Hockey playoffs resume on Saturday
Archbishop Carroll field hockey coach Suzie Gennaro said her team has nothing to lose as it takes on Selinsgrove at 11 a.m. Saturday at Hershey in the quarterfinal round of the PIAA Class AA playoffs.
"We've never been here before," said Gennaro of the Patriots' first shot in the playoffs since the Catholic League joined the PIAA two years ago.
Carroll, the District 12 representative, opened the state playoffs Tuesday with a 3-0 win over Sacred Heart of the Athletic Association of Catholic Academies. "It's fun to meet all these other teams."
The Patriots (14-2) are one of four area teams left in the state playoffs after seven teams from District 1 and District 12 were eliminated in Tuesday's opening round. They are the second Catholic League team to advance to the second round of states. Cardinal O'Hara upset Wissahickon in the opening round last season.
"I think the loss in the [Catholic League] playoff semifinals has put a fire in their bellies," Gennaro said.
Joining Carroll in the second round are District 1 champion Villa Maria Academy (21-1), in Class AA, and District 1 champion Central Bucks South and Great Valley in Class AAA. Villa, a team familiar with the playoffs, also plays at 11 a.m. against Oley Valley at Whitehall High.
South (18-3-1), fresh off its first District 1 championship, travels to Gov. Mifflin in Shillington to take on District 3 runnerup Hempfield at 6:30 p.m. Great Valley (19-2), the fourth-place team from District 1, plays District 11 runnerup Parkland (19-3) at 1 p.m. at Exeter High, near Reading.
Carroll will be facing a team used to playing in the state playoffs. The District 4 champion Seals are 21-1 with their only loss to District 11 AA champ Lehighton during the regular season. They have been in the state tourney 22 times and have won their district crown 18 times. They have allowed five goals while scoring 107.
Both Villa and Oley Valley are familiar with the state tournamment and have faced each other on several occasions. Villa, which hasn't missed the state playoffs since 1999, has a couple of state titles to its credit.
"They are a very good, solid passing team," said Hurricanes coach Maurene Polley of the Lynx. "They've been a problem for us in the past."
The last time Great Valley was in the state playoffs, in 1979, the team won it all. But coach Joe Tornetta points out that what the team did that year doesn't mean anything.
"What they did is not going to help us today," he said. "Parkland is strong in the middle and plays a solid game. We must stay focused on what we need to do and let the chips fall."
South reached the semifinals of the state playoffs last year. Coach Christina Ford said the Titans would like to take at least another step this season.
"We've been playing very well. The girls are excited," she said. "Sure we'd like to get to the championship game, but right now we're focused on only one game."
She added that the Titans don't mind playing the only night game on Saturday's playoff schedule.
"We're used to playing at night," Ford said.
Hempfield (16-5) was runnerup to defending PIAA champion Penn Manor in District 3.
Contact staff writer Don Beideman@phillynews.com or dbeideman@phillynews.com.
