Check out the recaps for SOL field hockey teams in action Friday. CB South/CB West photos provided courtesy of Tracy Valko. Check back for a gallery of photos.
SOL Patriot Division
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 4, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 0
Getting your first varsity start can be nerve-wracking. Getting your first varsity start against your neighborhood archrival can be downright terrifying.
If Abby Levine was dealing with any pregame jitters, she certainly didn’t show it once play began. With South’s starting goalie Karlie McCloskey out with illness, sophomore keeper Levine made her varsity debut by stopping all 10 shots she faced and earning a shutout as Council Rock South downed Council Rock North, 4-0, in Friday’s Patriot Division clash.
“Karlie did not feel well so Abby played the whole game,” South coach Lisa Belz said. “It was her first varsity appearance and she did great!”
A high-powered offense did its part to ensure Levine’s varsity debut would be a success. Kylee Hager opened the scoring midway through the first quarter, then Brigid Morgan scored (Kerry Kaufman assist) to make it 2-0 after one quarter. Morgan scored her second of the day (Hager assist) late in the third quarter, then assisted on a Kaufman goal in the fourth quarter.
“Brigid really stepped up today scoring 2 goals and 1 assist,” Belz said. “Overall this was a great team effort, I’m very pleased with the outcome, and we’re looking forward to closing out league play this week.”
South (4-3, 4-2 SOL) will host Pennsbury at 3:30 pm Monday. North (3-4, 1-4) will visit Bensalem at 3:30 pm Monday.
Council Rock South 2-0-1-1 4
Council Rock North 0-0-0-0 0
NESHAMINY 1, PENNSBURY 0
Senior Dylan Beegal scored off a Carena Barr setup just 75 seconds into Friday’s contest, and it proved to be the difference as Neshaminy topped neighborhood rival Pennsbury to remain undefeated and atop both the Patriot Division and District One 3A standings.
“The first quarter especially, we had opportunities, but we just couldn’t finish,” said Neshaminy coach Jamie Pinto. “Pennsbury was in it the whole game. They played hard. We got it back together the second half of the fourth quarter. We started playing a little better.
“We played well. We had moments of really good hockey and we had moments that showed things we need to keep working on, but the girls keep playing. They’re doing what they need to do right now. We’re just going to take one game at a time and see how everything plays out. We know every team is going to be coming out hard at us. In league play anything can happen, so we just have to be ready for anything.”
Pinto noted Mia Martin, Avery McGinty, and Riley Wert for their play.
“Mia Martin at right mid played well – she generated a lot of offense for us in the second half,” Pinto said. “Avery McGinty played well for us defensively. She was aggressive and was sending good through balls up to the forward line. Our goalie Riley Wert did a nice job.”
Neshaminy (6-0) will look to continue its winning ways against visiting Council Rock North at 3:30 pm Thursday. The Falcons (3-3) will try to get back in the win column when they visit Council Rock South at 3:30 pm Monday.
Neshaminy 1-0-0-0 1
Pennsbury 0-0-0-0 0
Falcons come close in emotional game against Neshaminy
(Submitted by Pennsbury field hockey)
Preparing to play against Neshaminy at their home field requires a special process for Pennsbury. With two Falcons’ coaches who are Neshaminy field hockey alums, one coach who is a Pennsbury alum, and a whole rivalry history between the programs, it’s not only the players who have to do that pregame mindset work. The mental side of this contest for the Falcons is where the focus falls each year. There is something about traveling to Neshaminy that catapults our team into an intense inner struggle that needs to be worked through at game time.
Today Pennsbury started exactly how coach Traci Curtis could have predicted. The Falcons came out flat, on their heels, and intimidated from the first whistle. Despite taking Neshaminy to overtime in their first meeting, Pennsbury continues to battle with confidence issues when stepping onto Neshaminy grass. Neshaminy took advantage of that in the first two minutes of the game, earning a corner and scoring during a scuffle in front of the goal at the 13:45 mark. The sound of the starting whistle barely out of the air and the score was 1-0. It was one of those goals that happens in slow motion, nothing fancy or even pretty, but still a goal as it rolled over the white line.
And that goal was the only one of the game.
