Upper Perkiomen's boys soccer team needed to play its best to succeed on Tuesday. The team showed flashes but couldn't do enough to avoid a loss in the Pioneer Athletic Conference playoffs.

Logan Watkins deflects the ball towards the net in a  scoring attempt on an indirect kick in the first half of  Tuesday night's Pioneer Athletic Conference playoff  against Perk Valley.

            Perkiomen Valley parlayed two first-half goals into a 3-1 victory in the semifinal round of the playoffs at Owen J. Roberts High School. Nate Brown delivered a goal and two assists for Perkiomen Valley, which will return to Bernat Field for Thursday's championship game.

            Ethan Barr delivered the only goal for the No. 4 seeded Indians (13-6), who failed to reach the conference title game for the second straight year. His tally early in the second half, on a penalty corner, brought them within 2-1.

            However, the top-seeded Vikings (18-1) added an insurance goal approximately 12 minutes into the half. Matteo Loregio beat Tribe goalkeeper Evan Sands with a shot following a long run down the right sideline.

            According to head coach Kyle Fisher, the Indians more than held their own against Perkiomen Valley, the top team in the District One Class 4A power rankings. He said the opponents who have defeated them have a combined record of 64-7.

            The Tribe entered with a plan to disrupt the Vikings possessions with solid defense and counterattack. The team has displayed all season that it can score with anyone, according to Fisher.

            Brown opened the scoring just over two minutes into the game. He collected a cross from Andrew Bricker from the right wing and beat Sands with a shot.

            Perkiomen Valley extended its advantage late in the first half. Cody Basillo converted on a long looping shot from the right wing 6:52 before halftime.

            "That wasn't a shot," the coach said. "It was a cross that found the net."

            The Indians had a few offensive opportunities during the first half. Barr hit the crossbar with a shot from the left wing approximately 12 minutes into the game. Down 2-0, Matthew Fisher's direct kick from the 15-yard line with 5:11 left in the first half sailed just over the crossbar.

            "Three inches lower, and that goes in," the coach said. "We were a little unlucky. But we were able to keep it close."

            Coach Fisher lauded the performances of Logan Watkins and Theo Deskevich, who played new positions for the Tribe due to an alignment shift. The coach also credited the offensive efforts of Brae Jerrom, Matthew Fisher and Barr.

            The Tribe secured an at-large berth in the conference playoffs with a lopsided win in the regular season finale last week. Eight different players scored in a 10-1 victory over Pottstown.

            Jackson Smith led them with two goals and an assist on Wednesday, Oct. 11. Watkins added two goals.

            Anthony Macedo contributed a goal and four assists. Matthew Fisher notched a goal and two assists.

            Brennan Isaacson, Stephen Schmittinger, Kevin Proctor and Sands also scored. Brennan O'Neil and Deskevich each added an assist.

            Now the Indians shift their focus to the District One Class 3A playoffs, beginning Wednesday, Oct. 25. As the projected No. 3 team, they would host a playoff game for the first time in at least 17 years.  "It's another small step forward for this program, which we seem to take every year," Kyle Fisher said. "At some point, we're going to take a big step forward."