Four SOL girls’ soccer teams will be in action in Tuesday’s opening round PIAA Class AAA Tournament games.
PHSGS.
They’re a family – the Pennsbury girls’ soccer family.
For years, they have been cast in the role of underdog, but those days are officially over, thanks to the Falcons’ remarkable run through the District One AAA Tournament that culminated with Saturday night’s 2-0 win over Central Bucks East in the district title game.
“It feels absolutely amazing,” senior Megan Engeland said. “Coming out here, being undefeated is the best feeling in our four years being here.
“It’s incredible to have won the league, to have won districts, and we’re setting our sights on (states). We definitely want to continue what we’ve been doing.”
The next leg of the journey begins on Tuesday when the Falcons will return to Council Rock North – site of their district semifinal and final wins – to take on a Hershey squad that finished fourth in District 3.
The Falcons, according to their coach, will not change their approach in the state tournament.
“It’s continuing just to keep them focused,” Kaitlyn Battiste said. “I think they all have a good appreciation for what their role is out there.
“We’ve talked about what they expect from us, the coaches, to make sure they are prepared and mentally giving them a goal and keeping things simple, and they respond to that.”
The Falcons have responded by winning and then winning some more. If they felt any pressure entering districts as the number one seed, they certainly didn’t let it show.
“There’s been some pressure coming out every game and having to win, knowing we want to keep that undefeated streak, knowing that everybody expects us to keep it,” Engeland said. “There’s a little bit of pressure, but we also know that we can’t have a loss now.
“We’re in the state tournament. We have to keep winning. There’s that pressure, but I think we handle it really well. Everybody comes out to win every game, everybody gives their all, and nobody is really afraid of losing because we know if we work hard we can beat almost any team out there.”
“I think the pressure makes us the team we are and pushes us to want to be better,” senior Uche Onuoha added.
Onuoha pointed to the team’s work ethic as a key to the Falcons’ success.
“Honestly, we have just been working really hard preparing ourselves since the preseason,” she said. “I feel like we’ve done a lot of things that other teams haven’t done.
“We’ve worked on a lot of conditioning, and I feel like we just outwork the teams we play against, which gives us the upper hand when it comes to games like this.”
“Our team is built on hard work and a lot of heart,” senior Amy Blazejewski said. “So even if some days our skill isn’t up to par, I know that we are going to outwork any team we face, and we’re going to play with the most heart to get the ball in the back of the net and work as a team.
“That’s what makes us special – the chemistry.”
Ignoring the cold and windy conditions, the players were reluctant to leave Walt Snyder Stadium after Saturday night’s district title win.
“Honestly, I can’t even grasp how awesome it feels,” Onuoha said. “A (Pennsbury) girls’ soccer team hasn’t won a district title since 1999.”
“(We’ve) never won the league, ever,” Engeland said. “It’s exciting, and we’re all looking forward to the next several weeks.”
“Oh my gosh, it hasn’t sunk in yet,” Blazejewski added. “It’s such an amazing accomplishment for our team.
“We all work so hard together, and we’ve worked for this since day one. I’m really proud of my team. It’s the best thing in the entire world. Now our most important game is states. We have to focus on that now.”
Battiste – herself a freshman on the 1999 district title squad – acknowledged that the Falcons’ journey to the top of the district was a team effort.
“We have played so many formations, we’ve had different starters, and they’ve all just stepped up,” she said. “Anything we tell them to do – they just go out there and do it.
“The first half (of Saturday’s title game) wasn’t their soccer, and they knew they had to be better, and they were. They’ve responded to every challenge we’ve given them. It’s just making sure everyone understands their roles and everyone continues to work for each other. They make each other better. It’s awesome.”
So far it’s been a winning formula for a Falcon squad that has secured its spot in the history books.
#1-1 PENNSBURY vs. #3-4 HERSHEY (at Council Rock North 7 p.m.)
