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CONTINENTAL CONFERENCE
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 3, NORTH PENN 2 (OT)
Amber Steigerwalt had just accepted a congratulatory hug from her father. The CB South junior had reason to celebrate. Steigerwalt not only scored a key goal late in the first half to trim the Maidens’ 2-0 lead in half, she also tapped in the game winner with 11:52 remaining in overtime to give the Titans the dramatic win.
But when it was over, Steigerwalt was quick to deflect credit to her teammate who set up the final goal – senior Kayla Kenney.
“Kayla’s stick skills are incredible,” Steigerwalt said. “She can just weave through players so easily, and she tired out the defense completely. She opened up a lot of opportunities.”
It was Kenney’s relentless effort that allowed the Titans to keep the ball in the right corner as she repeatedly forced long hits and – after all but wearing the Maidens down to submission – she dribbled the ball across the end line and sent it into the circle.
Sophomore Kaitlin Poeisz set up Steigerwalt’s goal, and the Titans – thanks to their dramatic come-from-behind win – appear to have captured some early season magic. After Thursday’s win over a previously undefeated Maiden squad, they find themselves alone at the top of the Continental Conference standings.
The key to their success?
“Hard work and amazing coaching has gotten us through everything,” Steigerwalt said.
Making the Titans’ fast start so remarkable is the fact that they’ve done it despite losing seven seniors from last year’s conference championship squad who are now playing hockey at the collegiate level.
“Some people would rather have mature players with experience, but there’s something to be said for young players that are hungry and don’t give up,” South co-coach Jeff Harding said. “The way the game was going – we were pretty happy.
“I thought territorially we were getting chances. Just a couple of bad hops, and they capitalized, but the girls really stayed focused and stepped it up a notch. We were really proud of them.”
Everything seemed to be going the Maidens’ way in the first half. They went on top 1-0 at the 18:14 mark when Bobby Dougherty – who was on the goalie’s pads – tapped the ball into the cage on a play set up by Juliamae Marger.
Six minutes later, Carly Pickford (Dougherty assist) scored during a scramble in front of the cage with South’s goalie down.
“We were connecting our passing, and we were being aggressive,” Maiden coach Carrie Jankowski said. “I still don’t think we were playing our best possible game, but we were connecting our passes well, and we were fighting hard in the circle.”
The Maidens’ confidence took a hit when Steigerwalt – in a highlight reel play – found herself alone on the left sideline and took it all the way into the circle, slamming it home for a goal that cut the Maidens’ lead in half heading into the intermission.
“The ball was outletted from the defense and I was open for a through ball,” Steigerwalt said. “I was just trying to get at least in the center and hopefully get a shot off or pass it off and get an assist.”
Steigerwalt did better than that, and her goal – which came with just over four minutes remaining in the half – swung momentum in the Titans’ favor.
“Sometimes it takes an individual effort within the team structure, and that was a great goal by Amber,” Harding said. “What she did was she moved off of our team, she moved into space and then she had a great individual effort.
“You need players to be able to do that, and she had a phenomenal game today.”
The Titans wasted little time before knotting the score in the second half. The equalizer came moments after a Maiden defender came up with a stop on the goal line during corner play. This time it was Mackenzie Harding (Lexi Thompson assist) connecting for the big goal.
“It was so frustrating,” Maiden senior captain Emilie Ikeda said. “Our first half – it was some of the best playing I have seen by our team. It was the best first half, but I guess we started taking it easy.
“Maybe we lost the fire, and they had more fire. It’s extremely disappointing.”
Neither team scored the rest of the way, setting the stage for overtime and the dramatic finish.
“This was huge,” Steigerwalt said. “After we got our first goal, we knew we could still come back, and after the second, we knew we had to win. This is our biggest rival.”
As a result of the win, the Titans improved to 4-0 in league play (5-0 overall).
“Every day we kind of have a theme we want to work on, and it’s a slow progression,” Harding said. “We still have a lot of work to do, but to have some early success is important for young players to build that self esteem and confidence.
“Regardless win, lose or draw, this was a great hockey game. For a high school game, it had really good ball speed. Their kids fought really hard. It was really exciting.”
HATBORO-HORSHAM 4, PENNRIDGE 0
Everything came together in Thursday’s game for the Hatters, who picked up their first SOL win.
“It was great,” coach Laura Swezey said. “Our passing was really good.
“We tweaked a few things at practice yesterday, and it all came together today. It was a team effort.”
The Hatters received single goals from Carlie Baldus, Caroline Hagan, Cortnee Daley and Julie McKay. Baldus, Casey Swezey and Colby Eldridge each contributed an assist.
Swezey lauded the efforts of midfielders Daley, Hagan and Rachel Rausa.
“They controlled the midfield,” the Hatters’ first-year coach said. “Our defense – Nicole Beck, Jane Henry, Jenna Cutilli, and goalie Maddy Wagenfeld – were like a rock.
“We received excellent passing and transition in the midfield from Lauren Sarnese.”
The Hatters are 1-2 in league play while the Rams fell to 0-4 (1-4 overall).
