Check out the recaps for SOL field hockey teams in action. PW/Abington photos provided courtesy of Kim Supko Photography, and Upper Dublin/Wissahickon photos courtesy of Geanine Jamison. Check back for galleries of both games. (Senior photos provided)
SOL Patriot
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 8, BENSALEM 0
The Golden Hawks celebrated Senior Night with a shutout win over the Owls. The team’s 10 seniors – Laurie Darragh, Emilia Elko, Emma Franchini, Jenna Gannon, Ava Haurin, Sophia Mattie, Karlie McCloskey, Brigid Morgan, Anna Pagano and Rianna Shields – were recognized.
“Tonight we celebrated our 10 seniors,” coach Lisa Belz said. “They all played great and we thank them for the last four years of dedication to our program.”
It was junior Kerry Kaufman scoring with an assist from Morgan to break a scoreless tie with two-and-a-half minutes remaining in the opening quarter.
The Golden Hawks erupted for four goals in eight minutes to close out the first half – one each from Kasey Knapp (Kylee Hager assist), Kaufman (Elko assist), Morgan (Amanda Green assist) and Green (Hager assist). Rock South took a 5-0 lead into halftime.
Jenna Gannon turned a pass from Karissa Smedley into a goal early in the third period, and Morgan (Green assist) scored in the final minute to put the Hawks on top 7-0. Smedley closed out the scoring with a goal in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter.
Council Rock South (6-3, 6-2 SOL) will host New Hope-Solebury in a non-league game Friday, and Bensalem (1-6, 0-6) will host William Tennent in a non-league game Friday.
Bensalem 0-0-0-0 0
Council Rock South 1-4-2-1 8
SOL Colonial
NORTH PENN 3, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 0
The Knights honored the team’s 11 seniors – Megan Albert, Katie Blanch, Ali Hoffman, Eleni Kountroubis, Claire Owsiany, Michele Park, Lily Ridgway, Maura Schaeffer, Lindsay Stone, Mallory Stowell, and Maddie Zartman – with a shutout win over the visiting Titans.
Listening to coach Shannon McCracken tell it, this is a special group.
“I am so proud of this senior class,” the Knights’ coach said. “They are an amazing group of student athletes who love the game, work hard, care about each other, are committed to our program, and show heart and hustle on the field. They have faced adversity and the uncertainty of this season with grace and maturity and it is admirable.
“They love each other, and I think the one thing a lot of them have really taken out of this whole thing is how much they appreciate these moments when they feel normal because so much is uncertain. We keep saying to these kids – every day that we’re out here, every day we’re doing this is such a gift.”
As for the game, the Titans had a decided statistical edge, holding an advantage in both corners (13-3) and shots (10-5.
“Corners have always been a key part of our game plan,” South coach Pat Toner said. “We drew 13 corners tonight, but we were unable to connect on any of them or finish our shots. We will continue to work hard to improve.”
The Knights, meanwhile, made their opportunities count.
“We just were very efficient in the circle tonight,” McCracken said. “Any time we were in the circle – we had an opportunity, and we put the goal in.
“Two of the three goals were crosses – someone making a good run, crossing the ball and getting our stick on it in front of the goalkeeper and putting it in.”
The first of those goals came when Eleni Kountroubis turned an Erin O’Donnell cross into a goal midway through the first quarter. In the opening minutes of the third quarter, Erin O’Donnell scored on a broken corner.
“Erin scored on a reverse shot – it was a beautiful goal,” McCracken said.
Bay Detweiler closed out the scoring with 4:35 remaining in regulation, turning a Kountroubis crossing pass into a goal and the 3-0 final.
McCracken also had high praise for her defense.
“CB South has good corners, and we talked about trying to minimize the corners,” McCracken said. “That didn’t really go well for us – we gave up too many corners, but we hung tough in the circle.
“Mallory Stowell, our goalkeeper, had a great night in cage. Maddie Waldspurger is our fly on penalty corners, and she had a great night getting her stick on the ball. Megan Albert also was an important part of our corner defensive team. My defense was just real tough in the circle. Even though we were being peppered a little bit, we hung tough in there.”
Stowell was credited with eight saves. South’s Gwen DiPrinzio had four saves.
“There is a great deal of parity in our league, and any team is capable of beating another,” Toner said. “Tonight CB South won the statistical battle, but North Penn, who is always well-coached, made the most of their opportunities on three beautiful shots on goal.”
North Penn (5-3 SOL) will host Central Bucks East Monday at 3:30 p.m., and Central Bucks South (3-5-1) will host Pennridge on Monday at 5:30 p.m.
