Hatboro-Horsham saw its season end in Saturday’s PIAA Class AAA quarterfinal round when the Hatters fell to West Chester Henderson 1-0. To view photos of all the action, please visit the Photo Gallery.
WEST CHESTER HENDERSON 1, 1-4 HATBORO-HORSHAM 0
There was something magical and unexpected about Hatboro-Horsham’s postseason run. No one could have predicted that the 14th-seeded Hatters would advance to the District One AAA semifinals, and it’s a safe bet that no one had the Hatters penciled in to advance to the quarterfinal round of the PIAA Class AAA state tournament.
But that’s exactly what happened.
And when it came to an end in Saturday’s PIAA Class AAA quarterfinal round at Wissahickon High School, there was no hiding the disappointment the Hatters were feeling. Making the loss especially difficult to swallow was the fact that the Hatters had an opportunity to hand the Warriors (24-0) their first loss of the season.
Four shots – yes, four shots – hit the posts or crossbar. Lifted shots by Casey Swezey and Jenna Cutilli bounced harmlessly off the crossbar while two shots ricocheted off the post. Another was stopped by Henderson sophomore Ryann Bauer on the goal line. Defensive saves are nothing new for Bauer, who also had a save on the goal line in the Warriors’ 1-0 win over Central Bucks South.
“We dominated the field most of the time,” senior captain Colby Eldridge said. “The ball just didn’t (bounce) our way.”
Unfortunately for the Hatters, the Warriors got on the scoreboard on their first opportunity, cashing in on their first corner.
Hatter goalie Emily Braunewell turned away back-to-back shots, but the opportunistic Susannah Pitt (Madison Lampe assist) found the cage on the third to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead at the 27:11 mark of the first half.
The Hatters responded with a vengeance, drawing five corners in the next six minutes and collecting eight shots in that span. Bauer made her goal line stop on the third corner, and the crossbar got in the way of another on the second corner.
“I thought we had it in,” senior captain Jane Henry said. “We had possession most of the time. It was just that they got that one shot. It didn’t set the pace of the game because we had possession a lot of the time.”
The Hatters might have had an idea the bounces were not going their way when – out of a timeout 13 minutes into the half – a shot ricocheted off the post. The Warriors answered with an offensive surge of their own late in the half, drawing nine corners in the final eight minutes, but Braunewell – who had 12 saves in another standout performance – and the Hatters’ defense were impenetrable.
The Warriors took their 1-0 lead into the intermission after a high octane half that saw the two teams combine for 24 shots and 17 corners.
“We had shots hit the post,” Hatboro-Horsham coach Laura Swezey said. “I just thought – wow, at any point, we’re going to score.”
But the Hatters never did find the goal cage, and an unforgettable postseason had come to an end.
“We’ve come a long way, and we’ve worked really hard,” Eldridge said. “We got further this year than we did last year, and that took a lot of effort.
“It’s disappointing watching the season end. We had such good chemistry, and we all got along so well together.
After a season like this and being a senior - we’re not going to be playing with these girls anymore, and it’s really disappointing, but we had a good season, and we’re happy with it.”
While some were surprised by the Hatters’ strong postseason, coach Swezey was not in that number.
“With the quality (of players) we had, we felt there was a chance we could make a run,” the Hatters’ coach said. “We really have a quality group, and I did believe we could be here.
“I’m proud of them for how they developed as players and as a team.”
Swezey bids farewell to seniors Eldridge, Jane Henry and Carlie Baldus.
“It was the perfect blend of personalities,” the Hatters’ coach said. “They each brought something to the team. They were wonderful.”
With five juniors, three sophomores and four freshmen from this year’s varsity returning, the Hatters’ future is decidedly bright, but no one was looking that far ahead.
“This was the best team,” Baldus said. “I’m not just saying that.
“I’m really going to miss it. It’s going to be hard not going to practice every day.”
“That’s going to be the hardest part,” Henry added. “Not seeing everyone every day because we’re the closest, and I think that’s why we got so far because we got along so well.”
One fact was clear - saying good-bye to each other was even harder than losing a game they could have won. If, that is, a bounce or two had gone their way.
The Hatters closed out their season with a 15-8-1 record (9-5 SOL).
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