PA – Central Athletic League | Archive | November, 2015

Field Hockey: Lower Merion field hockey starting to build a winning tradition

By
Updated: November 9, 2015

Ardmore – After several years of struggling, the Lower Merion High School field hockey team is starting to build a winning tradition under first-year head coach Dana White. The Aces (11-7-1, 6-4-1) advanced to the PIAA District One tournament this fall for what is believed to be the first time ever.

White said, “We were fortunate this season in that we had an even split of older and younger players that proved to be key and vital components to the program’s success. But more specifically, three players – Emma Ungar, Amelia Carpenter and Danielle Geis – made a huge difference in each game.” Ungar is a senior mid/defender who received All-Central League and All-Main Line recognition last fall.

“Emma’s unfailing endurance and tenacity made all the difference for us on multiple occasions,” said White. “Her skills were consistent and she always managed to make the right decisions when they were most needed. She will be missed next season.”

Carpenter, a senior right back, was considered by White to be the Aces’ unsung hero.

“She was always challenged to take on the left forward, which can be a tricky task,” said White. “She challenged herself to master aerials, she did that; and she challenged herself to play calmer, smarter defense, she did that. Amelia was our most consistent defender, whose intelligence, calm skill, and consistency will be missed next year.”

Geis, a sophomore left forward, will be a key building block for the Aces next fall.

“Danielle is a relatively new player whose determination to improve and be a challenge on the field was always apparent,” said White. “She always figured out a way to put her plans in motion, while challenging defenders, making the circle a mess for goalies, and always playing with a fire that is a highly-sought, intangible asset. I am excited to have two more seasons with her.”

The Aces got off to a slow start (2-3) this fall, but started to gel as the season progressed.

 

Click HERE to read the full article.

Processing your request, Please wait....

Posted in Uncategorized0 Comments

Football: It takes Royal comeback to beat Garnet Valley

UPPER DARBY >> The best Upper Darby High football game Rich Gentile had ever seen, and he’d only been around the place in various capacities since 1975, wasn’t over for 15 minutes, and already he was thinking about the next one.

Or maybe considering all history, distant and recent, it truly was the only one.

“Thanksgiving Day,” the Royals’ coach said, eyes gleaming, chest just a little bit out after a spectacular fourth-quarter rally and a 41-34 triumph over Garnet Valley. “That will be the best one in 40 years. Haverford. For the outright Central League championship.”

When Christoff Minott raced 46 yards for a touchdown with 1:26 left to cap his 386 all-purpose-yard night, the Royals were 9-1 overall, 7-0 in the Central and deeper involved in the state tournament scene. But the Upper Darby-Haverford routine, dating to 1921, will have that additional flavor, given the Fords’ equally perfect conference record. To make that happen, though, first required some faith. That, Gentile showed in his coaching staff, which recruited him at halftime to try an onside kick to begin the third quarter. The Royals down, 20-7, at that point, Gentile agreed, the trickery ensued, the loose ball was recovered and the rally was on.

Click HERE to read the full article.

Garnet Valley’s Derrick West, right, gets the ball over the goal line for one of the three touchdowns he scored as Upper Darby’s Prosper Saydee tries to stop him. West had a monster game with 245 yards on the ground, but the Royals rallied to claim a 41-34 victory in the Central League game. (Times Staff/Tom Kelly IV)

Garnet Valley’s Derrick West, right, gets the ball over the goal line for one of the three touchdowns he scored as Upper Darby’s Prosper Saydee tries to stop him. West had a monster game with 245 yards on the ground, but the Royals rallied to claim a 41-34 victory in the Central League game. (Times Staff/Tom Kelly IV)

Processing your request, Please wait....

Posted in Uncategorized0 Comments

Boys Soccer: Jannelli makes the call that sends Springfield to states

SPRINGFIELD >> Andrew Astrino could sense the clock wasting away, could feel the pressure of a Pennsbury defender as he held possession in the box Saturday. But above all, the midfielder could hear the pleas of Springfield teammate, Nick Jannelli.

“I heard Jannelli screaming,” Astrino said. “When he’s screaming, I know he wants the ball.”

The request granted, Jannelli produced a bit of magic. The midfielder took a touch around a defender and blasted a shot into the back of the net, the game-winning goal with 10.4 seconds left to send 10-man Springfield into the District One quarterfinals and the PIAA tournament with a 2-1 victory over Pennsbury.

Click HERE to read the full article.

Springfield replicated this scene, from Thursday's playoff win over Central Bucks West, on Saturday when Nick Jannelli scored with 10.4 seconds left to notch a 2-1 win over Pennsbury in the District One Class AAA quarterfinals. (Times Staff/Tom Kelly IV)

Springfield replicated this scene, from Thursday’s playoff win over Central Bucks West, on Saturday when Nick Jannelli scored with 10.4 seconds left to notch a 2-1 win over Pennsbury in the District One Class AAA quarterfinals. (Times Staff/Tom Kelly IV)

Processing your request, Please wait....