When the first quarter ended, Pennsbury players heard an earful from Curtis. Curtis is not sure what part exactly stuck or helped to flip a switch in their brains, but the Falcons came out in the second, third, and fourth quarters and played absolutely amazing hockey. They dominated much of the possession throughout a good portion of the remainder of the game, but just couldn’t tie it up with corner opportunities, breakaways, and great passing and shooting … one shot actually bounced off of the post. Neshaminy’s goalie had some incredible saves that kept her team on top and forced the Falcons to work harder to figure out how to get one by her. They never did.
Pennsbury made some tactical changes, lineup changes, and executed corners well, but just could not even up the score.
Once again, the hard-fought game resulted in a loss, but the Falcon coaches felt like it was a win in so many ways. Having a three-game week, battling some injuries, and the intensity of online learning certainly are factors, but the season theme is #NOEXCUSES, so there is no room to allow anything to get in the way of game time. The coaching staff is proud of how the girls found a way to get over their mental block surrounding this particular battle and proved to themselves how strong they are together.
After the early goal our team could have fallen apart, given up, or acted like they weren’t worthy of competing, but that is not what happened and that is what we love to see in them. We do not rely on one person to take care of anything for us – the workload is shared across the board and everyone stepped up as a solid unit to give the performance they gave today.
Some highlights include ball control and distribution in the middle from Sophia Hitchingham and Olivia Graebner, forward line attacking by Jaclyn Gorgo, Kayli Williams, and Maddy Spratt. In addition, another stellar performance by Marissa MacAinsh helped in the midfield, and incredibly strong, smart defensive play from Sophia Curtis, Hannah Aker, Reilly Monach, and goalie Jordan Vradenburgh kept Neshaminy scoreless for 58 minutes. Pennsbury will continue its travel schedule against Council Rock South on Monday.
SOL Colonial Division
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 5, SOUDERTON 2
Finishing.
It sounds so easy, and for the Patriots – who had a not-so-little score to settle with Souderton after falling 3-0 in the initial meeting, it looked easy. Not so much for the Indians who were shut out in their previous two games and held a 17-11 advantage in corners Friday but managed just two goals.
The Patriots’ defense had more than a little to do with the Indians’ woes.
“I was playing center mid and some center forward, and I just think our defense played so strong and so calm,” senior Phia Mannino said. “The last game when we played them they were able to finish because our defense was frantic and taken aback, but this game Paige Hussie, Grace Bethke, Kiera Lamb and Renee Gatto – they all did so well and played super calm and smart.
“And obviously, if it got through, we had (Emily) Bullard to protect the cage, coming out super strong. I think we literally had a wall defending for us.”
If the Patriots needed a boost in Friday’s rematch, they got it when Mannino scored her first of two goals less than a minute into the game.
“At practice, we talked about how scoring first is always the most important thing,” Mannino said. “Especially since they beat us before, we knew whoever scored first would kind of set the pace of the game.
“Even with our last game against Pennridge, they scored first and we went into overtime with them. From that too, we knew that scoring first was definitely essential in order to set our own pace and have control of the game, so when we did that, I think we came out with intensity and confidence.”
Five minutes later, the Patriots made it a 2-0 game when sophomore Allie Troth scored for the second time in as many games, and that lead grew to 3-0 when Sophia Parker scored during corner play.
The Indians had their opportunities, drawing five corners in the quarter – four in the final 90 seconds, but Bullard came up with several big saves.
“She’s a phenomenal goalie, and we said the only way we are going to get around her is by making the goal bigger,” Souderton junior Lauren Kenah said. “You have to have people on the post in order to make the goal bigger and make it harder for her.
“We did that when we played them the first time, and we were looking to do it again. Unfortunately, I don’t know if we did it the best, but we know she’s a great goalie.”
The Patriots took that 3-0 lead into halftime. Six more Souderton corners netted nothing, but the Indians finally broke their scoreless skid when Kenah, after an interception, found the cage on a reverse sweep.
“For us, we felt like we were really crowding the circle, and we were feeling like we had the opportunities, but we were just crowding and not allowing ourselves to capitalize on those opportunities,” Kenah said of the team’s recent offensive woes. “I definitely think it is a mental game not scoring.
“We really wanted to come out here and score because we can’t let that continue, we really have to put an end to that and get on board.”
East’s Paige Keller turned a Grace Bethke pass into another corner goal with 2:22 remaining to give the Patriots a 4-1 advantage after three quarters. Mannino capped a brilliant individual effort with a goal early in the fourth quarter. Kenah converted a penalty stroke late in the contest for the 5-2 final.
