Check out the results for SOL field hockey teams in Friday’s non-league openers. Upper Moreland/Jenkintown photos provided courtesy of Kathy Leister Photography. Check back for a gallery of photos.
Non-league
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 4, ABINGTON 0
Sophomore Rebecca Ripans connected for a hat trick and assisted on another to lead the young Indians to the impressive win in Friday’s season opener.
“We returned our defense and a phenomenal goalie (Kyra Deehr-Lewis), and I was worried about finishing, but we kind of put that to rest today, which was nice,” coach Heather Whalin said. “Rebecca Ripans has worked her tail off over the summer to get better and better.
“We could tell when she came in this year that she was going to be something special. She wears Anna Lehman’s number and she plays with that same intensity and ferocity that Anna used to.”
Lehman, a 2016 Rock North graduate, is now playing both hockey and lacrosse at Lehigh University.
It was Ripans breaking a scoreless tie when she scored during corner play with 15:44 remaining in the first half. Villanova commit Hannah Barsky and Sarah Everett assisted. Freshman Brenna Schoenfeld made her varsity debut an impressive one, scoring with 4:29 remaining to send the Indians into halftime with a 2-0 lead. Celie Burke and Ripans were credited with assists on the play.
“For the first 10 minutes, we were nervous – you could tell, so I called a timeout with 18 minutes left in the first half, and it seemed to calm them down,” Whalin said. “It seemed to work because we scored less than three minutes after the timeout. We started playing our game and not worrying as much.”
Ripans (Everett assist) connected on her second goal with 18:39 remaining in regulation and then completed her hat trick seven minutes later, using a Barsky assist. Both came during corner play.
“We were struggling with our corners but yesterday at practice really spent a lot of time working on them,” Whalin said. “I wasn’t at practice yesterday because of another job that was a commitment, so the girls really worked their tail off at practice, and I was proud of them.”
Whalin lauded the strong showing of her defense in the shutout.
“Nikki Jackson is so underrated – she is an excellent defender,” said the Indians’ coach in reference to her stalwart defender who kept the dangerous Natalie McNamara from scoring in the Ghosts’ 1-0 win last year. “Our offense and midfield trust our defense so much that we kind of watch them play.
“I think a couple of times when they had an opportunity it was because we were like, ‘Oh, it’s fine. We’ll watch them play because we know they’ll stop them.’”
Whalin also credited the strong play of Abington’s Paige Doyle, Alainna Swift and Aileen Hughes.
“Swift was a very nice back – she was skilled,” the Indians’ coach said. “Doyle is skilled, and she also had a very nice game.
“(Hughes) was a mid, and she controlled our fast players up front.”
The Indians – who still have mostly underclassmen on their roster – return almost everyone from last year’s 8-10 team.
“I think they just needed that confidence,” Whalin said. “I’m glad we did what we did today, but I still can’t tell where we are yet.”
On the other side of the field, Abington coach Katie Small liked what she saw from her team in its season debut.
“Despite the score, Abington played a really strong game,” the Ghosts’ second-year coach said. “Outstanding play was seen by captains Aileen Hughes and Olivia Geissler and junior Paige Doyle.
“We have some holes to fill, but we have a solid core to build on and are excited for league play starting next week.”
Abington goalie Ellie Hughes recorded five saves.
Council Rock North (1-0) will travel to Pennsbury for its SOL opener on Wednesday, and Abington (0-1) will host Springfield Township on Wednesday in its first game in its new conference, the SOL American.
Council Rock North 2-2 4
Abington 0-0 0
QUAKERTOWN 4, POTTSGROVE 3
The Panthers staged a heroic comeback, rallying from a 3-1 deficit to earn the heartstopping win in Friday’s non-league opener.
The Panthers knotted the score 3-3 with 5:55 remaining when sophomore Fallon Grandinetti, a transfer from Lansdale Catholic, found the back of the cage.
