One of the most competitive high school field hockey games seen so far in the District 3 postseason: West Perry versus Susquenita.
The No. 7 Blackhawks upset the No. 2 Mustangs at West Perry on Saturday. The final score was 3-2 after two overtimes. Susquenita advances to the semifinals, where they will meet up with last year’s District 3 Class 1A champions Boiling Springs.
Most of the game was played in the middle of the field and along the sidelines, but West Perry held onto possession much longer than Susquenita. Susquenita took advantage of its opportunities.
The Blackhawks’ goalie, was in large part, the reason for their success. Ava Taube could be heard screaming throughout the game, “we want it more,” or “who wants it more.”
She had 21 saves on the day, which most of them involved 1 v 1 situations. Taube was unafraid to defend her cage. Several times she held her angle but hit the ground, jumped in the air, and all the while, communicated with her defenders on who she thought they should mark.
West Perry’s Jordan Byers was first to score in the second quarter. She ripped a shot into the cage on a corner after receiving it the top. The goal came on the fifth consecutive corner in just over three minutes for the Mustangs.
Being down a goal didn’t stop Susquenita from using one of its treasured skills – speed. They play fast, and take self starts immediately. Their defense works with Taub and executes the basics of both trying to protect their feet and keep their sticks down while under pressure.
Both of Susquenita’s goals came in the fourth. And, both were scored on offensive corners. Kayden Brandt evened the score at 1-1 in the fourth, which fired up the Mustangs. West Perry responded on the next play, earning an offensive corner. Molly Zimmerman finished her shot to again give West Perry the 2-1 edge.
A few minutes later, Susquenita showed no signs of giving up. They earned another corner, which Callie Brouse finished. The equalizer forced the game into overtime.
West Perry continued to be stronger at possessing the ball. However, after one 10-minute overtime elapsed, and another nearly came to its conclusion, it was a Susquenita breakaway at the top of the Mustangs’ offensive circle, sprint to the Blackhawks circle, where a free hit outside the 25 had enough fire on it that it was touched inside the circle with 31 seconds remaining to end the game.
Susquenita’s Aubrey Richards scored the winning goal to break a nearly decades-old pattern of the team not moving on beyond the quarterfinals. The District 3 Class 1A semifinal match between Susquenita [18-2] at Boiling Springs [18-2] will take place November 1 at 7 p.m.
Susquenita 0-0-0-2-0-1: 3
Goals: Brandt, 1; Brouse, 1; Richards, 1
Assists: 0
Shots: 4
Penalty Corners: 4
Saves: Taube, 21
West Perry 0-1-0-1-0-0: 2
Goals: Byers, 1; Zimmerman, 1
Assists: 0
Shots: 25
Penalty Corners: 13
Saves: Marty Morrison, 3