“I felt like we never gave up, which is really important,” Kenah said. “Being down 3-0 is not easy, and it’s not easy to come back from.
“I think our biggest takeaway from this game is that we didn’t get down when it was 3-0, and we continued to push and try to get goals. We needed to score in order to stay in the game and not let it go down the wrong slope.”
Bullard was impressive in goal, turning away 11 shots, but she was quick to deflect credit.
“As much as people say it starts with the goalie, I think my energy also feeds off the way our offense, our midfield and our defense is playing, and I think today we just worked as a unit the entire game,” Bullard said. “Of course, we had those two goals against, but those are just pieces of the puzzle. We ended victorious, and I think the way we played today reflected the character of our team. We just don’t give up, we don’t give up anything.”
The win was especially significant for the seniors.
“Knowing this was our last Souderton game as seniors, we knew we had to leave it all out on the field,” Bullard said. “There is animosity between the teams, and it’s been there for all four years that we’ve been here.
“It feels good to leave high school and this rivalry with a win.”
As rivalries go, this is a good one.
“It’s amazing, it’s fantastic,” Bullard said. “The games are always fun. Both teams have athletes that are deep on every line.”
“It’s so fun, really fun,” Mannino said. “Both teams are super skilled and really strong. Both teams are well rounded.”
Not to be lost in the shuffle is the fact that the Patriots – with an eight-point lead – are zeroing in on a championship they shared with the Indians last year.
“If our seniors come through with an SOL win for the sixth consecutive year, I think that says so much about our whole team and shows so much character,” Mannino said. “
“This generation of East field hockey players – I’m very proud of this team, very proud,” Bullard said.
Central Bucks East (6-1 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks South for a 7 p.m. contest Monday. Souderton (3-3-1) will be on the road at North Penn on Monday (7 p.m.).
Central Bucks East 2-1-1-1 5
Souderton 0-0-1-1 2
NORTH PENN 4, PENNRIDGE 1
Freshman Riley O’Donnell scored her first varsity goal with less than a minute left in the first quarter to give North Penn a lead it would not relinquish. The Knights avenged an earlier loss to the Rams with a solid 4-1 victory.
“That was definitely in the back of our minds,” North Penn coach Shannon McCracken said of the 3-1 defeat earlier in the season. “Soon after we won on Wednesday against West, we had our eyes on today. Yes, statistically we had a good game against them the last time, but we didn’t get the win in the win column, and that was frustrating. They had that three-goal second quarter against us the last time, which we haven’t forgotten, so that was definitely motivation today going to their field.
“We have definitely improved since the last time we saw them. I feel like we’re a different team the way we’re moving the ball on the field, the way we’re attacking because we were struggling earlier to score goals, and we definitely have been able to find the back of the net a lot more often the last couple of games.”
Eleni Kountroubis put the Knights up 2-0 off of a rebound on a North Penn penalty corner.
Emma Schlotter cut the lead to 2-1 when she converted a Maddie Bross setup late in the second quarter. Bay Detweiler added two fourth-quarter goals for North Penn to put the game out of reach, with Erin O’Donnell assisting on Detweiler’s first tally.
“Today was exciting because Riley O’Donnell had her first career goal,” McCracken said. “I felt as though that made a huge impact. She scored with 49 seconds left in the first quarter. When you score before half or now if you score before a quarter ends, that can definitely shift momentum. I feel like that really elevated our play that we were able to get a goal first and right before the corner ended, so that was big.
“We scored on two penalty corners – the goal in the second quarter and the goal in the fourth quarter were rebounds off penalty corners, so that was big. Bay Detweiler just had two very pretty goals. She put it right back off a rebound, made a nice touch at the left post, so that was huge. She played really well for us.”
North Penn held an 8-5 edge in corners and doubled up the Rams 14-7 in shots on goal.
Mallory Stowell made nine saves for North Penn (Megan Albert recorded a defensive save). Maia Machado stopped seven shots in goal for the Rams.
“Pennridge’s attack is lethal,” McCracken said. “They took CB East to overtime the other day. I just thought my defense played so strong today. Mallory had nine saves. The defense was led by center back Linsey Gilbert, freshman Melissa Sessler and senior Megan Albert. They just really played tough back there because Pennridge has some speed, and they’re real chippy. They’re aggressive in the circle, and they’re on the ball quickly. I just thought my defense really hung tough to keep them out.”
