CB South, North Penn, CB East & Neshaminy were winners in District One 3A field hockey action Monday. Neshaminy/Unionville photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson. Plymouth Whitemarsh/WC Henderson photos courtesy of Kim Supko Photography. Check back for galleries of both games.
#10 CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 4, #23 PERKIOMEN VALLEY 3
Scoring goals in field hockey is no easy task.
Erin Smith, however, has found a way to make it look easy. The South senior recently surpassed the 100-point mark for her career, and she has added to that number in recent outings.
In Monday’s 4-3 win over Perkiomen Valley, she scored a pair of goals – the first of the game and the game-winner late in the fourth quarter. She also had a pair of assists.
The high-scoring forward’s explanation for her success pretty much sums up the mindset every coach wants in a player whose job it is to score goals.
“I play center forward, so that’s all I really do,” Smith said. “My coach always tells me that I’m never fazed by how many people are on me, and I totally agree because I really don’t pay attention. I’m just trying to get the ball and then I shoot.”
The Titans had grown comfortable in their role of giant killer in the postseason. Last year, the Titans were seeded 16th in the adjusted field of 16, and they knocked off top-seeded Downingtown West 2-1. This year, the Titans were the higher seed, but coach Pat Toner knew her team would have its hands full.
“As soon as I saw who we played, I said ‘That is not a 23rd seed,’ just the same as when we’ve been that seed,” the Titans’ coach said. “We’re in a really hard league, and I never felt like we were that low.
“Last year proved it. It’s the same thing. They’re in a very difficult league, they’re a very good team, and I just thought – ‘This is not an easy first draw,’ but you play the cards you’re given. You have to figure it out.”
The Titans did figure it out, and for the players – the seniors in particular, the home game was a reward for their strong regular season showing.
“It was good for us to have a home game because we feel really comfortable and confident on our field,” Smith said. “Last year, we were the underdog, and I think we were a lot more nervous about that game, but tonight I think we were really excited and ready to go.
“We liked having that higher position because we’d never been in that position before, and we were comfortable with it.”
Smith spotted the Titans a 1-0 lead when she turned an Anna Shirley pass into a goal with 1:34 remaining in the first quarter. They took that one-goal lead into halftime.
When Sam Thomas found the cage early in the third quarter, using assists from Julia Cooper and Smith, the Titans led 2-0, but this game was far from over. With 3:20 remaining in the quarter, Kiki Rotay (Kaylee Molitor assist) scored to cut the Titans’ lead in half, but Cooper got that goal back just over a minute later, using a Smith assist. Again, the Vikings answered, this time using a goal by Jordan Strong with 38 seconds remaining in the quarter to make it a 3-2 game.
Five minutes into the fourth quarter, the Vikings knotted the score 3-3 when Erin Wuerstle scored with an assist from Rotay. Smith broke that tie with 5:48 remaining in regulation, once again using a Shirley assist. That goal held as the game-winner.
“The first half we had a lot of energy, and we were ready to go,” Smith said. “But we learned when we were doing research on Perk Valley that they do really good in the second half of the game, which is what they did tonight.
“We just needed to keep that energy up throughout, which we did. When they scored, we knew we had to get another one in and just play good defense, and I think we were able to do that.”
Toner pointed to the elevated play of Smith, Julia Cooper and Anna Shirley as key.
“Everybody played well, but those three again had phenomenal games,” Toner said. “They’ve just taken the team on their back, and they’re very hard to stop now.
“Erin Smith will have people draped all over her, and she’ll still find a way to put the ball in the net. She reminds me of one other player I’ve had in my career that couldn’t be stopped, and that’s Traci Forchetti. She was somebody that could not be stopped. Erin just has a nose for the goal, and I’m really proud of her that she doesn’t get herself frustrated no matter what anybody tries to do to her, so she’s good with that.
“Julia Cooper again played a phenomenal game, and she sees the field really well. My whole team consists of forwards who have been converted into defense. Every one of them can play forward and have been moved off an offensive position. Julia was a forward her sophomore year, and she’s a phenomenal defensive center mid. She does a really nice job of seeing the field and plays all over. She’s been great.
