Friday marked the beginning of the 2012 field hockey season for many area teams. Check out all the results. To view photos of the Wissahickon/CR North and CR South/CB East games, please visit the Photo Gallery.
By Mary Jane Souder
WISSAHICKON 4, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 2
It’s always a war when the perennial SOL powers square off on the hockey field.
Last year, Council Rock North edged Wissahickon 4-3 in overtime. Friday’s opener pitting the two conference champions wasn’t over until Melanie Fry scored with 18 seconds remaining to seal the Indians’ fate.
“This is really big,” senior co-captain Jackie Hibbs said. “We were a little shaky after our first game against CB East, and we worked really hard last week, and this win means a lot to us.”
It was Hibbs working her magic to set up the game winner after the Indians – who gained momentum after trimming a 3-1 deficit to just one – gave the ball back to the Trojans when a free hit near the circle was hit over the end line.
Hibbs beat one Indian defender after another as she carried the ball down the field and then deftly – upon entering the circle – hit a pass to the left post where fellow co-captain Emily Gallagher redirected the ball to teammate Fry for a highlight reel goal that iced the win.
“What we work on in practice is moving the goalie,” Trojan coach Lucy Gil said. “(Rock North coach) Heather (Whalin) is such an awesome goalie coach, and you know she’s going to have an awesome goalie. It was a beautiful goal, and it sealed the deal.”
Gil went on to laud the individual effort of Hibbs on the play.
“That was reminiscent of Katie O’Donnell,” Gil said of the Trojan star who competed with the US National team in the Olympic Games this summer. “Jackie can draw defenders and sweep by them. She is small and sometimes gets bumped off the ball, but it also works to her favor when she scoots underneath people.
“What I used to do with Katie was I would give her free rein. Everyone else has a job, and Jackie is a cover person. She sees the entire field, and she is able to take away angles.”
Early on, the Indians certainly appeared to have a distinct advantage. Not only did they receive a goal from Gabby Tofig (Madison Gouza assist) just over five minutes into the game, they also had the better of play on the field.
“I thought they dominated the first 10-12 minutes,” Gil said. “They were all over us.
“I wasn’t here last year, and I wasn’t sure what they would be like. We started off very defensively, and I think that was a good thing.”
But things changed in a hurry after Gallagher turned a Fry crossing pass from the right wing into a goal at the 5:59 mark of the opening half.
“They were pushing up a lot, and once we could scoot in behind their midfield – there was a big gap between their midfield and their backs, and we could exploit that,” Gil said. “And that’s what we did for the first goal.”
Fry’s goal sparked a 3-0 run that included back-to-back goals by Lindsay Anderson (Angela Virtu assist) and Virtu (Taylor Myers assist) in a six-minute stretch to open the second half.
“We just felt like once we got that second goal we could keep going and keep scoring more,” Gallagher said. “We played more as a team, and we dominated.”
“I think it just really pumped us all up and really brought the energy of the game up,” Hibbs added.
The Trojans knew that a 3-1 lead against the dangerous Indians was anything but secure, and they were right.
Things got real interesting after Alex Keller turned an Alex Kuzma pass into a goal with 8:29 remaining to make it a one-goal game.
“We knew they were going to be hard, and we wanted to start the season off strong,” Gallagher said. “No matter what (the score), we wanted to keep trying to go to goal because you never know what could happen. They could get a breakaway, so no matter what, we want to be up by a big number.”
Gil called a timeout with 2:40 remaining.
“After the timeout, she told us how we need to keep it up and score another one,” Hibbs said.
Hibbs was more than happy to oblige, setting the table for Fry’s clincher.
“They played their hearts out,” Gil said. “It’s really hot out, and I subbed a lot more because they were going 100 percent, and it was crazy hot.
“I commend Jackie and Emily for being in there for an hour at full speed.”
QUAKERTOWN 7 PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 1
What a difference a year can make.
Last year, the Panthers found themselves on the short end of a 7-2 score when they faced the Colonials. This year they turned the tables, rolling to the decisive win.