North Penn (4-3) will return to the field Monday at 7 pm against Souderton for a Senior Night showdown. Pennridge (3-4, 2-4 SOL) and will host Central Bucks West at 7 pm Monday.
North Penn 1-1-0-2 4
Pennridge 0-1-0-0 1
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 4, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 0
Erin Smith scored a natural hat trick—with Braylee Webb assisting on the first and third goal—and added an assist on Anna
Shirley’s fourth-quarter goal as Central Bucks South pulled away from neighborhood rival Central Bucks West for a 4-0 victory.
“Erin Smith was unstoppable today,” said South coach Pat Toner. “Anna Shirley scored a beautiful goal on the corner post to round out the scoring. Senior captain Sophia Wasyliw dominated the midfield, was triple-teamed at times and still managed to feed balls into scoring position. The entire team played very well and was able to control the pace of play against a strong CB West team.”
South outshot West by a 12-1 count and took 10 corners to West’s 3. Titans’ keeper Gwen DiPrinzio recorded one save to post the shutout. West goalie Brook Golbeski turned aside eight shots.
“We made several adjustments in our corner play and we were very happy with the number of scoring opportunities generated by the changes,” Toner said. “As a side note, due to illness, this was the first day I have been able to return all week.
“I missed being at our games and practices and I am so thankful for our coaches, Kerry Dietzel and Kelli Chioffe, who did a fantastic job of coaching our team. In addition, with so many uncertainties in all of our worlds, it’s a blessing to be able to be with a group of players and coaches who truly enjoy being together. Although this is a shortened season, it is very rewarding to see them begin to realize their potential and support each other on and off the field.”
South ( 3-3-1) will face their other neighborhood rival Central Bucks East at 7 pm Monday. West falls (1-5) will next visit Pennridge for a 7 pm Monday game.
Central Bucks South 0-2-1-1 4
Central Bucks West 0-0-0-0 0
SOL Liberty Division
ABINGTON 2, WISSAHICKON 0
Just have fun.
That was coach Katie Small’s message to her team prior to Friday’s game against a Trojan squad that had run circles around the Ghosts in a 10-0 win earlier this season.
Friday’s came on the heels of a 4-3 loss to Upper Dublin in a game the Ghosts led 3-0 and still led 3-1 heading into the fourth quarter.
“When the game started today, I said, ‘Go out and play your game – we’re going to have fun today. Take a deep breath, have fun and enjoy it. That’s what we’re here for is just to get out there, be together and have fun,’” Small said.
The Ghosts heeded their coach’s advice and had fun, a whole lot of fun, all at the Trojans’ expense. They got on the scoreboard five-and-a-half minutes into the game when junior Devan DiMaria scored with an assist from sophomore Camryn Stewart.
“It was just a melee in front of the net,” Small said of the goal. “I always say – let’s score in the first five minutes, and they did it again. This is four games in a row we’ve scored in the first five minutes.”
The Trojans – as expected – came roaring back, but the Ghosts’ defense and junior goalie Marilynn Capps proved to be impenetrable.
“Marilynn Capps, our goalie, played the most phenomenal game of her three years of being a goalie,” Small said. “She was diving, she saved everything. She was a wall back there, and when something would get by her, Ally Campbell, my center back, was there to pick it up.”
Campbell was credited with three defensive saves while Capps had 16 stops in a dazzling performance.
“She had a rough start – her first game you could definitely tell she was a little unsure of herself in the net, but the way she played against Plymouth Whitemarsh and even Upper Dublin – you saw her finally coming into her own,” Small said. “This game it all came together for her.
“I’ve never seen her get up so fast when she dives. She had two stick saves. I can’t say enough about how well she played today. She was the MVP of this game, she really was.”
The Ghosts added a late insurance goal when freshman Maura Calladanoto scored during a flurry in the circle with 4:30 remaining in the fourth quarter.
“Their goalie dove for a save, and my girls just were able to get the ball around her and put it in the net – they did a great job,” Small said. “It really was back and forth at times.
“Wissahickon is a great team – they have a lot of talent. We just were able to capitalize on a couple of errors the times we got down in the circle.
“I finally have girls that want to put it into the net. I have two freshmen that just joined the team – Olivia Dougherty and Maura Calladanoto. The two of them – I’m like ‘Where’s my trash picker?’ They’re there.”