“Anna Shirley, I’d mentioned before, is one of the smartest players I’ve ever had, and she just sees the field really well, distributes the ball really well, and she’s not afraid to go through when she needs to, so the three of them carried the rest of the team on their back. We struggled tonight with a few things, but our defense held on, and we managed to pull out the win.”
Toner tipped her hat to the Vikings.
“I have to give a lot of credit to Perk Valley and their coaching staff,” she said. “They did a great job, they just did not give up, not for one minute. At this point, everybody is good, and we just had to outscore them tonight because they were very good.”
Central Bucks South (14-4-1, 11-4-1 SOL) will travel to Garnet Valley for a second round game on Wednesday (7 pm).
“We’re so excited,” Smith said, “We played Garnet Valley when I was in 10th grade and we lost. Hopefully, this year will be a lot different.
“Our league is so hard – we play such hard teams. We’ll be nervous when we play teams we don’t know, but we realize the teams we play on a regular basis are a lot harder.”
Perkiomen Valley 0-0-2-1 3
Central Bucks South 1-0-2-1 4
#11 NORTH PENN 8, #11 HAVERFORD 2
Routs are uncommon in the postseason, and they’re certainly not expected.
The Knights dominated play from the outset, but it was the Fords – thanks to a Maura Quaile goal – taking an early 1-0 lead, capitalizing on a rare opportunity with 4:06 remaining in the opening quarter.
That lead lasted all of four minutes and six seconds. The rest of the game belonged to the Knights.
“I think we had to work out a few jitters,” coach Shannon McCracken said. “We start four sophomores, and last year was not much of a playoff experience because we lost in the second round against (Central Bucks) East, so I just think we had to get a few jitters out and settle in the game.
“I was really happy that my senior captains started talking a lot more at the end of the first quarter. I think that was key.”
If there’s such a thing as a turning point in a six-goal win, it came – according to both players and coaches – with time expired in the first quarter when the Knights drew back-to-back corners, and Madison Waldspurger (Kerry O’Donnell assist) slammed home a shot on the second that knotted the score 1-1 after the Fords had taken a lead.
“Coming off the first corner, it was good we got another opportunity to score,” Waldspurger said. “We just wanted to it so bad because they came down and scored on us.
“We were definitely nervous in the beginning, so I think we got our nerves out after that goal, and it was just great. It was the turning point of the game.”
“That was a turning point,” McCracken said. “Just to have that confidence going in at 1-1, especially because we had dominated the start of the quarter.”
“That really helped our confidence,” senior captain Bay Detweiler said of Waldspurger’s tying goal. “It gave us that extra push to keep going.
“I think we kept our heads up when they scored, which helped us with the game. We played really good.”
A goal by Kerry O’Donnell (Riley O’Donnell assist) sent the Knights into halftime with a 2-1 lead, but it was in the third quarter that the fun really started as the Knights reeled off four unanswered goals, several highlight reel worthy.
“Our communication was really good,” Detweiler said. “We just really worked together. Our passes connected.”
Riley O’Donnell turned a pass from her sister, Erin O’Donnell, into a goal, that gave the Knights a 3-1 lead, and then it was Erin O’Donnell using some nifty moves on the endline to score from a difficult angle. Waldspurger and Kerry O’Donnell connected on back-to-back unassisted goals to send the Knights into the final quarter with a 6-1 lead.
Detweiler turned a drive from Waldspurger into a textbook goal and a 7-1 lead before the Fords’ Ella VanLuvender scored to break the Knights’ seven-goal run. Ella Sanfelice got that goal back, scoring with 1:30 remaining for the 8-2 final.
“It was really a team effort,” McCracken said. “My captains just really set the tone for the team tonight.”
Both teams had 10 penalty corners, but the Knights’ dominance is underscored by their 20-4 advantage in shots.
For the seniors, there’s an undeniable urgency when the postseason rolls around.
“We know this is our last chance,” Detweiler said.
“There could be no tomorrow,” Waldspurger said. “It was like playing with everything out there. We wanted to see Methacton again, and we want to go to states.
