Two teams represented the SOL when the PIAA Class AAA Tournament got underway on Tuesday. Both teams – North Penn and Wissahickon – were eliminated in the opening round.
#3-2 PENN MANOR 2, #1-3 NORTH PENN 0
Things didn’t exactly start out on a promising note for the Maidens when their bus got a flat tire on the PA Turnpike en route to Hempfield High School for Tuesday night’s state opener.
To entertain themselves during their wait for another bus, co-coach Becky Poole had players guess how long it would take until their replacement bus arrived.
“We have a generally good bunch of kids, and they were fine,” co-coach Carrie Jankowski said.
The wait was 90 minutes, and the Maidens arrived at Hempfield at 6:45 for their 6 p.m. game. After a 20-minute warm-up, they took the field to do battle with a Penn Manor squad many had penciled in as a favorite to vie for the state title.
“Honestly, the first five minutes, we dominated the game,” Jankowski said. “We were the more aggressive team. Maybe we caught them a little bit on their heels.”
But not for long. Penn Manor drew a series of corners but came up empty.
“Then they got another batch, and they scored – not on the initial shot and not even on the follow-up shot, but we never cleared the ball out of the circle, and a girl scored from the top of the circle on maybe the second or third rebound,” Jankowski said.
Penn Manor added a second goal five minutes later to go on top 2-0.
“Their second goal was a reverse chip by one of their players – it was just an incredible individual effort on her part,” Jankowski said. “They are very good. What sets them apart is that it seems like their sticks were vacuums. Everything we tried to clear through, they were able to get a stick on, get a touch on, so they disrupted our passing game by always being there and always getting their sticks in the way.
“But I didn’t really leave the game thinking they were better than us per se. They put a pretty good effort forth, but you’re never going to win without scoring. We had a couple of corners, and a couple of times we crossed the ball but didn’t have anyone to put it home.”
The Maidens – after a third place finish in the SOL Continental Conference – finished third in the district and advanced to states. They closed out their season with a 15-7 record.
“It’s obviously disappointing to lose and see the season end, but they walked off the field having fought hard,” Jankowski said. “It wasn’t like the Owen J. (Roberts) game where I was like, ‘Who was that group of kids?’
“They fought really hard. In the second half, I would even say we dominated to some level, but if you’re not going to score, you’re not going to win.”
#3-1 LOWER DAUPHIN 2, #1-6 WISSAHICKON 0
Lower Dauphin scored a goal late in the first half and sealed the win with an insurance goal late in the second half. The Trojans closed out their season with an 18-5 mark.
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