SOL Field Hockey District Preview (10-26-26)

Check out the preview capsules for SOL field hockey teams in action in the District 1 Tournament this week with recaps of all the action to follow.
Also, meet the four Pennsbury captains who were an integral part of the Falcons rise to the top of the SOL Patriot Division. Three will go on to play field hockey at the collegiate level, the fourth will continue her basketball career at Jefferson University.

Meet the Pennsbury captains:
(Profiles provided courtesy of Pennsbury field hockey)
Cailyn Reilly – DCM – Captain – Senior
Cailyn has such great IQ and really takes initiative to make great decisions. Her skill and knowledge come together to make things happen for us on the field offensively and defensively and on both sides of the ball on penalty corners. Reilly consistently delivers a strong performance in the middle, utilizing every trick in her pocket. She has continued to hone her skills and gain confidence throughout the season, preparing her for the next step playing field hockey for Babson in the fall.
Cailyn’s advice: The amount of work you put in determines the outcome you receive so put your all in and you will be happy with what you get. “Happiness is not a destination, it’s a way of life.”
Joley Hohman – Sweeper – Captain – Senior
Hohman shuts down so many opportunities with an incredibly strong stick in the circle and clears that reach her teammates far upfield to start offensive pressure immediately from the red zone. She is committed to play basketball at Jefferson University post-graduation, and those basketball skills come into great use on the field hockey field. She is smart, aggressive, and can read a situation with great game sense. Joley is an incredible player who has grown in the sport with precision, focus, and dedication over her four years.
Joley’s advice: Embrace all the good and the bad because your time in this program goes by so fast. So, enjoy the journey, you will make memories and relationships that will last you a lifetime. Do good and they will talk, do bad and they will talk, so just be you and let them talk.
Abby Iacona – Center Forward – Captain – Senior
Abby does a great job getting the ball on cage and into play for her teammates. It is definitely one of her strengths to be able to shoot from anywhere and make something happen. The work Iacona does in the middle to create space, possess the ball, distribute, assist and score is top notch. She is a gamechanger and playmaker as she lights a fire in her team when they step onto the field. She leads the team in goals and assists and celebrated earning her 100th point earlier this season. She is committed to play field hockey at American University post-graduation.
Abby’s advice: The best part of any chapter in your life is not what you accomplish, but who you become and have beside you while doing it. “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened” – DR. Seuss
Ryan Burdette – ACM – Captain – Senior
Burdette is like a tornado in the center, working her way through with the help of her teammates’ passing and off-ball movement. She dodges at speed and can move the ball seamlessly. Burdette’s game sense is high level and her connection with the other attackers is so much fun to watch. She has the second highest goals and assists on the team, combining with Iacona for more than half of the total team goals. Burdette is going to be playing field hockey at Rider University in the fall.
Ryan’s advice: Leave it all out there. Four years goes by fast, so enjoy playing with your best friends while you can. It’s over before you know it. “If you really want to be great at something, you have to truly care about it. If you want to be great in a particular area, you have to obsess over it.” – Kobe Bryant
Words from our four Captains:
“The key to this journey to the top of the SOL Patriot is our chemistry. We all have been playing together since we were very young and came up through the program as one solid unit. Nine of our eleven starters are seniors. When we arrived as freshman the theme was ‘Raise the Bar,’ and that was chosen because we were a strong group with a lot of hockey knowledge and experience who could help to take the program to the next level. We accomplished that for sure. We always believed that we would eventually be SOL Champs and worked really hard over four years to win that title and make it happen.
“The time and effort it took to get here was worth every moment. Sure, there were tough times and learning experiences and moments we wish we could redo, but all of those things are what helped us to succeed – it is not one straight, simple line. The best part of the field hockey experience has been the friendships and connections made with teammates and the pride of playing together as friends for our school. The memories made helped to write the story of our seasons – team bonding trips, pasta parties, celebrating wins, and picking each other up after tough moments. Cutting the net for the undefeated SOL championship was a core memory and really special. We have learned a lot along the way, especially that everything is earned and not given. We are proud of what we have accomplished and grateful for the experience and time together.”

CLASS 6A
#4 CENTRAL BUCKS WEST (Opening round bye)

14-3-1 overall
9-1 SOL Colonial Division champions
Fourth straight division title
2025 PIAA 3A state runner-up
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.

Up next: Will play the winner of #13 Central Bucks South/#20 Haverford in the second round.

#6 QUAKERTOWN (Opening round bye)

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.”

Up next: Will play winner of #11 Plymouth Whitemarsh/#22 Lower Merion contest in the second round.

