The Lions (5-1) open league play this afternoon against Archbishop Wood, one of the teams expected to vie for the title along with O'Hara. The Lions remember an overtime loss to Wood in last year's playoffs that kept them out of the championship game for the first time in five years.
Goalie Moire Boston and midfielder Steph Fichter say the loss still stings. The seniors agree that scheduling Conestoga was good for O'Hara. Boston is getting her big chance in goal, and Nelson has moved Fichter, who started her high school career on the forward line, to midfield this fall after she played as a center back last season.
Boston, who is president of the National Honor Society at O'Hara, recently played a key role in the Lions' 3-2 win over Springfield, a Delaware County neighbor. Boston shut the Cougars out in the second half as her team rallied.
Although Boston allowed four goals to Conestoga, only one came in the second half as O'Hara kept stride with one of the region's top teams.
"It was rough, at first, getting used to playing at Conestoga's level," said Fichter, who had two shots bounce the wrong way off the post. "Their one girl [Duke-bound Megan Deakins] is very good. We played so much better in the second half."
Good feeling. Bayard Rustin coach Jennifer O'Donnell watched her first-year team go 9-10 and make the PIAA Class AA playoffs in 2006. With everybody back (there were no seniors last year), she has high expectations this year, although the Golden Knights will move up to Class AAA for the playoffs.
"We'd certainly like to improve on our record," she said before the Golden Knights took on a district rival, West Chester East, yesterday afternoon. The Golden Knights remain a young team, with just four seniors starting. Three juniors, three sophomores and a freshman complete the lineup.
"Our seniors, Alyssa Gallen, Sarah George, Georgie Amadio and Erin Duffy, have us clicking as a team," O'Donnell said.
The freshman is Meghan Plank, a transfer from Avon Grove. Ironically, Avon Grove is the only team to beat Rustin (5-1).
The Knights open play in the Ches-Mont League's American Conference against Great Valley tomorrow.
Streak halted. Wyoming Seminary, the defending PIAA Class AA champion, handed The Inquirer's top-ranked team, Mount St. Joseph Academy, its first loss, a 3-2 decision on Sunday.
Seminary broke a 2-2 tie with 91/2 minutes to play on all-American Kat Sharkey's third goal of the game.
"It was a good game," Mount St. Joseph co-coach Tina Reinprecht said. "We just couldn't get the equalizer. We spent time on the bus ride home licking our wounds."
Nicole Schuster and Julia Reinprecht scored for the Magic (5-1).
The Inquirer TOP 10Field Hockey |
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| Team | Record |
| Records through Tuesday. Last week's rank in parentheses. | |
| 1. Mount St. Joseph (1) | 5-1 |
| 2. North Penn (2) | 2-0 |
| 3. Perkiomen Valley (6) | 5-1 |
| 4. Council Rock N. (3) | 3-2-1 |
| 5. Pennsbury (5) | 4-1-1 |
| 6. Neshaminy (4) | 3-2-1 |
| 7. Villa Maria (7) | 5-1 |
| 8. Haverford (8) | 6-1 |
| 9. Conestoga (9) | 5-1 |
| 10. Christopher Dock (NR) | 5-1 |
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Under consideration (listed alphabetically): Bayard Rustin (5-1), Cardinal O'Hara (5-1), Central Bucks South (4-2), Merion Mercy (6-1), Radnor (4-0), Souderton (2-2), Spring-Ford (5-2). - Don Beideman |
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Contact staff writer Don Beideman at 610-701-7613 or dbeideman@phillynews.com.