With three minutes left in the game, Halle Frederick, one of the team captains, was fouled in the circle.
“The midfield was working well, transitioning the ball, and we had a forward breakthrough by Halle,” Driscoll said. “There was a blatant foul in the circle that I thought would have been a corner, but we were awarded a penalty stroke.
“Halle – after brushing herself off – was able to collect herself and score with her stroke going high and right.”
That proved to be the game winner as the Panthers held on for the dramatic win.
“We went back and forth for the next minute or so until we were able to regain possession,” Driscoll said of the game’s final minutes. “Pottsgrove certainly did not give up any more than Quakertown did the entire game.”
Earlier in the game, Makenzie Adamson, a captain, scored the Panthers’ lone goal in the opening half. Sophomore Lauren Junker – young talent up from the freshman team – scored her first varsity goal on a corner shot to make it a 3-2 game. Frederick was credited with an assist. Junker’s goal set the stage for Grandinetti’s equalizer and the exciting finish.
Quakertown (1-0) will be on the road at Central Bucks South for Wednesday’s SOL opener.
Pottsgrove 3-0 3
Quakertown 1-3 4
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 5, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 2
The Patriots entered the season the reigning SOL Continental Conference champions, but lost to graduation from a squad that won back-to-back conference were some key players. Topping the list was All-American Riley Donnelly, who is now playing at the University of Maryland and is a member of the U.S. U-19 National Team.
It took a bit of time for the Patriots to find their stride in Friday’s opener, but once they did, it didn’t take long to establish that they still boast plenty of firepower. Sophomore Mannino scored two goals and assisted on two others and senior Cailey Lever also had a pair of goals.
“I was happy that they came out and they were ready to win,” first-year coach Meghan Spratt said. “I was a little worried that we were about 15 minutes in before we scored, but first game, new coach, new season – I think it took them a little bit to settle in. I think that was a big part of it.
“As soon as we started to settle in, everything started to click.”
Lever turned a Mannino pass into a goal to break a scoreless tie with 14 minutes remaining in the opening half. Her goal ignited the defending champions. Two minutes later, Emma Donnelly found the back of the cage, also with a Mannino assist, and Lever connected for her second goal with two minutes remaining in the half to send the Patriots into the intermission with a 3-0 lead.
The first of two goals by Mannino, this one with an Elizabeth Philipp assist, put the Patriots on top 4-0 before sophomore Rianna Shields (Katelyn Cocco assist) broke up with the Patriots’ shutout bid with a goal for the Golden Hawks. Mannino scored to put the Patriots on top 5-1 before Cocco found the back of the cage to close out the scoring for both sides.
“I thought my defense did a great job,” Spratt said. “We weren’t really challenged in the first 15 minutes, and then it became more of an even game, but as soon as we scored, it opened up for us.”
Anchoring East’s defense were junior Elizabeth Philipp, sophomore Grace Bethke and senior Molly Eron.
“Elizabeth is my center back and more of my go-to girl, and my other two – Grace and Molly – are new to their positions, and they are really stepping up,” Spratt said. “(Sophomore) Kenzie Lever did a great job in the midfield. She really worked hard all game. She didn’t have any points, but she was a workhorse. She really controlled the midfield.
“Kyleigh Talomie – one of my senior captains as a midfielder – is a huge presence on the field, and Cailey Lever, my other captain, had two goals and really had a presence as well.”
East goalie Emily Bullard was credited with five saves in the win.
Central Bucks East (1-0) will host Neshaminy in a non-league game Tuesday, and also on Tuesday, Council Rock South (0-1) will be on the road at Central Bucks South for a non-league contest.
Central Bucks East 3-2 5
Council Rock South 0-2 2
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 6, LOWER MORELAND 0
The Spartans raced out of the gate to a 3-0 halftime lead and doubled that with three more goals in the second half. Charlotte deKerillis had a role in four goals, scoring twice and assisting on two others.
