Three SOL girls’ lacrosse teams advanced to the second round of the 2012 District One Tournament. Check out all of Tuesday’s action. To view photos of the North Penn/Spring-Ford game, please visit the Photo Gallery.
#9 UPPER DUBLIN 20, #24 DOWNINGTOWN WEST 11
Sometimes lacrosse is simply a matter of controlling the draw.
Kelly Cross did a masterful job of doing just that, winning what could possibly be a school record 14 draws.
“That was so key to the game because we were able to score three quick goals (to open the second half), and it just kind of took the wind out of their sails,” said coach Dee Cross, whose team led 10-7 at halftime. “Instead of being up by three, we were up by six.
“We just were able to control the midfield better in the second half. We didn’t make any adjustments. I didn’t sub at all, but we just started to get some knocked down passes, and we got some ground balls. I just think we turned up our intensity a little bit, and that gave us momentum and put them on their heels a little bit.”
Kelly Cross acknowledged that she had made draw controls a point of emphasis.
“I think I just realized I needed to step up that aspect of my game because our draw controls on Friday against Springfield-Delco went our way, but we weren’t capitalizing when we were actually getting the ball,” Cross said. “I decided today I needed to be the driving force in that aspect of our game.”
Just how much of where the ball goes on draws can Cross control?
“I wish I could say a lot, but I actually don’t really know where to place the ball,” she said. “I just know that it’s probably going up in the air and that I’m going to be the one that needs to reach for it. I do my best to try to get it where my teammates are, but it doesn’t always work out that way.”
Cross also led the Flying Cardinals’ attack with six goals and four assists. Michele DeVincent added four goals and one assist while Emily Hitchings and Taylor D’Ginto each had three goals. Julie Cross contributed two goals and two assists, and Brooke Callahan (two assists) and Anna Trentini each added one goal.
“We started off really slow,” coach Cross said. “I knew Downingtown West was going to be good because they play in a decent league, but we turned it on in the second half, and that definitely helped us.”
The Flying Cardinals (16-3) will travel to Conestoga for a rematch with the eighth-seeded Pioneers, who defeated the Cardinals 14-9 on May 7.
“It’s a huge deal for us just because – yes, we have been in this situation before, but it’s always so fresh and new, and it’s always exciting be in the playoffs,” Kelly Cross said. “We’re planning on taking it step by step and working hard to improve on what we did last season.”
Conestoga defeated Central Bucks West 21-1 in Tuesday’s opening round.
#10 COUNCIL ROCK 20, #23 SOUDERTON 5
Looking very much like a team on a mission, the host Indians sprinted to a 15-2 halftime lead on their way to the resounding win.
“I definitely think we came out today and decided this was not our last game,” senior Hannah Plappert said. “I think that was in all of our heads that we’re not done yet.”
Souderton scored the first goal of the game off the opening draw. The rest of the game belonged to Rock North.
“We just came out with a really strong warm-up, and we had a strong practice the day before,” Plappert said. “Everyone had their heads on straight, and everyone was there.
“They scored right off the draw, and we looked at each other like, ‘We need to work on this. We need to pick it up.’ We weren’t about to have this be our last game, and we just really played as a team, and we all had fun.”
Co-coach Pat Toner pointed to the Indians’ 17-12 loss to Strath Haven in their regular season finale as motivation in Tuesday’s opening round game.
“They were very angry at the way that they played,” the Indians’ coach said. “Strath Haven is extremely good, no question about that, but I don’t think we played particularly well.
“I was very happy to see the response. There was no question – they wanted the ball, they wanted to play. I was very concerned about Souderton. I knew they were fast, and I knew they were well-coached, but our offense was just on fire today.”
Kara Magley (seven goals, one assist) and Hannah Plappert (six goals, two assists) were unstoppable for Rock North. Natalie Maher added four goals, and Molly Doyle had two goals and six assists. Erica Green rounded out the scoring, contributing one goal and one assist.
“Everybody played well,” Toner said. “It was a total team effort. Kara Magley, Hannah Plappert, Molly Doyle and Natalie Maher all literally were on fire. They just connected with each other really well today.”
Rock North will have a rematch with Strath Haven in Thursday’s second round.
“I definitely think we didn’t play our best when we played them the other day, so I’m excited to get another chance,” Plappert said. “I know our team has the potential to beat them, and obviously, it’s going to be a fight.
“We all are really determined to do the best that we possibly can.”
Strath Haven defeated Penncrest 26-5 in an opening round game Tuesday.
To read Karen Sangillo’s complete game story, please click on the following PhillyBurbs.com link: http://www.phillyburbs.com/sports/high_school/courier/dominating-effort/article_ead0053f-1e19-5f80-ba69-e1af42017287.html.
#11 HATBORO-HORSHAM 16, #22 UNIONVILLE 11
Unionville’s coach had just one question after Tuesday’s loss to the Hatters – who is number three?
Wearing the number three for the Hatters is senior Cortnee Daley, and the Louisville-bound senior was a one-woman wrecking crew in Tuesday’ district opener, contributing six goals, eight draw controls and seven ground balls.
“Cortnee Daley just took over the game,” coach Duncan Swezey said. “She was scary today. Just draw controls, ground balls, and in situations where we had to possess the ball – they couldn’t take it from her. She was by far the best player on the field. She was on a roll.”
