Central Bucks East edged PW 1-0 in overtime to capture the District One 3A title on Thursday. Photos provided courtesy of Kim Supko Photography. Check back for a gallery of photos.
#5 CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 1, #3 PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 0 (OT)
PLYMOUTH MEETING – Sophia Parker says she was remarkably calm.
That was no small feat considering the season was on the line in Thursday’s District One 3A title game for the Central Bucks East junior and her teammates. Win and advance to the state tournament, lose and go home.
The Patriots had just survived a scare with East’s all-state goalie Emily Bullard turning away a series of shots by the Colonials when Parker found the ball on her stick and broke up field for a textbook breakaway.
“Em Bullard is a phenomenal goalie, but all that jumbling around the cage – anxiety gets really high,” Parker said. “I knew our team needed to get it out of the circle, and we did, so I just kind of hopped to ball, not hesitating and taking it with speed as much as I could.”
The junior midfielder blew by a pair of defenders and then dodged PW goalie Sarah Trask at the top of the circle, one-timing a shot into the cage to break a scoreless tie just over four minutes into overtime.
“Surprisingly, looking back, I was very calm,” Parker said. “I think our coach prepares us very, very well. She always tells us to be poised and confident.
“That was in the back of my head, reminding me ‘This is it, this could be a big moment for us.’ I knew I had to move the goalie. We do a lot of 1v1 practice, and I think it prepared me very, very well, knowing that I couldn’t just take that shot and going with speed.”
Parker’s shot had barely hit the backboard when the jubilant celebration began for the Patriots, who captured their program’s first district crown in 20 years.
“I was in complete shock,” Parker said. “At first I was terrified that I’d missed and it went over the side. Turning around and seeing my teammates, my coaches and the fans, it was a really exciting moment.”
“Parker on that last play kept her composure so well,” senior captain Phia Mannino said. “They almost scored, and we sent it out. Honestly, I trusted her as soon as she started taking it and beat that one player.
“I was still running up to go help support. Parker was completely all by herself. I saw her make the move around the goalie and she put it in. I just threw my stick and started sprinting at her and we all just huddled in. It was so exciting, and it’s such a good feeling that it’s my senior year and this never really happens.”
Although the stats favored the Patriots, who had 10 corners to just one for the Colonials, both teams had their chances.
“I think today we were definitely playing a more defensive game and holding back because they have such strong attack, but 7v7 you just have to 
go to goal at that point,” senior captain Kenzie Lever said. “Obviously, Sophia Parker had an amazing run. I am so proud of her. She took it to goal and that’s what you need to do with 7v7 with all the space you have. I think in the real game it was hard to do that because their defense was so packed in but once we got to 7v7 we had a lot more space, and we definitely used our speed.”
The Patriots drew three corners in the first quarter and two more in the second, but PW’s defense stood tall.
“We just struggled tonight to earn corners,” PW coach Charise Halteman said. “That’s one thing I was really trying to get the girls to do, and we kind of got stuck at the top of the circle.
“I thought we could have taken advantage of that situation. I wish we could have earned a few more there. I thought our defenders did a good job. They got a lot of attack corners, and I thought we read those pretty well and defended those well. I think as a team we played a solid game all around.”
The Colonials had their best chance to get on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter, but a dazzling stick save by Bullard of a rocket by Ava Borkowski was followed by a lift shot from Kaleigh Missimer that deflected harmlessly off the post, and the stage was set for overtime.
“We missed a couple that should have gone in, but our defense stayed very, very strong the whole game and really they kept us in it to push into overtime,” Parker said.
East coach Meghann Spratt liked her team’s chances in overtime.
“I always look forward to my squad going 7v7,” said the Patriots’ coach, praising the showing of freshman Paige Keller who was part of her 7v7 squad. “They’re very strong, they like the open field, and they’re fast.
“To see it go into overtime, I was calm. I think the girls were very calm, and winning the championship truly was something (assistant coach) Lori (Ierubino) and I have talked about it. It was something super, super important to us and the girls.”
Momentum can change in a heartbeat in overtime, and it certainly did in today’s district final.
One minute, Bullard was making back-to-back-to-back saves during a frenetic scramble in the circle. The next the ball was cleared out and found its way onto the stick of Parker, who did the rest.
“Oh my gosh, I was very relieved because it was a tiring game so getting it done in the first half of overtime was a great feeling and just excitement because we never won a district championship,” Lever said. “This is what we’ve been working for this entire time. Especially being seniors and knowing our season continues and we’re going to states – it’s an amazing feeling.”
There was no mistaking the disappointment on PW’s sidelines but few if any regrets.
This was a hard fought game, and that’s what a championship game should look like,” Halteman said. “It stinks to be on the losing end of that, but I thought our kids put up a good fight. They played well. I think the statistics probably favored CB East, but I think there were moments of great play on both teams. It was really competitive. To take a championship game into overtime – that’s the best part of the hockey and competing.”
Central Bucks East (13-1, 9-1 SOL) advances to Tuesday’s PIAA 3A semifinal contest. The Patriots will host the winner of Saturday’s quarterfinal contest pitting District 11 champion Emmaus against District 2 champion Honesdale at Emmaus High School (1 p.m.).
Thursday’s loss was the first of the season for Plymouth Whitemarsh. The Colonials closed out yet another successful season with their program’s eighth consecutive SOL title and a 13-1 record (10-0 SOL).
Halteman – whose squad fell to Downingtown West 3-2 in overtime in last year’s district title game – put the loss and season in perspective.