North Penn (13-5-1, 10-5-1 SOL) will travel to #6 Methacton for a second round game on Wednesday (6 p.m.). The Knights handed the Warriors one of their three losses in the season, notching a 2-1 win in their season opener.
“I think we’re both different teams,” Detwiler said. “We’re definitely stronger, we’re probably both stronger.”
“It’s a whole new game coming in,” Waldspurger said.
If the Knights needed incentive, McCracken certainly gave it to them, promising to dye her hair blue if her team earns a state berth.
“It motivates us – we want to get there,” Waldspurger said.
Haverford 1-0-0-1 2
North Penn 1-1-4-2 8
#12 CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 3, #20 QUAKERTOWN 0
The Patriots had built-in excuses to drop their expectations this year. After all, they’d graduated three Division 1 players that were the heart and soul of the team. Add to that, they also lost their coach.
It turns out the Patriots weren’t interested in excuses, and on Monday, they kept their successful season alive, advancing to the second round of districts with a shutout win over a pesky Panther squad.
“Meeting our new coach on day one of preseason was definitely an adjustment for us, but we had great cohesion last year, and I think that definitely carried over into this season,” senior Sophia Parker said. “(Coach) Emma (Rosenthal) did just a phenomenal job of keeping us all together, lots of team building activities. It was a seamless transition for the situation that we were in.
“Emma worked really well with myself and the other seniors to create a positive environment, especially for underclassmen who were still getting to know the game, still growing a love for it. At one point during the season, we all got together and we identified some of the goals we had as upperclassmen and leaders on the team, looking backwards and seeing what other upperclassmen had done for us in the past and what had created a good team environment and we tried to replicate that.”
In Monday’s All-SOL contest, neither team scored in the first half.
“I give a lot of credit to their goalie (Kylie Lerch) – their defense really kept them in,” Parker said. “Especially for the first half where there was no scoring. We tell our team – have a sense of urgency while still keeping composure and playing our game, not letting a frantic 0-0 scoreboard lead to silly mistakes, trying to control what we can control on the field. When we do the right things, eventually things will work out for us.
“In the third quarter, we found good pace, good momentum and found the right opportunities.”
Ali Troth broke up the shutout with a goal two minutes into the third quarter.
“It took one spark to get things going,” Rosenthal said. We got out of the gate strong, putting pressure on their offense – having corner after corner, having lots of opportunities.
“The opportunities were there. Quakertown’s got one heck of a defense. They’ve got a fantastic goalie, and we really just needed to finish. A lot of our games this season have been that story. We’re right there, and we just need to finish, so we talked at halftime about really getting a fire under our butts, using every bit of energy that we have and playing with heart and using everything that we have to put the ball in the back of the cage. That’s what they did in the third quarter.”
Olivia Nolan added an insurance goal midway through the quarter. Then it was Parker connecting with three minutes remaining in the frame.
“Sophia finished a great run,” said Rosenthal, going on to credit several players who contributed in supporting roles. “Paige Keller had one of the best games of her career today. Even though she didn’t get a goal, she didn’t get an assist, she made a lot of things happen in the midfield – a lot of fantastic breakaways. When you see your teammate carrying the ball 80 yards up the field, it gives you that motivation to get it in the goal. Paige Keller was fantastic today.
“Caroline Suko was another player who didn’t score today but got a lot done for us on the field. Our goal scorers Ali Troth, Olivia Nolan and Sophia Parker all had fantastic games, but it was really a full team effort. Quakertown had a couple of opportunities that could have been breakaways, and our defensive unit did a really great job of stopping that.”
East held a decisive advantage in shots (26-2) and corners (14-1). East goalie Grace Gidwani recorded two saves in the shutout while Lerch was credited with 23 saves in a stellar outing.
“This, of course, wasn’t the outcome we wanted, but I could not be more proud of this group of young women,” Quakertown coach Kate Kemp said. “Together they fought an extremely well-skilled CB East team for 60 minutes. Kylie Lerch had an unbelievable game in goal with 23 saves. Good luck to East and the rest of the teams as they advance to the next round.”
