District 1 Field Hockey Preview (10-28-26)

Six teams remain alive in the District 1 Tournament.

CLASS 3A
#13 CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH at #4 CENTRAL BUCKS WEST (Wednesday, 7pm)

14-3-1 overall
9-1 SOL Colonial Division champions
Fourth straight division title
2025 PIAA 3A state runner-up
Bucks are led by senior midfielder/defense Heidi Schoenleber (Drexel commit), senior defender Laney Hall (Bloomsburg commit for hockey/track), senior midfield/forward Zola Morelli (High Point commit for lacrosse), junior midfielder Lucy Smith (American University commit) and junior forward Claire Demmer (Boston College commit)
Schedule includes 13 games against teams in District 1 Tournament, two that are ranked 6 & 7 in the District 3 Tournament and one team that is ranked number one nationally in Max Field Hockey (Agnes Irwin)
Only loss to District 1 team was to #19 Central Bucks East (2-1) in the initial meeting between the two teams.

Central Bucks South

14-4-1 overall
6-3-1 SOL Colonial Division third place
Rematch of season opener against Haverford (a 4-2 South win)
Wins over 3A #18 Neshaminy (3-2), ##23 Council Rock South (2-0), 24 North Penn (6-2, 3-2) 2A #14 Upper Dublin (4-2), #15 Wissahickon (4-3), #16 Upper Moreland (3-0)
Win over #19 Central Bucks East 2-1 in initial meeting and tied the Patriots 2-2 in the rematch.
Split with #16 Souderton (3-1, 1-2)

How they got here: Central Bucks South defeated #20 Haverford 4-0. Emily Aldrich’s hat trick let the Titans. Aldrich has been on an offensive tear for the Titans.

Up next: Winner will face the winner of #1 Boyertown/#16 Owen J Roberts in a quarterfinal contest.

#11 PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH at #6 QUAKERTOWN (Wednesday, 6:30pm)

17-1 overall
9-1 SOL Liberty Division co-champions
Opened season with 13 straight wins
Only loss in second meeting with co-champion Plymouth Whitemarsh
Led by Boston College commit Sunny Draper, who has 41 goals and 24 assists this season and over 250 points in 3 years (missed junior season with torn ACL). Member of U18 Junior Women’s National team.
Key players also include Kutztown commit Cassidy Landis (7g, 14a), Wagner commit Paige Longacre (18g, 7a), Kent State commit Penny Longacre (10g, 9a) as well as junior center back Cameron Landis, senior forward/midfielder Cadence Jozefowski (11g, 2a), senior defensive back Blair Mora.
Senior goalkeeper Darcy Baxter has nine shutouts and a 0.61 goals allowed per game average.

Quakertown players: “We couldn’t have come this far without each other, and we are a true team.”

Plymouth Whitemarsh

15-4 overall
9-1 SOL Liberty Division co-champions
Split with #8 Quakertown – lost 5-2 in an early season meeting but edged the Panthers 4-3 in the rematch to earn a share of the title.
Led by Sacred Heart commit Gracie Kerns, who became only the second field hockey player in program history to reach the 100-goal milestone, reaching that lofty plateau on Oct. 1 in a win over Neshaminy.
Key players also include West Chester commit Sammy Callan (forward), Rider commit Katie Guarino (midfielder), sophomore Julz Scherzer (back) and junior midfielder Quinn Burns.
Wins over 3A #6 Downingtown West (2-0), #18 Neshaminy (3-0), #24 North Penn (6-1), 2A #5 Radnor (3-2), #14 Upper Dublin (6-1, 7-1), #15 Wissahickon (8-0, 8-1)
Won 14 of 15 games after a 1-3 start.

How they got here: Plymouth Whitemarsh defeated #22 Lower Merion 7-0. Katie Guarino scored two goals and assisted on another while Kayleigh Bond had one goal and two assists. Quinn Burn added a goal and an assist.

Up next: Will play the winner of the #2 Conestoga/#3 Villa Maria Academy game.

#10 PENNSBURY at #7 GARNET VALLEY (Wednesday, 6:30pm)
Pennsbury

16-2 overall
10-0 SOL Patriot Division champions
First division title since head coach Traci Curtis took over the program in 2019.
Led by the team’s four captains – American University commit Abby Iacona, Rider commit Ryan Burdette, Babson commit Cailyn Reilly and Jefferson University commit Joley Hohman (basketball).
Iacona, the team’s top scorer, surpassed the 100-point mark earlier this season. Iacona and Burdette provide a dangerous 1-2 punch on attack while Hohman and Reilly anchor the defense.
Wins over 3A #16 Souderton (5-3), #18 Neshaminy (2-1, 2-1), #20 Haverford (5-3), #23 Council Rock South (6-1, 6-3) & 2A #12 Lower Moreland (7-0).
Seven game-winning streak heading into the second round.

How they got here: Pennsbury defeated #23 Council Rock South 3-2 in the third meeting between the two teams. The Falcons took a 2-0 lead only to see the Golden Hawks rally to tie the score. They won it when Regan Rodriguez connected on her second goal of the game with 2:14 remaining in regulation.

#7 Garnet Valley

14-3-1 overall
10-1 Central League second place behind Conestoga
Scored 80 goals and allowed just 15
Won 10 straight after a 3-0 loss to #8 Downingtown West. Winning streak was halted with a 2-2 tie with Class 2A #1 Mount St. Joseph Academy.

How they got here: Garnet Valley had an opening round bye.

Up next: Winner will face the winner of #2 Conestoga/#15 Methacton game.

CLASS 1A
#4 POPE JOHN PAUL II at #1 NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY (Thursday, 6pm)
New-Hope Solebury

13-2 overall
10-0 SOL Freedom Division champions
Wins over 3A #18 Neshaminy (3-2), 2A #12 Lower Moreland (6-1, 7-0), #16 Upper Moreland (3-1, 3-0)
Only losses at hands of 3A #4 Central Bucks West (4-0) & #11 Plymouth Whitemarsh (7-1)

Pope John Paul II