EXETER – For Council Rock’s Becky Ely, the realization that a special season was coming to an end began to sink in when Hempfield scored to go on top 2-0 late in the second half of Saturday’s PIAA Class AAA quarterfinal game.
“It was tough to look at the clock and just watch it tick down,” the senior captain said after the Indians saw their season come to an end in Saturday’s 2-0 loss at Exeter High School. “It’s our senior year – we’ll never get these chances back.”
The Indians closed out a successful season with a 16-7 record and a SOL National Conference title to their credit.
“It was very hard to see the season end,” Ely said. “We had so many good times. We had a great season. Nobody thought we would get this far, but we did.
“We have a lot to be proud of, and it’s just hard to see it end.”
“Right now, it’s hard,” senior captain Amanda Krause added. “But when I get a chance to look back on the season, I know I’m going to be so proud of what we did. We went farther than anyone expected us to, and I’m so proud of all the girls.
“It’s really sad because I really think we could have kept going, but we really did play our hearts out. We had so much heart, and that’s what really got us here.”
Saturday’s game was an uphill battle from the outset as the Black Knights capitalized on their first corner when the dangerous Lauren Brooks scored just 48 seconds into the contest.
“It definitely put us back on our heels from the start, and that meant we needed two goals and not just one to win,” Ely said. “That was hard, but we kept pushing. We knew we didn’t want to give up just because they scored a goal right away.”
“That was something we didn’t want to have happen, but it happened,” Krause added. “I knew I couldn’t let it get to me, and we couldn’t let it get to our defense.
“I kept trying to lift everyone up, and I think we did pick it up in the second half. We just didn’t have enough time.”
Take away Hempfield’s early goal, and the first half was evenly played. The Indians had four corners to five for the Black Knights, who held a 6-4 edge in shots in the half.
“We just came out a little flat today and then had to climb out of a hole that we definitely didn’t want to,” coach Heather Whalin said. “They’re a good team obviously.
“We had opportunities, but we didn’t take advantage of them.”
The Indians’ saw their opportunities diminish considerably in the second half, and when Rachel Cox scored on a rebound of a goalie save with under four minutes remaining, the handwriting was on the wall.
It didn’t take long for Whalin to put the season into perspective.
“It was a magical season,” she said. “They have nothing to be ashamed of. They played their hearts out this season, and the coaching staff is so proud of them.
“At the beginning of the season, we didn’t know what we had. We lost six players that are playing in college now, and you don’t know what you have. Every team is going to end with a loss except the state champion. For them to make it this far, I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
The secret to this year’s squad?
“I think the fact that we all love each other on and off the field,” Ely said. “We all have heart and work for each other. I think that helped make us good.”
Lost in the shuffle of the season-ending loss was the brilliant 11-save effort of Krause in goal.
“She had a phenomenal game,” Whalin said. “The seniors we lose will be sorely missed.
“We have three senior starters – Amanda, Becky and Jackie Fagan, and they’re three huge players, but I think these girls would like to go further next year.”
HEMPFIELD 2, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 0
Council Rock North 0 0-0
Hempfield 1 1-2
Goals/Assists: Hempfield – Lauren Brooks 1-0, Rachel Cox 1-0, Alania Skalski 0-1.
Shots: CRN-7, Hempfield-18.
Corners: CRN-8, Hempfield-13.
Saves: Amanda Krause (CRN) 11; Kayla Denlinger (H) 5.
- Log in to post comments
0