#23 COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH at #10 PENNSBURY (7pm)
Pennsbury

15-2 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).
Six straight wins to close out regular season.

Council Rock South

9-8-1 overall
5-4-1 SOL Patriot Division third place
Led by the team’s three captains – seniors Mia Schink and Macie Schmidt as well as junior Sarah Lubaczewski.
Fell to Pennsbury in both regular season meetings (1-6, 3-6).

Up next: Winner will travel to #7 Garnet Valley for a second round contest.

#22 LOWER MERION at #11 PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH (Monday, 4pm)
Plymouth Whitemarsh

14-4 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 13 of 14 games after a 1-3 start.

Lower Merion

9-9 overall
4-7 Central League
Scored 42 goals while allowing 52
Win over District 1 2A #12 Lower Moreland (6-3)

Up next: Winner will travel to #6 Quakertown in a second-round game.

#20 HAVERFORD at #13 CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH (6pm)
Central Bucks South

13-4-1 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)

Haverford

8-9-1 overall
6-4-1 Central League
Scored 44 goals and allowed 45
Wins over 3A #21 Ridley (3-1), #22 Lower Merion (3-1), # 2A #9 Strath Haven, #10 WC Henderson (6-1), #11 Penncrest (1-0).
Tied 2A #9 Strath Haven (2-2)

Up next: Winner will travel to #4 Central Bucks West for a second-round game.

#17 OWEN J ROBERTS at #16 SOUDERTON (Monday, 6pm)
Souderton

10-8 overall
7-3 SOL Colonial Division second to Central Bucks West
Led by Millersville commit/senior forward Autumn Wagner (12g, 6a), Millersville commit/senior center back Brooke Wagner (2g, 4a), senior right back Lexi Yanchunas (7g, 9a), senior midfielder Gianna Bocchino (3g, 2a) and sophomore goalie Rylee DeSimone.
Wins over District 1 3A #19 Central Bucks East (4-1, 2-0), #24 North Penn (2-0, 2-0) &. 2A #12 Lower Moreland (10-1)
Split with District 1 3A #13 Central Bucks South (1-3, 2-1)

Owen J Roberts

10-8 overall
5-6 Pioneer Athletic Conference
Scored 51 goals and allowed 44
Wins over District 1 3A #14 Downingtown East (32), #24 North Penn (7-2) & 2A #12 Pottsgrove (4-2)

Souderton coach Sue Casciato: “I know OJR has a strong hockey program, so we’ll need to play four quarters of smart, aggressive hockey. We’ll need to get a better start than we have in our recent games and be more efficient on offense. Hopefully, playing on our home field will provide us a bit of an edge. Our seniors will need to continue to lead the way as they’ve done so all season.”

Up next: Winner will travel to #1 Boyertown for a second-round contest.

#18 NESHAMINY at #15 METHACTON (Monday, 6:30pm)

11-7 overall
8-2 SOL Patriot Division second place behind Pennsbury
Wins over #23 Council Rock South (1-0, 2-1) & 2A #14 Upper Dublin (5-1)
Led senior captains Mia Brooks (forward), Ellie Miller (midfield) and Taylor Tenaglia defense)

Methacton

12-5-1 overall
9-3-1 Pioneer Athletic Conference third place
Fell to top-seeded Boyertown 3-2 in Pioneer Athletic Conference semifinals
Wins over 3A #16 Souderton (3-1), #17 Owen J Roberts 6-3, 5-4), 2A #8 Oxford (6-3)
Split with 3A #5 Spring-Ford (2-6, 2-1)

Coach Jamie Pinto: “Coming into the first round of districts, we’re looking for senior captains Mia Brooks, Ellie Miller and Taylor Tenaglia to lead the team. All three players have experience in the playoffs and have done a nice job stepping up when needed.”

Up next: The winner will travel to #2 Conestoga for a second-round game.

#19 CENTRAL BUCKS EAST at #14 DOWNINGTOWN EAST (Monday, 3:45pm)
Central Bucks East

9-8-1 overall
4-5-1 SOL Colonial Division
Players to watch include senior forward/Wagner commit Brynn Bonargo (23g, 11a), senior forward Emerson McFeely (5g, 4a), senior defensive back Sam Lafferty (3g, 8a, 9 defensive saves) & senior defender/FDU commit Jules Zipperlen (1g, 3a, 4 defensive saves).
Wins over 3A #24 North Penn (3-2, 2-1), 2A #15 Wissahickon (3-2)
Tied 3A #13 Central Bucks South 2-2 in the rematch after falling 1-2 in the early season meeting with the Titans.
Split with 3A #4 Central Bucks West (2-1, 1-3). It was the Bucks’ only loss in SOL play.

