Neshaminy and Central Bucks East advanced to Saturday’s District One Class AAA quarterfinal round with wins on Tuesday night.
Neshaminy vs Red Land – 99 and Counting!
By: Ben Winderman
In the 64th minute of Tuesday’s state playoff game between The Lady Skins of Neshaminy and The Patriots of Red Land High, senior striker Megan Schafer collected a ball on the right flank and like a triple crown threat at Churchill Downs galloped past her opponent’s left back and separated herself from the field. The crowd rose to their feet and peered through binoculars. Turf bugs sprayed from her hooves. Red Land goalkeeper Rachel Foxx stepped towards #18, but it was Neshaminy’s Filly who controlled the moment. The striker froze the Patriot keeper and poked the ball through the Foxx’s legs. It made the score an insurmountable 3-0, and after three straight dramatic one-goal victories in districts, the Lady Skins earned an opportunity to breathe. Gracefully, Schafer trotted to the winner’s circle where her teammates draped her with roses and congratulations. It was Megan’s 99th career goal as a varsity player, her second of the evening, and one shy of a full soccer Senate this Election Day; two shy of a Dalmatian celebration. This kid can surely pick her spots (sorry).
Neshaminy broke through in the 20th minute. Shafer played a curling ball with the outside of her right foot through a seam in the Patriot defense, and Gabby Farrell cut to the ball’s path in stride. The sophomore striker took a set up touch and struck it clean, but Foxx cut the angle well and threw her left arm up to block Farrell’s shot. The rebound bounced out of the 18-yard box to Neshaminy midfielder Jessica Kelly who had followed the play perfectly. Kelly one-timed the ball on a volley and put her team in front.
“I just stayed with the play,” explained the senior midfielder, “adjusted my body, and caught it clean with my laces.”
It was an important goal for the Lady Skins who had squandered a few early chances.
“We talked about that,” said Neshaminy coach Rachel Clemens. “We wanted to come out and score early, not allow them to stay in the game, but we missed opportunities, and at halftime, it was still only 1-0.”
Clemens praised Kelly for her confidence and poise.
“Last year and a lot of this season we played her in the back,” the Redskins’ coach shared. “Jess is such a smart player - she and Katie (Suchodolski) have helped us so much; they open up the middle, make great runs, and see every part of the game.”
When asked if she was happy switching into the midfield, Kelly’s response was immediate, “As long as I’m on the field,” she smiled.
Towards the end of the match with the lead at three, Kelly did get subbed for freshman Alyssa Tobin, but when surveying the players minutes later, #2 was back on the pitch. Kelly and Suchodolski give Neshaminy speed, skill, defensive savvy, and playmaking on the outsides. That balance is at least one explanation of why the Lady Skins are still unbeaten and untied this season. Suchodolski, a senior who plans to play for Marshall University next fall, also attributes her team’s success to its rituals and good habits.
“We just did our same routine,” responded the senior midfielder when asked about how the Redskins had prepared for states. “We didn’t know much about them, but I think we adapted well.”
Now with a few days to prepare for Wilson West Lawn, the Skins will know more about their opponent.
“That’s what I do eighth period every day,” explained Suchodolski, who’s interested in studying broadcast journalism. “I research our opponents.”
Jess Kelly only cares about being on the field, Katie Suchodolski researches future foes in school, Megan Schafer passes square to junior Fran Donato from nine yards out instead of having a go at her one hundredth goal, Amy Mandia plays with an ankle that aches with every step and kills with every cut but never shies away from a tackle, Amy Heller serves restarts on a platter, and Maggie Daeche plays as quiet or as loud as she needs to. These are just some of the ingredients of 23-0, the intangibles as coaches like to say, and Neshaminy’s Lady Skins aren’t good accidentally.
“We were here last year,” said Kelly. “We just keep our eye on the prize.”
That prize stands behind District 3 runner-up Wilson West Lawn who will travel on Saturday to race The Lady Skins. Think of it as The Preakness. With #18 in the field, the odds-makers concur, but Neshaminy won’t pay attention. Wednesday’s a routine day and Saturday’s just a regular game.
Spring-Ford did beat Cumberland Valley – What were the odds?
1-4 CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 1, 12-1 ARCHBISHOP RYAN 0
The Patriots dropped a pair of games to close out district play, but they showed no ill effects from their first mini-losing streak of the season when they took the field against District 12 and PCL champion Archbishop Ryan.
“We really took the game to them,” East coach Paul Eisold said. “We had most of the possession. They had very few opportunities.
“We had the majority of the shots. We probably had close to 15 shots. I don’t think our goalkeeper touched the ball in the first half. We defended very well. The majority of play was in the middle third and the final third.”
The two teams were locked in a scoreless tie at halftime, and that tied remained intact until midway through the second half when Emily Palmer put the Patriots on the scoreboard.
“Emma Loving took a great crack, hit the post, and it bounced back out,” Eisold said. “The first player coming in just missed it, and then Emily Palmer put it in for the win.”
The final minutes were not without drama, and East keeper Paige Marcinkowski – little more than a spectator most of the night – came up with a game-saving play.
“Paige came up huge,” Eisold said. “They had a breakaway, and Paige basically preserved the game.”
The Patriots’ coach went on to acknowledge the strong performances of several players.
“Our forwards - Emma Loving and Shaun Kane – pressured the entire game,” Eisold said. “Nicole Panella and Annie Axenroth were unbelievable in the midfield just getting the ball forward, defending and doing all the right things.
“Abby Emmert was outstanding the back as was Holly Moyer.”
The Patriots have earned a rematch with Boyertown in a district quarterfinal game on Saturday. The Bears defeated the Patriots 1-0 in last Saturday’s third place game after they fell to Downingtown East in the district semis.
“It’s unfortunate that we dropped those two games,” Eisold said. “I felt we were very, very competitive in both games. We just weren’t able to find the back of the net.
“I do think it would have been a little bit of a different story had we scored some goals. We were able to get one in tonight, and it was a difference maker.
“It shows you how difficult it is to score and how meaningful it is when you do score. Boyertown scored in the first five minutes, the girl had the goal of her life. I felt we pressed Boyertown the entire game, and we just couldn’t get it done.
“The resiliency factor for these girls to come in here after giving up four goals in two games and not scoring any goals is just phenomenal. To be able to come in against a team like Ryan who is coming in 21-2, it was just great for the girls to bounce back.”
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