SOUDERTON 3, QUAKERTOWN 1
The Indians, according to coach Mary Ann Harris, overcame high grass and a slow field to earn the win over the Panthers, who took a 1-0 lead just over five minutes into the game on a goal by Taylor Bednar.
Senior Courtney Bradshaw scored her first goal of the season to knot the score at the 21:42 mark, and the Indians took a lead they would not lose when Rachel Valentine scored her first of two goals. Her second came just over three minutes into the second half. The Indians held a 20-6 advantage in shots and a 13-4 edge in corners.
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 5, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 2 (Wednesday, Sept. 14)
The Patriots opened up a 3-0 halftime lead on their way to the convincing win. Sarah Thiroway (Emily Vasey assist) opened the scoring, and Marissa Glatt and Kelly Knauer (Vasey assist) followed her lead. In the second half, Shannon Devlin (Thiroway assist) and Glatt (Devlin assist) closed out the scoring for East.
West received goals from Virginia Moore and Kim Mitchcok. Emily Guither had 23 saves for the Patriots
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 2, PENNSBURY 0
The Indians used goals by Alex Kuzma and Gabby Tofig (Carly Everett assist) to open up a 2-0 halftime lead. Neither team scored in the second half. The Indians held a 14-4 advantage in shots, an advantage that was all but negated by the 11-save effort of Falcon goalie Jen Laraia. Rock North’s Katie O’Neill had four saves in the shutout. The loss was the first of the season in SOL play for the Falcons (2-1, 2-3 overall) while the Indians improved to 2-0 in the league (3-1 overall).
To view high school field hockey beat writer Karen Sangillo’s complete game story on PhillyBurbs.com, click on the following link: http://www.phillyburbs.com/sports/high_school/courier/cr-north-blanks-pennsbury/article_8df87c58-7b41-5180-aa47-664a19561bb7.html
WILLIAM TENNENT 9, HARRY S. TRUMAN 0
Brittany Mitchell (Rachael Mueller assist) scored three minutes and 30 seconds into the game, and the Panthers were off and running. Taylor Pritchett connected for a pair of goals, the first with a Mitchell assist, and Mitchell added a single goal within a three-minute span, and just like that, the Panthers led 4-0. Jamie Schuck scored an unassisted goal to send the Panthers into halftime with a 5-0 lead.
In the second half, the Panthers received a pair of goals from Colleen McCabe (Sam Huttick and Prichett assists) and a single goal from Pritchett (Mueller assist).
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 2 ABINGTON 0
NESHAMINY 6, BENSALEM 0
AMERICAN CONFERENCE
UPPER DUBLIN 4, NORRISTOWN 2
The Flying Cardinals – sparked by the hat trick from Sam Boyd - earned the win in a game with a wild finish as the two teams exploded for four goals in the final seven minutes.
“It was a great game for spectators,” Norristown coach Stacie Staufenberg said. “Both teams pushed to the limit on a rainy, windy, cold day. Norristown worked well together to fight the UD team!”
Sam Boyd (Stephanie Speese assist) scored with 1:15 remaining in the first half, sending the Flying Cardinals into halftime with a 1-0 lead. That lead was erased when Norristown’s Sammi Kidd (Gina Pellechio assist) scored midway through the second half.
That tie held up until Marie Wheatley (Emily Hitchings assist) scored the go-ahead goal with seven minutes remaining, and that opened the floodgates. Three minutes later Boyd (Kelly Cross assist) connected for her second goal of the game, and less than a minute later, Boyd scored again, this time using a Hitchings assist for a goal that gave the Flying Cardinals a 4-1 lead. The Eagles cut into that lead when Pellechio scored an unassisted goal as time was about to expire.
Upper Dublin’s Dana Russell turned away six shots while Elliana Gilette had nine saves.
The Flying Cardinals upped their record to 4-0 in league play (5-0) overall while Norristown fell to 2-1.
WISSAHICKON 6, UPPER MORELAND 1
The Trojans sprinted to a 3-0 halftime lead on their way to the convincing win. Emily Gallagher had a pair of first-half goals, the second with an assist from Lauren Becker. Becker (Gretchen Guaglianone assist) also scored late in the half. Her goal gave the Trojans a 2-0 lead at the 5:41 mark. Less than a minute later, Gallagher scored her second goal to put the Trojans on top 3-0.
Back-to-back goals by Jackie Hibbs, the first with an Ashley Laskowitz assist, gave the Trojans a 5-0 lead before the Golden Bears got into the scoring column with a goal from Brit Finn (Amber Stainback assist) at the 9:55 mark. Caitlin Clements (Hibbs assist) connected for a goal with five minutes remaining to close out the scoring.
The Trojans held a 30-5 advantage in shots. Upper Moreland goalies Siage Wenik and Bridget Meade combined for 18 saves.
The Trojans are 2-0 in league play (3-1 overall) while the Golden Bears fell to 0-3 in the league (1-3 overall).
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 8, CHELTENHAM 0
The Colonials earned the decisive win despite the 20-plus save effort of Cheltenham goalie Emily Hawkins.
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