Central Bucks East coach Emma Rosenthal: “We’re excited for the first round of district playoffs. We had a rough game against Downingtown East earlier this season, so we’re excited to avenge that loss.”

Downingtown East

12-5-1 overall
4-4 Ches-Mont
Defeated #19 Central Bucks East 4-1 in an early season contest.
Wins over #9 Avon Grove (3-2), #13 Central Bucks South (5-0), #21 Ridley (5-2), #24 North Penn (2-1) &
Tied 2A #7 Kennett (2-2), #8 Oxford (5-2)
Lost final three games of regular season to teams in the District 1 Tournament

Up next: The winner will travel to #3 Villa Maria Academy for a second-round game.

#24 NORTH PENN at #9 AVON GROVE (Monday, 7pm)
North Penn

6-12 overall
2-8 SOL Colonial Division
Key players are sophomore midfielder Cissy Lewis (14g, 12a), senior forward Cara Albano (11g, 3a), senior midfielder Devon Crowley (5g, 7a) and senior back Lily Brown (7 defensive saves)
Wins over #18 Neshaminy (2-1) #23 Council Rock South (8-2), 2A #15 Wissahickon (9-2

North Penn coach Shannon McCracken: “We are excited to return to district playoffs and are grateful for the opportunity to compete this week. We feel that the strength of our division and non-league opponents have prepared us for the atmosphere and play required for playoff hockey.”

Avon Grove

13-3-2 overall
5-2-1 Ches-Mont
Wins over Class 3A #5 Spring ford (3-2), #20 Haverford (2-0) 2A #1 Mount St Joseph (2-1), #4 Bishop Shanahan (2-0), #5 Radnor (2-), #7 Kennett (4-2), #8 Oxford (3-0, #10 WC Henderson (5-1)
Tied 3A #8 Downingtown West (1-1)
Closed out regular season with seven straight wins with four shutouts in last five games.

Up next: The winner will travel to #8 Downingtown West for a second-round game.

CLASS 2A

#12 LOWER MORELAND at #5 RADOR (Tuesday, 4pm)
Lower Moreland

10-8 overall
7-3 SOL Freedom Division second place
Split with 2A #16 Upper Moreland (5-4, 1-2)

Radnor

12-6 overall
9-2 Central League third place
Scored 54 goals and allowed 29
Wins over 3A #12 Springfield-Delco ((2-1), #21 Ridley (5-2), #20 Haverford (3-0), #22 Lower Merion (4-0), 2A #6 Merion Mercy (2-1), #9 Strath Haven (1-0), #11 Penncrest (3-1)

Up next: Winner will face the winner of #4 Bishop Shanahan/#13 Pottsgrove in the second round.

#14 UPPER DUBLN at #3 GWYNEDD MERCY
Upper Dublin

8-9-1 overall
5-5 SOL Liberty Division third place
Players to watch include senior captain/midfielder Jackie Bech (committed to DelVal); senior captain/defender Sophia Vitella, senior captain/midfielder; Ellie Kuznits, junior forward Abby Rucker (6g, 6a), junior forward Remy Wilmore (12g, 1a), freshman forward Claire Wilson (15g, 7a).
Split with 2A #15 Wissahickon (2-3, 3-2)
Win over #16 Upper Moreland (5-1).

Senior captain Ellie Kuznits: “I am feeling excited and hopeful to see how we play against a team that is ranked higher than us. I know that we will go out there, play the best we can, and I believe that we can accomplish whatever we put our minds to. Making the playoffs this year means a lot not only to me but also to the entire team. It is the first time we have made it to the playoffs since our freshman year. Earning this opportunity in my senior season feels really good. It is exciting to be here with our new coaches; we have bonded so strongly as a team, and it means a lot that all the effort and work we’ve put in has paid off. “
Upper Dublin coach Erica Kelly: “ This is the first time in three years that UD field hockey has made the playoffs. It is a credit to the culture of hard work, growth, and teamwork that the team has established this year. I’m very happy to be getting back to work on the field for practice to prepare for Tuesday. We have accomplished so much this season, and I am very excited to see where the momentum we have coming out of the season takes us in the postseason.”

Gwynedd Mercy

11-7 overall
6-3 Athletic Association of Catholic Academies, tied for 2^nd place behind Villa Maria Academy
Wins over 6A #15 Methacton (4-3), #16 Souderton (4-0), 2A #5 Radnor (4-3), #6 Merion Mercy (4-1, 4-0)
Split with 2A #1 Mount St. Joseph Academy (1-5, 3-2)

Up next: Winner will face the winner of #6 Merion Mercy/#11 Penncrest in the second round.