Central Bucks South 0-0-0-0 0
North Penn 1-0-1-1 3
SOUDERTON 3, PENNRIDGE 1
The Indians bounced back from a disappointing week , snapping a three-game losing streak and celebrating the team’s three seniors – Jordan Michalak, Taylor Weaver and Autumn Hunter – with an impressive win.
“Taylor Weaver, who played center back, had a really good game,” Souderton coach Sue Casciato said. “Autumn Hunter , who plays right mid, really had a good game. The two of them really stood out.
“Jordan Michalak has been a four-year varsity player in goal. They’re all an important part of our team. It was nice that we got a win and got back on track, and we can put last week behind us, but it was also nice for the seniors because they played well.”
In two of last week’s three losses, the Indians did not score a goal.
“We needed this,” Casciato said. “We played with a lot more energy than we did in any of our losses last week. We looked like we enjoyed hockey again.
“We had no spark last week, there was no talk on the field. Tonight there was better communication, and they were encouraging, and after they had a pretty good first quarter, I think they started to feel a little better because we really struggled last week.”
After battling the visiting Rams to a scoreless halftime tie, the Indians got on the board six minutes into the third quarter when Lauren Frye scored with a Reiley Knize assist.
Lauren Kenah connected on an unassisted goal in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, and the Rams trimmed the Indians’ lead in half when Emma Schlotter scored with 11:48 remaining. Just over two minutes later, sophomore Ang Borisow scored, using a Frye assist.
“Ang Borisow had a really good game for us,” said Casciato, noting the Indians changed their lineup yet again. “We moved Lauren Kenah to the forward line because we just weren’t generating enough offense.
“From center mid, she’s got to dodge six people to get to goal. At least if we put her out front, she’ll only have to dodge three.”
The Indians dominated the game statistically and held an advantage in shots (11-2) and corners (14-3).
“The last time we played Pennridge we beat them, but I felt they outplayed us, the stats were in their favor,” Casciato said. “We played much better than we did last time we played them.
“This was the best game we played on our home field in quite a while. I always feel like one of our strengths is our speed, and the surface is not quick.”
Souderton (4-3-1 SOL) will be on the road at Central Bucks West Monday for a 7 p.m. game. Pennridge (3-6) will travel to Central Bucks South on Monday for a 5:30 contest.
Pennridge 0-0-0-1 1
Souderton 0-0-1-2 3
SOL Liberty
HATBORO-HORSHAM 1, QUAKERTOWN 0
The Hatters turned their Senior Night into quite a celebration, notching their first win of the season with a late-game goal. Recognized were seniors Jordan Brown, Kayla Hiller, Megan Locke, Kelly Makovics and Kyra Malofy.
“All my seniors have been really playing hard on the defensive end,” HH coach Dipi Bhaya said. “It was just nice for the senior class to work together to help us get the win. I’m very happy that they finished their Senior Night with a W.
“Kids work hard, and they like to see the results. It’s nice that they finally got to see the result.”
It was a pair of sophomores who teamed up for a goal that turned out to be the game-winner. With 3:05 remaining in regulation, Maddie Gregory scored with an assist from Charlotte Elwell.
“We haven’t been able to find the back of the net, and that’s the struggle,” Bhaya said. “We’re a young team, a lot of freshmen and sophomores that would normally have more time to develop their game.
“But I’m grateful that we’re playing, that I get to coach and get to be around field hockey, a game I love. I was happy that we won tonight on our Senior Night.”
The Hatters were coming off a 1-0 loss to a high-powered Plymouth Whitemarsh squad. Goalie Raven Hill was the defensive catalyst, recording 25 saves.
“I’m pleased with my goalie – she’s doing great,” Bhaya said. “I’m happy that Maddie Gregory came in and scored a goal for us.”
In their previous meeting with Quakertown, the Hatters were forced to settle for a 0-0 tie. Panther goalie Kylie Lerch was credited with six saves in Wednesday’s rematch.
Hatboro-Horsham (1-6-1 SOL) will travel to Upper Dublin on Monday for a 3:30 p.m. game. Quakertown (0-9-1, 0-8-1) will host Palisades in a non-league game Thursday.
Hatboro-Horsham 0-0-0-1 1
Quakertown 0-0-0-0 0
WISSAHICKON 5, UPPER DUBLIN 0
The Trojans celebrated the team’s six seniors by notching their seventh shutout of the season. This year’s senior class had some decidedly big shoes to fill with the graduation of three players who are competing at the Division 1 level.
“They really are filling them – they’re taking up where the others left off,” Wissahickon coach Lucy Gil said. “I think what I really like about the seniors this year is they’ve become really great leaders with a sprinkling of superstar all over because we have Aidan Drabick, and we have some others that are popping in goals.”