Posted in Uncategorized0 Comments

Football: Marple Newtown goes to ground game to run past Penncrest

MIDDLETOWN >> For all the spread principles of Chris Gicking’s offense, the Marple Newtown coach won’t pretend that the seven carries his team tallied in last week’s loss to Garnet Valley was sufficient. So Friday’s priority was simple: Establish the run, early, often, by any means necessary. The Tigers’ 47 carries and 207 yards on the ground didn’t fracture any records, but it controlled the clock long enough for the defense to backstop a 20-17 Central League victory over Penncrest.

Airing it out is one thing; forcing sophomore quarterback Anthony Paoletti to hoist up 47 passes like last week’s 40-17 loss to the Jags is suboptimal, even in catchup mode after a 26-3 halftime deficit. Friday, the Tigers got proactive. And if they required a proponent of offensive balance, they needn’t look further than Paoletti.

“I love running the ball,” said Paoletti, who relished lowering his shoulder into contact on eight carries for 58 yards. “I know our running backs love running the ball. Our linemen like to run block. We’re a hard, pounding football team, and we like that mentality.”

Click HERE to read the full article.

Marple Newtown quarterback Anthony Paoletti, flinging the ball in a game earlier this season, did as much damage running the ball as he did throwing it in the Tigers’ 20-17 victory over Central League rival Penncrest Friday night. (Times Staff/Tom Kelly IV)

Marple Newtown quarterback Anthony Paoletti, flinging the ball in a game earlier this season, did as much damage running the ball as he did throwing it in the Tigers’ 20-17 victory over Central League rival Penncrest Friday night. (Times Staff/Tom Kelly IV)

Processing your request, Please wait....

Posted in Uncategorized0 Comments

Football: Romanofsky gets tough yards as Haverford keeps rolling

RIDLEY TWP >> Mike Romanofsky has excelled in recent weeks as the new feature back in Haverford High’s offense. Romanofsky runs low to the ground and loves to hit people. And he tends to run them over. Friday night at Phil Marion Field, in another big test for a Haverford team that has its eyes locked on a Central League championship, Romanofsky grinded out 71 yards and two touchdowns to lead the streaking Fords to a 21-13 success over Ridley. It marked the third consecutive season that Haverford has beaten Ridley.

“All the stuff that you go through in the summer to get here,” Romanofsky said, “it all pays off.”

Romanofsky wasn’t the star Friday night, one week after he racked up a career-high 138 yards in a 24-12 decision over Radnor, but he was the thunder to quarterback Jack Donaghy’s lightning. Whenever Donaghy needed a blow from carving up Ridley’s athletic secondary, Romanofsky went to work. His 7-yard scoring dash — which was more like a rumble — on the first play of the fourth quarter extended Haverford’s one-point advantage to eight.

Click HERE to read the full article.

Haverford quarterback Jack Donaghy, right, hands the ball off to Mike Romanofsky Friday. Romanofsky ran for 71 yards and two scores to lead Haverford to a 21-13. (Times Staff/Tom Kelly IV)

Haverford quarterback Jack Donaghy, right, hands the ball off to Mike Romanofsky Friday. Romanofsky ran for 71 yards and two scores to lead Haverford to a 21-13. (Times Staff/Tom Kelly IV)

Processing your request, Please wait....

Posted in Uncategorized0 Comments

Football: Bruce runs for school-record 322 yards in Royal trashing of Lower Merion

LOWER MERION >> Upper Darby’s Isaiah Bruce was happy to become the first running back in program history to rush for more than 300 yards in a game. And the speedy 5-9, 185-pound senior was delighted that his record-setting effort enabled Bruce to move into second place on the school’s single-season rushing list, behind only Simoni Lawrence. However, he was most thrilled that his 322-yard, three-touchdown performance powered the Royals to a much-tougher-than-it-looked 49-0 decision over Lower Merion at Arnold Field Saturday.

Individual numbers are nice, but Bruce is all about the Ws these days and the latest victory kept the Royals very much alive in the Central League championship race, which could be decided Thanksgiving Day, when Upper Darby visits Haverford. Of course, that’s provided Upper Darby (8-1 overall, 6-0 Central League) knocks off Garnet Valley (7-2, 5-1) next and the Fords (8-1, 6-0) hold up their end of the bargain and get past Lower Merion. Then the annual Thanksgiving Day bash will be a winner-take-all-showdown for the title.

Click HERE

Upper Darby running back Isaiah Bruce ran for 322 yards Saturday against Lower Merion to set a school record.

Upper Darby running back Isaiah Bruce ran for 322 yards Saturday against Lower Merion to set a school record.

to read the full article.

Processing your request, Please wait....

Posted in Uncategorized0 Comments

Alerts