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Luzerne County to pursue voluntary payments from tax-exempts

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Official: More than 100 dead in string of Paris attacks

<p>KINGSTON &#8212; The Wyoming Seminary boys soccer team can say that it&#8217;s one of the hottest teams in the state right now riding an eight-match winning streak and going 9-1-1 in its last 11.</p><p>The Blue Knights are on fire so much right now that the only goal scored on them during the winning streak was an own goal by Millville in the last win, a 2-1 victory in the first round of the PIAA Class A Championships.</p><p>One of the biggest reasons for the overall, and defensive, success of the squad is 6-foot-6 keeper Kyle Hall, a Back Mountain resident.</p><p>&#8220;I might have slower reactions than (backup keeper) Hunter (Hughes), but I can reach a little further,&#8221; Hall said when asked his height advantage.</p><p>Sem plays at 5 p.m. Saturday in the state quarterfinals against District 3 runner-up Camp Hill at Exeter Township High School in Reading. The Blue Knights are trying to become the first WVC team to reach the state semifinals since Dallas achieved the feat in 1999 playing in Class 2A. Sem is also trying to win two state matches in one season for the first time in school history.</p><p>Unlike the Blue Knights (15-5-1), the Lions (19-4) are staggering a bit with two losses in their last five games, and had to go to penalty kicks to beat New Hope-Solebury and advance to this round.</p><p>But Camp Hill still has a solid offense spreading the ball around a lot with five players amassing at least six goals this season led by Kyle Bentz, who has 18 goals and 11 assists. Adam Jones and Noah Resuta each have seven goals this season, while Abduliah Hassan and Andrew Sponic have tallied six.</p><p>However, Sem has several advantages in the matchup. Camp Hill&#8217;s worst loss this season was 4-1, the Blue Knights&#8217; was 2-0. Camp Hill has posted 12 shutouts this season, Sem has 13.</p><p>&#8220;They&#8217;re a solid team, but I think we&#8217;re a great matchup,&#8221; Hall said.</p><p>The Sem defense, playing with an enormous amount of confidence right now, will be ready. In addition to Hall being in the zone, Alex Grosek, Diederick Reitsma and Eli Idec have been playing keep away from the goal as good as anybody in the state right now.</p><p>Even before the win streak started, the Blue Knights defense was starting to heat up. They allowed just two goals to an explosive Crestwood offense, which won the District 2 Class 2A title last week, and tied Dallas 1-1 right before that. The Mountaineers and Comets entered districts as the two hottest teams in the Wyoming Valley Conference.</p><p>&#8220;Individually we may not have the best players, but as a team we&#8217;ve grown over the length of the season. Overall, I think we&#8217;re a solid wall,&#8221; Hall said. &#8220;Our chemistry was very week in the first half of the season. As we started to play bigger teams we started to build up more chemistry and learn how other teams play.&#8221;</p><p>In addition to the previously mentioned teams, Sem also posted two shutouts against Holy Redeemer, which beat the team earlier this season, held Nanticoke to just one goal, including keeping the Trojans&#8217; WVC Division 2 leading scorer Ed Lukowski without one. The streak of not allowing a goal to an opposing player has now been sustained for more than a month since the 2-0 loss to Crestwood on Oct. 8.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s almost like we&#8217;re unbeatable,&#8221; Hall said. &#8220;After the confidence of beating Millville for their only two losses of the season, our confidence is on fire. We&#8217;re in great shape for this game.&#8221;</p><p>Hall hasn&#8217;t always been a goalie. In fact, he just started playing the position two years ago making the switch from sweeper. There&#8217;s not too much of a difference, except now he gets to use his hands, and his big frame more often. He started playing soccer with the Lake-Lehman program, while also getting training from Coughlin coach Rob Havard in the offseason and Misericordia men&#8217;s coach Chuck Edkins in the summer.</p><p>With Hall&#8217;s leadership on the stingy defense, the confident Blue Knights, who won a state game for the first time in 25 years last time out, will be trying to reach Tuesday&#8217;s semis and play the winner of Saturday&#8217;s match between East Juniata and defending state champion Moravian Academy; that match is 5 p.m. at Cedar Crest High School in Lebanon.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Wyoming Seminary goalkeeper Kyle Hall blocks a shot in Friday&#8217;s practice in Kingston. Hall, a Back Mountain resident, is 6-foot-6 and uses his reach to his advantage. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_semsoccer01.jpg</photo0><caption0>Wyoming Seminary goalkeeper Kyle Hall blocks a shot in Friday&#8217;s practice in Kingston. Hall, a Back Mountain resident, is 6-foot-6 and uses his reach to his advantage. </caption0><photoCredit0>Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_semsoccer02.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wyoming Seminary goalkeeper Kyle Hall, left, blocks a shot during a drill of Friday&#8217;s practice at Nesbitt Stadium in Kingston. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_semsoccer02.jpg</photo1><caption1>Wyoming Seminary goalkeeper Kyle Hall, left, blocks a shot during a drill of Friday&#8217;s practice at Nesbitt Stadium in Kingston. </caption1><photoCredit1>Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_semsoccer03.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wyoming Seminary goalkeeper Kyle Hall captures the ball in front of a tumbling teammate during Friday&#8217;s practice in Kingston. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_semsoccer03.jpg</photo2><caption2>Wyoming Seminary goalkeeper Kyle Hall captures the ball in front of a tumbling teammate during Friday&#8217;s practice in Kingston. </caption2><photoCredit2>Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Blue Knights boys soccer team ready for next test</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Dave Rosengrant</p><p>drosengrant@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Up Next</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Boys Soccer PIAA Class A Championships Quarterfinals</strong></p><p>Wyoming Seminary (15-5-1) vs. Camp Hill (19-4), 5 p.m. Saturday at Exeter Twp. H.S., Reading</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Dave Rosengrant at 570-991-6398 or on Twitter @tldrosengrant</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Wyoming Seminary boys soccer ready for next test at states