The Lower Merion High School girls’ soccer team defeated Hatboro Horsham, 1-0, in the District 1 4A tournament Tuesday to earn its first PIAA Class 4A state tournament berth since 2011.
“This means more than words can explain,” said LM’s Carolyn Kelly, who had of the job of marking Hatboro Horsham’s top scorer Emma Levin. “We have been working towards this goal all year and it means so much to make the state tournament.”
With 26:17 remaining in the second half, Lower Merion’s Kylee Gust collected in a shot that deflected back to her, settled the ball on her feet and beat the keeper in the low corner to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
“I saw the rebound come off the goalies hands and I knew that I could beat her in the corner,” said Gust.
“We all have WE written on our arms,” said Gust. “We knew it would take a complete team effort if we wanted to make the state tournament.”
“She did a great job,” said Gust, referring to Kelly stopping Levin. “She (Carolyn) has that task every game and every game she gets the job done.”
Kelly added, “It may be my job to mark her but I get plenty of help from my teammates. I knew it would be tough but with the help of my teammates I knew we could get the job done.”
Lower Merion will host Central Bucks East in the District 1 4A tourney’s fifth-place game Nov. 4.
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The PIAA 3A girls’ tennis team state championship finals Oct. 28 featured a rematch of the District 1 3A team finals, Conestoga facing Council Rock South. And, in a repeat of the district final, Conestoga lost, 3-1, this time at the Hershey Racquet Club.
For Conestoga, Jennifer He at third singles recorded the Pioneers’ lone match win, prevailing 6-3, 6-3.
Conestoga girls tennis head coach Seth Shore said, “After winning back-to-back state team titles the last two years, losing the state final this time was disappointing, but certainly nothing for our players to (hang) their heads about. We had a great season, went undefeated during the season except for the two losses to Council Rock South.”
In the state semifinals the morning of Oct. 28, Conestoga defeated District 7 champion Bethel Park, 3-2. At first singles, Conestoga’s Isabelle Emmanuel defeated Cami Fisher, 6-2, 7-6 (1); at third singles He defeated Katie Peterson, 7-6 (2), 4-6, 3-1 ret,; and at second doubles, the Pioneer duo of Sofia Calvitti and Sarah Weng defeated Cassie Sierka and Julia Gobbie, 6-1, 5-7, 6-2.
Earlier in the tournament, the Pioneers defeated District 3 runnerup Manheim Township, 5-0, in the first round; and beat District 3 third-place finisher Central Dauphin, 5-0, in the state quarterfinals Oct. 27.
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A couple of Lower Merion runners, twin brothers, finished in the top three at the PIAA District 1 3A Cross Country Championships Oct. 27 at Lehigh University. Lower Merion sophomore Nicholas Mazzeo finished first with a time of 15:07.40, and LM soph Alexander Mazzeo placed third (15:13.40).
Haverford High junior Olivia Cieslak won the District 1 3A Girls Cross Cross Country Championship at Lehigh Oct. 27 with a clocking of 17:35.70. Cieslak was 12 seconds clear of runner-up Ella Woehlcke of Mount Saint Joseph.
In the District 1 A Cross Country Championships at Lehigh Oct. 27, Regina Luminis Academy placed first in both the boys and girls team competition. For the boys’ individual race, RLA junior Martin O’Rourke was third, and in the girls’ race, RLA sophomore Gianna Scoville placed second.
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The Harriton girls soccer team ended its season with a 2-0 loss to No. 3 seed Downingtown East in the second round of the PIAA District 1 4A tournament Oct. 26.
“We accomplished a lot this season,” said Harriton senior co-captain Ariel Katz. “We worked hard this season and it showed in our results.”
For the first time in the Harriton seniors’ career (technically the second with the first coming when COVID changed the playoff landscape), the Rams reached the District 1 4A playoffs. In the opening round, the No. 19 seed Rams defeated No. 14 seed Owen J. Roberts, 2-1.
“Winning our first playoff game was exciting,” said fellow senior co-captain Emma Moreaud. “We as a team put in a lot of work and to get rewarded with a playoff win was great.”
Under first-year head coach Pete Gangl, some of the Rams’ highlights this season included a win against Haverford High and a key win over Marple Newtown on Senior Night to help secure the district playoff berth.
“I learned so much from this senior class,” said Harriton junior Nina Cantor. “They showed me how to be a good leader on and off the field and I look forward to seeing our team continue to grow off of our accomplishments this season.”
– Bruce Adams and Eddie Levin contributed to this article.
