Owen J. Roberts shocks Wissahickon, 2-0, in hockey semifinal
Owen J. Roberts shocks Wissahickon, 2-0, in hockey semifinal
From here on, it's uncharted waters for the Owen J. Roberts field hockey team.
But coach Clarence Jennelle says the trip will be something seniors Kim Mooney and Caitlyn Mitchell have been working for the last four seasons.
With the pair accounting for the scoring, the fourth-seeded Wildcats shocked unbeaten and top-seeded Wissahickon, 2-0, in the District 1 Class AAA finals Wednesday.
The surprise victory earned the Wildcats a spot in the finals on Saturday against Central Bucks South. It's the first time in school history that the Wildcats made it past the district quarterfinals.
Owen J. Roberts (18-2-1) will meet South, a 6-0 winner over Great Valley in the other semifinal, at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Wissahickon. It will be the second game of a doubleheader.
Villa Maria will take on Sacred Heart for the district AA championship at 3:30 p.m.
Mooney, a back, scored the first Wildcats' goal on a penalty stroke in the first half. Mitchell tallied her goal off a well executed offensive penalty corner with six minutes gone in the second half.
For Wissahickon, ranked No. 1 by The Inquirer, it was the first loss in 20 games this season. The Trojans and Great Valley were the only remaining unbeaten teams in the playoffs.
"We talked a lot about getting off to a great start," said Jennelle, indicating the Wildcats tended to be a second-half team. "I said let's make the first half the game."
The Wildcats' plan was to keep the ball to the outside with short passes hoping to open up the inside.
"We were hoping to get it to Caitlyn for a shot or to draw a foul," Jennelle said.
The Wildcats got the foul for their first goal but not quite the way they expected. A Wissahickon field player was charged with covering the ball at the goal cage, resulting in the penalty stroke for Mooney.
"I always use the same stroke and try to go to the right side with it," Mooney said of her shot. "I'm comfortable with that."
Six minutes and 40 seconds remained in the half after Mooney's goal.
Mitchell's goal came off a penalty corner less than six minutes into the second half.
She took the ball after junior Elissa Cook inserted it and banged it home past Wissahickon goalie Jess Scannapieco.
At that point, the Trojans went on the offensive, recording eight corners to one for Roberts in the final 21 minutes. But they were unable to score for the first time this season.
"Coach said they played a lot like us, so that helped us," Mitchell said.
Wildcats goalie Shelby Miller made seven stops.
Both teams had trouble with the artificial turf at Plymouth Whitemarsh. High balls were frequent. The home fields for the Trojans and Wildcats are much faster and of a different texture.
"Balls kept popping up left and right," said Wissahickon coach Lucy Gil. "We both had to play on it, but it seemed to bother us a little more. We were sluggish in the beginning and never did wake up."
Gil got an outstanding game from Colleen Lynch.
"That was very frustrating," said said said the senior back. "We kept shooting at the cage but couldn't find it."
The Trojans will meet Great Valley Friday for the third and fourth spots from the district in the PIAA playoffs, which get underway next week. The top six teams from the district make the state tourney.
Owen J. Roberts 1 1 - 2
Wissahickon 0 0 - 0
X:
Goals: OJR-Kim Mooney, Caitlyn Mitchell.
Saves: OJR-Shelby Miller 7. W-Jess Scannapieco 3.
Contact staff writer Don Beideman at 267-815-0733 or dbeideman@phillynews.com.









