar put a perfect ball on the ground through the Vikings’ back line to Chagolla in Nativity’s own half. Chagolla sprinted 50 yards unchallenged before scoring to increase the lead to 4-0.
“Jorge moves the ball well — they all move the ball well in the middle — but we like to spring Ricardo when we can,” Nativity coach Paul Datte said. “They do a nice job. We’ve really worked hard on moving the ball on the ground through the middle and I think it showed.”
Wednesday was Chagolla’s fourth multi-goal game of the season. He had hat tricks against Shamokin and Lourdes and scored twice against Tamaqua. His four against Williams Valley bring his season total to 13 in nine games.
When Chagolla is off the pitch, Christian Vazquez poses as much a threat up top for Nativity. But when Chagolla is out there, the Hilltoppers have five midfielders to support the natural striker.
“He’s up there for a reason,” Datte said. “He scores. He finishes.”
But Williams Valley wasn’t quite finished after Nativity’s fourth goal Wednesday. Keeghan Solence and Peppe Mini created a few chances before the halftime whistle blew that were encouraging signs for the Vikings.
The momentum carried over, as Solence, Mini and Devin Groff persistently pressured the ’Toppers back line. A red card to each team in the 56th minute allotted Williams Valley even more space to push forward.
Mini finally cashed in after picking up a loose ball outside the box, dribbling to his left and firing it into the top corner for his 10th goal of the season in the 59th minute.
Some hard work by Chett Pesta in the penalty area a minute later led to the freshman forward getting brought down for a penalty, which Mini confidently buried to cut Nativity’s lead to 4-2.
But it was too late for the Vikings. Ayden Adams’ cross from the left corner found Chagolla for a header to give the Hilltoppers an insurance goal in the 76th minute.
It’s a trend that Williams Valley coach Seth Shuey has seen a lot of lately.
“This is the third game in a row that we’ve only played one half,” he said. “We have to find a way to play a full game.”
Not having seniors Tre Engle and Willy Girard and sophomore Collin Schwak due to injury hasn’t helped Williams Valley (3-5, 2-2 D-II) during its three-game losing streak, but the large — and predominantly young — Vikings roster should develop as the season continues.
It’s been the opposite for Nativity (6-3, 4-0), which didn’t have a coach until Datte, a volunteer assistant last year, stepped in two weeks before the season started. Now the Hilltoppers are undefeated in league play and sit atop Division II, two points ahead of Schuylkill Haven.
“There’s a long way to go and we know that,” Datte said. “We just take these one game at a time and we don’t take anything for granted.”
Game Summary
Nativity (6-3, 4-0) 4 1 — 5
Wms. Valley (3-5, 2-2) 0 2 — 2
Nat — Diaz (unassisted), 4th minute
Nat — Chagolla (unassisted), 14th minute
Nat — Chagolla (Nechar), 18th minute
Nat — Chagolla (Nechar), 21st minute
WV — Mini (unassisted), 59th minute
WV — Mini (PK), 60th minute
Nat — Chagolla (Adams), 76th minute
Shots on goal: Nativity 14, Williams Valley 8. Corner kicks: Nativity 1, Williams Valley 7. Saves: Nativity (Menjivar) 6, Williams Valley (Reinoehl) 9.
JV: Williams Valley 5-4