The Trojans had an 11-3 advantage in corners.
“Ella Montagano stepped up in the center of the field after the first goal and midway through the second quarter when we were up one and they were getting a lot of their opportunities,” Small said. “I said, ‘We have to go a little more defensive,’ so I switched from a four-forward line to a diamond in the middle with four midfielders. Ella just stepped up and really marked number three, Brynne Miller.”
Small also recognized the play of senior Ysabel Lowery in the midfield and junior Tara Hughes on the back line.
“It really was a team effort,” said Small, whose team returned just three field players. “It’s just been such an up and down season. We’re really young. I only start three seniors, so it’s really been difficult for us to get a groove going.
“We play great field hockey for 28 minutes and then something shifts in us, and I think it’s just being a young team. Today everyone clicked. I had two players come off the bench – sophomore Maddie Slavin and senior Emily Schlisman – and really step up when we needed them to.
“It just ended up being a total team effort from the bench to the players on the field to the fans. The fans were yelling, ‘Go Abington.’ This is the first game I’ve heard them yell. It really was a total Abington Township win.”
Abington (3-4 SOL) will host Hatboro-Horsham on Monday at 4 p.m., and Wissahickon (6-2, 5-2 SOL) will host Quakertown on Monday at 7 p.m.
Wissahickon 0-0-0-0 0
Abington 1-0-0-1 2
UPPER DUBLIN 4, QUAKERTOWN 1
Jenn McCarry notched a hat trick as Upper Dublin rolled to a 4-1 victory over Quakertown in Friday’s Liberty Division matchup.
McCarry scored her first of the game less than four minutes in (Maisie Hanson assist). He would add two goals in an 88-second span in the third quarter to put the Cardinals up 4-0. Peyton Kullman added a second-quarter goal and assisted on McCarry’s second tally of the day.
Alexis Mowrer (Megan Myers assist) put the Panthers on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter. Kylie Lerch made 8 saves for Quakertown.
Quakertown (0-7-1, 0-6-1 SOL) will be on the road at Wissahickon for a 7 pm Monday game. The Cardinals (5-2) are tied for second place in the division and will visit undefeated division-leader Plymouth Whitemarsh at 3:30 pm Monday.
Upper Dublin 1-1-2-0 4
Quakertown 0-0-0-1 1
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 1, HATBORO-HORSHAM 0
Liberty Division frontrunner Plymouth Whitemarsh threw everything it could at Hatboro-Horsham goalkeeper Raven Hiller.
Hiller was remarkable in the cage for the Hatters, recording a stunning 25 saves and facing down 20 PW corners. Alexa DeLucca’s goal (Kaleigh Missimer assist) midway through the first quarter was the only time the Colonials were able to figure out Hiller, but that turned out to be enough as the Colonials pulled out a 1-0 win in Friday’s league matchup.
Sarah Trask made 3 saves in posting the shutout victory for PW.
PW (7-0) will host second-place Upper Dublin at 3:30 pm Monday. The Hatters (0-6-1) will try to earn their first win of the season when they travel to Abington for a 4 pm Monday matchup.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 1-0-0-0 1
Hatboro-Horsham 0-0-0-0 0
SOL Freedom Division
NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 6, LOWER MORELAND 0
Lilly Smith and Erin Firth combined for five goals and an assist as New Hope-Solebury exploded for three first-quarter goals and rolled to a 6-0 win.
Firth opened the scoring for the Lions. Smith added her first of three on the day before Firth set up Smith for the third NHS goal of the game. Firth added another goal in the second, Avery Mendola found the back of the cage in the third quarter, and Smith completed the hat trick (Kate Dougherty assist) in the fourth quarter to cap the scoring.
For Lower Moreland, sophomore goalkeeper Sarah Rosala came up with 14 saves. Defenders Linda Tang (5 defensive saves), Jess Shein (3 defensive saves), and Alyssa Avington (1 defensive save) each contributed to making NHS work for every goal.
New Hope-Solebury (4-2) will host William Tennent at 3:30 pm Monday. Lower Moreland (3-3) will visit Academy of the New Church at 3:45 pm Tuesday for a nonleague, neighborhood rivalry matchup.
New Hope-Solebury 3-1-1-1 6
Lower Moreland 0-0-0-0 0
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 9, WILLIAM TENNENT 0
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