The game was actually halted at the 15:45 mark of the second half for lightning. The Hatters, who had 11-5 at one point, held an 11-9 lead at the time.
“The momentum had turned, and it was like, ‘Here they come,’” Swezey said. “Then we got the lightning rest, and with the rest, I think that was the difference because then we came out and scored four goals.”
In addition to Daley, Nicole Beck added three goals and one assist while Lizzy Carr had two goals and three assists, and Julie McKay added two goals and one assist and three key draw controls.
“She’s really not a draw control person, and I said to her at the beginning of the game, ‘Julie, you’ve had 10 draw controls all year. You owe me three draw controls today,’” Swezey said. “I asked her to get something done, and she got it done, which is awesome.”
Caroline Hagan added two goals, Rachel Rausa had one goal, and Maria Guerra added one assist to close out the scoring.
The only thing standing between the Hatters and an even bigger win was the 18-save effort of Unionville’s goalie.
“In the first two minutes, she must have stopped three or four shots,” Swezey said.
The Hatters will face sixth-seeded West Chester Henderson in Thursday’s second round game. Henderson defeated Pottstown 18-8 on Tuesday.
To read Drew Markol’s complete game story, please click on the following PhillyBurbs.com link: http://www.phillyburbs.com/my_town/willow_grove/lightning-strikes-for-hatters/article_9ade2de1-dba7-5b54-ae32-b294b2815722.html
#13 NORTH PENN 16, #20 SPRING-FORD 9
Emilie Ikeda is best known for her defensive prowess on the lacrosse field, but when the Maidens’ senior defender sprinted out the backfield in the opening moments of the second half, caught a Brenda McDermott pass and scored on a well-placed shot across goal, the Rams were not only caught by surprise – the Maidens’ offense was off and running.
“That’s kind of a special play, a money play that we usually run for Rachel (Shaw),” coach Jami Wilus Behm said. “In our last game of the season, we ran it for Emilie, and she scored, so we figured we would stick with Emily. She really surprises a lot of people because she’s coming out of the defensive end. A lot of people know if Rachel is coming in, more than likely she’ll take the shot.
“Emilie is a tough kid, and she’ll do what you want her to do and what you ask her to do. She made a great move and made an awesome shot.”
Ikeda’s goal broke a 7-7 halftime tie and ignited a 9-2 second-half offensive onslaught by the Maidens, who were led by the stellar six-goal, one-assist effort of Shaw. The senior center also was pivotal in giving the Maidens a decided edge in draw controls.
“Wilus always tells us the draw control is what wins games,” Ikeda said. “It’s pretty apparent in games like this. When you’re playing against good teams, if you can get the draw control, you can control the entire game.
“When we win the draw control, we score.”
The Rams answered Ikeda’s goal with one of their own, but a free position goal by Shaw put the Maidens on top 9-8. McDermott came up with the ball on the ensuing draw but was taken down hard at the crease.
A fired-up McDermott capitalized on the Rams’ foul, connecting on a free position shot that marked the beginning of the end for the Rams. McDermott won the ensuing draw and split the defense for her second goal in a 13-second span to put the Maidens on top 11-8.
Momentum was clearly on the Maidens’ side.
“We definitely wanted to win, and we came in knowing we wanted to win, but I think we needed something to set us off, and Brenda’s fall set us off,” Ikeda said. “It went uphill from there. It was great.”
The Rams trimmed the Maidens’ lead to two, but the Maidens closed out the game with a 5-0 run. It was a marked contrast to the first half when the Maidens opened up a 6-2 lead after Shaw scored a free position goal only to watch the Rams reel off five unanswered goals to go on top 7-6 after a goal by Leann Shaw with 11 seconds remaining in the half.
Laura DeLongis turned a Shaw pass into a goal with two seconds remaining to knot the score 7-7 at the intermission. It was the third goal of the half for DeLongis
“We came out a little flat, and when we got up by four, we got too relaxed,” McDermott said. “We settled down and we weren’t that upbeat tempo, pushing the fast break.
“Once we came out at halftime, we just got fired up in our huddle, and I think that got us going. Rachel winning the draw control really helped us out.”
McDermott finished the game with three goals – all in the second half – and two assists while Hannah Young added a pair of goals. Tara Rogers had one goal and one assist, and Kaitlin Suzuki and Aubrie Stouffer both contributed an assist. Jenna Stover turned away six shots in goal.
Tuesday’s win avenged the Maidens’ 12-10 loss to the Rams on April 28.
“It was a Saturday morning, and I don’t think we were ready to play,” McDermott said. “We came out, and we didn’t know much about Spring-Ford, and I think we underestimated them.
“This time we knew it was playoffs. It was one-and-done, and this could be our last game on our field. Our seniors got together and had a talk with the team, and we just knew we had to give it our all and leave it all on the field.”
The Maidens (14-4) will face fourth-seeded Harriton in a second round game on Thursday. Harriton defeated Bayard Rustin 15-12 on Tuesday.
#3 RADNOR 23, #30 WISSAHICKON 2
Zoe Kale and Jackie Hibbs scored single goals for the Trojans, who also received one assist from Laura Frankenfield. The Trojans closed out the year with an 11-7 record.
#5 SPRINGFIELD-DELCO 14, #28 PENNSBURY 3
#8 CONESTOGA 21, #25 CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 1
Sophomore Elena Romesburg scored the only goal for the Bucks, who closed out their season with an 11-7 record.
- Log in to post comments