“This year’s team is really good at communicating, and they’re playing really well together,” coach Peach Draper said. “We still have a lot of young kids, but the seniors have taken them under their wings. Instead of trying to be tough with them, they’ve welcomed them so much.
“They’re just workhorses. They came into the preseason in shape, and every day they want to get better. Even throughout the game, they were trying to do things to get better.”
The Panthers have three sophomores in their starting lineup, including goalie Maddie Calder. They also start a pair of freshmen.
Emma McLaughlin, a freshman, and Megan Thompson led a balanced offensive attack with two goals each. Thompson also had a pair of assists. Sara Reigh, Josh Schwarz and Janelle Croisette each added single goals. Schwarz also dished out three assists. Croisette and Stephanie Thompson each added one assist.
Draper lauded the solid performances of midfielder Hillary Scott, center midfielder Stephanie Thompson and defender Becca Robison.
“I’m very excited,” Draper said. “It’s a big turnaround from last year.”
Rachel Konowal scored PW’s only goal.
ABINGTON 3, CHELTENHAM 0
Don’t be fooled by the score.
The Lady Panthers, according to Abington coach Amanda Deering, gave the Ghosts all they could handle and then some.
“That score does not reflect what the game was like,” the Ghosts’ coach said.
The score certainly doesn’t tell the story of the glittering effort in goal by Faith Geating. The senior goalie turned away 14 shots, including nine in a busy first half that allowed the Ghosts to go into halftime locked in a scoreless tie. Included in Geating’s big first half was her stop of a penalty stroke by Cheltenham.
“Faith is controlling the circle and also completely controlling the defense, talking to them, organizing them,” Deering said. “If Faith Geating comes to play, it will be hard for teams to score.
“Cheltenham dominated play completely in the beginning of the half. I made some lineup changes, and that helped us throughout the second half, and we played stronger.”
The Ghosts got on the scoreboard at the 12:08 mark on a broken corner play when Clare Rowley found teammate Grace Troyer for the score. With 4:30 remaining, Troyer returned the favor, setting up a Rowley goal during a flurry of activity in front of the cage to put the Ghosts on top 2-0. Kathering Geating put the finishing touches on the win when she scored an unassisted goal at the 3:45 mark.
“She has been fantastic for us as our flyer on penalty corners as well as our center forward who controls the offense the entire time,” Deering said of Geating.
The Ghosts return just four starters from last year’s squad.
“We’re a work in progress,” Deering said. “Every game we’re going to work to get better, and today was a day that they battled through.
“Faith kept us in the game, and we finally got on the scoreboard.”
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 5, WILLIAM TENNENT 2
The Bucks blew open a close game in the second half, breaking a 2-2 halftime tie with three unanswered goals to give Casey Hughes a win in her coaching debut.
“In the first half, I think we were just really nervous and not confident,” Hughes said. “We were working out those first-game jitters.
“In the second half, they came out controlling the ball. I told them to work on possession, look for the passes and keep control of the ball, and we pretty much controlled the ball for the entire second half.”
Junior Madison Shields connected for the hat trick, which included a pair of second half goals. Junior Erick Fiorelli and sophomore Kim Hitchcock each added single goals.
“We have great scorers this year, and we’re looking to score goals,” Hughes said. “It was just a completely different team that came out the second half.”
The first-year coach acknowledged the standout effort of several players.
“Madison played awesome offensively, and Erick played solid the entire game – looking for the space, making good passes,” Hughes said. “My defender, senior Mackenzie Gallagher, had a great defensive game, and she’s really anchoring that defensive unit because we have some younger girls that are stepping into other positions.
“In the second half, my goalie, sophomore Bri DeAngelis, had great saves coming out. They had a couple of breakaways, and she stopped them up and had some awesome saves.”
DeAngelis was credited with eight saves. The Panthers received single goals from Samantha Huttick and Kendall Brasch.
Last year, the Bucks lost a 3-2 heartbreaker to the Panthers in their season opener. This year there was no doubt about the outcome.
“For me as a first-year coach, it feels good to get that first win,” Hughes said. “I know the girls wanted it, and I think that will set the tone for the season.
