Check out the recaps for SOL field hockey teams in action Friday.
Non-league
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 5, PENNRIDGE 4 (OT)
Sophomore Kerry Kaufman turned a pass from senior Katelyn Cocco into the game-winner with 3:39 remaining in overtime, bringing to a dramatic end a wild non-league game on Friday.
“Katelyn drove the end line and passed to Kerry at the stroke, and she one-timed it,” Rock South coach Lisa Belz said. “It was a very exciting game. Both teams fought hard for the entire game.
“Every game is important as we close out the regular season play. I’m very proud that we pulled off three wins this week.”
Kaufman (two goals, two assists) and Cocco (one goal, two assists) ignited the Golden Hawks’ attack.
“Katelyn Cocco and Kerry Kaufman really stepped up today and led the team with their intensity,” Belz said.
The two teams spent the 60 minutes of regulation exchanging goals. Macy Price spotted the visiting Rams an early lead when she scored on the rebound of a goalie save just over a minute into the game. Two minutes later, Cocco evened the score, using a Kaufman assist. Midway through the half, Rachael Rolle turned a Cocco pass into a goal, and it took the Rams less than five minutes to answer – this time it was Emily Amsden scoring with an assist from Maddie Bross. The teams went into halftime deadlocked 2-2.
The Golden Hawks took the lead when Lauren Mitchell connected seven minutes into the second half, using a Kaufman assist. Haley Borneman answered for the Rams. Kaufman banged home the rebound with just over 12 minutes remaining in regulation to put the Golden Hawks on top 4-3, but not for long. Amsden answered less than four minutes later, using an Abby Ludlow assist. The stage was set for overtime and the dramatic finish.
“It was a great game with back and forth scoring,” Pennridge coach Becky Spahr said. “CR South is very skilled and fast offensively.
“We did well matching their pace and challenging their attack. It was a tough way to lose, but we are happy with the fight and toughness of our team.”
Pennridge freshman goalie Maia Machado was credited with 12 saves while Rock South’s Karlie McCloskey had five.
Council Rock South (11-5, 9-2 SOL) – 11th in the latest District One 3A power rankings – will travel to Council Rock North Tuesday to close out its conference season. Pennridge (8-6-1, 5-5) – 19th in the power rankings – will be on the road at Springfield Township Monday for a non-league game.
Pennridge 2-2-0 4
Council Rock South 2-2-1 5
HATBORO-HORSHAM 2, PENNSBURY 1
The Hatters have lost some heartbreakers in the game’s final moments. On Friday, they turned the tables and scored the game-winner during corner play as time was about to expire in regulation when Audrey Leibfried found the cage with an assist from Jada Mills. The heartstopping win came on the heels of a disappointing loss to Abington 24 hours earlier.
“A whole different team showed up today,” H-H coach Dipi Bhaya said. “Pennsbury is such a high caliber, aggressive team. We played on grass, and let me tell you – the kids really impressed me today.
“Especially after playing yesterday and then playing this game, it was such a different tempo. We really tried to keep up with Pennsbury’s tempo. It was a nice game. We played Springfield and we were winning, and the last minute they scored to tie it and we lost in overtime.”
The two teams exchanged first-half goals. Five minutes into the game, the Hatters scored during corner play when Megan Locke turned a Jordan Brown pass into a goal. The Falcons knotted the score with 3:14 remaining in the first half on a goal during corner play by Sophia Hitchingham with a Casey Glynn assist.
In the final minute of regulation, Bhaya called a timeout. If her team needed inspiration, she gave it to them.
“I said, ‘Listen, we’re going to get a corner, we’re going to score a goal, and we’re going to be on the winning side,’ and boom – it just happened that way,” Bhaya said. “Who calls a timeout with 41 seconds left in the game? I just didn’t want the clock to wind down, so I stopped the clock, we regrouped. The ball went all the way down to the other end and we brought it back. We were blessed with a corner, and the kids were relentless.
