Central Bucks East saw is season come to an end at the hands of District 3 champion Penn Manor in a quarterfinal game of the PIAA 3A Tournament on Saturday at Exeter High School.
#3-1 PENN MANOR 6, #1-3 CENTRAL BUCKS 0
Endings are never easy, but it’s a cold reality of the postseason that just one team will end its season with a win.
That didn’t make it any easier for a Patriot squad that fell to the District 3 champion Comets, who are ranked first in the nation.
“Especially being a senior, this is my last high school field hockey game, our last time getting on the bus and everything – it’s hard,” senior Whitney Dietz said.
This year’s squad was the first East squad to win a state playoff game since 2002. Their reward for that win was a date with the Comets, who brought a 25-0 record into the game and had allowed just five goals the entire season – none in the postseason.
It took very little time for the Comets to seize control of the game. Alyssa Schriver scored 48 seconds into the contest, and while the Patriots were able to keep them off the board for a while, they couldn’t contain a Penn Manor offense that boasts three players with 20 or more goals.
With 10:54 remaining in the half, Maryland commit Emma DeBerdine scored during corner play with an assist from Briana Harsh, and six minutes later, it was sophomore Anna May Barbusca (DeBerdine assist) connecting to give the Comets a 3-0 halftime lead.
“They’re good,” Dietz said. “They came out a lot stronger than we did, and our nerves got the best of us.”
The Comets added to their lead in the second half. Ohio State commit Gabby Bitts scored a pair of goals in the opening nine minutes – the first with an assist from Barbusca and the second with a Schriver assist. Barbusca’s goal with 19:37 closed out the scoring.
The Patriots drew their first corner of the game with 14:25 remaining, and Donnelly fired her team’s first and only shot on goal, but Comet goalie Brit Hook was there to make the stop.
“You watch film on a team, but playing them is a whole different story,” Donnelly said. “You can say they’re fast, but until you see it, it’s hard to adjust and hard to keep up.
“I’m really proud of my team. We’ve worked really hard all season and improved and overcome different obstacles.”
The Comets held an advantage in shots (15-1) and corners (13-1). East goalie Emily Bullard was credited with nine saves.
Coach Michele Finegan bids farewell to seven seniors.
“The seniors this year were so talented and such hard workers,” the Patriots’ coach said. “At the end of the year, it always breaks my heart.
“There’s a quote (CB South coach) Pat Toner might use – ‘Don’t be sad that it’s over, be glad that it happened.’ I always say that too. These guys were a good team, and they accomplished a lot of things.
“They were third in the district compared to fifth last year. They were top eight in the state where last year we didn’t get past the first round. We’re improving and moving and getting to the next level. They gave it everything today.”
Finegan credited Bitts and DeBerdine for their strong play for the Comets.
Central Bucks East closed out its successful season with a 19-5 record overall. They were 11-1 en route to an SOL Continental Conference title, the program’s second in as many years.
“It’s definitely been a lot of fun,” Donnelly said. “To know that we’ve improved each year is a big accomplishment on its own, so it’s been really exciting.
“It’s definitely hard (to see it end), but I’m excited for the future too. Nothing is the same as this, but I know there are a lot more exciting things to come.”
Central Bucks East 0-0 0
Penn Manor 3-3 6
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