The season came to an end for all three SOL field hockey teams in the opening round of the PIAA Class AAA Tournament.
#11-1 LEHIGHTON 1, #1-2 CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 0
There are not a whole lot of certainties in the world of sports, but it might be as close to a certainty as it gets that Central Bucks West will score a goal at some point during its games.
After all, the Bucks were shut out just once all of last season (in a 3-0 district semifinal loss to Downingtown East), and in 21 games this season, they had never been shut out.
Then along came a Lehighton squad whose calling card is apparently defense.
“We’ve only let up 13 goals all season, and we’ve scored 141, so defense is the backbone of our team,” said coach Jennifer Lobasso, whose team kept the Bucks off the scoreboard for the first time this season. “Tonight we looked to double the ball as much as possible. We knew their forwards were really speedy and had great stick work.
“We looked to push them wide. You can’t score if you’re at the sideline, and I thought we did a great job of not allowing them to attack the middle. So just pushing them out wide and keeping them out there until the rest of your team can recover and help out – I thought we did a great job of that tonight.”
That might be an understatement.
The Bucks never seriously mounted an offensive threat. Eight corners to just one for the Mountaineers in the first half netted the Bucks only a pair of shots that were deflected out of play by Stroudsburg’s defense before they ever reached the goalie.
“They had a really fast flier,” West senior Cadera Smith said. “We had talked about that, but I just think we had some trouble seeing our options because they had so much pressure on us.”
The Bucks’ inability to generate shots turned out to be an omen of things to come.
“They packed the circle,” West coach Courtney Lepping said. “That was one of the difficult things.
“They packed the circle, they were very physical defensively, and it was hard to get our shots off that we’re used to getting off. We knew we just needed to keep putting stuff on cage and seeing if we could get a touch.”
In the second half, it was the Mountaineers drawing one corner after another, 13 all told. The Bucks’ defense was equal to the task. Until the Mountaineers capitalized on a corner with 3:35 remaining when Julianna Sweeney – during a scramble on corner play – found the cage with a goal that stood until the final horn.
“Their corners were excellent,” Lepping said. “I was really proud of our corner team. For the constant corners that they kept getting called against them, they were doing an excellent job of holding tough and staying strong.”
All but lost in the shuffle of the season-ending loss were some of the Bucks’ impressive passing sequences.
“I’m telling you – it was such pretty hockey tonight,” Lepping said. “There were just sequences where we’re watching – a touch here, a touch there. The passing was just beautiful tonight.
“I really thought our team was on. We played well. Besides the score, there’s nothing I would change about how we played.”
And if West’s season had to end on a loss, Smith, for one, couldn’t have asked for a much better ending.
“If there was any game that was representative of our whole season, I think it was this one only because we played so incredibly well together,” Smith said. “It was just beautiful hockey that really represented who we were.
“I would say – if we had to go out, this was a very good game to do it.”
Both teams managed just six shots on goal in a contest that featured stellar defense on both sides.
Central Bucks West (9-2-1 SOL), the District One Class AAA runner-up, closed out a successful season with 17-5-1 record.
Stroudsburg 0-1 1
Central Bucks West 0-0 0
#3-1 PALYMYRA 2, #1-6 COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 0
The Golden Hawks didn’t win, but they certainly proved they don’t back down to anyone. While the Hawks wanted to do a whole lot more than keep the game close, coach Lisa Belz had high praise for her squad after its season-ending loss to the defending state runner up team that is just two years removed from a state co-championship.
“Overall, I’m extremely proud of our team,” the Golden Hawks’ coach said. “I think we played outstanding.
“To hold them to 2-0 is an accomplishment in itself. They went to the state championship last year, and they won districts. I hope my team understands it’s a great accomplishment getting to states. I feel like it could have been a different outcome – we had some opportunities, but overall, everyone played their hearts out, and I think that’s what matters at the end.”
Palmyra did all of its damage in a 12-minute span in the first half, getting on the scoreboard when Jessica Dembrowski scored with 16:28 remaining in the half. A Nicole Shank goal with 4:43 remaining sent the Cougars into halftime with a 2-0 lead that stood until the final whistle.
“Palmyra came out strong,” Belz said. “They had five corners, and we had five corners. We had some opportunities.
“I think we had a little bit of a hard time adjusting to the way they played. They were very quick to the ball, and they had very strong stick skills. I think they came out with a little bit more intensity than us and kind of put us back on our heels.”
The Golden Hawks’ coach once again had high praise for her defense – goalie Sabrina Masone and defensive backs Emily Keller, Mikayla VanAken, Bianca Bonanni and Tori Wright.
“Our defense has really done an excellent job in the playoff run we’ve had,” Belz said. “They finally had a chance to really shine. We have some competitive league games, but overall, the majority of our hard games have been in the playoffs, and our defense really got to prove themselves.
“I think they did an outstanding job. It’s nice to see we can hold these good teams to a low amount of goals, but on the other end of it, we do need to be scoring too.”
Council Rock South (17-6, 12-0 SOL) closed out its season with sole possession of the SOL National Conference title and the program’s first trip to the state tournament since 2004.
Council Rock South 0-0 0
Palmyra 2-0 2
#11-1 EMMAUS 8, #1-5 CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 1
About the Author