Scoring single goals in the first half were deKerillis, Kate Wojeck and Maddie Yoder. In the second half, the Spartans received goals from Charlotte Henry, deKerillis and Bridgid Roy.
The Spartans held just a 10-8 advantage in shots and a 9-7 edge in corners, but Spartan goalie Rebecca Berglund was a difference maker, turning away all six shots she faced in the shutout.
Springfield Township (1-0) will travel to Abington for Wednesday’s non-league opener.
Springfield Township 3-3 6
Lower Moreland 0-0 0
OWEN J ROBERTS 2, NESHAMINY 1
The Redskins fell behind early and spent the rest of the game playing catch-up, falling just short in Friday’s opener.
“Even though we didn’t win, this was a good game to start off the season,” coach Jamie Pinto said. “The girls played hard, fought back and played like a team.
“We are looking to build from this game and keep working hard through the rest of our season.”
Bridget Gallagher scored a minute into the contest to give the host Wildcats an early lead. That lead stood until Madeline Capaldo scored with 17:52 remaining in regulation to give the Wildcats a 2-0 advantage.
Five minutes later, the Redskins made things interesting when Peyton Ritchey scored with an assist from Jamie Pennington to make it a 2-1 game. Neither team scored the rest of the way.
Neshaminy (0-1) will travel to Central Bucks East for a non-league game Tuesday.
Neshaminy 0-1 1
Owen J Roberts 1-1 2
JENKINTOWN 4, UPPER MORELAND 3
The Drakes raced out of the gate to a seemingly comfortable 3-0 lead, thanks to a pair of goals from Rory Strohm and a single goal from Rose McCafferty. That lead turned out to be anything but secure as the Golden Bears came roaring back to knot the score with three unanswered goals.
Twenty-nine seconds into the second half, Madison Casey turned a pass from teammate Claudia Zanine into a goal, and the floodgates were open. Casey scored her second goal with 12:49 remaining in regulation, and the Golden Bears knotted things up when Phoebe Longstreth found the cage with 6:32 on the scoreboard clock, using a Casey assist.
Just when it looked as though the game was heading for overtime, Strohm scored the game winner with 46 seconds remaining. It was her third goal of the contest.
Keeping the Golden Bears in the game was goalie Isabella Guarenghi, who turned away 11 shots.
Upper Moreland (0-1) will travel to Cheltenham for Wednesday’s SOL opener.
Jenkintown 1-3 4
Upper Moreland 2-1 3
METHACTON 6, NORTH PENN 1
The Knights found themselves staring at a 5-0 halftime deficit but then managed to play the Warriors even in the second half.
Kristin Varilla scored with an assist from Amberly Christiansen 90 seconds into the second half for the Knights’ lone score.
“It was a tale of two halves for the young Knights,” coach Shannon McCracken said. “After going down quickly to a strong Methacton team, North Penn outshot and out-cornered Methacton in the second half.”
Rachel Alderfer and Katy Benton each scored two goals to lead the Warriors. Alexa Kratz and Liz Chipman both had one goal. Frankie Lucchesi and Chipman each added an assist.
The Warriors held a 10-7 edge in corners and a 15-13 advantage in shots.
McCracken credited Emily Crawford, Jillian Lampitoc, Alex Fein and Madison Waldspurger for playing well in defeat.
The Knights, according to their coach, are hoping to take their second-half momentum into their conference opener.
North Penn (0-1) will host Souderton in Wednesday’s SOL opener.
Methacton 5-1 6
North Penn 0-1 1
PERKIOMEN VALLEY 7, PENNRIDGE 2
The Vikings’ high-powered offense proved to be the difference in Friday’s non-league opener that saw the Rams received goals from Emma Schlotter and Emily Amsden. Sydney Borneman and Abby Ludlow were credited with assists on Schlotter’s goal while Caitlyn Amsden had the helper on Ludlow’s score.
Pennridge (0-1) will host Lansdale Catholic in a non-league contest Tuesday.
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