“We talked in our circle – we are just really grateful to have played a season and to have played this long and to have stayed healthy this whole time,” the Colonials’ coach said. “We are trying to focus on that piece. We are going to look back at the moments we could have made different decisions or done something a little different in the game, but at the end of the day, a season like this really teaches you what’s important, and the girls spent time in the circle talking about what a family this has been and the friendships they’ve made and how thankful they were to get outside and see people after school. Those things are the things we’re going to take away for the lifetime.”
Central Bucks East 0-0-0-0-1 1
Plymouth Whitemarsh 0-0-0-0-0 0
PW bids farewell to special senior class – The ending was never going to be easy for a PW team that has established a level of excellence in the SOL American – and this year the Liberty Division – that is unmatched.
The team’s 10 seniors have been part of 66 wins, four conference championships, back-to-back appearances in the District One 3A title game and a trip to the state tournament.
“The PW team has much to be proud of this season, but unfortunately, with today’s loss, we have to say goodbye to a talented group of ten senior athletes and our senior manager,” PW coach Charise Young said. “This class has been integral to PW’s success over the last four years. Their leadership, dedication, and commitment to upholding the traditions and excellence of our program will certainly be missed.
“We will be losing a number of experienced players including a seasoned goalkeeper in Sarah Trask and two starting defenders (Haley McCourt and Darcy Miller) who have played integral roles on our team over the last two seasons. We will also be saying goodbye to our starting forward line of Regan Gehman, Alexa DeLucca, and Ava Borkowski, who has been PW’s leading goal scorer each of her four seasons and is PW’s record holder for career goals. In addition, we will be losing Kaleigh Missimer, a mainstay in our midfield line who has also contributed greatly to our attack. This senior class has been a special one that has left a legacy that will be sure to motivate many PW players for years to come.”
Borkowski had 31 goals in an abbreviated senior season and closed out a stellar career with a program record 141 goals. Missimer also an outstanding career, finishing with 73 goals and 43 assists.
Bullard in command – Emily Bullard’s field hockey resume is an impressive one. The senior goalkeeper, who will take her talents to Penn State University, has made her mark for USA Field Hockey as well as her high school squad, last year earning all-state and second team all-region honors.
In Thursday’s district title win, Bullard wasn’t tested all that often, but when she was, the senior goalie showed why she’s elite. Her stick save fully extended to deflect a laser shot by Ava Borkowski preserved the tie in regulation.
“Adrenalin is the best word, “ Bullard said. “I don’t think any other thing could dial me in as much because if I fixate too much I mess up. Adrenalin is what keeps you going in a tight situation like that.”
In overtime, her back-to-back-to-back saves during a wild flurry came just moments before Sophia Parker scored on the breakaway.
“It was intense – that’s all that I remember,” Bullard said. “It was the play right before the goal. The defense did incredible after I made the saves to clear it out. Without them, that would not have been the same game.
“In those situations, you’ve got to stay composed. The offense can really get to you. In a final, I want to win, so I want to give it my all. I did my job, the offense did their job, the team did their job. It was just overall an incredible team effort.”
Asked if she lives for those moments, Bullard replied without a moment’s hesitation, “Every day.”
Bullard’s contributions were not lost on her coach.
“Em played incredible,” East coach Meghann Spratt said. “Some of her saves – this is why she’s one of the top recruits.”
Terrific trio spearheads run to district title – Nothing about the 2020 season has been ordinary, but the season that almost wasn’t will go down in the history books for Central Bucks East.
Anchoring this year’s historic run to the program’s first district crown in 20 years are senior tri-captains Emily Bullard, Kenzie Lever and Phia Mannino. All three have started since they were freshmen, and all three are difference makers.
The trio shared the singular goal of winning a district title in their final season.
“Honestly, this is the best feeling I’ve ever felt,” Lever said. “Especially it being our senior year, it just feels amazing to accomplish this because you go through it as a freshman, sophomore, junior and you see all the upperclassmen leading the team and being so disappointed when their season is over. We knew we didn’t want to feel that way tonight. We wanted our season to continue.”
“You can’t imagine it until you’re in it,” Bullard said. “The fact that in our senior year in the district final we came through with a win was one of the most incredible things to ever happen.
“You can’t put it into words because when the ball hit the backboard – just the joy, it overrides you. There’s no controlling pure happiness. This team has worked so hard over these past months, and I think every one of us has earned this.”
Making the title even more significant was the fact that just one team – the winner – advanced to the state tournament.
“From the beginning, we knew this game we needed to win because we wouldn’t have moved on,” Mannino said. “And we knew they were a very strong team. They were so good and we were very good. It was just back and forth. Especially this year, we have to win to move on. It’s just so exciting, but that added a lot of pressure. It was just really exciting and it’s so fun that it’s our senior year too.
Mannino acknowledged the tough competition the Patriots face in the Colonial Division prepared them for their district run.
“We have such good teams – it’s just as hard as playing in a district championship,” she said.
Spratt echoed a similar sentiment.
“Even getting into the postseason playing in our Colonial Division – it’s always a good game every game in our division,” the Patriots’ coach said. “So having this championship was something we always wanted, but we just went one game at a time and kept chipping away.
“It has been probably the biggest goal that we set out year after year and finally achieved it in a time when we didn’t even know if we would have a season or postseason. The leadership that Em, Phia and Kenz showed throughout the game – having three leaders like that is hard to find, and I’ll probably never see it again.
All SuburbanOneSports.com articles (or portion of articles) can be turned into keepsakes. For information, please click on the following link: https://www.suburbanonesports.com/article/content/turn-online-features-keepsake-posters-0086874
About the Author