Pennsbury
- 19-0-3 overall
- 11-0-3 SOL National Conference champions
- Captured program’s first district title since 1999
- Falcons have 13 shutouts – including four straight in the postseason- and have allowed just eight goals all season
How they got here:
- In Saturday’s 2-0 district title win over CB East, the Falcons broke a scoreless halftime tie with a goal by Amy Blazejewski on a restart, and with 20 minutes remaining, Caroline Foley turned a Mary Webb corner kick into an insurance goal.
- In a semifinal contest, junior Jadyn Peto scored five minutes into overtime to propel the Falcons to a hard-fought 1-0 win over Central Bucks West.
- It took the Falcons just 12 minutes to open up a 2-0 lead over #8 Spring-Ford in a quarterfinal game. Scoring goals for the Falcons were Caroline Foley (Uche Onuoha assist) and Megan Engeland (Foley assist). The Falcons went on to win 2-0.
- After an opening round bye, the Falcons controlled play in their 1-0 second round win over 18th-seeded Downingtown. Mary Webb turned an Uche Onucha pass into a goal in the 62nd minute for the game winner. Kayla Kunde earned the shutout in goal.
Hershey
- 17-4 overall
- 9-3 second place Mid-Penn Keystone Division
- Attack led by Mid-Penn Keystone Division first team selections Riley Curtin (14 goals) and Kayla Hughes (13 goals).
- Delaney Price (14 goals) and Kelly Chodos (nine assists) also are key offensive contributors.
How they got here:
- Sixth-seeded Hershey fell to 10th-seeded Elizabethtown in the District 3 semifinals. Kayla Hughes and Lauren Epler each scored a goal for Hershey.
- Riley Curtin (Hannah Jones assist) scored the game winner in Hershey’s 2-1 win over 19th-seeded Penn Manor in a quarterfinal game. Delaney Price also scored.
- In Hershey’s 3-1 second round win over 11th-ranked Daniel Boone, Riley Curtin contributed a goal and assist. Hannah Jones and Kelly Chodos also scored for Hershey, which fell behind 1-0 early.
#1-2 CENTRAL BUCKS EAST vs. #3-3 EPHRATA (at William Tennent, 5 p.m.
Central Bucks East
- 18-2-2
- 10-2-2 second place in SOL Continental Conference
- Defense has recorded 12 shutouts, including six in a row to end regular season.
- Led by dangerous junior forward Emma Loving
How they got here:
- The Patriots gave Pennsbury all it could handle in Saturday’s district title game before falling 2-0 on a pair of late goals.
- In their 3-0 semifinal win over Council Rock South, the Patriots received a pair of goals from Emma Loving and a single goal by Danielle DeMichael – all in the second half – to earn a spot in the district final.
- The Patriots rallied from an early 1-0 deficit to score three goals in a dazzling six-minute span in the first half to go on top 3-1 on their way to a 4-1 win over 10th-seeded Conestoga. Freshman Kate Schlotter (Hannah Zach assist) scored the equalizer, and junior Emma Loving connected for the hat trick, two with Kristen Murphy assists.
- After an opening round bye, the Patriots opened up a 2-0 lead – thanks to a pair of Loving goals – on their way to a 2-1 win over 18th-seeded West Chester East in Saturday’s second round.
Ephrata
- 16-6-1 overall
- 10-3-1 third place Lancaster-Lebanon Section 2
- 13th-seeded Ephrata’s 2-1 double overtime upset of fourth-seeded Hempfield in the district tournament came on the heels of a 4-0 loss to the Black Knights in the Lancaster-Lebanon playoffs.
- Led offensively by Taylor Moore (15 goals, eight assists), Jenna Yarger (11 goals), Brittany Lutz (12 assists) and Kay Liebl (eight assists).
How they got here
- Fell to top-seeded Cumberland Valley 8-0 in the District 3 semifinals
- In a quarterfinal 2-1 win over 12th-seeded Cedar Hill, Ephrata received first half goals from Kelly Liebl and Jenna Yarger.
- In its upset of fourth-seeded Hempfield, Ephrata won it late in the second overtime when Brittany Lutz turned a pass from Taylor Moore into the game winner. Earlier, Jenna Yarger scored, using a Lutz assist.
