By Steven M. Glassman
Director of Sports Information
October 29, 2022
NEWTOWN, PA—The second-seeded United Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Division I Manor College (10-2-1 overall, 4-1-1 Eastern States Athletic Conference) faces the top-seeded USCAA Division II Bucks County Community College Centurions (8-7-0, 5-1-0) in the inaugural ESAC Men's Soccer Championship at Centurion Soccer Field at Noon.
Final ESAC Regular Season Standings:
Bucks County: 5-1-0, 15 points
Manor: 4-1-1, 13 points
Central Pennsylvania College: 2-4-0, six points
Williamson College of the Trades: 0-5-1, one point
Recent Postseason History (Since 2005):
Eastern Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference (EPCC)
November 2, 2005: Manor 4, Delaware Community College 2 (Semifinals at Manor).
November 5, 2005: Manor 2, Northampton Community College 1 (Championship at Manor).
October 31, 2006: Community College of Philadelphia 3, Manor 1 (at Manor).
October 29, 2007: Manor 2, Bucks County 1 (Semifinals at Bucks County).
November 3, 2007: Manor 1, CC of Philadelphia 0 (Championship at Manor).
National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)
Region XIX Division III Postseason Tournament
October 22, 2011: Cumberland County College 1, Manor 0 (First Round at Cumberland County).
October 23, 2012: Sussex County College 3, Manor 2, Double Overtime (Semifinals at Manor).
October 29, 2013: Manor 1, Sussex County 0 (Second Round at Manor).
October 31, 2013: Union County 2, Manor 1, Double Overtime (Semifinals at Manor).
Region XIX Division I Postseason Tournament
October 20, 2018: Harcum College 5, Manor 1 (Quarterfinals at The Proving Grounds in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania).
Fast Start: The Blue Jays are off to a 10-2-1 overall start this season after nine matches. They were off to 13-0-0 starts in 2012 and 2013 when they later qualified for consecutive NJCAA Region XIX Division III Men's Soccer Postseason Tournaments.
Road Winners: Manor finished the regular season with an above-0.500 road win-loss record (3-2-0) for the first time since the 2013 (10-0-0) when they were in the NJCAA. This is the second straight regular season they allowed single-digit goals on the road. The Blue Jays also allowed single-digit goals on the road for the regular season in the 2012 (eight) and 2013 (four) seasons when they were the NJCAA
Holding onto the Halftime Lead: Manor is 5-0-0 overall (1-0-0 on the road) when leading at halftime. They have outscored its opponents 18 to eight in the second half. The Blue Jays also have held its opponents scoreless in the second half in eight out of 12 matches.
Fit to be Tied (at Halftime): The Blue Jays are 1-0-1 overall (all at home) when tied at halftime this season.
Coming Back: Manor is 2-2-0 overall (1-1-0 on the road) when trailing at halftime this season.
Offensively Improved: The Blue Jays have improved its scoring from the 2021 season. Manor has scored 37 goals this season, which is the most since they scored 38 in 2018 when they were in the NJCAA. They also improved by 12 goals from the 2021 season, which is largest since the 2015 season, when they improved by 26. The Blue Jays also improved its assists and points, by 15 and 39, respectively from the 2021 season. The last time they this sizable improvement was in 2015 when they improved by 30 assists and 74 points from the 2014 season. The last time Manor had 30 or more assists in a season was in 2015 (43) when they were in the NJCAA. The last time the Blue Jays had 100 or more points in a season was in 2018 (101) when they were also in the NJCAA.
The Defense Rests (Again): Manor have held its opponents to one or fewer goals in eight of 12 matches this season. The Blue Jays have also limited opposing offenses to single-digit overall shots in nine of 12 matches this season.
Dempster Head Coach Milestone Watch: Manor Head Men's Soccer Coach John Dempster his won 93rd career matches. He won his first match, 4-1, versus NJCAA Region XIX Division III Passaic County College on October 5, 2010 at home. Dempster won his 25th, 6-0, versus Atlantic Cape Community College on October 10, 2012, at home. He won his 50th, 10-0, at Pennsylvania State University-Schuylkill on September 28, 2015 in Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania. Dempster won his 75th, 5-1, at USCAA Division II Pennsylvania State University-Lehigh Valley on September 28, 2019. His overall won-loss record is 93-86-2 (0.519).
Eddie Fortescue Jr.'s Scoring Feats: Junior midfielderEddie Fortescue Jr. (Blue Bell, PA/Wissahickon) has scored a goal in 11 matches this season which is the most by a Manor player since Mark Colville in 2013 (13). Dating back to the 2021 season, he has scored a point in 14 of the last 15 matches. This is the most by a Blue Jay since Colville in 2012 (15). Fortescue Jr. has 13 multiple-point matches in the last 15. This is most by a Manor player since Colville had 11 straight in 2013. He is also the first Blue Jay with 10 goals in a season since Zola Makanda in 2017. His 15 goals in a season are the most since Colville scored 23 in 2013. Fortescue Jr. is the first Blue Jay with 30 or points in a season since Colville contributed 68 in 2013.
USCAA Division I Men's Soccer Statistical Rankings (as of October 28):
Individual
Field (Top-10)
Goals:
15: Fortescue, Jr. (tied for second)
Assists:
8: Fortescue, Jr. (second)
7: Abubakkar Bangura (Philadelphia, PA/John Bartram) (third)
5: John Levy (Philadelphia, PA/Franklin Towne Charter) (tied for fifth)
4: Gabriel Elliott (Philadelphia, PA/Frankford) (tied for eighth)
Points:
38: Fortescue Jr. (first)
Overall Shots:
64: Fortescue Jr. (second)
49: Levy (third)
Shots on Goal:
49: Fortescue Jr. (first)
32: Levy (third)
17: Saw Htoo (Philadelphia, PA/Mastery Charter) (tied for 10)
Game-Winning Goals
3: Fortescue Jr. (tied for second)
2: Htoo (tied for sixth)
Goalkeeping
Matches Played
12: Aiden Holman (Hamilton, NJ/Hamilton) (sixth)
Matches Started
12: Holman (sixth)
Minutes
1080:00: Holman (fourth)
Goals Against Average
1.75: Holman (sixth)
Saves
83: Holman (third)
Save Percentage
0.798: Holman (third)
Team (out of 12 schools)
Goals: 37 (tied for third)
Assists: 33 (tied for second)
Points: 107 (third)
Corner Kicks: 72 (fourth)
Goals Allowed: 21 (sixth)
Saves: 86 (fourth)
Series Record (Since 2008): The Blue Jays are 6-8-0 overall (1-6-0 on the road) versus the Centurions since 2008. Manor last won at Bucks County, 4-1, on September 26, 2013. Manor won the first match-up of this season, 5-1, on September 29 at Manor. Bucks County won the next contest, 5-2, on October 20 at Bucks County.
Manor Athletics on Social Media:
Instagram: manor_athletics.
Twitter: @manorbluejays.
#manorbluejays
#ManorStrong