“One of my kids – Jada Mills – just kept firing away, and their goalie was making save after save, and their defense was doing great. There was an opening, there was a cross ball tip in, and Audrey scored the goal. It was nice.”
Bhaya credited the play of several players in the win.
“Jada Mills has been making an impact with either a goal or an assist,” the Hatters’ coach said. “Sorrell Long was just outstanding today. She was everywhere and anywhere. She was never stopping, never-ending hustle. That is rare to find these days, and she did it from the moment she starts until the moment she ends. She was literally, ‘We’re not going to overtime.’ She just did everything for us.
“Jordan Brown is mostly defense, but she’s also our inserter on corners. She doesn’t score goals, but she plays so hard for us and so well. She’s done an amazing job for us. Honestly, everyone played hard. I would love to mention all their names. I was really pleased.”
One team’s joy is another team’s heartbreak, and for the Falcons, this was a hard loss to swallow.
“There is heartbreak in almost every story, and today was the second time this season it was woven into Pennsbury’s book,” Pennsbury coach Traci Curtis said. “Hatboro-Horsham set the tone and it took the Falcons a little while to adjust to the fast-paced, frantic playing style the Hatters had to offer.
“Early in the first half HH made the score 1-0 and that was the catalyst for Pennsbury to use a timeout right away. We needed to focus on our game and drown out all of the other distractions. After the timeout, the girls came together and found ways to win many small moments, and it paid off as they tied the game 1-1 with 3:14 left until the half. Sophia Hitchingham tipped in a strong corner shot from Casey Glynn and that spark fueled the Falcons going into halftime.
“It was a very back and forth game with big hits and strong stops on both sides. Pennsbury had some breakaway opportunities that weren’t finished, which is somewhat of a repeat story for them this season. The high energy continued throughout the entire second half and it looked as though overtime was inevitable. With 47 seconds left, the Hatters had possession and called a timeout giving Pennsbury an opportunity to formulate a defensive plan. We went into that moment very confident we could hold them and take it into overtime, but unfortunately due to much confusion surrounding the events of the final seconds, Hatboro Horsham earned a penalty corner and a scuffle in front of the keeper ended up with them scoring the winning goal about two seconds before the final buzzer blew. Overtime vanished in front of our eyes in those seconds and even though we will never know if we would have won the 7v7, the heartbreaking part is that we didn’t get that chance. There are many, many reasons for that and some of the big reasons were out of our control.”
Pennsbury goalie Kira Korzeb was credited with nine saves while Hatboro-Horsham’s Morgan Kirby had six saves.
Hatboro-Horsham (6-10, 5-8 SOL) will travel to Quakertown for a non-league game Monday at 7 p.m. Pennsbury (6-10, 5-6) will host Neshaminy on Tuesday and then travel on Wednesday to face New Hope Solebury.
Hatboro-Horsham 1-1 2
Pennsbury 1-0 1
SOUDERTON 8, ABINGTON 0
The visiting Indians – despite dominating play – took just a 1-0 lead into halftime with Courtney Kenah accounting for the only goal of the opening 30 minutes.
The second half – that was another story entirely as the Indians erupted for seven unanswered goals.
Seven minutes into the half, Angela Borisow turned a Kenah pass into a goal. Lauren Kenah scored an unassisted goal, and midway through the half Reilly Knize scored with an assist from Lauren Kenah. An unassisted goal by Anna Gwiazdzinski opened the floodgates for a 4-0 tear in seven minutes. Just over a minute later, Knize connected on her second goal, and then it was Kate Martin scoring with a Courtney Kenah assist. Knize completed the hat trick, this time using a Gwiazdzinski assist.
Souderton held a 25-0 advantage in shots and an 8-1 edge in corners.
Souderton (14-2, 9-1 SOL) will host Quakertown in its Senior Night game Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Abington (5-10-1, 5-7-1) will travel to Lower Moreland for a non-league game Monday.
Souderton 1-7 8
Abington 0-0 0
BENSALEM 5, NORRISTOWN 0
UPPER MERION 2, CHELTENHAM 0
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