- Kelly Liebl scored a pair of goals in Ephrata’s 2-1 opening round win over 20th-seeded Cedar Crest.
#1-3 CENTRAL BUCKS WEST vs. 2-1 PITTSTON AREA (at Scranton Memorial Stadium, 5 p.m.
Central Bucks West
- 16-6-1 overall
- 9-4-1 third place SOL Continental Conference
- The Bucks – behind standout goalie Grace Benton – have posted 12 shutouts this season.
How they got here:
- After falling 1-0 in OT to Pennsbury in the semifinals, the Bucks rebounded to edge Council Rock South 2-1 in the third place game, using an own goal (Taylor Burke assist) as well as a goal by Jill Nolan (Mary Kate Vinkler assist).
- A goal by Sophie McKnight (Carmen Telesco assist) gave the Bucks an early lead, and when Shae McCarty connected, the Bucks led 2-0 14 minutes into their quarterfinal game against #28 Owen J Roberts. McCarty added a second half goal for the 3-0 final.
- In a second round game, the Bucks used a goal by Shae McCarty with 4:18 remaining in the first overtime to earn the dramatic 1-0 win over fourth-seeded Boyertown. Grace Benton had five saves in the shutout.
- In the Bucks’ 3-0 opening round win over 20th-seeded Mount St. Joseph Academy, Shae McCarty had a pair of goals – one with an Ellie Manca assist – and Kelly Creamer added a goal and an assist.
Pittston Area
- 13-3-1 overall
- Captured program’s first ever District 2 title
How they got here:
- Pittston Area earned a 2-0 win over Williamsport in the district title game, using goals by Katelyn Pugliese and Liz Waleski. Goalie Taryn Ashby had eight saves, including a big save with the game on the line.
- After a first round bye, Pittston Area defeated Wyoming Valley 3-2. Maddy Mimnaugh scored a first half goal, and Allie Barber and Liz Waleski scored in the second half. Waleski’s goal was from 40 yards out.
#1-4 COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH vs. #12-1 ARCHBISHOP RYAN (at South Philadelphia Super Site, 7 p.m.)
Council Rock South
- 14-8-1 overall
- 7-6-1 fifth place in SOL National Conference
- Seeded 14th entering the District One AAA Tournament
How they got here:
- The Golden Hawks fell to CB West 2-1 in the third place game after suffering a 3-0 loss to second-seeded CB East in a semifinal contest
- In the Golden Hawks’ 1-0 win over 22nd-seeded Great Valley in the quarterfinals, freshman Julie Rebh (Emma Discavage assist) broke a 0-0 halftime tie with a goal that turned out to be the game winner. Allison Taub had eight saves in the shutout.
- The Golden Hawks sent third-seeded Rustin home for the season in the second round, notching an impressive 2-0 win. Scoring goals for the Hawks were Kasey Schlupp (Elissa Dotzman assist) and Julie Rebh (Jesse Magee assist). Allison Taub had six saves in the shutout.
- In the Golden Hawks’ 1-0 opening round win over 19th-seeded Neshaminy, Emily Wilkinson scored the game winner with 31 minutes remaining.
Archbishop Ryan
- 20-1 overall
- PCL champions for third straight year
- Last year’s 21-2 squad fell to Central Bucks East in an opening round state game.
- Ryan brings 11-game winning streak into state tournament
- Only loss of season on July 27 to Villa Joseph Marie (3-2)
- Goalie Jazmin Gonzalez, who has committed to Charleston Southern University, notched her 55th career shutout in district title win over Franklin Towne Charter.
- Led by a pair of all-state players in senior sweeper Kaitlyn McFadden (bound for West Chester next year) and junior Julianne Blank.
How they got here:
- In the District 12 title game, Ryan crushed Franklin Towne Charter 6-0.
- Ryan defeated Archbishop Wood 3-0 in the PCL title game. Freshman Haley O’Neill’s goal sent the Ragdolls into halftime with a 1-0 lead. Julianne Blank and Taylor Woods added second half goals.
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