Delco Christian secures second straight Class 1A district title over Dock Mennonite
A first-half goal from Matteo Debellis was enough for the Knights to defeat the Pioneers 1-0, ending Dock Mennonite's district title hopes.
By Nikolai Morales ·
Delco Christian defeated Dock Mennonite 1-0 on Tuesday night at Upper Dublin to claim its second consecutive Class 1A District 1 soccer championship. The Knights, who entered as the top seed, outlasted the No. 3 Pioneers in a match that ended Dock Mennonite's season in the district playoffs.
Matteo Debellis scored the only goal of the game with 13:17 remaining in the first half. He drove through the defense in the 18-yard box and placed a shot into the lower left corner of the net. The Pioneers failed to add to the score, leaving their bid for a district title, which had eluded them since 2019, unresolved.
Dock Mennonite coach Christopher Askew cited officiating as a factor in the loss. "Anytime we would get the offense and start working up, refs would call it dead for no advantage or they’d foul us and get nothing," Askew said. He added that the officials needed to protect his players, noting that Dock received a play-in spot for Thursday.
The result gave Delco Christian a sweep of the season series against Dock Mennonite, although the teams had split their first two meetings with home wins. The Knights had beaten the Pioneers 4-0 on Sept. 3, while Dock Mennonite won 2-1 on Oct. 5. Delco Christian also defeated Faith Christian 4-2 in the earlier Class 1A girls final at the same venue.
Delco Christian has reached the PIAA state final twice in the last four years. The Knights won the Class 1A title in 2023 and fell to Bentworth 1-0 in overtime last year. Dock Mennonite, which advanced to this final by defeating Calvary Christian on penalty kicks 4-2 last Friday, will now seek a PIAA berth in a regional playoff against a District 12 team on Thursday.
The Pioneers, in their first district final since 2022, had several chances to tie the game in the second half. Luke Burleigh headed a free kick wide, and Miguel Martin shot high from distance late in the match. The winner of Dock Mennonite's Thursday game will face the District 3 champion in the state first round.
