The Chiefs (15-0-2) will face Friday's Burlington Township/Haddon Township winner in a Coaches Tournament semifinal at noon Sunday at Eastern.
This is a Cherokee team that won the state Group 4 title last year with Ryan as a major offensive force, scoring 24 goals. This season, he has 22 goals.
Cherokee has already won the Olympic Conference American Division and will be a favorite to defend its state title.
"For me, he is the South Jersey player of the year," Washington Township coach Shane Snyder said. "To score the number of goals he has against the competition in the Olympic Conference and in Group 4 shows his ability."
Ryan says team goals always come first, but that doesn't mean he didn't appreciate this latest milestone.
"It feels great," he said. "You work so hard all these years, and it proves that hard work pays off."
Washington Township (7-6-3) has played Cherokee as tough as any team this year. The Minutemen, ranked No. 6, lost a 3-2 overtime decision and played the Chiefs to a scoreless draw in the two previous matchups.
"That is a great team," Ryan said of the Minutemen.
Ryan opened the scoring in the 34th minute when he took a pass from Jason Spieker and, from an angle on the left just outside the box, in one swirling motion, fired a shot into the far side of the net.
"He takes half a chance and makes a whole chance," Snyder said. "With him it was touch, turn, and hit."
Ryan gave the Chiefs breathing room by heading in a cross from Ross Staudt in the 55th minute.
Billy Lobosco, Jon Tarzy, Chris Crowley, and Evan Larison were among the Cherokee players helping a strong defensive effort.
Standout goalkeeper Barry Fitzgerald, who has been out since suffering a concussion Monday against Triton, was ably replaced by Killian Baldwin.
Yet this was Ryan's day.
"There is so much defensive attention paid to him, yet he finds a way to keep scoring," Cherokee coach Anthony Gallo said.
Ryan accumulates seemingly as many bruises as goals, with the physical punishment that he and most finishers take in a game.
"I have some bumps and bruises, but right now I feel great," Ryan said. "We still have some big goals to achieve."
And presumably, he has some big goals left to score.
Washington Township 0 0 – 0
Cherokee 1 1 – 2
Goals: Mike Ryan 2.
Saves: C-Killian Baldwin 11; W-Nick DiTullio 8.
Contact staff writer Marc Narducci at 856-779-3225, mnarducci@phillynews.com, or @sjnard on Twitter. Find his Rally columns at www.philly.com/narducci
