Through a month of summer soccer, the Salisbury boys soccer team got a little glimpse of what it would look like in the fall season that kicks off in a matter of just weeks. Head coach Mark Allinson and the Falcons weren’t able to get a full gauge on the team with some players missing games due to vacations and other obligations, but there was certainly optimism as June turned into July.

Salisbury, known as Gore FC in this year’s Lehigh Valley Summer Soccer League at Lehigh University, finished the regular season at 7-3-1 in the league’s A Group.

The Falcons were one of eight teams that qualified for the playoffs, where their summer season came to an end against Embassy Bank (5-0), the top team out of Group B.

“Summer league is what it is-a chance to get kids playing and competing against other high school teams,” Allinson said. “We use it as a gauge and understand that it is a useful tool, but there are other variables that we must look at, including the offside rule, players on vacation, one ref, the size of the field and playing nine a side.”

The summer league provided the Falcons with an opportunity to face some of the area’s top competition. A number of Eastern Pennsylvania Conference teams-Allen, Emmaus and Central Catholic to name a few-played in the same group as Salisbury. And the Falcons were able to hold their own against those unfamiliar EPC squads.

Salisbury downed Central Catholic in mid-June (2-1), and came up two goals shy against Emmaus the previous week.

“Our Summer League season was successful in that we were able to compete with the bigger schools on a competitive level,” Allinson said. “We use summer league as an avenue to judge against other teams, but it’s not like the fall season. Players are missing due to vacations and such, [but] I’m happy to get the kids working together and conditioning.”

Against some of the teams Salisbury will see on a regular basis come the Colonial League season, their play thrived even more.

The Falcons edged Southern Lehigh in the season opener by a 2-1 final, took care of business against Saucon Valley with a 6-1 victory, and doubled-up Pen Argyl 4-2 to close the regular season.

In all, Salisbury scored 33 goals throughout their regular season run, which included one forfeit loss to Juventis United. The boys in blue and white allowed just 20 in goal.

With a good mix of both junior varsity and varsity players, the months of June and July were a useful point of time that allowed those players to gel with one another in preparation for a Colonial League slate that begins on September 9.

A number of players had impressive summers for Allinson, including James Hadinger, Patrick Adams, Sebastian Buckley, Tyler Keller and Collin Fairchild.

“Getting the kids some reps and playing against other schools is important,” Allinson said. “Our strengths will certainly become evident when all players are together and competing for positions.”

The strengths will be begin to appear shortly after practices get underway this month, like Allinson said. But one thing will remain the same come early September.

“Our expectations are to compete at a high level all the time,” Allinson said. “Our tradition dictates that we must carry on what others have done in the past.”