#15 WISSAHICKON at #2 UNIONVILLE (Tuesday, 6:45pm)
Wissahickon

8-9-1 overall
SOL Liberty Division
Win over 3A #23 Council Rock South (3-2)
Players to watch include senior midfielder Layla Keller (Committed to Dickinson University), senior forward Carly Lehman (Committed to Gettysburg College), sophomore midfielder Ally Maier, sophomore defender Addison Arnott.
Split with 2A #14 Upper Dublin (2-3, 3-2)

Wissahickon coach Hannah Havrilla: “We are excited to head into the playoffs and take advantage of this great opportunity to compete against a strong team. Our keys to success will be playing our style of hockey, focusing on flats and through balls, working together as one unit up the field, and stopping the play early so we can quickly get organized defensively.”
Senior captain Layla Keller: “I am super excited to be heading back into the postseason one last time with this team. It has been such an exciting season, and knowing that our hard work and determination paid off to get here is really great. No matter the outcome of this game, I hope we all have fun and know we did everything we could to support our teammates.”
Senior captain Carly Lehman: “Heading into districts, we’ve learned that no matter who we play or how good our opponents are, when we work together and trust each other, we can accomplish anything as a team. It’s not about individual talent, but about communicating effectively on and off the field and fighting for each other every step of the way.”

Unionville

14-2-2 overall
6-1-1 Ches-Mont American Conference champions
First league title since 2017
Led by Brown University commit Chloe Almeida
Wins over 3A #9 Avon Grove (3-2), #14 Downingtown East (3-2) 2A #8 Oxford (4-2), #9 Strath Haven 2-0),#10 WC Henderson (2-0), #11 Penncrest (5-0),
Tied 2A #4 Bishop Shanahan (2-2) & #7 Kennett (1-1)
Won eight of nine regular season games to close out season.

Up next: Winner will play winner of #7 Kennett/#10 WC Henderson.

#16 UPPER MORELAND at #1 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH (Tuesday, 4 pm)
Upper Moreland

8-9 overall
5-5 SOL Freedom Division
Split with District 1 2A #11 Penncrest (3-0) & #12 Lower Moreland (4-5, 2-1)

Players to watch:

Olivia Torres Junior Center mid – Dynamic player with excellent stickwork, strong field hockey IQ, solid shots and is our team leader in assists with 14.
Sophia Riehle – Senior Center forward – Skilled attacker with a knack for scoring from difficult angles. Soph is our goal scoring leader with 16 goals.
Bridget Hess – Junior Defensive Mid – Bridget shuts down opposing attackers, anchors the defense on corners and consistently delivers on free hits.
Gianna Jones – Senior forward – One of our captains and leaders on and off the field. Gianna has improved to become a consistent starter and has several multiple goal games.
Izzy Fisher – Junior Goalie 144 saves 79% save percentage Fisher has improved tremendously in her first varsity season and continues to grow in confidence, skill and being more effective in the position.
Hannah Gardner Junior Defender 11th grade – Dependable, coachable defender who consistently does her job on the field and works hard every practice and every game to contribute to the strength of our defense.
MJ Reilly Junior – Forward – Steady, skilled forward who moves effectively within the attack and is a driving force in our team’s offensive flow.
Charlotte Russo – Senior Defender – Improved tremendously in the 2nd half of the season developing into a reliable right back, who consistently clears the ball out of the defense and does a great job moving the ball up field.
Taylor Pagano Junior Midfield – Athletic, strong, fast player with great field IQ who accelerates to the ball, wins 50-50 battles and feeds the attack with great passes and strong drives.

Hannah Gardner: “When we finally saw Upper Moreland solidify the 16th spot, we all felt so much satisfaction that our hard work all season long (and even before that) had paid off!”
Taylor Pagano: “Our love for the game and each other is truly what brought us here, and we will play this game with everything we have.”
MJ Reilly: “We are so grateful to extend our season together and have another opportunity to play as a team! Making playoffs is an accomplishment in itself, and we’re so happy to see all of our hard work pay off this season and receive the recognition we’ve worked for!”

Up next: Winner will face the winner of #8 Oxford/#9 Strath Haven contest in the second round.

Mount St. Joseph Academy

12-5-1 overall
6-3 Athletic Association of Catholic Academies, tied for 2^nd place behind Villa Maria Academy
Led by Cornell commit Tess Hankins
Wins over District 1 3A #11 Plymouth Whitemarsh 3-1), tied #7 Garnet Valley (2-2)
Split with District 1 2A Gwynedd Mercy (5-1, 2-3)

CLASS 1A
#1 NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY (Opening round bye)

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)