“I think we have a great team. They have been working so hard for me the last three-and-a-half weeks of preseason, and they were just ready. I think we’re ready to take it to the next level and compete with the SOL teams in our league, but we needed to have this first win under our belts.”
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 3, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 2
The Golden Hawks - minus standout senior midfielder Alexis Carroll, used a goal by Kristen Meihofer midway through the second half to eke out the opening day win.
“We have so many injuries – people coming off injuries, people that are injured,” Rock South coach Lisa Belz said. “We had to move some people around that didn’t normally play certain positions. I was really happy with the girls being able to adjust to that situation.
“We had to move Colleen Kirlin to center midfielder, and she’s usually a back. Today it was so hot, and I had to constantly sub, so there were a lot of people in and out the whole time. I was really pleased with the girls that stepped up.”
Meihofer, who is also battling an injury, led the Golden Hawks with a goal and two assists.
The Golden Hawks trailed the Patriots 1-0 at halftime but outscored their visitors 3-1 in the second half. Marissa Glatt scored the lone goal of the first half.
Jackie Shragher (Meihofer assist) scored the equalizer, and Kristin Donohue’s goal put the Golden Hawks on top 2-1. Maggie Stella answered with a goal for the Patriots, but Meihofer responded with a goal of her own at the 14:13 mark of the second half to give the Golden Hawks a lead they would not lose.
“We capitalized on our corners,” Belz said. “In the first half, we only had one corner, and we only had two in the second half, but we were in the circle a little bit more and capitalized. We scored off two corners.”
Last year, the Golden Hawks edged the Patriots 2-1.
“We always like opening with a crossover game,” Belz said of play an East squad that competes in the Continental Conference. “We know that division is really strong, and East was definitely a good team. I was really pleased.”
PENNRIDGE 3, UPPER MERION 2 (OT)
Sophomore Kari Moyer scored the game winner at the 13:19 mark of overtime, using an assist from Melissa Herd.
“To be our first game and to actually get that win was crucial because it does give them that little bit of confidence,” coach Nicole Thren said. “I know for us being on the grass – the girls were getting very frustrated, so to be able to work through that and come out with a win in the end made it even more rewarding.”
Upper Merion actually got on the scoreboard first just over three minutes into the game when Dominique Gambone connected (Mia Dibella assist). The Rams knotted the score with 1:04 remaining in the half when Jess Tennett scored her first of two goals.
Tennett gave the Rams a 2-1 lead when she found the cage at the 18:06 mark of the second half only to watch the Vikings knot the score when Amanda McAteer scored with 1:40 remaining in regulation (Gambone assist).
Thren praised the solid performance of both Tennett and Herd as well as defenders Katie Dubyk and Madison Reiss.
Pennridge goalie Sarah Seiler was credited with 12 saves while her counterpart, Upper Merion goalie Devyn Antonucci, turned away 10 shots.
METHACTON 6, NORTH PENN 2
Ella Lundquist (Shannon Talbot assist) scored at the 24:08 mark of the opening half to give the Maidens a 1-0 lead. The Warriors answered with goals by Alexa Hoover and Allie Torisi within a 90-second span to go on top 2-1, but Talbot scored an unassisted goal in the closing seconds of the half to knot the score heading into halftime.
The second half belonged to the Warriors, who scored four unanswered goals, but the final score doesn’t tell the story of a game that saw the Maidens hold a decided advantage in shots (27-9) and corners (9-2).
The difference in the game was the brilliant 17-save effort of Methacton goalie Sammi Steele.
UPPER PERK 5, SOUDERTON 2
Upper Perk opened up a 4-0 lead before Souderton Tabatha Almond and Abbey Gabriel scored back-to-back goals to cut that lead in half late in the game.
SPRING-FORD 4, NESHAMINY 1
The Redskins found themselves staring a 3-0 halftime deficit and never did recover. Malloree-Jo Mason scored Neshaminy’s lone goal, using an assist from Annie Kopera.
MOUNT ST. JOSEPH’S ACADEMY 5, PENNSBURY 0
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 7, UPPER DUBLIN 0
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