Drabick, a transfer from Great Valley, has been an immediate difference maker for the Trojans.
“Aidan is our center midfielder, and she controls just about everything,” Gil said.
Making important defensive contributions are senior side backs Alena Doll and Emma Walsh.
“They have really helped out a lot on defense,” Gil said. “They just keep everybody out and don’t let anything come down either side. They’re really rock solid.”
Senior captain Kendal Williams – who had two goals and an assist in Wednesday’s win – has also been a key piece for the Trojans.
“She’s been scoring a lot of goals,” Gil said. “She’s popping them in, so I can’t really ask for more of them, and they’re terrific at leading the rest of the team. We’re going to miss that. I couldn’t be more pleased with the seniors.”
Seniors Lauren Jackson and Lilly Sollberger contribute in a reserve role.
“It’s been an unexpected and, as a result, a very fun year because there are no expectations,” Gil said. “We just go out and have fun.”
In Wednesday’s win, the Trojans scored in each of the four periods and connected on a pair of goals in a 14-second span midway through the opening quarter. Sophia Havrilla scored with a Drabick assist, and then it was Drabick scoring an unassisted goal seconds later for a 2-0 lead.
Sollberger found the back of the cage with a Williams assist in the final minute of the second quarter, sending the Trojans into halftime with a 3-0 lead.
Williams scored a goal in both the third and fourth periods – the first with a Kendall Crowley assist and the second with an assist from Julia Schools..jpg)
“The seniors were all smiles after their shutout against their crosstown rival,” Gil said.
Wissahickon’s Alli Wood recorded eight saves in goal in the shutout win.
Wissahickon (8-2, 7-2 SOL) will host Neshaminy, the top seed in the latest District One 3A power rankings, in a non-league game Friday at 3:30 p.m. Upper Dublin (5-4) will host Hatboro-Horsham on Monday at 3:30 p.m.
Upper Dublin 0-0-0-0 0
Wissahickon 2-1-1-1 5
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 12, ABINGTON 1
The Colonials scored five goals in a lethal seven-minute span late in the opening quarter to seize complete control of the game. Seven different players contributed to the scoring effort in Wednesday’s win.
Seniors Ava Borkowski (four goals) and Kaleigh Missimer (three goals, three assists) led the offensive charge. Regan Gehman contributed a pair of goals while Hailey Copestick had a goal and two assists. Alexa DeLucca and Jules Tulio each added a single goal. Molly Lynch chipped in with a pair of assists.
PW goalie Sarah Trask was credited with three saves.
“It was a great team win today,” PW coach Charise Halteman said.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (9-0 SOL) will travel to Wissahickon on Monday for a 7 p.m. contest. Abington (3-5) will be on the road at Quakertown Monday for a 3:30 p.m. game.
Abington 0-1 1
Plymouth Whitemarsh 8-4 12
SOL Freedom
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 4, LOWER MORELAND 0
The Spartans closed out a perfect league season, notching their eighth win in as many games and clinching sole possession of the SOL Freedom title. The shutout was the Spartans’ sixth of the season.
Less than 90 seconds into the game, Molly McGoldrick scored an unassisted goal to spot the Spartans a 1-0 lead that stood until halftime, thanks to a tenacious defensive effort by the Lions.
In the third quarter, the Spartans erupted for three goals, including a pair in the opening four minutes of the quarter. Anya Kochanowicz scored 16 seconds into the period, and Lauren Corrado scored with an Annie Coll assist three minutes later. Kochanowicz closed out the scoring with 5:39 remaining in the quarter when she converted a penalty stroke.
The Spartans, who were awarded 21 penalty corners, took 19 shots. Their goalie was forced to make just two saves in the shutout win.
Lower Moreland 0-0-0-0 0
Springfield Township 1-0-3-0 4
WILLIAM TENNENT 1, UPPER MORELAND 0 (OT)
The Panthers picked up their second win of the season with both coming over the Golden Bears by an identical 1-0 score. This time they needed overtime.
Lindsay Bean scored the game winner with 9:48 remaining in OT, using an assist from Leila Doran.
Emma Hurley kept the Golden Bears in it, recording 16 saves in goal. William Tennent goalie Liz Botaranco was credited with two saves in the shutout win.
William Tennent (2-6, 2-4 SOL) will travel to Bensalem Friday for a non-league game. Upper Moreland (0-9-1, 0-8-1) will close out its season at New Hope-Solebury on Monday.
William Tennent 0-0-0-0-1 1
Upper Moreland 0-0-0-0-0 0
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