Central Bucks East earned the fifth and final state playoff berth, thanks to the Patriots' 1-0 win over Pennridge on Saturday.
#8 CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 1, #4 PENNRIDGE 0
Ali Walker says she almost ran onto the field in celebration only to realize that Pennridge defender Shannon Chynoweth somehow – with her back to the field – delivered a spectacular kick save of Shaun Kane’s shot at the goal line.
“I was freaking out,” said Walker, who was on the sidelines at the time. “It was crazy.
If Walker’s celebration was premature, so was the Rams’ relief. With play on the field all but stopped, the Patriots’ kept pressuring, and it was Nicole Pannella finding the back of the net for a goal with 14:59 remaining that proved to be the difference in the game.
The win gave the Patriots the coveted fifth and final state tournament berth.
“It’s incredible,” said Walker, a captain. “Our team has worked so hard this season, and to come back from losing to them twice in the league to beat them, it means so much.”
The loss brought an end to the defending state runner-up Rams’ season.
“They’re a tough team to play three times in a season,” coach Audrey Anderson said. “In the second half, we had a lot more opportunities than we did in the first half.
“They didn’t quit. That was our season – we played until the end.”
Walker and East coach Paul Eishold, echoed similar sentiments when asked the key to defeating the Rams after falling to them twice during the regular season.
“We decided collectively as a unit how we wanted to approach today,” Eishold said. “I listened to the captains, I listened to the players, and as a coaching staff, we did everything they wanted, and they saw it through.”
“It’s all about mentally preparing yourself,” Walker said. “We really talked about that. Even at the last practice, we spent the first half just talking about how we needed to be mentally prepared.
“We were all in it together, and we all knew what we had to do, so we were all on the same page.”
The two teams battled to a 0-0 halftime tie, and East keeper Paige Marcinkowski kept it that way with a dazzling save 10 minutes into the second half.
“That’s a great boost,” Walker said. “Our keeper – the saves she makes just keep our spirits alive. Without her in it for all of us, we wouldn’t be able to pull out the win.”
It looked as though overtime was all but inevitable as neither team generated a serious threat. Until, that is, Pannella’s game winner.
“Any second, something could happen,” Anderson said. “That’s why it’s so important to play the 80 minutes without a letdown.
“I see us clearing the ball out of the goal, and everybody thought, ‘We’re okay,’ and leaving a girl unpressured, and they get a shot off. There it goes. The goal heard round the world.”
The Patriots fended off every Ram attempt to knot the score, holding on for the dramatic win.
“The best thing about tonight was collectively the girls as a unit - how they approached the game, how they played the game,” Eishold said. “It’s very hard to get everybody on the same page, let alone 35 girls. They talked themselves through it, and they deserved to win. They earned every bit of it tonight.
“Pennridge played very well tonight. They really took it to the end, they fought for everything tonight. I have to give them kudos for their effort tonight.”
The Rams closed out their season with a Continental Conference title and a 15-4-2 record.
“We had a lot of holes at the beginning of the season, trying to fill some spots we lost to graduation or injuries,” Anderson said. “Everybody stepped up and played their part. Everybody came up huge for us at some point this season.
“We had nine seniors, and it’s a shame that this is what they’re going to remember instead of last year’s run.”
The Patriots will begin state tournament play on Tuesday.
“For the girls’ program at CB East, this is a new endeavor for us,” Eishold said. “New because of the fact that we’re in the fall and new with the program but with seasoned players.
“We’re not just excited to be going to states, we’re also excited to move forward.”
#2 NESHAMINY 2, #21 CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 1
The Redskins defeated the Bucks in Saturday’s third place game.
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