Calvary Christian boys make history with District 1 Class A title

For the first time in Calvary Christian’s 30-year history, their boys soccer team are heading to the PIAA state tournament and they’ll do so as District 1 champions after a 4-3 overtime win over New Hope Solebury last week.

Junior Nolan Redante set up younger brother Caden Redante on the title-winning goal at the final played at North Penn High School.

“The final goal to win it in overtime was a brilliant play,” head coach Caleb Morrison said. “Caden scored the goal and he’ll get the fanfare but his older brother Nolan set it up. He won the ball in the tackle in midfield, he met the next defender that tried to stop him and then played the perfect through ball to Caden, who took it to the house.”

The Northeast Philadelphia school has been inching closer to the local summit in recent years, losing last year in overtime at Delaware County Christian in the district semifinal and watching as their conference rivals went on to win the Class A state title.

This year, with an experienced all-senior back line they were able to exact revenge in a regular season win over Delaware County and a 5-1 win in the semifinal.

“The playoff game at our place was just surreal,” Morrison said. “Sports is so much about belief and coming into the year after last year’s heartbreaker we had a lot of belief we could get back and win it. Last year they were hoping for a result but not expecting it; this year has been different.”

The confidence showed in the 5-1 result but so too did some of the lumps the team has had. They drew DC 3-3 earlier in the year and lost twice to Faith Christian, the 2023 District 1 champions which moved up to Class 2A this year. They also lost early in the season 1-0 to Lower Moreland, which was a semifinalist in Class 3A and dropped their second meeting at DC 2-1.

“We’re definitely peaking at the right time,” said Morrison, who also coaches locally at HVAA. “We have a lot of guys that have stepped up, especially the seniors.”

Calvary Christian will host Lancaster Mennonite in the first round of the state playoffs on Tuesday. Lancaster Mennonite lost to Camp Hill – Class 2A state champs a year ago – in the District III final.