Neshaminy defeated Owen J. Roberts 2-1 to earn a spot in Friday’s PIAA 4A state title game at Hershey. Photos provided courtesy of Keith Clemens Photography. CLICK HERE to go directly to the GIRLS' SOCCER GALLERY.
#1-3 NESHAMINY 2, #1-4 OWEN J. ROBERTS 1
FRANCONIA TWP – “We’re going to Hershey,” a jubilant Jackie Ziegler shouted as she approached the sidelines after Tuesday’s win. Almost as if on cue, the Neshaminy faithful who lined the fence began to chant “Hershey, Hershey, Hershey.” It was all part of an emotional celebration after the Redskins’ win over the Wildcats in Tuesday’s state semifinal at Souderton Area High School.
An improbable journey by an upstart Redskin squad that saved its best for last will end in Hershey on Friday when Neshaminy will face District 7 runner-up Norwin in the state title game.
“It’s insane, honestly,” Ziegler said. “I couldn’t have wished for anything better than going to Hershey as a senior.”
“It feels amazing,” senior Genna Obringer said. “I couldn’t be happier right now. It’s like a Cinderella story.”
Ziegler and Obringer certainly did their part to make sure the Redskins’ Cinderella story would have a happy ending. In the 18th minute, a corner kick by Ziegler found Obringer on the far post, and the senior captain did the rest, heading it into the net for an early 1-0 Neshaminy lead.
The Redskins appeared to be in command, but seven minutes later, Sarah Kopec – on a rare Wildcat offensive opportunity in the opening half – scored the equalizer.
It looked as though that tie would stand until halftime, but the Redskins had other ideas. Brooke Mullin took a pass from Gina Sexton and beat goalie Samantha Hughes with a shot into the opposite corner that turned out to be the game winner.
“Their center defender was playing high towards Gina so I screened Gina, and she played a perfect ball to me,” Mullin said. “I had to cut it back, and I saw another girl coming, and I cut it back again and shot it with my left foot, and it went far post.”
“She cut it back, and we were all like, ‘No,’ but then she put it in and we’re like, ‘Yes,’” Ziegler said. “We knew we still had to play 40 minutes strong, and we wanted to prove that we wanted it more, and it showed on the field.”
Armed with a 2-1 lead, the Redskins would not be denied, thwarting every Wildcat threat.
“(Mullin’s goal) was a big confidence boost, it was the buffer that we needed going into the half,” said senior defensive back Nicole Palmer. “We knew a new half everybody was going to be pounding the balls through, and Mahogany Willis, their forward, is a great attacker.
“It was definitely a mentality thing. With that buffer, we just knew we had to be strong in the back and keep their forwards contained. They’re always great at turning the ball. We had played them before, so we kind of knew how they worked the ball behind.”
The Redskins were able to contain the dangerous Willis, who surpassed the 100-goal mark for her career.
“We did not man-mark her – that was not a goal of ours,” said Obringer, who along with Alex Ziegler and Hannah Stonkus joined Palmer on the back line “A goal was to recover for each other. That’s what we do all across the field, so if she gets around one person, another person picks her up.
“We had to keep our effort up, we had to keep the motivation going, and we had to stay focused. We get a little frantic, and we just had to bring the level down and play our game.”
“Towards the end when they were pushing, we just kept clearing it, clearing it, clearing it,” Ziegler said. “We knew we had to get it out wide to the corners, and eventually time ran out.”
Riley Spingler recorded seven saves as the last line of defense in goal for the Redskins.
“I think we’re all really solid back there,” Spingler said. “Nicole Palmer and Genna Obringer in the middle do really well together. They always cover each other.
“This game we were focused on number nine (Willis) to make sure she couldn’t turn and get shots. I think they trust me back there, and I know they have my back. Our outside defenders, Alex Ziegler and Hannah Stonkus, are very good at keeping everyone wide and make sure there are limited crosses and no corners. I think together we really jelled. We all stepped up as a team, we all dropped as a team, and we all defended as a team.”
And when the final horn sounded, they celebrated as a team.
“It felt amazing,” Spingler said. “Everyone was so excited. We were a little frantic the last five minutes, but we knew we had to make sure nothing went in, nothing slipped by. As soon as that bell went off, we all knew that we all got here because of each other. We all worked for each other, and we worked for the seniors to make sure their year was amazing.”
If the Redskins needed any extra motivation heading into Tuesday’s state semifinal against Owen J. Roberts, they had it. It turns out none of them had forgotten the third place district game – a 3-2 Redskin win – that the Wildcats, according to coach Chelsea Lovelace, didn’t seem to take very seriously.
“It just left a bad taste in our mouth,” Lovelace said of a game that set up a date for the winner against the state’s top-ranked team, Parkland. “It’s a competitive high school varsity game that means a lot to these girls, and for them to treat it the way they treated it was disrespectful to the game and disrespectful to our girls.
“We really didn’t have to tell them much coming into this game. They knew how they felt, they knew what they had to do, they knew they could beat them again, and they were ready to put in the work.
“I’ve never seen a team as ready as these girls were to play this game. I knew the second they got off the bus, the second they walked out of the locker room, the second they took the field – they were ready to go. They were all pulling the rope the same way, and they were all out there for the same reason. I think that’s why we were so successful. This win was that much sweeter.”
Neshaminy (19-6-1, 8-3-1 SOL) will face District 7 runner-up Norwin in Friday’s state title game at HersheyPark Stadium at 4 p.m. Norwin defeated District 3 champion Conestoga Valley 2-0.
“Our regular season didn’t go as well as we thought, but to be here now is unbelievable,” Mullin said. “We just had to get together, and we had to think – what do we want as a team?
“We worked together, and we all wanted this. We did it for everyone on the team. It feels awesome. It’s so crazy.”
“It’s amazing,” Palmer said. “As seniors, this is the first year we’ve been in the championship.
“When we were in eighth grade, they won the championship. I went to the game – it’s an amazing atmosphere to be in.
Neshaminy 2-0 2
Owen J. Roberts 1-0 1
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