Central Bucks East (14-5, 12-4 SOL) will travel to #4 Downingtown West for a second round game Wednesday (7 p.m.). Quakertown closed out its successful season with a 9-9-1 record overall (8-7-1 SOL).
Quakertown 0-0-0-0 0
Central Bucks East 0-0-3-0 3
#15 NESHAMINY 1, #18 UNIONVILLE 0
The Redskins have saved their best for last.
They took a five-game winning streak – all shutouts – into Monday’s district opener, and the Redskins extended their winning streak to six with a hard-fought win. Colette Schardt’s second-quarter goal was the difference in the game.
“This was a really great win,” Schardt said. “We’re a very young team – a majority of them are freshmen and sophomores.
“This season we have had so many ups and downs, so we had no idea how this was going to go. We just came out and played like Neshaminy field hockey does when we come out and play together. It was such a confidence boost, especially going into Souderton. It was so great being able to have this win leading into it.”
Schardt – who saw an earlier goal waved off as dangerous – connected on a lift shot six minutes into the second quarter.
“She carried the ball down the right side,” Neshaminy coach Jamie Pinto said. “It was a tough angle, but she has a really good shot in general. She saw an opening near post and shot it. It was a really tough angle.
“She’s been very consistent. She’s a very smart player – she sees the field well, she makes good passes, she pushes up when she needs to to create offense, she plays well defensively. She’s just been a very strong center mid this year. We’ve always moved her around – she’s been all over. We needed somebody to step up this year, and she stepped up nicely at the center mid position this year.”
Schardt’s goal stood until the final whistle, and according to the senior captain, the win was anything but easy.
“Unionville was a really good team and had great stick skills, and it was a pretty back and forth game,” she said. “We got our shots off, but they would either miss the goal or we would get them off the goalie’s pads and not be able to finish. We had quite a few go right across the goal and almost went in. Both teams definitely had opportunities. Our defense did a good job of stopping them.”
Pinto had high praise for her team’s effort.
“This win was something that we needed,” the Redskins’ coach said. “We’ve been playing well towards the end of the season. The last couple of practices were really good practices. The girls were excited.
“We were fixing things that have been issues all season long, and people were understanding how to correct them and what to do. The shots were good at practice, the touches were good. They were working really hard, and I think this win just shows them – really being focused, really working hard at practice, playing together as a team can really pay off. We had good passing combinations, we were hustling, the defense really stepped up today. We had some missed opportunities, but entering districts, a win’s a win. We’ll take it.”
According to Schardt, the Redskins – co-champions with Council Rock South – have benefitted from a schedule that included crossover games against a tough Colonial Division that includes four of the final 16 teams still standing.
“Those crossover games gave us a view into what other teams were going to be like when it came to playoffs and how we need to come together,” Schardt said. “We lost to Rock South twice, but we beat teams that beat them as well, so it just goes to show that our team can come together and we can do it. We just really have to put our minds to it.”
Pinto lauded the efforts of several of the game’s unsung heroes.
“Michelle Baradziej in the back played well,” the Redskins’ coach said. “Morgan Shaltens played well. Avery McGinty played hard. Defensively, we played pretty smart – they were communicating.
“Unionville did have their opportunities. They packed the circle, and our defense had to figure some things out marking-wise. They worked together, they figured it out, and they stepped up and played well, they played really well.”
“I’m really proud of the girls. It was a total team effort today.”
Neshaminy (14-5, 11-5 SOL) will travel to #2 Souderton for a second round game on Wednesday (3:30 p.m.). The two teams met earlier this season, and the Indians notched a 6-0 Senior Night win over the visiting Redskins.
“I’m looking forward to it just because we have already played them before, and I’m excited to see how it turns out,” Schardt said. “I don’t know, maybe we can turn the tables and get a win out of it.”
“They’re going to give it their all, they’re going to play hard,” Pinto said.
Unionville 0-0-0-0 0
Neshaminy 0-1-0-0 1
#20 WEST CHESTER HENDERSON 2, #13 PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 1
#19 COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH at #14 AVON GROVE (Ppd. to Tuesday, 5 pm)
#17 ABINGTON at #16 DOWNINGTOWN EAST (Ppd. to Tuesday, 3:30 pm)
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